RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted November 10, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 10, 2009 The Mid Hants Railway web site includes the following information which I have cut and pasted. The Wrecker, a 1920's silent movie not seen for 70 years, has been digitally re-mastered for release on DVD. The film includes unique scenes of the Southern Region and features the most spectacular railway crash in British cinema history. To celebrate this release, the Mid Hants Railway is hosting a free screening at the Old Goods Shed, Alresford on the 26th November at 7.00pm.[/i] I hope it is of interest to some of you. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted November 25, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 25, 2009 Fascinating this: http://news.bbc.co.u...and/8379500.stm Footage of a steam train, which was derailed for the 1928 silent movie The Wrecker, has been restored after 80 years with a new musical score. The steam train was derailed on the Basingstoke to Alton line, in Hampshire. The footage has been reworked for a new DVD. Alison Harper reports. One of the locos involved is King Arthur class 803, the crashed one looks like a 'D' class or similiar (certainly something circa LSWR 1890's) whilst there is a brief shot (and a glaring continuity error?) of a ex SER D1/E1/L1 type. Amazing what could be achieved in the 1920's without a hundred million dollars worth of CGI! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptic Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Hi Chris116 You may have seen the slightly longer version of this clip shown on BBC South Today, Wed.25th.Nov. http://news.bbc.co.u...and/8379500.stm A darstardly deed indeed!!. Shades of 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'. SR must have re-laid the track afterwards, for Will Hay and his crew in 'Oh, Mister Porter'. Thanks for the 'Heads up'. Regards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted November 26, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2009 Neil Brand is simply brilliant, I've worked a couple of the Paul Merton silent clown shows where he has played the piano to accompany silent films. After a few minutes you forget completely that the music with the film is being played live in the room, with no written score. Andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZ Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Crashes caused by a rival bus company. Shades of Pierce and Crump there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burkitt Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 There seems to be third rail electrification in the opening track shot - is that genuine 1928 third rail, or a modern clip that's been inserted. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod6 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Similar topics merged Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertiedog Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 A few notes...... The Third Rail shots etc., were original contemporary shot's taken at the time, by the film unit, the BIP/Gainsborough unit also arranged the Locomotive crash for a Sunday afternoon, and the track was back in full action on the Monday morning. Despite the appearance on screen, the crash was not too bad, and was designed that way. They lost a complete camera, but BIP had provided 22 to cover it from all angles . The Foden lorry was completely destroyed, Some coaches were recovered intact. The loco was not severely damaged, but it was already due for scrapping. The wrecking train and steam crane were standing by as the crash was shot, and moved in straight away to clear the line. Although the engine had the regulator open, it relied on the down slope, and gravity, to gather speed, and the boiler was near full to priming, leaving little steam space to cause explosions. The slow start of the run allowed the Crew and then the Driver to exit the moving locomotive, there was an Inspector, and Fireman and a film company man on the footplate at the start, each departing in turn, as it picked up speed. The Driver remained with the loco as long as possible to be able to abort the filming if signalled to. Several runs were made with the lorry out of the way to find out how fast the train would strike it. This provided rehearsal for the driver, but he remained aboard for these test runs. The only time he jumped was for the final filming. There was a barrier built (shown nowhere in the film), across the line with sandbags to act as a stop it in case the loco remained on the track and ran on. The bolts were removed from the track chairs at the level crossing to weaken the track and make sure the loco came off. Even in the newly restored version the speed of impact is somewhat exaggerated, as the cameras were "under cranked", and you cannot recover the missing frames to make it look smooth at the real speed, so it is still a speeded up shot by several percent. However a master film was shot with high frame rate on one camera, but this film does not seem to survive now in 35mm, only as a poor 16mm dupe. The restored film is from safety stock 35mm dupes found a few years ago in storage. The film was listed as missing, presumed lost by the British Film Institute for several years. The film "The Wreckers" was based on the play by Arnold Ridley, of Dad's Army fame, a later play than his earlier, and more famous play, "The Ghost Train". The film of the crash was used in another Arnold Ridley filmed play, "Seven Sinners", which also used elements of the earlier silent film story. Although shot as a silent film, synchronised sound was added soon afterwards to the whole film, and this is the more usual version. The film shots were used in many other films for train crashes, and "Oh Mr Porter" was shot in the same place, and references it, as it was only a few years earlier, and well remembered. It was also shot by the same team and company, Gainsborough Films, and BIP film under Sir Michael Balcon, who later made "The Titfield Thunderbolt", whilst at Ealing Studios in the 1950's. Hope these notes help interest in the film, buy the DVD!! Stephen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptic Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 DVD of the film+bonus features available here. Usual disclaimer. http://www.strikefor...products_id=812 Regards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 009matt Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 The line can still be traced along the road that connects alton to basingstoke and folklore has it that there are still parts of the loco/foden embedded in the field and verge close to where the explosion happened! If you know Alton at all, as you drive under the BUTT's junction, as you approach the T junction, turning left to Basingstoke, the embankment on the right was part of the line, and I believe the track and bridge were lifted some time in the 60's so local modeller was telling me! MAtt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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