OUR HUMBLE COUNTY has the filming backdrop to many notable TV shows and films over the years.
Enola Holmes and Howard’s End are just some of the notable movies and TV shows that used our county as a backdrop.
Similarly, well-known film stars, such as Sam Claflin and Helena Bonham Carter, have walked Worcestershire’s streets as filming for their productions took place.
We have tracked down some of the county’s most notable filming locations- many of which feature Worcestershire’s railways.
Victoria Bridge
This bridge crosses the River Severn between Arley and Bewdley.
At the time of construction, it was the longest single span cast iron bridge in Britain.
It opened for traffic way back in 1862, surviving the threat of demolition before later being restored In 2004.
You can spot the bridge in the 1978 movie, The Thirty-Nine Steps.
It features in the iconic scene in which Robert Powell stops the train and climbs out and over the bridge and hangs from underneath the bridge to avoid capture from policemen who are trying to catch him.
Arley Station, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley
The number of productions shot here is extensive.
BBC’s 1989 production of Prince Caspian was partially filmed at this station.
It features in the iconic scene in which Robert Powell stops the train and climbs out and over the bridge and hangs from underneath the bridge to avoid capture from policemen who are trying to catch him.
The 1977 movie, Candleshoe, was also filmed here.
In the family-friendly flick, you can see Arley station appear at the very end of the movie when a train is approaching in the distance.
Candleshoe’s David Niven also ending up being sandwiched between one of SVR locomotive’s buffers and a Rolls-Royce!
The buildings at Arley were also repainted green, and the station was renamed as Ferndell for the 2020 Netflix film, Enola Holmes.
In an episode of children’s show Rosie and Jim titled ‘steam’, a train can be seen passing over Victoria Bridge between Arley and Bewdley.
Chuckle Vision is another title to add to this station’s repertoire. In season eight episode seven, filming took place here when the brothers are running a train station.
In the episode, you can see the station platform as well as the signal box.
Hagley Hall, Hagley
Have you seen the 1991 film, King Ralph? If so, did you recognise Hagley Hall?
The eloquent hall is good enough for royalty as it masquerades as Buckingham Palace and Willingham’s Office.
Kidderminster Town Railway station
For the 2020 Netflix film Enola Holmes, starring Millie Bobby Brown, Sam Claflin and Henry Cavill, Kidderminster Town became Basilwether station, with parts of the concourse repainted into maroon.
BBC’s The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries was also partially shot here.
A closing scene was filmed outside Kidderminster station entrance and on the station concourse, which at the time did not have the canopy.
Bewdley Station
Howard’s End (1992), a 90s romance stars Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins- and some of the train scenes were filmed in Worcestershire.
Both the Victoria Bridge and Bewdley Station feature as ‘Hilton Railway Station’ in the movie.
An episode of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple (4.50 from Paddington) was partially shot here too.
Worcester Cathedral
With it’s extensive history and stunning architecture, it’s no surprise that so many directors and movie producers want to use the Cathedral as their backdrop.
Part of season eight, episode one of BBC’s Father Brown was actually filmed in Worcester Cathedral- it was in an epsisode called 'The Celestial Choir'.
The Guildhall, Worcester
Father Brown is a BBC show is that first aired in 2013.
It stars Mark Williams, who player Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter movies.
It follows the protagonist, Father Brown, who is a crime-solving Roman catholic priest.
The Guildhall on Worcester high street also featured in season three when it was temporarily transformed into ‘Belvedere Museum’.
Alvechurch, Bromsgrove district
Daytime TV show, Doctors, is a long-running series which focuses on Doctors and staff at Mill Health Centre and Campus surgery.
They actually filmed one of their riskiest stunts right here in Worcestershire.
In 2018, stunt and camera crews set up a dramatic car crash in a field near the village of Alvechurch, Worcestershire.
Characters Will Heston Carter, Al Haskey and Mrs Tembe were involved in the fictional crash that aired in November 2018.
Broadway
ITV’s unforgotten follows the lives of detectives Cassie Stuart and Sunil 'Sunny' Khan as they try to solve a series of murders and historic disappearances.
A photographer called Crack the Lens took a picture of them filming the series in Broadway in 2016.
Castle Street, Worcester
Film crews for popular BBC1 crime drama Dalziel & Pascoe rolled on to the city's old hospital site on Castle Street in 2004.
Broadway Tower
Arguably, this is the most notable landmark in Broadway.
According to the Broadway history society, it served as an early warning system – built to study the effects of radioactive fallout from a nuclear attack.
It was manned continuously from 1961, up until it's decommissioning in 1991 at the end of the Cold War.
The 1970 action/comedy, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes was partially filmed here and the cast are seen biking in front of the tower.
The Gemini Factor, Interceptor, Crush with Andie McDowell and many other productions have also been shot here.
Nunnery Wood School, Spetchley Road, Worcester
Did you attend this Worcester secondary school?
Faintheart is a web-generated movie that was filmed in Worcester during 2007.
The romantic comedy tells the story of sales assistant Rich-ard, a historical re-enactor, who must stand-up for what he believes in order to win back his family.
Nunnery Wood High School, Worcester Crematorium, the Cardinal’s Hat and County Hall form the backdrop to the film while dozens of local people make their appearance as extras.
It received a low one star rating on Rotten Tomatoes (movie rating site) from movie critics- but 90% of ‘regular’ watched enjoyed it!
Wood Norton Hall, Evesham
The hall and its estates date back to the medieval times.
The BBC bought the state in 1939 and used it as an emergency broadcasting centre away from London and any potential bombs.
1970 Doctor Who episode, Spearhead From Space, was partially filmed here and included shots inside the secret nuclear bunker (the scenes of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart's office and The Doctor's laboratory).
In 1974, it was also used in the episode entitled ‘Robot’.
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