The “Titfield Station & Film Set” layout is inspired by the Ealing Studios film
comedy, “TheTitheld Thunderbolt”. Filmed on location in June and July of 1952.
the movie was shot in various parts of Somerset. Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire
and London. as well as in the Studio. The completed film was premiered in
March 1953 (HM Queen's Coronation Year). Since the layout’s last exhibition
appearance, when it used kit and scratch built rolling stock, with DC control. it
has been modified and extended to bring it up to modern standards. After the
introduction of the Rapido Trains “Titfield Thunderbolt Deluxe Train Pack”. the
layout is now operating with full sound and DCC digital control. Voice extracts,
taken from the film soundtrack. can be heard to match the action you can see in
front of you. The layout itself combines together some of the features and loca-
tions found in the movie but brought together in one place. Look out for the
crowds waving from the bridge. the squire’s Bullnose Morris Cowley car, the
steam roller. the water-tower (a studio built prop.) and Pearse & Crump's bus.
The film crews are on hand with their cameras, flood-lights and recording gear
together with the production personnel and studio mini bus.
