GB 1975 59 mins Dir: James Hill Starring: Sarah Hollis Andrews and Ronald Adam
In 1860, a young orphaned girl is sent to live with her uncle, but she is troubled by a shadowy figure who appears and disappears
This short mystery drama from the Children’s Film Foundation is actually pretty effective and features excellent opening scenes on the Kent & East Sussex Railway at Tenterden Town station. A train arrives behind ex-LBSCR AIX Class ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0T No.3 Bodiam. As it departs, there is a glimpse in the background of unrestored Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST W/No.1955 of 1917. It later became the line’s No.14 Charwelton and is seen working in the 1995 film Cold Comfort Farm (qv). The station appears in several other scenes throughout the film, and there are additional sequences filmed onboard a train.
Tenterden Town station on the Kent & East Sussex and a train arrives behind A1X Terrier No.3 Bodiam
We are afforded a good closeup view of the diminutive little tank loco as it arrives into the platform. The carriage immediately behind No.3 is SECR ‘Birdcage’ Composite Brake No.1106, built in 1910.
Tenterden Town was reopened by the preservation movement in 1974, less than year before filming
As the train departs another locomotive is revealed on the left. This is the unrestored Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST W/No.1955 of 1917. It later returned to traffic as No.14 Charwelton. The rear coach meanwhile is LNWR 4-wheel Brake Third No.109, built in 1911 and running as K&ESR No.13.
Sarah Hollis Andrews waits on the platform at Tenterden Town as the porter crosses the tracks behind her
A closeup view of the signal box at Tenterden Town. Note the dangling array of fire buckets.
Passengers await the arrival of the next train at Tenterden Town
Sarah Hollis Andrews is delicately framed between seats as she sits alone on the train
Whilst in this scene she is the sole passenger to have alighted from the train at Tenterden
This final departure scene gives us an excellent glimpse of SECR No.1106 on the rear of the train, running as K&ESR No.60, and it is clearly evident as to why this type of brake was known as a ‘birdcage’. Despite it looking good here, the vehicle has now been withdrawn and is currently in a derelict state.
