Blood on the Tracks: A History of Railway Crime in Britain (35 page)

The crime that Loach deals with is that of corporate negligence. As the film unfolds the gang of men is made redundant but return to employment as contractors with earnings that, on the surface, look attractive. However, their jobs are only short-term and without such benefits as holiday or sick pay. Workers are now, in corporate speak, a ‘flexible’ labour force with flexibility only working one way. Those who have a history of union involvement are blacklisted by agencies. The film begins with the men laughing at the banal transparency of mission statements and ‘quality’ procedures (which have very little to do with real quality) and being addressed by the foreman who is trying to be serious:

‘Now listen, this really is important: Deaths must be kept to an acceptable level.’

‘What’s ‘an acceptable level?’

‘Er, two a year.’

‘But nobody’s been killed for the past eighteen months.’

This opening banter is important because behind the pretence of the marketing image, (reflected in the regular change of name and logo), the company, in its drive to maximise profits, cuts corners by reducing the number of workers and this results in the death of one of them at the end. The film offers a strong statement about changes to the railways in the late twentieth century in that the tragedy that occurs is a direct result of political decisions based on the dogma of the free market.

Particular mention should be given to
The Bourne Ultimatum
(2007) for its use of Waterloo station. This was the third Bourne film and was based loosely on Robert Ludlum’s novel. Starring Matt Damon, Albert Finney and Joan Allen the story is about the amnesiac Jason Bourne (Damon) who used to work for the elite Special Activities Division. However, in his attempt to discover his real identity CIA assassins are pursuing him. As he flees from country to country the English action begins when Simon Ross (Paddy Considine), security correspondent from
The Guardian
, receives leaks from a CIA bureau chief. Bourne reads his name in a newspaper article and attempts to reach Ross before CIA operative Paz (Édgar Ramírez) catches up with him.

Bourne and Ross arrange to meet at the south entrance of Waterloo station, but the CIA has managed to track Bourne and it monitors the pair on the station’s surveillance system. Bourne discovers that CIA agents are at the station. He then instructs Ross by mobile phone how to dodge the surveillance cameras. Paz, armed with a small assault rifle, pursues Bourne and Ross through the station onto York Road. The journalist panics and steps
out into the open, thus allowing one of the assassins to shoot him. The dead Ross has information on him that Bourne needs and in the ensuing chaos Bourne grabs the notes and discovers more about the plot to kill him. The cat-and-mouse chase (which was filmed among real commuters) and eventual shoot-out at Waterloo station is impressive. The British Transport Police assisted the shooting scenes and the feeds from Waterloo’s security cameras were used. Clearly much careful planning had gone into filming this particular action scene. In addition to Waterloo station the platform at Charing Cross underground station was used for the film.

Waterloo station has also been the location for
Incendiary
(2008) which portrays the aftermath of a terrorist attack at a football match starring Ewan McGregor and Matthew Macfadyen;
London to Brighton
(2006), a gritty British film that deals with violent mobsters and underage sex-slave trade;
Breaking
and Entering
(2006) with Jude Law;
Outlaw
(2007) with Sean Bean and Bob Hoskins, about a group of men who feel let down by the law and decide to become vigilantes. Many TV productions have also been filmed there. It is a grand and imposing station and its possibilities have clearly been appreciated by generations of film-makers.

Shadows in the Steam

The Haunted Railways of Britain

David Brandon & Alan Brooke

Ghosts traditionally make their presence felt in many ways, from unexplained footfalls and chills to odours and apparitions. This fascinating volume takes a look at some of the strange and unexplained hauntings across Britain’s railway network: signals and messages sent from empty boxes; trains that went into tunnels and never left; ghostly passengers and spectral crew; the wires whizzing to signal the arrival of trains on lines that have been closed for years…. Based on hundreds of first-person and historical accounts,
Shadows in the Steam
is a unique collection of mysterious happenings, inexplicable events and spine-chilling tales, all related to the railways.

978 0 7524 5224 1

Visit our website and discover thousands of other History Press books.

www.thehistorypress.co.uk

Copyright

First published 2010

The History Press
The Mill, Brimscombe Port
Stroud, Gloucestershire,
GL
5 2
QG
www.thehistorypress.co.uk

This ebook edition first published in 2010

All rights reserved
© David Brandon & Alan Brooke, 2010

The rights of David Brandon & Alan Brooke to be identified as the
Authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with the
Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors’ and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

ISBN
978 0 7524 6229 5