The best-ever railway sequence in cinema...

[Strathwood]

3 hours ago, Rugd1022 said:

 

The opening sequence was shot on 17/7/70, with the second unit film crew making the trip from KX to Newcastle with Michael Caine. Before departure they also shot some footage of a 47 departing KX on a rake of Mk2 stock, this was not used in the final cut but it does appear in one of the 'Diesels & Electrics On 35mm' DVDs.

 

Another poster mentioned 'Robbery' from 1967 earlier, this is definitely one of my favourites, for one it's a cracking film anyway if a little slow paced, but the railway scenes were beautifully done. The locations used were Victoria (where Stanley Baker and Joanna Petit arrive), Marylebone (where the 'up postal' departs from 'Glasgow'), Theddingworth and Rockingham on the Rugby to Market Harborough and Peterborough line, plus the Northampton to Market Harborough line...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good calls, both films are well worth another viewing.

 

Kevin

[KeithMacdonald]

On 06/06/2023 at 21:43, Michael Hodgson said:

The trouble with remakes of films is they are almost always inferior to the original.

 

I concur.

 

One notable exception (perhaps) is the remake of Whisky Galore. At first I assumed it couldn't possibly be as good as the original. With James Robertson Justice as the GP prescribing whisky and baccy. The remake has its own charms. I thought Gregor Fisher did a fine step-up from Rab C. Nesbitt. But, sadly, still no railway in sight.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000f1nk/whisky-galore

[Michael Hodgson]

Quote

 

I haven't seen the remake. But I have stayed in a B&B on the Isle of Barra that was used in the filming of the original version. 

No railway on Barra to film!

[jjb1970]

On 16/05/2023 at 04:25, didcot said:

Emperor of the North Pole staring Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine. Very gritty with some understated humour. 

 

Brilliant movie, Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine were at their best in some of their best roles in that movie. The scene where Ernest Borgnine runs out a weight on the end of a rope to bounce off the track bed up at a hobo trying to ride the under frame of a wagon is still wince inducing.

[jjb1970]

I am a big fan of the 1970's Robert Shaw and Walter Matthau movie 'The Taking of Pelham One Two Three', the modern remake with John Travolta was heinous.

[Reorte]

Remaking decent films is setting yourself up for disappointment, but the big name will draw in people to watch it. Remaking a film with a promising idea but botched execution will stand a better chance of getting a good film, but few will watch it so it's no surprise the former happens far more often.

[jjb1970]

A rare exception was the remake of True Grit. The John Wayne version was pretty iconic and a bona fide classic, one of Wayne's best roles. When the Coen's announced they were doing a remake I was sceptical, being made by the Coen's was re-assuring but even so I thought they were setting themselves up to fail given the original. However the remake was superb, Hailee Steinfeld was simply outstanding as Mattie and Jeff Bridges arguably had the role of his career (up to now), some stunning cinematography and a lovely soundtrack based on a hymn theme. The remake was closer to the book and did was I thought highly unlikely in besting the Wayne version. 

[Ian Hargrave]

19 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

I concur.

 

One notable exception (perhaps) is the remake of Whisky Galore. At first I assumed it couldn't possibly be as good as the original. With James Robertson Justice as the GP prescribing whisky and baccy. The remake has its own charms. I thought Gregor Fisher did a fine step-up from Rab C. Nesbitt. But, sadly, still no railway in sight.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000f1nk/whisky-galore

As I post my response,I note that in my left hand is a glass of malt. ….oh hang on,it’s empty….must rectify.

[25kV]

While not the best ever railway movie, Disaster on the Coastliner (1979) has some fun clips starting around 1hr 14.  I wonder if Mr Shatner enjoyed being on the roof of a moving loco... 

I first saw this when the film was probably only a few years old - and me not much older than it - so had no concept of detailed model work for the crash, and wondered how much it would have cost to actually crash an FP40!
 

 

[U36B]

Well worth viewing:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bullet_Train

 

 

 

The hmmm remake turned the train into a  🙄 bus and is well known as "Speed"

 

 

[Strathwood]

14 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

As I post my response,I note that in my left hand is a glass of malt. ….oh hang on,it’s empty….must rectify.

For safety's sake man always drink right-handed, lest you spill some...

 

Kevin

[Welchester]

9 hours ago, U36B said:

The hmmm remake turned the train into a  🙄 bus and is well known as "Speed"

 

 

Another remake involved a milkfloat and a hairy baby maker.

[KeithMacdonald]

On 11/06/2023 at 18:40, Ian Hargrave said:

As I post my response,I note that in my left hand is a glass of malt. ….oh hang on,it’s empty….must rectify.

 

I've heard the Angel's Share is a real thing. It must be the very devil when you have thirsty angels in your house. My father was fond of a wee dram, and was quite reverential in the way he would pour a glass. He'd often say "It's important to let the angels have a chance to take their share". While looking at his watch and counting to ten. Then he'd say "That's long enough for those in heaven", and knock back the wee dram.

[Ian Hargrave]

1 minute ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

I've heard the Angel's Share is a real thing. It must be the very devil when you have thirsty angels in your house. My father was fond of a wee dram, and was quite reverential in the way he would pour a glass. He'd often say "It's important to let the angels have a chance to take their share". While looking at his watch and counting to ten. Then he'd say "That's long enough for those in heaven", and knock back the wee dram.

Tonight’s share is on its way . 

[KeithMacdonald]

On 06/06/2023 at 21:43, Michael Hodgson said:

The trouble with remakes of films is they are almost always inferior to the original.

 

I concur. But just had a horrible thought. As this thread is "The best-ever railway sequence", dare we live dangerously? Has the remake of "The Italian Job" been mentioned? With the get-away sequence on the underground metro rail? Hmm, I'm not convinced .. 

[John M Upton]

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a good one (Walther Matthau original, not the dire remake though - gesundheit!)  with some good subway scenes in it.

 

If you can find it, there was a TV Movie, seemingly long forgotten from the 1970's called Runaway, basically a thinly disguised Rio-Grande ski train comes running down off the mountain with no brakes whilst the passengers, straight from central casting go through the motions of running through every character cliché in the Airport disaster movies series handbook.  It's on YouTube apparently with some deleted scenes spliced back in.  The DRGW GP30 that led the train is now preserved.

 

Runaway Train already mentioned, the four locos of the title were all Alaskan Railroad ones suitably painted ominous matt black although very occasionally their Alaska markings can just be made out beneath the paint.  The F unit is apparently still around, the two high nose Geeps at the back were in fact ex US Army GP7's that had been chop nosed but then the film insisted on fitting them with fake high short hoods, did a pretty good job of it though.  One of the GP7's went onto an illustrious film career with its low nose restored, appearing as one of the locos in Under Siege 2, and also was responsible for smashing a double crossing henchmen's car into oblivion in a Lethal Weapon movie.

Edited August 16, 2023 by John M Upton

[Jim Martin]

The remake of The Ladykillers is a perfectly serviceable black comedy with an excellent cast and really good production design. If the original had never been made, I think it would be a lot more popular than it is. Unfortunately (for the people involved in the production) the original was made and is staying made; and is so embedded in British cultural memory, at least, that no remake is ever going to displace it.

 

To add to my personal favourites already mentioned (Get Carter, The Wrong Trousers and Bad Day At Black Rock), I offer a scene from a movie with several good train shots ( can'tfind a clip of the train leaving town, for some reason):