Eye of the Needle

The film opens with Sutherland working at a railway depot in WW2 and, as a German spy called "die Nadel," can monitor troop movements. Looks like a Battersea Power station tower in the background.

I need to be a bit more to the right but new rather glassy apartments were in the way. SJ

Troops are moving indeed.

Looking south towards where the gasometers were with Battersea Power Station on the left. New building has completely covered the old service railway tracks. SJ

Sutherland and his young protégé (Brown) cycle home to their lodgings as London struggles through the Blitz... Now found in SW10, click the date for the surprising comparison.

The junction of Tetcott Road and Meek Street is now buried under Westfield Park. Even the buildings on Lots Road seen in the capture were demolished and rebuilt. Discovered and photographed by ex-local Jim Logan who confirmed that the top left building in the original still survives. (SJ)

Sutherland will join his housemates later for a pint after tapping out his findings to Berlin.

Cazenove and Nelligan have a rotten start to their honeymoon.

The action shifts to 1944 and Storm Island aka the Isle of Mull.

Cazenove and Nelligan now have a son and are living far from the war. Here Nelligan escorts her mother (Faith Brook) to the harbour after a visit. Possibly a house in Lochbuie in the south of Mull... and after 10 years, it looks like Cameron Farm, indeed Lochbuie, 56° 21' 24.7" N 5° 52' 57.6" W, currently derelict and in mid 2025 up for sale. With thanks to Mark Whidby. (SJ)

Nelligan bids farewell to her mother to continue her lonely life.

Bannen meets Brown who can identify "die Nadel" at an airport, possibly Blackbushe, Hampshire

Sutherland hires a boat from Sam Kydd in his last film role on the river Wey.

Walsham Gates Lock on the River Wey Navigation near Ripley near Woking in Surrey, identified and proved by Keith Woods. (SJ)

Sutherland motors off on his next spying assignment, supposedly in East Anglia.

Walsham Gate Lock. Shot by Keith but the blurring is all me and Photoshop. (SJ)

Preparations for D-day. A red herring for the Germans to make them think invasion is coming from East Anglia to Calais.

Sutherland discovers the fakery when taking a closer look.

As a comparison is unlikely let's admire this shot of the same model provided by Andrew Price. (SJ)

Sutherland hands over his photos to an accomplice for a diplomatic bag through Portugal. Facing Fulham Gas Works on Imperial Road, London SW6, a location also seen in 'All Coppers Are . . .'.

And here is the only surviving bit of wall close to the gas containers of Fulham Gas Works, with the piping removed. Update in 2021: these have now been removed for development. SJ

The accomplice with the photos are seized. This looks a lot like Lots Road, SW10. And is ...

Lots Road at the junction of Upcerne Road. Taken by Jim Logan who lived in Stadium Street which runs parallel: residents earned a fiver each for moving their cars. The Lots Road Power station is being redeveloped as Chelsea Waterfront. (SJ)

Sutherland checks his tail. This is back on Imperial Road, SW6.

The chase continues. Now this does not like Imperial Road to me: the further gasometer looks like the one at Battersea but damned if I can place it. But it does look like Imperial Road to Jim Logan who recognised the garages to the left.

And Jim provides the current scene in Imperial Road in which indeed the garages match... But the curve in the road continues to confuse! (SJ)

Sutherland leads his tail to Marylebone Station, NW1

Note the modern-ish block in the centre there. SJ

Sutherland loses his tail in the crowds and mist.

I think this is the correct place with the ladies still on the right but with a new protruding entrance concealing the arched window. SJ

Sutherland slips off the train as he realises the net is tightening on him. Maybe the Watercress Line? Not apparent during a visit in 2026 (RL)

Sutherland steals a motorcycle to head for his U-boat rendezvous but he forgot to top up the petrol. This is the north side of Connel Bridge, Argyll and Bute.

He dumps the motorcycle and prepares to hitch a lift. Looking east.

Sutherland arrives at Oban. The crenellated wall of Queen Park's Place is still there.

A nice shot of Oban station, now sadly rebuilt, disguised as the Globe cinema.

Sutherlnad and Nelligan on Mull/Storm Island

Sutherland and Cazenove don't particularly get on.

A distinctive rock on Mull.

Cazenove and Sutherland have it out at a built set. This is at Treshnish Point in the northwest of Mull

Sutherland meets Nelligan and son after a fight with her crippled husband Cazenove

Nelligan pursues Sutherland down the cliff.

An aerial shot as we depart Storm Island.

Keith: "I watched this film on recent holiday to Mull and found much was located on around Treshnish. Looking at aerial photos I am sure this identifies exactly the contours of those in the film. I have highlighted in red the position of the lighthouse (built specifically for the film) grid ref:- 56°32'37.9"N-6°20'16.4"W.". (SJ)