THE BRAVE DON’T CRY

GB
1952
1hr 29mins
Dir: Philip Leacock
Starring: John Gregson and Fulton Mackay

A depiction of events in September 1950 when 129 miners were trapped underground by a landslide which ultimately cost the lives of 13 men

This drama is a commendable production, and was shot just two years after the tragic events that took place at Knockshinnoch Castle Colliery in Scotland. It was originally known as What God Forgot and was released with the alternative title of Knockshinnoch Story. John Grierson (of Night Mail fame) called the script “one of the most moving I have read for years”. Although most of the filming took place on an impressive set at Southall Studios some location work had to take place in Scotland, and used Whitehill Colliery in Rosewell, Midlothian where there are a couple of shots of the sidings serving the colliery. The railway station scene used Southall, with ex-GWR 6100 Class 2-6-2 ‘Large Prairie’ Tank No.6163 on a train.

The railway sidings in the background served Whitehill Colliery and connected to the main line at Hawthornden Junction, to the south of Rosewell & Hawthornden station
This expansive view of the well-filled railway sidings at Whitehill Colliery shows the pit head and winding gear in the right distance
This is Southall station and its pouring with rain. ‘Large Prairie’ Tank No.6163 is at the head of a short parcels train at the ‘back’ of platform 5. This served as part of the goods and parcels facilities and was not used by passenger trains.
A train of hand worked coal tubs is seen inside the colliery. It is unclear if this is a studio set or the real thing, but it is a scene that would have been all too familiar to miners up and down the country.
One other split-second view of a station appears in the film, but blink and you will miss it. The shot shows homing pigeons being released from their baskets but this is all we get to see of the station where this takes place.