Love on Wheels

As morning dawns, the doors are opened at the Green Line bus garage. Jonathan Horswell tells us that according to the 'Buses on Screen' website the line of eight Green Line T-class AEC Regals are at Watford in Hertfordshire, Leavesden Road garage'. (RL)

A father says farewell to his children. This and the next two shots appear to have been filmed in the same location.

Another regular traveller rushes from her house.

A Schoolboy (Derek Blomfield) jumps through a window and runs to the bus stop.

With it's load of commuters, the Green Line bus departs for London. The bus used is number T134 based at Guildford garage.

Briggs (Gordon Harker) the conductor helps a late running Fred Hopkins (Jack Hulbert) on board.

Jane Russell (Leonora Corbett) waits for the bus to arrive.

As the crew and passengers sing their way towards London. a montage of various commuting methods is shown. Jonathan Horswell identifies thais as Waterloo Station. (RL)

John Harwood takes this elevated shot of platform 19. (SJ)

A 'well to do' gent is driven to the office.

Cyclists head for work as the bus journey, and the song, continues.

A queue files onto a Metropolitan Electric Tramways tram. Andrew Emmerson identifies this as looking south on Finchley Road in Golders Green NW11 with the War Memorial Clock Tower dating from 1923 visible in the right distance.

Denis Hoare patiently waited for a tram but was told that they had been replaced some years back. Thanks for trying anyway. (RL)

The Green Line bus nears it's destination. The vehicle's destination boards read Bushey, Redhill, Crawley on route 'E'.

The clock on Gallop's department store ticks towards nine o'clock. In reality, this is the clock on Selfridges department store on Oxford Street W1.

From street level, Peter found the same clock and angel.

Fred clocks on at the store, where he works as a sales assistant. Selfridges on Oxford Street, London W1.

Another ground level view from Peter.

Jane enters the Academy of Music where she is a pianist.

Fred follows Jane from the store after she leaves him when he is fired. Outside Selfridges on Oxford Street.

Peter took this shot of Selfridges' main entrance, with revolving doors, showing the style of the doorways. The screen capture looks like it was a secondary entrance that has since been been replaced. Selfridges has seen a lot of remodelling over 83 years.

After losing his girl and his job, Fred walks despondently along the street. While researching the British Instructional Films studio at Welwyn recently, Richard Farmer found some publicity stills from 'Jack's the Boy' and 'Love on Wheels' which show this semi-permanent street set that had been built on the studio lot for shooting urban exteriors. Richard adds that producers working at both Gainsborough and Gaumont-British filmed exteriors at Welwyn because they had no proper lots to speak of.

Charles Philpotts (Edmund Gwenn) watches a commotion across the street caused by a spectacular window display created by Fred. Looking out onto the street set at Welwyn Studios, discovered by Richard Farmer who adds "A version of the street was in place by the end of 1928 and it was rebuilt over the following decade, so I imagine that other films might feature exteriors shot there too."

Philpotts re-engages Fred and gives him the job of advertising manager. More of the set at Welwyn Studios on Broadwater Road in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire found by Richard Farmer.

Briggs talks to a colleague whilst waiting for departure time. This is Green Line's Poland Street coach station on Broad Street (now Broadwick Street) in Soho W1 which closed in October 1933.

The coach station was located between Lexington Street and Ingestre Place opposite Poland Street and this is a shot of the location now. With thanks to the staff at Veggie Pret on Broadwick Street. (PW)

Fred and Briggs attempt to find Jane who no longer travels on the bus.

In town, Briggs sees Jane enter an Underground station. Duchess Street! The nearest station to Duchess Street is Oxford Circus but this has the look of a set.

After all sorts of fun, frolics and songs, Fred and Jane are reunited. Selfridges on Oxford Street, London W1 with the corner of Orchard Street to the left.

Peter captured the location with added bus shelter and trees.