Dad’s Army (1971)

High Street, Chalfont St Giles.

Now. The High Street in Chalfont St Giles. Robin Brooks.

Mark Alford updates the record.

Mainwaring stops to talk to Mr Hodges outside his greengrocers in Walmington-on-Sea.

Now. Turns out it really is a greengrocers. The arts & crafts shop next door is now a bookshop. Robin Brooks.

Still a greengrocers as Mark Alford discovered.

He also stops to chat with Jones the butcher. Steve Hiron advises "My butcher shop was portrayed as corporal Jones's in the 1971 film. The location is High Street, Chalfont St Giles. The shop has not changed one iota in 40 years, nor indeed for the previous 40!"

This too is genuine. Picture by Robin Brooks.

Mark Alford found Warner's still trading.

Mainwaring, Pike and Wilson talk to Jones.

The lingerie shop is a hair salon, and Fraser's undertakers next door is up for rent. Robin Brooks.

A change of colour schemes and a step onto the pavement by Mark Alford due to parked cars.

Further down the street, Mainwaring prepares to cross the road.

These are the two shops in the shot, although they have changed out of all recognition. Robin Brooks.

Mark Alford captures the view 55 years after filming.

High Street in Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire. The village also features in 'The Black Cat', 'Stranger in Town', 'Lost', 'The Big Job', 'No Smoking', 'Stranger in Town' and 'Poison Pen'.

Mainwaring, Pike and Wilson meet the ice cream cart in the middle of the High Street. The telephone box on the right is now hidden by a hedge. Robin Brooks.

Avoiding traffic, another pavement shot from Mark Alford.

A repeat of the previous capture . . .

. . . to show that this is the same telephone box. Robin Brooks.

Martins Bank is The Crown public house at the corner of High Street and Up Street identified by Robin Brooks. Marc Howard was eight years old when filming took place and advises that his Grandparents were publicans at The Crown at the time adding "My Dad's dog Sally is seen crossing the road at the start of the film as well as in several other shots."

Locals confirmed this has always been The Crown pub, hence the covering up of the sign above the door with a red cover in 1971. Robin Brooks.

Mark Alford found that the premises are no longer a public house.

High Street, Chalfont St Giles.

Now. Robin Brooks.

As well as parked cars, Mark Alford battles with the sun for this comparison.

Mainwaring outside the bank. Ditto re location.

The same angle now. The shops in da001dn are in the background. Robin Brooks.

More sun glare in Mark Alford's view.

Chalfont St Giles, with Marc Howard's Dad's dog Sally making her acting debut.

Up Street, Chalfont St Giles. Robin Brooks.

Mark Alford ends his sunny day in Chalfont St. Giles with this shot.

The action moves to an improvised barricade on Old Charlton Road, Shepperton.

They didn't travel far to find this part of Walmington-on-Sea. This spot is barely a mile from the studios. Robin Brooks.

Mark Alford found that the ever present car population has increased.

The barricade in complete with what looks like a Watney's pub called The Bell on the right. Robin Brooks advises that this is Old Charlton Road in Shepperton which is confirmed by Colin Rees.

Old Charlton Road. The Bell pub is still there. A former landlord lives in one of the houses nearby and confirmed the pub was not used in the movie because the then landlady wouldn't allow blast strips to be added to the windows. Robin Brooks.

From street level Mark Alford updates the scene with the pub sign still in situ.

Looking the other way on the same street. Old Charlton Road, reverse angle located by Robin Brooks.

Robin tells us that the wooded area to the right was a gravel quarry at the time of filming. Now it is part of Sunbury Golf Club.

Mark Alford struggles with the failing light for this view.

Warmington-on-Sea church. St. Mary Magdalene church on Squires Bridge Road in Littleton, Surrey, adjacent to Shepperton Studios main entrance, identified by Robin Brooks and confirmed by Iain W.

A similar view from Robin.

Little change in Mark Alford's comparison, as expected.

St. Mary Magdalene church in Shepperton found by Robin Brooks and confirmed by Iain W.

Now by Robin.

Mark Alford found the Angel still in place.

Mainwaring walking to the main door. St. Mary Magdalene church on Squire's Bridge Road in Littleton located by Robin Brooks.

Robin returned in daylight.

With a bright sky overhead, the best shot possible by Mark Alford.

Claims on the web say this bridge could be near Chobham, or near Cookham Lock (Maidenhead).

The bridge spanning Lock Cut at Cookham Lock. View is downstream. The lock itself is to the right of the green hut. Robin Brooks.

A close up of the bridge. Ian Hudson tells us that the cap badge worn by the platoon is from the Royal West Kent Regiment and continues "My uncle Harry lied about his date of birth and joined the regiment when just 15 years old. He was later captured and incarcerated on a prison farm in Poland.”

On the bridge itself. Note the iron gates in the background remain; normally wedged open, they were closed especially for this shot. Robin Brooks.

Same bridge, exterior detail.

Now. With assistant. Robin Brooks.

Reverse angle, looking back upstream.

Now. Unfortunately, no reference points for real comparison. Robin Brooks.

Marching in long johns. Known to be Chobham Common.

Staple Hill Road, Chobham Common. The topography not hidden by foliage fits, but matching the pylons is the real clue. Two are visible in the right half of the original and match with the two in the now shot - one just to left of the tree in the centre and the other to the right of the smaller bush next to it. Robin Brooks.

The platoon arrives for rifle training. Note the monument just visible top left. Chobham Common also features in 'The Hi-Jackers', ‘Carry On Cowboy’, 'The Break', ‘The Night Caller’, 'Ring of Spies' and 'Only When I Larf'.'

The entrance to the Monument Car Park, near Brick Hill, on the Chobham Road. The monument is still there, but now completely hidden by the trees. Robin Brooks.

The Heath Robinson Oil Slick Weapon test goes wrong..?

Burma Road, Chobham Common. Very overgrown now. The area on the left is now part of MOD Chertsey. The kerbs give it away - note the much thicker reinforced concrete edging on the left, whilst on the right there is inlaid paving following the curve. Both types of kerbing remain to this day. Robin Brooks.

Jones warns the staff car is approaching.

Burma Road again. The place of Jones is taken in the now shot by a willing assistant. Robin Brooks.

The AA man comes to fix Jones' van. This is movie trickery, as the cutout on the left in the distance is the same one guarded by the soldier in da0011a. The rickety fence is the same one in both pics too.

This is Burma Road again. The motorcyclist is riding away from the corner seen earlier and the reinforced concrete kerb, now on his left, is a continuation of the one in that capture. This angle gives a clearer idea of the kerb structure, and shows the drainage culvert, which is below and to the right of the yellow Warning sign on the fence. This same run-off is visible between the two green clumps to right of the sidecar. Robin Brooks.