'The Titfield Thunderbolt' - merged posts, for fans ;-)

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

Today, 10th September 2020, bobm, Finn and I took a drive to the Avon Valley/Somerset Coalfield area to scout out a couple of locations used in the Ealing Comedy, The Titfield Thunderbolt. A perennial favourite film of bobm and I. Finn has yet to give a critique although he is sat here with me watching it as I type.

First off we went to Monkton Combe Halt, which was a small station on the Camerton Branch of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s Bristol and North Somerset Railway. This railway was built in the late 19th century predominantly to serve the Somerset coalfield. Passenger services very much an afterthought, with Monkton Combe Halt only seeing passenger trains between 1910-1925. The station building survived into the 1950s and was used as 'Titfield Station' in 1952, the year after the line closed to all traffic.

First up, here's a picture of Finn and I on the road to station, similar to that seen in the opening few minutes of the film. With me looking at a screengrab from the film I was able to direct my cameraman, bobm (admittedly, I'm no Charles Crichton!), to get in a position to closely match that of the film.

2020

1952


Looking at this part of the Camerton branch today, its hard to believe that, first, a canal, then a railway, ran through here. Behind the station entrance (pictures below) the land has been quite considerably raised and leveled to provide a sports pitch for Monkton Combe School, an independent boarding/day school for 2-18 year olds.

1952

2020


Looking the other way, towards Camerton, the route of the railway is now a private drive. Just off which, today, someone had a bonfire going. Just briefly bobm and I imagined the smoke from said fire was an approaching steam train!

2020

1952


The above two images are from slightly different angles but you can match the line of the distant hill off to the left, and the tree on the right.

After looking around the site of Monkton Combe Halt we drove over to the nearby Brassknocker Basin (great name!) to walk to Dundas Aqueduct for some non Titfield Thunderbolt related transport views and photographs. My second trip report post will cover that. Then it was on to lunch and another film location. Covered in my third trip report post to come.

[bradshaw]

Lunch at the Cross Keys?

[JayMac]

Lunch at the Cross Keys?

Close-ish...

[johnneyw]

BNM, did you notice that the gate posts of MC station (AKA^▸ ('also known as') Titfield) in both your pic and the screen grab are the same?I

I've done a similar pilgrimage and some of the scenes filmed in Freshford are strikingly similar to today.....and I only realised that after going there then seeing the film.  My CD^▸ (Capital Delivery) of TTT  has a brilliant "then and now" extra feature but it's also available on YouTube.

Edit, On arse, I've just seen the other thread that talks about this. Should have guessed you'd know.

[MVR S&T]

So much for the poorly named 'permanant way' huh.

[Bmblbzzz]

I'm not sure if I've ever seen the Titfield Thunderbolt... But I am familiar with Monkton Combe and Freshford, having relatives there, so I'll have to investigate.

[JayMac]

I'm not sure if I've ever seen the Titfield Thunderbolt... But I am familiar with Monkton Combe and Freshford, having relatives there, so I'll have to investigate.

There are scenes filmed in Freshford (then & now pictures to come). The film is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video on Smart TVs^▸ (Thames Valley). You can also watch it for free on Roku streaming devices on the channel 'Comedy Flix'.

[MVR S&T]

I have seen the film, the bits I remember are that if you blow the steam whistle for to long it drains the boiler! and you can get a drink on a train when the pubs are shut?

[johnneyw]

you can get a drink on a train when the pubs are shut?

A more civilised age.

[stuving]

you can get a drink on a train when the pubs are shut?

A more civilised age.

That did always depend on who the drinkers were, though.

[infoman]

two things
1) Wonderful pictures,possibly the best then and now pics I have ever seen.

2)The titfield thunderbolt was one of the free DVD films given away in the news papers a few years back.
If any one is not desperate to buy the film,
I still see the free DVD in charity shops and at boot sales,let me know if anyone want a free copy,(subject to me finding it)

[JayMac]

Part two of our trip round the Avon Valley/Somerset Coalfield saw us at Dundas Aqueduct where the Kennet and Avon Canal crosses the River Avon and the Avon Valley railway line that runs between Bathampton and Westbury. This is also the site of the canal junction between the Kennet & Avon and the Somerset Coal Canal. The latter is now just a stub between the junction and Brassknocker Basin next to the A36. This is the only remaining navigable stretch of the Somerset Coal Canal. Beyond the A36 large stretches of the canal were subsumed by the Camerton Branch railway line.







Back on the trail of the Titfield Thunderbolt, here is another then & now comparison. Again, from near the beginning of the film, there are scenes of people walking through Titfield down to the station. These scenes were filmed in Freshford. In the film people begin their walk to Titfield Station in Freshford, then end up in Monkton Combe!

bobm, Finn and I didn't actually visit Freshford yesterday. However bobm did go there himself in 2014 and one of the pictures he took that day matches a scene in the film fairly closely.

1952


2014


More from the final stop on our trip later.

[johnneyw]

(Pedantry alert)

Somersetshire Coal Canal

(/Pedantry Alert)

[JayMac]

(Pedantry alert)

Somersetshire Coal Canal

(/Pedantry Alert)

Wikipedia suggests 'Somersetshire' was its former name. A quick Google also suggests the legal entity dropped the '-shire' during its lifetime.

[johnneyw]

(Pedantry alert)

Somersetshire Coal Canal

(/Pedantry Alert)

Wikipedia suggests 'Somersetshire' was its former name. A quick Google also suggests the legal entity dropped the '-shire' during its lifetime.

Fair dinkum BNM although the Somersetshire Coal Canal Society, of which I'm a member, still uses the original name.  I say I'm a member but you've reminded me to check that my subscriptions are up to date.