THE BEAST IN THE CELLAR

GB
1970
1hr 41mins
Dir: James Kelly
Starring: Flora Robson and Beryl Reid

Two elderly spinsters keep their disfigured brother locked up in the cellar, but he escapes

This pretty dreadful horror movie has a number of railway scenes filmed on the fledging Bluebell Railway. Two shots are of passing trains whilst the third scene used Horsted Keynes station. The locomotive that appears throughout is one of the line’s ex-SECR P Class 0-6-0T’s but it remains unidentified as it never gets close enough to the camera.

A view from an overbridge as the steam train passes beneath
Having passed under a bridge the Bluebell train now passes over one. New Road bridge, to the south of Horsted Keynes.
A horse and carriage brings passengers into the forecourt of Horsted Keynes station as a train sits in the platform beyond. The loco simmering at the front appears to be one of the line’s P Class tank engines.
As the station master looks on, the next train approaches. Again, though this is small enough to be an 0-6-0 ‘Terrier’ tank I feel pretty sure that this is the P Class loco from the shot above.
Passengers arrive onto the platform at Horsted Keynes
The train arrives, with the line’s LNWR observation coach as part of the consist. This vehicle has gone on to appear in a number of movies over the years, proving to be a popular choice.