SKYFALL

GB
2012
2hrs 23mins
Dir: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig and Judi Dench

Bond’s loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her

The 23rd Bond movie sacrifices story for excitement and is rather underwhelming. There is a scene where Bond, played by Daniel Craig, chases Javier Bardem onto the District Line of the Underground and pursues him from ‘Temple’ station, to ‘Embankment’. The station scenes largely used the disused Jubilee Line section of Charing Cross station and there are good shots of the 1996-built tube stock, including one from track level inside the tunnel. Vehicles 96069, 96269, 96469 and 96669 are all identifiable in the tense scenes filmed onboard. The ‘old’ Charing Cross is fast becoming a screen favourite that is now used for many modern day action sequences. Its appearance as Temple is unusual though because Temple is not a deep-level station. For the ensuing tube train crash, two full-size tube carriages, each weighing seven tons, were built for the sequence which was so risky it had to be filmed with remotely operated cameras, ten of which covered the stunt from various angles. A remarkably unscathed Bond finally emerges from Westminster Underground station but the scene whereby Bardem leaves the tube at Embankment, actually used Charing Cross again. As a footnote, the UK DVD release of Skyfall was advertised by a GNER Class 91 and Mk4 set covered in 007 vinyls. The Class 91 was No.91107, temporarily renumbered 91007 for the duration of the launch, and both it and the DVT were named Skyfall 007, a name which the Class 91 retained after the vinyls promoting the film were removed.

Arriving down underground, Bond almost immediately gets run down by this approaching train of 1996-built tube stock. This will be one of the running tunnels of the Charing Cross branch of the Jubilee Line.
This appears to be one of the passenger subways of Charing Cross mainline station
Passengers fill the platform at Charing Cross as a 1996 stock train pulls in
Daniel Craig races after the train as it departs
This scene shows several interesting aspects. Firstly, the station signage here at Charing Cross reads ‘Embankment’, and the Jubilee Line train arriving has a ‘Wimbledon’ destination blind and ‘District Line’ branding on the front end. The lead vehicle appears to be No.96224.
There are good shots filmed in the station environs, this being one such example
The crash sequence used full size seven ton mock ups. Note the ‘Not in Service’ destination blind!!!
The train continues to plough through brick walls
As Javier Bardem gets into the police car the entrance to Embankment Underground station is behind him. Well not really. This is in fact a side entrance to Charing Cross main line station, as viewed from Whitehall Place and looking across Northumberland Avenue. The road tunnel beneath the platforms is on the right.