Passenger to Tokyo (A Scotland Yard supporting feature)

Outlining details of the Tokyo Trunk Murder, Edgar Lustgarten explains that the arms of British law can stretch to places as distant as Japan.

One afternoon in 1953, the 20,000 ton liner Monarch of the Orient sails into Yokohama harbour after the voyage from Tilbury.

After businessman Edward Phillips is detained at customs following the discovery of a dismembered body in a trunk bearing his name, Superintendent Ross flies to Tokyo. However, Steve Randall discovered that this is a view over Singapore City!

Superintendent Ross (Kenneth Henry) and his Detective Sergeant (Ken Marshall) stand by as the Airport Security Officer (John Barrett) oversees the transfer of the trunk containing the corpse from a plane at London Airport.

Following the discovery of the initials G.H.W. on the trunk, Detectives begin to search for the dealer who may have sold the item. Outside 20 and 22 Hartfield Road in SW19 located by Richard Lovejoy.

Peter Bywaters found it difficult to pinpoint the exact spot. but from memory the shop was was about here.

The Detectives leave a leather merchants with no luck. To the left out of shot, the name J. Penn and Sons Leather Merchants appears on a sign. Richard Lovejoy found that S. R. Love & Sons, over the road, had premises at 7 Hartfield Road in Wimbledon. And Dave W found that Love's also had premises at No 15 Hartfield Road on the corner with Hartfield Crescent as seen here and viewed from the previous capture. (RL)

The junction of Hartfield Road and Crescent today captured by Peter Bywaters who adds "S.R. Love & Sons moved to a trading estate in South Wimbledon when the area was redeveloped in the 1990s."

One day, at a second-hand shop in Paddington, Officers learn from Mrs. Pearson that she had sold the trunk three months previously for £10. This footage is reused four years later in 'Print of Death'.

Scotland Yard Detectives begin another search, for records of an operation performed on the unknown woman found in the trunk. Outside the Middlesex Hospital on Nassau Street in W1 identified by Phil Evans.

Paul Lincoln captured the cleaned facade almost 70 years later. (RL)

The Detectives move on after records are carefully checked. Nassau Street with Mortimer Street in the distance found by Phil Evans and confirmed by James Chandler.

Whilst in Nassau Street Paul took this shot for us. (RL)

Finding that just twelve similar operations had taken place, Detectives establish the whereabouts of all but one of the women, Elsie Forbes of Belsize Park. This same footage appears in 'Bullet from the Past' in which Dave W identified this as the Westminster Hospital, Horseferry Road as viewed from Page Street, London SW1. (RL)

This replaces a May '23 shot which was taken from further west along Page Street overlooking St John's Gardens but this is the correct view from the corner with Dean Ryle Street. SJ

After discovering that geography mistress Miss Forbes had come into a £20,000 legacy and left to travel abroad some months ago, Superintendent Ross follows a lead to South Africa. The narration suggests that this is Capetown in Western Cape.

To establish the location, more panoramas of Capetown are shown. In the foreground, Steve Randall points out Nugget Street in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province adding that the Greek Orthodox church and the Royal Park Hotel are still standing.

The Superintendent visits Chief Inspector Reuter of the South African C.I.D. who tells him that Miss Forbes had disappeared after withdrawing her money from the Cape and Union Bank. Steve Randall identifies this as Commissioner Street in Johannesburg with the Colosseum Theatre to the right.

During questioning, Miss Summers directs Chief Inspector Reuter and Superintendent Ross to Mr. and Mrs. Craig in Saint Helena.