SVR General Discussion

As long as there is a robust risk assessment with all the necessary precautions in place, they probably wouldn't be interested. No passengers being carried. Look at what often happens in film making where stunts are part and parcel of the business.

 

Very fast work by signalmen and very short block sections...

I assume that if there are no fare-paying passengers aboard it's a different set of considerations. Indeed, as the regulation comes from board of trade stuff originally, the Dept of Transport may not have had jurisdiction at all. Even now, the Tom Cruise film managed to fire a locomotive into the air and the ORR didn't stop that.

 

Thanks for the link. Interesting reading. Also of note on that page is the Railtour visiting the SVR during the filming period operated for my local line the Mid Hants Railway. It started at Portsmouth and Southsea and had a bus connection between Kidderminster and Bewdley. Nice to see that former Hampshire resident 600 Gordon hauled the Railtour passengers over the SVR.

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I realise that some rules apply only when passengers are being carried, but surely other rules apply regardless. Freight-only lines are not exempt from regulation.

 

I don’t think it applies to an engineer’s possession, maybe they were working under that regulation.

 

Speed is probably one thing that an exemption would be required for as it will be in the LRO or whatever the SVR work under these days. The ORR had little involvement when Mission Impossible was filmed at the NYMR other than agreeing to increased speeds in certain places. In the film there were people on coach roofs and riding on the front of the loco. The coaches were also out of gauge. There were also sequences where there were two trains running yards apart and a train becoming divided, although that might have been the other film done last year. As I said, a robust risk assessment and doing things sensibly and safely are what is needed.

 

The SVR Wiki article was mostly based on a long report in SVR News (something like 6 pages not including pictures). Short extracts regarding the safety aspects and relationships with the film company:

"The railway was to be in engineers' possession throughout, with Alun Rees in overall charge, so on Sunday evening, after the last train, the tokens were collected from the boxes and kept in his charge until work ended on Saturday night."

"At this stage, the big man himself, Director Herbert Ross, had arrived to take charge, and everyone began to liven up somewhat. The film people started to get harassed, and they in turn tried to harass S.V.R. However we refused to be intimidated, and Universal Pictures soon found out that when we said "no", we meant it."

"The film company did not seem aware of the dangers of working with locomotives and stock, and if one didn't watch them, they would be riding on buffers and various other dangerous places. In these cases it was necessary to take a firm line with the offenders, for although we had more or less disowned the rule book, there were limits to which we would go."

Regarding riding on the roof:

"The Pasha's train was being used to rehearse the fight scenes and as this was not actively engaged with the main unit, we made a leisurely start about 09.30. We set off along the Kidderminster line at a steady 20 m.p.h. to give the stunt men the feel of things. The speed was raised on each trip, with the stunt men on the top of the coaches, until we reached about 45 m.p.h., at which speed they had had enough, and settled for 35-40 m.p.h. All day we practiced, stopping only for lunch. It required some expertise on the part of the driver as the train was loose coupled, and any snatching or bumping when applying and releasing the brake could have thrown the men off the roof. It required even more expertise on the part of the stunt men to stay on the roofs at such speeds.

 

One of David Postle's recent film shows at the Railway Museum included the chase scene, and I think he said pretty much the same thing in his introduction.

 

Hollywood (and film generally) has been endangering lives since its inception. Wizard of Oz had asbestos strewn round the place and injured the stunt Witch and cast Witch. John Landis is responsible for killing children in a helicopter accident on set. A couple of guys fighting on a train is pretty small fry in comparison even if Universal were willing to push the case.

 

Let's not forget some well known stuff shot on the LNER, which saw actors clambering about outside fast moving trains. When the Board realised, they were furious, but powerless to prevent footage being released.

 

39 Steps?

 

The Flying Scotsman https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flying_Scotsman_(1929_film)

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I think they pulled the chain! Looking at the still in the link in @Paul.Uni's post, (#2153) he's found the one I was thinking of.

 

They knew how to do an action sequence in the old days …



(Read Holcroft’s memoirs for more details).

Tom

 

Six of one, half dozen of the other. Both involve the Flying Scotsman and hanging out on the side of a train and sinister plot.

 

One difference (for me) ..... I've sat through 39 Steps .... twice .... not keen on the remake either. The other I've only ever seen a few clips from. In my books, the trains were all that made either bearable anyway!

 

I like the way the engines of the trains keep changing!

 

I occasionally get involved with film work and their attitude to safety in most cases I have seen is absolutely abysmal- they simply don't seem to believe that the H&S laws apply to them.

As someone who works in the Health & Safety and training profession it sometimes puts me in a difficult position.

The amount of injuries and near misses would be seen as completely unacceptable in any other industry- I'm amazed the HSE don't take more of an interest.

Its a weird community too where it does seem to work on who you know, not competence and capability to do the job.

Chris

 

Indeed. I’m just waiting for an anorak to comment “ah, the crash clearly took place on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway but in actual service Stirling 4-4-0s never ran on that line - that ruined the tension and dramatic premise of the film for me …”

Tom