GB 1960 1hr 37mins Dir: Robert Hamer Starring: Ian Carmichael and Janette Scott
A social failure joins the College of Lifemanship with the aim of improving his chances
This comedy was based on the Stephen Potter One Upmanship and Lifemanship books and features good opening railway shots. The station at the start of the film which is purporting to be ‘Yeovil’ is in fact Hertford East, and a local train is arriving behind ex-LNER Class J67 0-6-0T No.68500. As Ian Carmichael makes his way out of the station he nonchalantly crosses the tracks in the yard, and both tender and tank locos are visible among the coaches, along with and a DMU, almost new at the time. There is also something very odd which although appearing to be an unidentified small locomotive with a curious off-centred cab, is more likely to be a small steam crane or some similar departmental vehicle. Later, there is a shot of the original frontage to Elstree & Borehamwood station. The film was often marketed as ‘School for Scoundrels or How to Win Without Actually Cheating’.
A train arrives into Hertford East
The locomotive of which is revealed to be J67 0-6-0T No.68500
Passengers including Ian Carmichael leave the train
Ian Carmichael leaves the station and is walking beneath one of Hertford East’s fine Porte cochères
And here we get a better glimpse of the structure, one two at his station which is grade-II listed
Following the large hand signs Ian Carmichael enters the station yard….
….where a number of steam locomotives are present. There are three locomotives in this shot of the yard adjacent to the station, that on the right maybe a J19 0-6-0 but it is a little to much in shadow to work out the final details. That on the left appears to be a small tank loco but the cab is most odd and it remains as yet unidentified. A third loco is in the centre distance, too far off to identify.
Now deep in the yard itself, Ian Carmichael is surrounded by an interesting array of departmental rolling stock. In the centre is a small tank loco, possibly another J67.
In this final view from Hertford East, the front end of a DMU is creeping into shot on the left. I have not the faintest idea what the item of rolling stock with the ‘half cab’ is that is seen on the right (and in the picture above). It could be the back end of a steam crane.
Later on in the film we get this brief glimpse of the forecourt outside Elstree & Borehamwood station, which is visible on the right
