THREE AND OUT

GB
2008
1hr 35mins
Dir: Jonathan Gershfield
Starring: Mackenzie Crook and Gemma Arterton

A tube driver finds that compensation can be paid for suffering three fatalities in one month, and seeks to find the third

The central plot to this black comedy sees Mackenzie Crook as a tube driver who has accidentally killed two people whilst driving his train. He is then told by his colleagues about a little-known ‘rule’ at London Underground that no-one talks about: three ‘under’ within a month and you lose your job, earning yourself ten years’ salary in one lump sum. Therefore, he aims to find someone who wants to commit suicide by diving under his train. Understandably, the film provoked a fair deal of controversy, with complaints from tube drivers and union bosses, but beneath all this, the film really wasn’t very good anyway, and after its release became largely forgotten. Most of the filming was done on the Jubilee and Northern Lines with Crook in the cab of 1990s-built tube stock. Crook did do some driving, at slow speed in Highgate depot, but during the main sequences the trains were driven by an instructor who was crouched out of sight behind Mackenzie Crook. The first death scene featured a man that was accidentally killed after he is pulled on to the tracks by his dog, and this was filmed at Charing Cross (Jubilee Line). The second passenger killed by falling on to the tracks after having a heart attack was filmed at East Finchley (Northern Line). The tracks here, that run to and from Highgate depot, feature prominently at the end and there are some decent shots of 1995-built stock. Yet other stations do feature in the film. There are some shots of Camden Town on the Northern Line, as well as a scene filmed at London Marylebone station (masquerading as Liverpool Lime Street!), with a Class 165 ‘Turbo’ DMU visible in the platforms. In another scene, Mackenzie Crook is standing on the roof of Camden Roundhouse and a Virgin Class 390 ‘Pendolino’ can be glimpsed passing by in the background. In the scene towards the end where Colm Meaney is having a shave, a distant train is visible through the bathroom window. On this occasion though is not clear as to what it is as the background is largely out of focus. Finally, the staff ‘messroom’ overlooks the platforms of Harrow-on-the-Hill station, and a number of trains of A stock can be seen passing beneath. Northern Line driving vehicles that are identifiable in the film include No’s.51513, 51617, 51626 and 51635. As part of the extras available on the DVD, there is a Making Of documentary and some additional shots of the trains feature, showing that the leading driving vehicle at Charing Cross is No. 96072 (1996 stock).

The opening scene was filmed at the disused Charing Cross on the Jubilee Line
Visible through the window behind Mackenzie Crook and Mark Benton is Harrow-on-the-Hill station, with a train of A stock arriving on a Metropolitan Line service
A Northern Line train of 1995 stock arrives into a busy Camden Town
As mentioned in the text above, there are some decent shots of Northern line 1995 stock trains. Here, with vehicle 51626 leading, a train heads towards the camera. This was filmed on the line to Highgate depot. The silver birch trees on the left give the location a distinctly rural air.
This is the ticket hall at East Finchley station, on the London Underground’s Northern Line
A more familiar view of the platforms at East Finchley station
This excellent shot shows a 1995 stock train approaching East Finchley. These lines lead to/from Highgate depot which another train is heading towards in the distance.
Mackenzie Crook stood on the roof of Camden Roundhouse, the famous former London & Birmingham locomotive shed. The front end of a passing ‘Pendolino’ unit can be seen to his immediate right (which really is his left!)
This cropped view shows the train a lot more clearly
The brief scene at London Marylebone shows the ticket office queue and a somewhat obscured glimpse of a Class 165 DMU in the platform behind
A Northern Line train bursts out of the northbound tunnel and into the fresh air at Highgate. It would have entered the tunnel at Morden and travelled via Bank. At 17.3 miles, this is the longest complete stretch of Underground tunnel in the UK. Note the line to the Highgate depot in the very top left hand corner of this shot.
A 1995 stock train arrives into East Finchley. These centre run through roads serve the depot lines only and are not used by passengers. It is the outer faces of these platforms that are used by service trains. Note the unusual East Finchley destination on display on the fromt of vehicle 51513.
A 1995 stock train on a Northern Line service. The location of this shot is not known, but it is not in the immediate vicinity of East Finchley/Highgate where the rest of the filming took place.
There is plenty of interest in this driver’s eye view, filmed from the cab of a train of 1995 stock. The lines going straight on are for Highgate depot. The train on the left is a southbound service heading down to the tunnel into London whilst the train on the right has just exited the tunnel, and will be on a southbound service probably for High Barnet.