The Titfield Thunderbolt. Image shows from L to R: Joan (Gabrielle Brune), Valentine (Stanley Holloway). Copyright: Ealing Studios
The Titfield Thunderbolt

The Titfield Thunderbolt

  • 1953 film

Comedy starring Stanley Holloway. The villagers of Titfield take matters into their own hands when their local railway line closes down. Stars Stanley Holloway, George Relph, Naunton Wayne, John Gregson, Godfrey Tearle and more.

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The Titfield Thunderbolt. Image shows from L to R: Joan (Gabrielle Brune), Valentine (Stanley Holloway). Copyright: Ealing Studios

Key details

Genre
Film
Released
1953
Stars
Stanley Holloway, George Relph, Naunton Wayne, John Gregson, Godfrey Tearle, Hugh Griffith, Gabrielle Brune, Sid James and more
Writer
T.E.B. Clarke
Director
Charles Crichton
Producer
Michael Truman
Company

The villagers of Titfield love the convenience their small local branch line railway offers, so when its notice of closure is posted there is uproar.

British Railways, however - and particularly the small local firm it has signed a deal with to begin a bus service instead - has reckoned without the will of the villagers.

The local squire, whose ancestors built the line, is not willing to let his family heritage go without a fight and soon, with the support of the vicar, various other influential Titfielders and wealthy eccentric Mr Valentine, mounts a bid to buy the stretch of track into the nearby town of Mallingford and run it themselves.

Awarded a one-month trial of the running of the line by the responsible government department, the villagers of Titfield are overjoyed with their new full-size train set: but the newly created bus company aren't going to let their new monopoly slip through their fingers without a fight.

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Additional details

UK certificate
U
Duration
83 minutes
UK release
Friday 6th March 1953
UK premiere
Thursday 5th March 1953
Production
Location
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Colour
Soundtrack
Music composed by Georges Auric and conducted by Ernest Irving. Played by the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Website links

Broadcast details

Most recent repeats
  • Sunday 10th December 2023 at 2:45pm on BBC2
  • Friday 21st April 2023 at 12:20am on BBC4
  • Sunday 27th November 2022 at 2:30pm on BBC2

Recording details

  • Bath, Woodstock and Bristol - Filmed on location

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