The Avengers at The Grove,Watford.

[Ashley Hill]

The Avengers episode The Positive/Negative Man features a disused railway complete with derelict signal box and signals. The Avengerland website says the location was The Grove at Watford,a BR training school (now a hotel). I've seen pictures of The Grove but not with any type of railway. Did it have a full size layout for training?

 

[Gloster]

Imdb only says that the The Grove was used to represent a laboratory, but does mention Bricket Wood.

Another episode (Noon-Doomsday) was filmed at Stanbridgeford between Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Imdb only says that the The Grove was used to represent a laboratory, but does mention Bricket Wood.

Another episode (Noon-Doomsday) was filmed at Stanbridgeford between Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable.

The buildings that are used for the laboratory do appear slightly railwayish and the track is in that area.

 

[Gloster]

A website on the The Grove says that in 1968 a Civil Engineer’s training centre was set up and had its own bit of track. Nothing about a signal box, but could the TV company have knocked something up as they were there anyway and it saved finding another location.

Was this episode produced around the same time as Noon-Doomsday, with location shots also being done at Stanbridgeford. It might depend on which actors were in both shots.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The episode concerned was first shown in 1967. It's possible the TV company made it look derelict during building.

 

[Gloster]

Having found the programme, it definitely looks like a bit of track installed for training purposes. The point is very near the brick wall and the signal is in an odd place. Whether the box was part of the installation or put up for the film isn’t clear, but it could be there to explain the principles of interlocking.

Either the website is wrong or the bit of track was installed for more general instruction.

 

[John Webb]

I can confirm that the bit of railway seen in the "Positive/Negative Man' was a training set-up at The Grove near Watford; one of our members had been there. Even Civil Engineers have to be taught about railway equipment in general when they are working on the railway so they know what is what alongside or crossing the track or whatever they are expected to work on. The signal box was part of the installation by BR, I understand.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Thanks for your help gents