Hard Day’s Night, A

The film opens with John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr running to the station followed by a mob of fans. Paul Thompson identifies this as Boston Place on the east side of Marylebone station in London NW1. The street is also featured in 'Postman's Knock' but here, the focal length of the film camera distorts the view somewhat.

Mark Myers provides a comparison picture which shows that the location is fairly unchanged.

An opportunity to match with a landscape orientation. SJ

A Crowd follows the three musicians into the station. Marylebone Station on Melcombe Place in NW1. Various parts of the station have feature in many films over the years including 'Violent Moment', 'Life at the Top', 'The Day of the Triffids', 'The Man Outside', 'Carry On Girls', 'Postman's Knock', 'Smashing Time', 'Don't Open till Christmas', 'The IPCRESS File' and 'One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing'.

From a similar viewpoint.

As the titles appear, John, Ringo and George conceal themselves in telephone kiosks to avoid the screaming Fans. Marylebone station . . .

. . . where Will Scoular III found that the corner is now occupied by a chiller cabinet within Marks and Spencer.

Making a run for it, John, Ringo and George flee from the Hoard. Behind a screen that once stood between the concourse and the refreshment rooms at Marylebone station.

Not completely convinced I've got the right spot. SJ.

Finding no way out, the boys climb over the screen and escape on a luggage barrow as it's towed away.

Greg Scott explains that reconstruction in the 1990s brought the wall on the far right of the image closer towards the door to the pub, but otherwise the same facilities are available now as they were then!

Paul McCartney waits beside the train with his Grandfather (Wilfrid Brambell). Looking along platform 1 at Marylebone station.

Greg Scott returned to the platform.

On the journey to London, the Fab Four lark about when a grumpy gent sits in their reserved compartment. Through the window is Crowcombe railway station, Bakers Orchard near Crowcombe in Somerset. The station is now operated by the West Somerset Railway and was renamed Crowcombe Heathfield in 1991.

In the buffet car, Norm (Norman Rossington) argues with Shake.

The train arrives in London where more fans are held back by a police cordon. Marylebone station again.

Ian Christie notes that "For a change I think the station has been improved over the years with much more natural light being let in due to the roof windows."

A row of taxis stands in front of the band's limousine. Platforms 2 and 3 now occupy the site of the carriage road at Marylebone station.

Ian Christie found that, 55 years on, the trains have replaced the taxis.

The screaming fans flock around as John, Paul, George and Ringo run for their car. Marylebone station in NW1.

I wonder why they changed the glassing in the roof. Certainly lighter. SJ

Also in colour. SJ

The car inches its way through the throng outside the station. The frontage of Marylebone Station on Melcombe Place.

And now, in colour.

Also in colour. SJ

The fans begin to follow as the camera tracks the limousine.

Facing the corner of Boston Place and Melcombe Place outside Marylebone station.

Unchanged. SJ

Panning round on Melcombe Place brings the trees of Dorset Square into view.

A similar view now. SJ.

I believe I've improved my angle a little: the advantages of recreating a pan. SJ

The corner of Great Central Street and Melcombe Place in London NW1.

Not so many people in this comparison. (PW)

A good case for a winter shot as the trees would've blocked a lot of the view. SJ

The fans disappear into the distance. Great Central Street with Marylebone Road in the distance.

The same location.

A good case for a winter shot as the trees would've blocked a lot of the view. SJ

The limousine approaches the studio where the boys are to perform. Alongside the now demolished Scala Theatre on Scala Street in London W1 with Whitfield Street in the extreme right background.

A bit of change here! Picture by Peter.

Before another rehearsal, the lads give Norm the slip. This is one of the fire exits at the back of the Hammersmith Odeon in W6 and in the bottom right can be seen the roof of St. Augustine's church across Fulham Palace Road.

The Beatles run down the fire escape. Simon James identifies this as the rear of the Hammersmith Apollo. The venue was opened as the Gaumont Palace and was renamed Hammersmith Odeon in 1962.

The rear of the Apollo, known as such since the 1990s and much loved by Beatles London tours, but not always accessible. SJ

At the bottom of the stairs, the band cross discarded theatrical items. The rear of the Apollo on Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith which also appears in the Beatles mockumentary 'All You Need Is Cash'.

Neil Rigby provided this Bing aerial shot showing the sloping roof of the Hammersmith Apollo.

And onto a field where they fool about to 'Can't buy me love'. Thornbury Playing Fields in Isleworth, Middlesex.

On your marks . . . . Thornbury Playing Fields between London Road and Woodlands Road in Isleworth. Nick Boorman's junior school used the very same field for football and for athletics ading "My school was very small and didn't have the facilities for games and so we walked to the Thornbury Fields, which we referred to as Greenhams. The running track shown in the capture was marked out for our Schools sports day! My friends had heard rumours that the Beatles were filming there but when we got to the fields the Beatles had long gone."

Mark Myers provides this comparison which was taken in September 2009. This part of the playing field is here taken up by Stanborough Road and the background office block has since given way to recent redevelopment.

When Ringo goes missing, John, George and Paul look for him outside the theatre. The Scala Theatre's stage door on Tottenham Street W1.

Peter advises that the right hand column in the screen capture would be roughly in line with the red car's windscreen.

In another part of London, Ringo wanders the streets with his camera. Lancaster Road W11 with St. Luke's Road in the background.

Same season 50 years later. SJ

An artistic shot of some milk bottles. The corner of Lancaster Road and St. Luke's Road in Notting Hill.

"No milk today." SJ

Two girls spot Ringo and chase him along the street. Facing eastward on Lancaster Road.

Fewer pillars, more fencing. SJ

Ringo dives into a bric-a-brac shop at the end of the street. This is the corner of Lancaster Road and All Saints Road which was also seen in 'Seven Green Bottles'.

Pots replacing the "empty tables and chairs." SJ

Emerging from the shop wearing an overcoat and a cap, the Beatle isn't recognised. Looking north on All Saints Road in W11.

Smart new railings now, and the buildings on Tavistock Crescent in the distance replaced. SJ

After more walking around, Ringo soon finds himself down by the river. Antony Blair identifies this as looking north across the Thames towards Brentford Ait and beyond.

A similar view by Antony.

Ringo pulls himself up the steep embankment on the Kew side of the River Thames. Across the river is Brentford and in the right of centre background stands the chimney of Kew Bridge Pumping Station.

Antony took this shot looking over the Thames to what is now Kew Bridge Steam Museum with its 60 meter Standpipe Tower.

A Young Boy (David Janson) throws stones into the water with Ringo. Beyond Brentford Ait, in the right background stands the gas holder of Brentford Gas Works.

The same foreshore captured by Antony Blair who comments that it "Looks much nicer today!"

A Policeman (Roger Avon) watches as Ringo is told to leave a pub after causing chaos. Outside the Turk's Head public house on St. Margaret's Grove, Twickenham in Middlesex.

Antony Blair revisited the location.

Paul's Grandfather is arrested for selling autographed photos. Scala Street with Charlotte Street in the left distance.

The same location by Peter.

Ringo comes across a young woman who's trying to get through a muddy work site. Edgehill Road at the junction with Lakeside in London W13.

For a change, Antony Blair found no roadworks in a comparison shot.

Being a gentleman, Ringo places his overcoat on the ground and helps the woman through the puddles. Edgehill Road with buildings on Lakeside to the right.

The then new town houses on Lakeside grace Antony's view.

Unfortunately, Ringo is arrested when one of the puddles turns out to be a hole. Edgehill Road in West Ealing.

Antony Blair took this picture of a much quieter scene today.

After escaping from the police station, Paul's Grandfather avoids more officers outside the theatre. Looking from the entrance of Charlotte Mews into Tottenham Street.

Peter took this shot from a the same viewpoint. Note the ironwork in the pavement.

The rest of the band arrive to release Ringo from police custody. This was St. John's Secondary School on Clarendon Road in Notting Hill W11. The building has been demolished but the replacement apartment block echoes parts of the design.

Next to The Clarendon Hotel, a long closed pub, sharing a corner with Portland Road.

A Thief (John Bluthal) tries the door of a car before the band run past followed by policemen. In the background is the mostly demolished St. Luke’s Church at the corner of St. Luke’s Road and Tavistock Road in W11. Aidan McManus adds that the Metro Club, seen in capture 19 of 'Pressure', was sited here but then was also demolished for flats.

49 St. Luke's Road is now occupied by Tavistock Mansions, which blocks the view of houses still standing on Leamington Road Villas to the east. SJ

Whilst fleeing from the police station, the boys run into a dead end. John P. advises that this dead end lies adjacent to Walmer Road in W11 and Richard Hanley adds that the building to the right is Winterbourne House. The street was called Heathfield Street and ran north from the corner of Hippodrome Mews and Portland Road.

Replacing John P.'s evocative b/w Sept '16 GEV with this. I'm looking north but standing further east than the capture: the block on the right is Winterbourne House just peeking out in the original. The building on the left (the rears of 251-275 Walmer Road) has replaced Heathfield Street with the bricks and railings seen in the far right of the original also gone. SJ

The band finally make their way back to the theatre. The entrance to Charlotte Mews on Tottenham Street.

Charlotte Mews taken by Peter over 50 years later.

Police hold back the fans queuing to see the concert. Looking north-east on Tottenham Street, London W1.

The same background appears in this picture by Peter.

After the performance, a helicopter waits to fly The Beatles away. IMDB suggests that this is Gatwick Airport near Crawley, then in Surrey, and Hugh Gilson believes that this is actually the old Gatwick Airport adding that "The present airport was built about 2miles away and was separated from the old airport by the A23 road. The old airport has the famous “ Beehive” terminal which is still standing."