Filming on the GCR - Alan Brassey details the filming for the BBC. Graham Wignall was on hand to take the spectacular photographs The Great Central Railway rightly enjoys a very good reputation for providing filming opportunities for the big and small screen. Not only is this for its double track main line section, which provides a wealth of scenarios that no other preserved railway can provide, but it is also for the commitment and expertise of its staff and volunteers in providing the organisation, management and physical works required to meet the often onerous and short notice requirements of the film makers. Over the years we have had many filming contracts which are a valuable source of income for the railway. Films have included Cemetery Junction, The Hours, Enigma and Shadowlands. For the small screen we have been included in Top Gear, Central Steam, The 4:50 from Paddington and Goodnight Mr Tom. Famous stars have graced the platforms and carriages of the railway from Anthony Hopkins, to Ricky Gervais, Phil Collins and Nicole Kidman. And, of course, we can provide the extras from our own volunteers and staff and have contacts with theatrical agents to fulfil the needs of the filming companies. We have also been used for promotional and pop videos so are well experienced in serving the film industry. Recently the Great Central Railway had the pleasure of hosting a BBC filming crew to capture a sequence yet to be shown in an episode of the popular TV drama Casualty. This is scheduled currently for viewing on 29 th June, 2014. The filming was arranged to represent a major rail accident and required the placing of two 63ft long Mark Two coaches, from Riviera Trains, to be placed on their sides with each weighing about 35 tonnes. Each had the wheel bogies removed and the coach bodies placed in suitable positions to represent a major derailment on a double track with passing loops on either side. Various bits of Permanent Way, Signal & Telegraph and Carriage items were placed around the crash site to give a realistic effect. The movement of the carriages was no small matter. Although both were scrap they required Fitness to Run examinations as they had to be brought from and to Quorn & An eerie scene at Swithland Sidings provided by the arc lighting on the night of 11th February, 2014 during one of the many filming periods for the BBC.
Woodhouse yard, where they were delivered by low loader to the railway, and along the two mile GCR main line to Swithland Sidings.. To meet the needs of the BBC with their large film crew part of the Quorn & Woodhouse site was used to stable their many vans, catering and Left: The BBC s on site equipment at Swithland used to monitor the shots taken. Below: All the drama of a night shoot. Lighting, cameras and sound booms are brought into action to shoot one of the Casualty scenes. hospitality suite plus equipment trailers. Filming of such a scene requires an army of staff from technicians of all descriptions to camera and sound staff, managers and, of course, actors. All have to be properly catered for and accommodated as close as possible to the site of the filming. At Swithland, the location chosen to replicate the rail accident, the first job was to shunt a few wagons off Siding Road One then uplift part of the track by removing the rails and sleepers to a convenient place. This then created a roadway to
Left: On 12th February, 2014 equipment is rolled into place ready for the shooting of another scene. Below: With the two Riviera Trains derailed carriages tipped to one side the Class 27 D5401 inches up to provide the correct position for filming. Further coaches were then brought on site with a Class 27 diesel locomotive, D5401, to compose the picture of a train travelling at speed and then the coaches derailing. accommodate a 230 tonne mobile crane to negotiate around the back of Swithland Signalbox to access the area close to the arranged crash site. Heavy lifting frames were brought on site to assist with the lifting and placing of the coaches. The height of the crane jib was such that its operation was restricted to maximum wind speeds and while this was not a problem through to the end of the filming the removal of the coaches after filming was delayed by several days by storms and high winds. To create the correct angles of the coaches on their sides, some 30 tonnes of bagged 40mm washed stone was delivered and then placed with the use of the large crane to generate the correct angulations the BBC required. The Swithland Sidings Signalbox was decorated to represent a vandalised box and renamed Holby Cross West. Preparatory filming shots were taken at various points along the double track railway developing the realistic image of the national rail network with the train travelling at speed. All the filming was done during the evening and also throughout the three nights spent taking the many film shots. Everyone had to work late into the night with the GCR staff and volunteers responding quickly and positively to get locomotives and carriages into precisely the right positions required by the series director.
Left:Swithland Sidings signalbox decorated as the derelict Holby Cross West box and surrounded by all the debris from the crash. Below: Filming taking place on the night of 12th February, 2014. example of the way GCR can work together to achieve a successful project for the client. After the filming event had finished, again the 230 tonne crane was brought back on site to lift the tipped coaches, put them on their respective bogies, return the other coaches to duty, uplift the bagged stone of which some of the bags had burst open spilling their contents out and replacing the uplifted track in Siding Road One. Great Central Railway staff were on site at all times during the setup, filming and clearing up times. And, of course, the GCR s normal service trains had to be kept running, the trains from Loughborough Central to Leicester North passing through Swithland Sidings on the Up loop. Paul Pearson, the Location Manager, Casualty, BBCTV said that I'd just like to say once again how impressed we all were with the facilities at GCR and how professionally and efficiently they were provided. Thanks to Great Central Railway having the double track facility with passing loops and a branch line, we are able to offer a unique amenity for filming to take place replicating main line railways, past and present. We can provide any technical and historical advice required. We re also able to advise on safety matters if something is required that is out of the Representatives of most of the railway s departments were involved in the event from initial talks, planning, through set up, filming sessions and clean up. It was a mammoth task for the GCR and probably the biggest one that the railway has had to undertake but it was all completed on schedule and to the satisfaction of the BBC. It was a very good
On 21st February, 2014 a Mk2 carriage is lifted to be placed on its accommodation bogies for transfer back to Quorn & Woodhouse. ordinary. If there is a need a particular style of locomotive or carriages not in our fleet, they can be hired from other railways subject to availability. We can also provide location managers with addresses for hotels, local services etc, and we can provide an effective liaison with the police, local authorities and any landowners your work may affect. We can arrange parking or site rental for a production base. For further information contact the railway on 01509 632 323. Below left: The enormous 230 tonne crane provides an impressive sight as it prepares to do some lifting on 21st February, 2014. Below right: An accommodation bogie is lifted on to the track at Swithland to enable the two Riviera Mk2 carriages to be taken back to Quorn & Woodhouse Bottom right: The large array of BBC vans at Quorn & Woodhouse to accommodate equipment and people.