VCT Filming: Sons and Lovers
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January 12th / 13th 2003 saw the screening of a two-part adaptation of D H Lawrence's novel, Sons and Lovers. Company Productions, who made the drama for ITV, chose three of the Museum of Rail Travel's star exhibits - Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway four-wheeled tricomposite carriage no 176 ;our Great Northern Railway six-wheeled brake third built in 1888, and Metropolitan Railway first class carriage no 509, built in 1923.
Filming took place on May 22nd / 23rd 2002 at Oakworth station on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, using Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-6-0 steam locomotive no 957, now owned by the Bowers 957 Trust. The locomotive was built in 1887 by Beyer,Peacock & Co of Manchester. The locomotive was disguised for the filming as "no 204" , with Vintage Carriages Trust's Metropolitan Railway carriage having its Metropolitan Railway name replaced by "East Midlands Railway". The railway staff's uniforms worn by the actors were actually lettered "GWR".
A total of 13 scenes were shot on location, eight of them featuring VCT's rolling stock. Four scenes were filmed inside Oakworth station's Ladies Room which became the Moon and Stars public house. One scene was filmed inside the station's booking hall, which became Nottingham station's bar - complete with hand pumps, beer barrel and dozens of bottles of beer - for the final sequence in the final programme. The time span covered by the sequences ranged from 1891 to 1914. Oakworth platform became Lethley Bridge for the production, which involved turning the locomotive and the Great Northern Railway brake carriage for the second day of filming.
Sarah Lancashire played the character of Gertrude Morel, Rupert Evans played Paul, James Murray played William, Hugo Speer played Walter, Georgina Chapman played Louie and Keeley Forsyth played Annie.
For the technically minded the 13 scenes involved 40 slates with an average of 3 takes per slate. A second unit was used on the second day of filming. The scenes filmed at Oakworth were numbers 1/30, 1/65, 1/72D (all featuring the Moon and Stars pub), 1/96, 1/108, 1/128. 1/145, 1/159, 1/165, 2/20, 2/58 (all railway sequences) 2/156 (Moon and Stars), and 2/182 (Nottingham station bar).
Other sequences were filmed on location in the Isle of Man, with colliery sequences filmed at Beamish Open Air Museum. Studio sequences were filmed at Shepperton Studios.
The programme was directed by Stephen Whittaker, the Director of Photography was Richard Greatrex and the Producer was Suzan Harrison. The Associate Producer was Ronnie Castillo. The Sound Recordist was Martin Trevis.
The Location Manager was Jane Soans. The Assistant Location Manager was Matthew Wortman.