The Detective

[One32]

Just watching this 1954  film on "talking pictures" Alex Guiness as Father Brown Some very atmospheric  shots of a French local train at about 1hr - 3 axle coaches and 2 axle van.  Also some nice period views of countryside and village.

Ralph Webb

[Pacific231G]

Thank s for the tip off Ralph. There are no more showings in the schedule but I've put a record request onto my box so we'll see. I did notice that "Talking Pictures" are showing Blue Pullman next Wednesday early in the morning. Did you notice what was hauling the French train? 1954 is early enough for it to have been something interesting. 

Edited May 30, 2019 by Pacific231G

[One32]

My knowledge isnt that good and it caught me on the hop. It looked like a 232t maybe ex prussian? This really isnt my area - I posted in case it was of interest to others.

Ralph

[Pacific231G]

Glad you did Ralph as I'll look out for it.

"The Detective" was the US title of the film and according to IMDB its original title for UK release was "Father Brown" though the posters are "Father Brown- Detective" 

There is a credit for the French actor  Jim Gérald (near the end of his career)  as "French Stationmaster"

There are some stills from the film including the train here

https://www.reelstreets.com/films/father-brown/

The larger station is Cluny in Saone et Loire (closed with all track lifted) and it was on the ex PLM line from there to Macon (closed to passengers and goods in 1968 and now a Voie Verte) where the other railway scenes were filmed. The station where Fr. Brown alighted was La Croix-Blanche-Sologny station.

I'm not sure about the loco. It looks like an ex PLM 242T, the smokebox door looks decidedly PLM and the three cab windows look right but the separate domes and steam pipes aren't quite right for a Sud-Est 242-TA TB TC or TD

Edited May 30, 2019 by Pacific231G

[One32]

Not at all. I enjoyed the story and now I'm better informed. Several of the scenes activated the "modelling gene"

[rue_d_etropal]

found a copy of the DVD online. Ordered yesterday, arrived about an hour ago. Will watch tonight. Was initially puzzled about name of film, but search found the UK version with UK title .

 

[Pacific231G]

I think the loco is from SNCF class 5-232TB (PLM class 232BT) a class of 45 passenger tank locos built for the PLM by Hanomag in Hanover between 1908-1909 (25) and by SA Forges Usines et Fonderies Haine-Saint-Pierre in Belgium between 1913-1914 (20). They were built for Paris commuter services but displaced by the similar but slightly more powerful PLM class 232AT (SNCF 5-232TA) and transferred to suburban/commuter services around Lyon and Marseilles. The last of them were scrapped between 1959-61 about ten years later than the last locos of the 232TA class. By the time they appeared in "Father Brown" they had presumably been cascaded down to finish their careers hauling more rural local services.

  There are some detail differences between this and the loco in the movie so that may well have been one of he younger Belgian built locos

[ianp]

I watched the film on DVD. As mentioned above, some interesting rural and railway views. The film itself is a mixed bag - with some hammy acting (especially Alec Guinness!), stiff dialogue, poor editing, continuity mistakes and a thoroughly bonkers plot. In other words, typical Ealing fare. I quite enjoyed it.

Edited June 11, 2019 by ianp