If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Titfield Thunderbolt...

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by dan.lank, Apr 28, 2014.

  1. dan.lank

    dan.lank Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2009
    Messages:
    399
    Likes Received:
    290
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Haywards Heath
    I've been making use of a day off with a cold by rewatching this classic film, and ended up searching around for a few bits of trivia. Was quite interested by the IMDB article which says there were two 14xx tanks used for filming with the numberplates swapped; facing in opposite directions to speed up filming. It says that the additional loco was 1450... Has anybody else heard this? Or is there any proof? Quite interesting...

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046436/trivia

    Anybody else got any fun nuggets of info about the film?

    Other ones I've heard:
    - Lion's tender was fairly badly damaged when it was hit by the coaches in one scene.
    - Stanley Holloway was a dab hand at driving Lion.
    - The driver, fireman and guard in the earlier scenes are real BR employees rather than actors...
     
    dan.lank, Apr 28, 2014
    #1
  2. Avonside1563

    Avonside1563 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2007
    Messages:
    1,141
    Likes Received:
    244
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bolton's Sidings, just behind the running shed!
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Avonside1563, Apr 28, 2014
    #2
  3. simon

    simon Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2006
    Messages:
    11,599
    Likes Received:
    5,262
    Says you have to join the group to view.

    Must admit, I don't find Facebook useful for this kind of thing.
     
    simon, Apr 28, 2014
    #3
  4. Charles Parry

    Charles Parry Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2013
    Messages:
    327
    Likes Received:
    284
    Gender:
    Male
    Lion was indeed damaged during after the coach and break van push. This was never repaired and is still visible if you go she her in Liverpool.
     
    Charles Parry, Apr 28, 2014
    #4
  5. simon

    simon Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2006
    Messages:
    11,599
    Likes Received:
    5,262
    simon, Apr 28, 2014
    #5
    dan.lank likes this.
  6. Avonside1563

    Avonside1563 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2007
    Messages:
    1,141
    Likes Received:
    244
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bolton's Sidings, just behind the running shed!
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Yes you have to join the group, but how much trouble is that? And if you don't like the group you can always leave it. Many groups on facebook are private, it helps to avoid erroneous posts or blatant advertising.
     
    Avonside1563, Apr 29, 2014
    #6
  7. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,156
    Likes Received:
    5,227
    Presumably you first have to join facebook itself, and that's what some of us are seriously uncomfortable about.
     
    MellishR, Apr 29, 2014
    #7
  8. simon

    simon Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2006
    Messages:
    11,599
    Likes Received:
    5,262
    Its no trouble, but as I say I don't think facebook is the right medium. IMHO Facebook is for ephemeral stuff: selfies, pics of food, holiday snaps etc, not for ongoing collections.
     
    simon, Apr 29, 2014
    #8
  9. Owd Sweedy

    Owd Sweedy New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2012
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    80
    Location:
    Ottawa
    Have a look at this site.
    http://homepages.which.net/~gordon.dudman/titfield2.html
    Also try Simon Castens, who owns a bookshop called the Titfield Thunderbolt, has written a book on the subject, called
    "On the trail of the Titfield Thunderbolt". He is very knowledgeable on the subject and is a really nice chap!
    Cheers,
    Owd Sweedy.
     
    Owd Sweedy, Apr 30, 2014
    #9
    dan.lank and Corbs like this.
  10. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2008
    Messages:
    3,915
    Likes Received:
    3,720
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    South Hams
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I joined Facebook as two of my grandchildren and a good friend in the United States used it. I stayed a week, I thought it ghastly. Don't think you can opt out that easily either. Yes, you can remove profile and details and close the account but, in my opinion, see what happens if you try to log in again at a future date . It still thinks you are with them. So much, sadly, of the web has 'memories' it seems.
     
    Greenway, Apr 30, 2014
    #10
  11. dan.lank

    dan.lank Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2009
    Messages:
    399
    Likes Received:
    290
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Haywards Heath
    Thanks for the tips, gang! Does anybody know if there's any truth or proof for the 1450 rumour?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    dan.lank, Apr 30, 2014
    #11
  12. Mencken

    Mencken New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2012
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    31
    For anyone seriously interested in the Liverpool & Manchester Railway's loco Lion I'd recommend a small (28pp) book by Adrian Jarvis and Len Morris: 'Lion - the story of the oldest working locomotive in the world' published by Merseyside County Museums in 1980. There may be a more recent edition.

    It seems to cover everything, except why it was given that weirdly shaped outer firebox top in 1930.
     
    Mencken, Apr 30, 2014
    #12
  13. Charles Parry

    Charles Parry Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2013
    Messages:
    327
    Likes Received:
    284
    Gender:
    Male
    I have heard the rumour that 1450 was used as a stand in. I think they faced different ways. Having 2 locos and 2 brake vans means they didn't have to take them for turning and could shoot however it suited them. I believe Lion had to turned, so she had to venture onto the mainline at a steady 15mph to go to a triangle.
     
    Charles Parry, Apr 30, 2014
    #13
  14. Corbs

    Corbs Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2008
    Messages:
    1,714
    Likes Received:
    727
    1401 is definitely in the film. The other 'branch' loco was renumbered as 1401 to enable quicker filming.

    1462 appears on the turntable during the midnight theft, and once it leaves the rails, was played by the lorry dressed up as 1462.

    The rumour of 1450 being 1401's opposite number is a new one to me. Appears on the imdb trivia page. Am not sure if this was started because 1450 was renumbered as 1401 for the NNR's 'Titfield Thunderbolt' special in 2012?

    Simon C would probably know but I've misplaced his number.
     
    Corbs, Apr 30, 2014
    #14
  15. collet1930

    collet1930 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2011
    Messages:
    59
    Likes Received:
    25
    The two 0-4-2T's used were 1401 and 1456. The latter being used for banking and shunting duties.
     
    collet1930, May 18, 2014
    #15
  16. goldfish

    goldfish Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2009
    Messages:
    15,021
    Likes Received:
    12,438
    Thank god for the EU and the 'right to be forgotten', eh…?

    ;)

    Simon
     
    goldfish, May 18, 2014
    #16
    ragl likes this.
  17. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2005
    Messages:
    12,910
    Likes Received:
    1,387
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham
    I was wondering the same, I can't remember the number of the 2nd loco quoted in the past, but it definetly wasn't 1450, presumably those updating IMDB and the like are not as informed on such things as your average NP member.
     
    david1984, May 21, 2014
    #17

Share This Page