Seven-Per-Cent Solution, The

Sherlock Holmes (Nicol Williamson) waits and watches outside Professor Moriarty's Hammersmith home. Not so much Hammersmith but the other side of London, Wapping, in particular. This is Pier Head, Wapping High Street E1 says Dave W. The presence of the street name plate on the left suggests we are looking from west to east towards No. 6 Pier Head. (RL)

No access from the gardens so this is taken on the east side of Pier Head. SJ

Whilst Sherlock is distracted, Mycroft Holmes (Charles Gray) and Dr. John H. Watson (Robert Duvall) run and gain entry to Moriarty's house. Remaining in Pier Head we see in the background the porticoed entrance to No. 4 Dave tells us. (RL)

Now looking across the gardens from east to west at no. 4. SJ

After Moriarty is persuaded by Mycroft to leave the country for a few days, Watson approaches Holmes with Toby the bloodhound. With cemetery headstones placed as props Dave views this as the west side of Pier Head where the large trees grow on the outside of the garden railings. Thus our view is towards the east side. The gardens once formed the entrance for ships from the Thames to London Docks but were filled in as part of Docklands' renovation, Dave expands. (RL)

A general view across the gardens from the west side. SJ

Toby picks up the scent and leads Holmes and Watson to Victoria station. And finally for this sequence, Dave identifies this as Pier Head looking towards the river. (RL)

Looking at nos. 5-9 Pier Head on the east side from Wapping High Street. SJ

The two arrive at the station just as the Continental Boat Express is leaving with Moriarty aboard. York station, Station Road in York, North Yorkshire. Manuel Gurtner tells us that the shunting engine in the platform is the 2-4-0 tender loco No 790 "Hardwicke" of the former London & North Western Railway, designed by F.W. Webb, built at Crewe in 1873 and withdrawn in 1932. The sole surviving example of the LNWR Improved Precedent Class, loan from the National Railway Museum for filming and still operational at that time, is now on display at Shildon, County Durham.

Holmes and Watson follow on the next departure. York station, which was also seen in 'Chariots of Fire', 'The Dresser' and 'Agatha'. Manuel Gurtner explains that here we see the well-known tender loco No 737 of the former South Eastern & Chatham Railway, also loaned by the National Railway Museum. The Wainwright Class D 4-4-0 engine was built at Ashford in 1901 and withdrawn in 1956. Nicknamed "coppertops", this SECR locomotives became particularly associated with boat trains to Dover and Folkestone.

The famous detective, his friend and Toby arrive in Linz. Manuel Gurtner tells us that this was actually filmed in the town of Laxenburg, located about 20 kilometers south of Vienna, with the view of the baroque Parish church.

Luggage is unloaded outside the railway station. Manuel advises that the church in the background is situated just opposite the castle called Blauer Hof which was the birthplace of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria who died at Mayerling under mysterious circumstances.

The camera pans across the square in front of Linz Hauptbahnhof. In fact, says Manuel, we see the wide square called Schlossplatz which lies between the church and the castle.

The pursuit is a ruse by Watson to bring Holmes to Dr Freud in Vienna. Manuel Gurtner explains that, with the help of signs and other props, the Blauer Hof stands in for Linz central station.

The Pasha arrives to catch his special train. Manuel continues "The already modernised station building from 1936 was damaged by Allied bombing during World War II, so the facilities were rebuilt from 1949 to 1955 in the sober style of that time."

The journey across Austria continues. Manuel Gurtner advises that the train is just about to cross the viaduct over the river Doubs between Arcon and Doubs on the disused line running between Gilley and Pontarlier. Manuel also tells us that this is an unused scene from 'Murder in the Orient Express' (1974)

Holmes and Watson arrive at Vienna Westbahnhof. In fact, advises Manuel Gurtner, we see here the facade of the so-called Neue Burg (New Castle), which stands in for the original Westbahnhof as the railway terminus was badly damaged in the last days of the Second World War and demolished in 1949.

The Cherubs remain after everyone else have long departed. PW

Toby is urged on to pick up Moriarty's trail. Manuel identifies this as the nearby eastern corner of the Neue Burg, completed in 1913 as the south-west wing of the principal imperial palace, the Hofburg.

A less crowded shot of the steps. PW

When the bloodhound finds a cab with the scent, the driver is bribed to convey the two. Partly visible in the background is the the clock tower of the Augustinian Church, located close to Josefplatz. Location found by Manuel Gurtner.

Taken from the north side of the Palm House. PW

The streets of the Austrian capital are seen during the journey. Hanuschgasse in Vienna.

A closer view due to remodelling of the area. PW

The camera pans with the cab. The roof of the Palm House on Burggarten, Vienna 1010, Austria. The building can also be seen in 'The Best Offer' and 'The Gorgon'.

Alterations to the roadway and a new wall directly behind me have made a better comparison impossible. PW

The Doctor and Holmes near the home of Dr. Sigmund Freud. We are led to believe that this is Berggasse in Vienna.

Holmes and Watson accompany Dr. Sigmund Freud (Alan Arkin) as he visits Lola Devereaux. Steve Randall locates this as outside the Hofburg Chapel in Schweizertrakt, Vienna.

It was thoughtful, but I didn't need a crane shot! (PW)

The group is watched by one of the Pasha's men as they enter the building. The external stairway entrance to the Hofburg Chapel in Vienna found by Steve Randall.

Alterations have been made to accommodate a more "corporate" world. PW

When Lola is kidnapped, Holmes leads the others to a chemist after he learns that she was dependant on drugs. Located in Vienna's 1st district, the facade of the building Schönlaterngasse 6, called "Zur schönen Laterne" ("To the Nice Lantern"), has been adapted for the shooting as fictional pharmacy named "Zum schwarzen Hund" ("To the Black Dog", as synonym for major depressive disorder). Meanwhile our Trio is waiting at the passway beneath the Bernardi chapel, connecting the inner yard of the Heiligenkreuzerhof. Location found by Manuel Gurtner.

The location now. PW

Now caught up in the adventure, Dr. Freud tells Watson to follow a suspicious man leaving the chemist's shop. Joel Grey as Lowenstein makes his way along Schönlaterngasse towards Postgasse, pursued by our Trio. Location identified by Manuel Gurtner.

Easily recognisable. PW

Lowenstein first lures Holmes, Watson and Freud into the Imperial Court Library (now the Austrian National Library, located in the Neue Burg Wing), and finally into a fatal ambush in the famous Spanish Riding School. The view along Adlerhof, located in the 7th district and one of the longest so called "Durchhaus" in the city, connecting Siebensterngasse 46 with Burggasse 51. Location identified by Manuel Gurtner.

When the Pasha departs Vienna on his special train, Holmes, Watson and Freud follow by taking an engine. Aspern station is being played by Bewdley station on the Severn Valley Railway. The hijacked Mogul type tender loco No 60 116 is actually the ex British Railways No 46643 of BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0, built in 1950 by Crewe Works and withdrawn in 1967.

The Pasha's train heads for Istanbul, still called Constantinople at that time, just passing Bewdley South Junction in Worcestershire. Shortly afterwards the train with the pursuers follows from the right side on the abandoned and dismantled Bewdley to Hartlebury section. The story is set in 1891, so the traction of the Pasha's train by the Ten-Wheeler type loco No 5110 of the former London Midland & Scottish Railway seems obviously to modern. Nicknamed as "Black Five", this LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 engine was built in 1935 by Vulcan Foundry and withdrawn in 1968.

The view from Bewdley Station until a line side shot can be taken. The signal in the screen capture is just around the corner and was clearly visible from our bathroom window. (RL)

The border is closed behind the Pasha's train as Holmes and his companions catch up. Victoria Bridge on the Severn Valley Railway which also features in 'Enola Holmes' and 1978 version of 'The Thirty Nine Steps'.

Victoria Bridge as it is now following restoration in 2004 until someone can take a shot from the middle of the track. The greenery in the screen capture would suggest that the reverse POV should be taken. (RL)

The pursuit continues after the barrier is smashed. Victoria Bridge near Arley in Worcestershire.

No evidence now of the building on either side of the bridge and the only available location to obtain an appropriately angled shot. (RL)

During the spectacular fight against Baron von Leinsdorf (Jeremy Kemp) with rapiers on the rooftops of the Ottoman salon carriages, Holmes ducks at the last moment before the special train passes beneath the main B4555 Bridgnorth-Highley road by the short Knowlesands Tunnel. Location found by Manuel Gurtner.

Freud also manages to board the special train where he finds Lola. While he keeps the Pasha and his bodyguards in check, the fight between Holmes and the Baron goes into the final round. Oldbury Viaduct near Daniel's Mill between Bridgnorth and Eardington in Shropshire. By the way, the mill has the largest cast iron waterwheel in England. The bridge also features in 1978's 'Thirty Nine Steps'.

This shot, however, was less difficult to achieve. (RL)

After Lola's rescue and a successful outcome for Holmes' treatment, the pair head back to the dock. Manuel Gurtner tells us that the Fiaker type carriage moves along the western facade of Queen Anne Court, part of the Old Royal Naval College at the University of Greenwich. In the right background, Queen Mary Court can be seen..

At the quay, Watson is left to head home alone whilst Holmes boards a boat at Nussdorf to 'complete his recovery'. The backdrop here is Dürnstein on the River Danube, identified by Manuel Gurtner.

When the boat departs for Budapest, Holmes finds Lola on board. Manuel adds that the steamer was the 'Johann Strauss', built in 1853 by Althofen in Budapest and retired in 1972.

A final shot shows again Dürnstein before fading into the end credits and proves, that the dialogue scene between Williamson and Redgrave on the promenade deck was filmed before the Nussdorf embarking sequence. High above the town, the ruined castle can be recognized, where Richard I of England was imprisoned by Leopold V, Duke of Austria, following the Third Crusade. Location identified by Manuel Gurtner.