Secret Army (BBC) - GWR Signal Box / Signal

[John Luxton]

After many years I am just re-watching series 1 of the BBC wartime drama "Secret Army", the one which resulted in the spin off comedy "Allo Allo"

Set and partly filmed in Belgium and according to IMDB also filmed around Norfolk in UK and I am sure I read somewhere in the past some scenes were filmed on the Nene Valley Railway.

However, in episode 11 "A Question of Loyalty" a member of the Luftwaffe who has assumed the identity of a downed RAF serviceman is delivered to a boarded up signal box of distinctly GWR appearance with a GWR lower quadrant signal nearby.

The signal box in boarded up in a none too convincing manner and its name board removed.

Obviously said imposter comes to a sad end in the signal box.

It isn't a location I recognise on any GWR preserved line I have visited - just curious if anyone knows where it was filmed?

 

[NewburyDrinker]

After many years I am just re-watching series 1 of the BBC wartime drama "Secret Army", the one which resulted in the spin off comedy "Allo Allo"

Set and partly filmed in Belgium and according to IMDB also filmed around Norfolk in UK and I am sure I read somewhere in the past some scenes were filmed on the Nene Valley Railway.

However, in episode 11 "A Question of Loyalty" a member of the Luftwaffe who has assumed the identity of a downed RAF serviceman is delivered to a boarded up signal box of distinctly GWR appearance with a GWR lower quadrant signal nearby.

The signal box in boarded up in a none too convincing manner and its name board removed.

Obviously said imposter comes to a sad end in the signal box.

It isn't a location I recognise on any GWR preserved line I have visited - just curious if anyone knows where it was filmed?

It is Savernake West signal box. The remnants of the line towards Marlborough is visible. Also there's a brief moment where you can see the Kennet and Avon canal which is in a deep cutting (and Bruce's tunnel) at that point. I've always wondered how the BBC managed to get permission to film at that location from BR.

 

[John Luxton]

It is Savernake West signal box. The remnants of the line towards Marlborough is visible. Also there's a brief moment where you can see the Kennet and Avon canal which is in a deep cutting (and Bruce's tunnel) at that point. I've always wondered how the BBC managed to get permission to film at that location from BR.

Thanks!!

 

[Ashley Hill]

That episode was first shown on 23/11/77 so presumably made late 76ish. Savernake West closed on 11/09/78 so must have been switched out at the time of filming.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Could it have been filmed while the line was closed for engineering works elsewhere on the route?

 

[Gloster]

Recollection is that the Berks & Hants had a pretty sparse services during much of the day in the winter period, or at least part of it. I have a recollection that latterly Savernake West was either normally switched out or only open on weekdays.

 

[Taunton]

A lot of the B&H, from Newbury right through to Taunton, had signalboxes that were mostly switched out, some even only used on summer Saturdays. Before the Westbury/Frome quarries got going it had very little freight as well.

The BBC must have had some local contact around Westbury. A few years afterwards To The Manor Born had a whole programme centred around Maiden Newton station, including special trains run for them.

 

[Gloster]

The TV companies used to do quite a lot of filming around the Savernake Forest, which is legally private and so there is no problem about closing off parts for filming. Filming on BR was organised through an office at Marylebone, rather than locally, for all but the simplest scenes. Savernake may have been chosen because they could tie it in with other filming in the area.