Last year’s Tube based “Sherlock” story which, although it made extensive use of location filming on the Tube, for the major Tube location spotters had inaccuracies galore (see “The Case of the Bad Continuity”) that detracted from the fact that those locations were in use in the first place! Sub-surface stock innards in 1972 Tube stock, Sub-surface stock in Tube tunnels etc etc.
So when we settled down to watch January’s two part “Silent Witness” story “Falling Angels”, it was with more than a little trepidation as we’d heard it was extensively Tube based and that some scenes had been “guerrilla” filmed in live stations with normal traffic. How would it fare…
We’re going to show you in this three part post and we’ll have the full 19 minutes of Tube-based scenes for you in the final one! You’ll want to watch this as there is even more detail and scenery than conveyed by the screenshots here!
Warning this article contains SPOILERS.
…let’s just say we were pleasantly surprised and with around 19 minutes of Tube-based scenes in the 2 hours there is quite a bit for the location aficionados amongst you.
The story opens on what are clearly the disused Jubilee line platforms at Charing Cross station, however, there is a black and white frieze and roundels with “Archway” on them on the platform.
Archway, Northern line, got it! There’s moving 1996 stock and action at track level too.
Our first character now leaves “Archway” station along a corridor that has a Piccadilly line map on the wall (you can see the Hounslows and loop for Heathrow 4 quite clearly)
and exits out of Finsbury Park station!
This is somewhat odd, considering what happens later on… I think I can state here that this is the only real continuity “crime” in the whole programme!
A woman on an unrefurbished Northern line train. She clearly gets off at the unmistakable East Finchley Station.
Next, scenes on a Central line train in service and what appears the first of the “in-service” filming.
The character involved departs the train and exits West Acton station into the alleyway next door to meet his unfortunate fate…
A character walks over a passenger footbridge over Tube tracks – it’s not completely clear where…
…but our money is on Harrow & Wealdstone if that’s a sunset in the West (and there are too many tracks for it to be Rayners Lane, which would have been our first guess.)
He arrives on the platform of the in-service Northern line with refurbished 1995 Stock at what can only be Highgate station because of the length of the platform.
More in-service filming on a refurbished Northern line train, complete with a Tissue Beggar…
…which suddenly mutates into 1996 Stock back at Charing Cross masquerading as Archway.
Now we get to see the tiles of the real Archway exit/entrance…
…gate line
and control room as the police run down onto Charing Cross again masquerading as Archway.
Our suspect escapes via the driver’s cab into the tunnels and ventilation tunnels at Charing Cross at the climax of Part One.
More action from Part Two in the next post…