Difference between revisions of "Oh Doctor Beeching!"
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The sitcom was set in the small fictional branch line railway station of Hatley, which was threatened with closure under the Beeching Axe. The filming took place at [[Arley | Arley station]], where a row of Victorian railway cottages were built in the yard as a film prop. During filming services would not call at Arley at certain times. | The sitcom was set in the small fictional branch line railway station of Hatley, which was threatened with closure under the Beeching Axe. The filming took place at [[Arley | Arley station]], where a row of Victorian railway cottages were built in the yard as a film prop. During filming services would not call at Arley at certain times. | ||
| − | Filming mainly involved [[LMS Ivatt Class 2 46521|Ivatt 2MT 46521]], which was named 'Blossom' by cast member Stephen Lewis during a ceremony at [[Kidderminster]] town station on Monday 17 February 1997.<ref>SVR News 122</ref> Carriages used in filming included [[BR 4345 Tourist Standard Open|TSO 4345]], [[BR 9220 Brake Standard Open|BSO 9220]] | + | Filming mainly involved [[LMS Ivatt Class 2 46521|Ivatt 2MT 46521]], which was named 'Blossom' by cast member Stephen Lewis during a ceremony at [[Kidderminster]] town station on Monday 17 February 1997.<ref>SVR News 122</ref> Carriages used in filming included [[BR 4345 Tourist Standard Open|TSO 4345]], [[BR 9220 Brake Standard Open|BSO 9220]], [[BR 1853 Restaurant Miniature Buffet|RMB 1853]]<ref>[https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=3372 SVR-Online forum]</ref> and [[BR 34562 Brake Second Corridor|BSK 34562]]. [[Hugh McQuade]] noted in SVR News that "''I understand the BBC were looking for red and cream coaches in rundown condition to represent the 1950s-60s state of the railways. Well, at the time, the Mark 1's were almost brand new and branch lines would probably not have seen them in great numbers as pre-nationalised ex-main line cast offs would have predominated. Never mind - it's a comedy, not a documentary''."<ref>SVR News 123</ref> Wagons used included [[GWR 39860 'Conflat' Container Wagon|GWR Conflat 39860]] and [[LMS 271726 Goods Van| LMS Goods Van 271726]]. |
Both series are available commercially and can be found on YouTube. | Both series are available commercially and can be found on YouTube. | ||
Revision as of 15:35, 7 February 2022
Oh Doctor Beeching! was a BBC TV sitcom consisting of a pilot episode broadcast on 14 August 1995 and two series broadcast in 1996 (a repeat of the pilot episode All Change plus 8 further episodes) and 1997 (10 episodes). The cast included Paul Shane, Jeffrey Holland and Su Pollard (former stars of Hi-de-Hi! and You Rang, M'Lord?) and Stephen Lewis, better known as ‘Blakey’ from On the Buses. It was written by David Croft and Richard Spendlove.[1]
The sitcom was set in the small fictional branch line railway station of Hatley, which was threatened with closure under the Beeching Axe. The filming took place at Arley station, where a row of Victorian railway cottages were built in the yard as a film prop. During filming services would not call at Arley at certain times.
Filming mainly involved Ivatt 2MT 46521, which was named 'Blossom' by cast member Stephen Lewis during a ceremony at Kidderminster town station on Monday 17 February 1997.[2] Carriages used in filming included TSO 4345, BSO 9220, RMB 1853[3] and BSK 34562. Hugh McQuade noted in SVRSevern Valley Railway News that "I understand the BBC were looking for red and cream coaches in rundown condition to represent the 1950s-60s state of the railways. Well, at the time, the Mark 1's were almost brand new and branch lines would probably not have seen them in great numbers as pre-nationalised ex-main line cast offs would have predominated. Never mind - it's a comedy, not a documentary."[4] Wagons used included GWR Conflat 39860 and LMS Goods Van 271726.
Both series are available commercially and can be found on YouTube.
Gallery
Hatley (Arley) signal box
Film prop cottages at Arley
Film prop cottages at Arley
Film prop cottages at Arley
Studio audience admission ticket
See also
List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway
