THE BED SITTING ROOM

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GB
1969
1hr 30mins
Dir: Richard Lester
Starring: Mona Washbourne and Arthur Lowe

Various survivors of a nuclear war eke out a frugal existence

This surreal fantasy has scenes that involve a family living on a deserted London Underground ‘Circle Line’ train. This was filmed at Aldwych station using a train formed of 1962-built tube stock. However, the cross passages and escalators used Knightsbridge station whilst the left luggage office was located on the derelict platform 4 of Wood Lane station on the Central Line.

A train of 1962-stock arrives into a rubbish strewn Aldwych station. London has been destroyed in a two and a half minute long nuclear war but the train continues to run automatically on the ‘Circle Line’. Very eerie indeed! Note the destination blind proclaiming CIRCLE.
In the film, the Underground train has been the home of Arthur Lowe and his family for many years. Here we see Arthur Lowe buying chocolate on the platform.
The family make their way out of the station after deciding to visit the outside world. This is the lower lift lobby at Aldwych.
In order to obtain some luggage, the family break into a left luggage office. This looks like a set but is in fact the very much closed, and very derelict former platform 4 of Wood Lane station on the Central Line. The station closed in 1947 and all traces had been removed by 2006 when the site was finally redeveloped.
The family finally make their way out of the Underground. They started out from Aldwych, and went via Wood Lane, but this is the corridor at the west end of platform 2 of Knightsbridge station! From right to left: Arthur Lowe, Richard Warwick, Rita Tushingham and Mona Washbourne.
This is the up escalator at Knightsbridge station. The wood panelling and uplighters disappeared as part of the station’s refurbishment.