As I was randomly looking at the District Line article on Wikipedia earlier, I had my attention drawn to a nice little webpage that spoke of the latest episode of Sherlock.
Apparently the BBC did a rather crap job of portraying the District Line as well as messing up on some pretty obvious stuff (For example how so you get a square train (D Stock) into a circular tube tunnel?) The urge to not just sit by and forget it was too much so I just watched the episode (all 86 bloody minutes of it) and compiled a list of errors (16 of them) on their part about their portrayal of the tube. Now with me being me, I'm now going to do something about it
Sherlock and Watson are looking for a Jubilee line carriage near a Piccadilly Line station. They find a Bakerloo line carriage taken from the Northern line with a District line interior.
All London buses: 23 hours 25 minutes (with Adham, David, Josh and Tangy)
Holds some alternative challenge records. Not sure which ones.
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That guy who runs those Twitter polls about tube stations and London Boroughs.
I've just finished writing a 3 page letter which I'm going to send to the BBC on Monday. For those who can't be bothered to watch the episode or don't know what we're on about, here's what I found:
1. At 9:23 and 9:38 the viewer can quite clearly see the interior of a 1996 Stock train as used on the Jubilee Line.
2. However, at 9:28, the viewer can see a forward view of the track showing both sets of track as well as daylight. This creates an error as deep level lines have separate tunnels for each direction whereas sub-surface lines mostly share the same tunnels. Also, in this shot, you can see daylight which is a feature of the sub-surface lines (a relic from the past as those lines were initially operated by steam trains and the vents (as shown here) were used to allow the smoke to escape from the running tunnels. On a deep level line, the platforms are too deep for daylight to access the tunnels. Trains were powered by electricity only.
3. At 09:42, the viewer gets a forward view of Mansion House station from the western end complete with a “D” Stock District Line train pulling out of the eastbound platform.
4. At 09:55, the viewer can see a 1996 Stock train pulling into the abandoned platforms of the disused Jubilee part of Charing Cross station
5. At 44:44, the abandoned deep level platforms of Charing Cross station were used to show Westminster station. Again, how can you explain the fact that the wrong type of station is used as Charing Cross is a deep level station with circular tube tunnels on all platforms as well as the wrong type of train used? (The District Line uses “D” Stock trains on its central section which serves Westminster whereas the Jubilee line uses smaller 1996 Stock trains).
6. At 44:57, Charing Cross is again used to show St James’ Park station (also on the District Line). The reasons for point 5 above are valid here as well as the fact it is clearly the same station used (the only difference is that the monitor had a different name showing in the corner).
7. At 45:17, when the Jubilee train slows down and opens its doors, the wrong sounds are heard. The 1996 stock trains have a distinct sound when accelerating and decelerating due to its motors and there is clear evidence here of using stock sounds as opposed to the real sound of the trains.
8. At 46:23, the viewer can see the main character on escalators going down to the platforms. In reality, if this is supposed to be Westminster station on the District Line, then there is a huge error here as the District platforms are only slightly below the surface. To my knowledge, there are no escalators going down to any sub-surface line platforms (However, Sloane Square is the only station station where there are escalators going up from the platforms to street level due to its level below the street but the platform are still in the open).
9. At 01:04:48, the character refers to a station in Central London that was partially built but never opened. This is partly incorrect. There was a station that was cancelled halfway through its construction but this was actually “North End” (or “Bull & Bush”) station located on the Northern Line in North London between Golders Green and Hampstead.
The next points refer to the continuity errors as a result of bad location filming.
10. At 01:02:34, we see the entrance hall and the gate-line of Westminster station as normal, however…
11. At 01:02:34, we see the characters in the corridor leading to the Northern Line platforms at Charing Cross, a location no-where near Westminster station. The architecture and design is all wrong as Westminster has a modern look due to the fact it was completely rebuilt for the arrival of the Jubilee Line Extension in 1999. The viewer can even see a Northern Line route map on the left hand wall further enhancing the fact that this was filmed in a different location.
12. At 01:04:00, we see the abandoned platforms of Aldwych station, an abandoned Piccadilly Line station in deep-level tube tunnel which was closed in 1994. This has no relation to the District Line or Westminster station at all (again, wrong type of tunnel used).
13. At 01:04:22, we see the interior of a D Stock District Line train followed by an exterior shot of tube tunnel. Question: How does one explain a large square train being able to fit inside a much smaller circular tube tunnel?
14. At 01:05:46, we have a clear exterior view of a 1972 stock train as used on the Bakerloo Line (in reality, this particular train is permanently stabled on the abandoned Aldwych branch for filming purposes as well as maintenance reasons). I would like to make a point that this train has a round appearance because at…
15. 01:05:48, we see the characters enter a District Line train which has a square appearance due to the fact the District Line does not operate in tube tunnels. As the tunnels of the District Line are bigger, bigger trains are used as opposed to the smaller deep level lines. This is clear evidence that two trains were used for this scene and was filmed in two different locations.
16. At 01:06:20, a painting (or CGI) is used to disguise the track beyond the cab of the District Line train. In reality, the tunnel should be square and wide however the viewer sees a circular tube tunnel which reinforces the question: How does a large square train fit in a small circular tunnel? Also, why is the District train in a tube tunnel? Since when did the District Line have any tube-tunnel sections?
Mark Gatiss (the writer for the episode) is one of us, so presumably took artistic licence with it based on what was available to be filmed on - to my knowledge, there are no sub-surface stations available for filming on so conveyed it as best they could with what they had. 99% of the viewers wouldn't notice it anyway.
I'm surprised that nobody else pointed out that they ripped the terrorist plot to blow up Parliament using a tube train right out of V For Vendetta anyway!
(Further reading: the One Of Us page on TV Tropes)
Holder of the slowest recorded 274 attempt: 4 months, 1 day, 9 hours, 17 minutes, 32 seconds.
