Play Up the Band

Opening scene of the local Heckdyke Band parading on their way to the national competition in London. This looks like it could have been shot at the studio in Ealing.

The Band Leader (Hal Gordon) proudly leads the band.

The band heading for the local railway station. Clearly this is a stage set which is used again at the end of the movie.

The crowds gather at the station to see the band off. Jonathan Horswell has established that the actual station used was Dunstable North on the LNWR cross-country route from Leighton Buzzard to Welwyn Garden City. (RL)

Lots of cheering crowds as the band proceeds down the platform. A further shot of Dunstable North station which stood on High Street North in Dunstable, Bedfordshire as identified by Jonathan Horswell. (RL)

The local mayor wishes the band a fond farewell at "Heckdyke" station. No station named Heckdyke ever existed, but Jonathan Horswell tells us there was a station named Dunstable North in Dunstable until its final closure 1967. (RL)

Lord and Lady Heckdyke travel in their Rolls Royce through London. Oxford Street, London W1 with Old Cavendish Street off to the immediate left and the John Lewis store (sign top left) 278 to 306 Oxford Street. (RL)

Two band players, Sam Small (Stanley Holloway) and Alf Ramsbottom (Frank Atkinson) leave the Acme Hotel escorted by the Police. Another studio set.

Having had a few too many beers, some band members play their instruments in public, one here . . . Leicester Square, London WC2 looking towards the Empire Theatre, right of centre rebuilt as a cinema in 1927. (RL)

The cinema is still heading for its centenary. SJ

. . . another beneath Eros in Piccadilly Circus W1 . . .

The statue has moved. SJ

. . . also below Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square WC2 . . .

From ground level. SJ

. . . . and here at Marble Arch W1. A location that can be seen in ‘Nothing Barred’, ‘Two Gentlemen Sharing’, ‘Wanted for Murder’, ‘Profile’, ‘The Statue’, ‘Emil and the Detectives’, ‘Major Barbara’, ‘Baffled!’ and ‘John and Julie’.

Meanwhile at outside Crystal Palace, the Band Leader goes through his music. The Crystal Palace stood on Penge Common next to Sydenham Hill, then in Kent. Other views of Crystal Palace Park can be seen in ‘Time Without Pity’, ‘The Italian Job’, ‘Soapbox Derby’, ‘The Pleasure Garden’ and ‘Our Mother’s House’.

Both the left and right hand staircases joining the Upper and Lower Terraces, at the extreme right (North End) no longer exist. (RL)

Whilst inside Crystal Palace, another band heads for the bandstand. This movie has some rare scenes of the Crystal Palace which was originally built in Hyde Park for the 1851 Great Exhibition. In 1854 it was reconstructed on Penge Peak, and the local residential area took the Crystal Palace name. Sadly, a year after this movie was made, fire destroyed the Palace in November 1936.

Having been released from their police cell, Sam and Alf with the aid of Betty Small (Betty Ann Davies) and Vera (Cymthia Stock) dash through London to get to Crystal Palace for the band competition. Seen from the Elephant & Castle Hotel, this is looking east at the junction of Newington Butts and St. Georges Road in SE1. The junction was located in what is now the centre of the former roundabout and other views of the location appear in 'The Strange Affair', 'Wonderland', 'The Hideout' and 'Nil by Mouth'. (PW)

From ground level during a rare gap in the traffic. (PW)

En route the car narrowly misses a traffic Policeman . . . More memories from Dave W's childhood rekindled, eventually, Effra Road, London SW2 looking at number 39 and its terrace neighbours. (RL)

Google Earth View confirms, as Dave says, "All still present and correct especially in the window details". (RL)

. . . who promptly shouts after them to stop. Dave, like the policeman, rotated 180 degrees to see St Matthew's Road leading to Brixton Hill, London SW2. (RL)

And Google Earth View, with Dave's guiding hand, also rotates to reveal the scene some 85 years on. (RL)

Alf, Vera, Betty and Sam in their car racing through London. In fact, there are plenty of scenes of them in the car which are obviously shot at the studio with back projections. In the right background can be seen the Red Lion public house on Camberwell Road in Walworth SE17. (PW)

Alterations to the background buildings are evident. (PW)

An elderly Gent crosses the road unaware of Alf, Vera, Betty and Sam approaching. Dave W ventures south of 'The River 'to find us in Park Road (now known as Park Hall Road), London SE21 looking east with Croxted Road off to the left. (RL)

Replacing Dave's Google Earth View showing that at least the terrace of shops remain having escaped the local bomb damage. (RL)

Having narrowly missed the elderly Gent, our troupe dash on. Panning left from the capture above, we find ourselves, Dave says, looking north on Croxley Road, London SE21, all of which was ravaged by bomb damage. (RL)

Traffic has grown as have some trees. (RL)

The view behind our troupe's car. The number 60 tram ran between Southwark Bridge and Dulwich until October 1951. I stand to be corrected but I think this is circa what was 107 Camberwell Road, London SE5. The chimney array certainly fits. (RL)

The chimney arrangement still exists behind the trees in this wider view. (PW)

An additional capture. This is the view looking north on Camberwell Road in SE5 with the corner of John Ruskin Street to the left, the still extant Red Lion public house in the right distance and Camberwell Mansions on the right. (PW)

Taken from a similar position. (PW)

And another view as they speed towards Crystal Palace. Facing north on Camberwell Road in Walworth. (PW)

The same section of road. (PW)

Finally they arrive at Crystal Palace.

Best possible, distance, angle and shot given the changes and hinderances now in situ, but more particularly the sad absence of the Crystal Palace itself. (RL)

Outside Crystal Palace, Alf leads as they all rush into the building to arrive for the competition on time.

With all the available space did they really have to store the barriers there? (RL)