14 August 1995(1995-08-14)– 28 September 1997(1997-09-28)
Oh, Doctor Beeching! is a BBC televisionsitcom, written by David Croft and Richard Spendlove, and produced for the BBC. After a pilot for the programme was broadcast on 14 August 1995, full production was green-lighted, with the sitcom running for two series from 8 July 1996 to 28 September 1997.[1] The series focuses on the lives of the staff who run the fictional station of Hatley on a rural branch line who find themselves looking for the means to keep their station open in the wake of news that Dr. Richard Beeching has promoted plans for the closing of many branch lines and their respective stations.
Filming of the sitcom included exterior shots taken at Arley railway station on the Severn Valley Railway. The series was the last of three comedies that Croft co-wrote to feature many of the same actors from his previous works of Hi-de-Hi! and You Rang, M'Lord?, and the last full series sitcom for him to create. Despite good initial viewing figures, the show was axed after two series following extensive problems competing with other programming on the BBC.
Production
Following his work on You Rang, M'Lord?, David Croft severed his ties with the BBC in 1993 over criticism that their treatment of his work, including the lack of repeats for his shows, particularly the first series, which the producer felt was needed to build up its audience.[2] After producing a pilot for a new comedy on ITV, Croft was invited back to the BBC with a promise to allow him to produce a new pilot for the network, providing him with the idea of focusing his script on the lives of railway staff at a rural station during the 1960s. Agreeing to this, the writer was partnered up with Richard Spendlove, who had extensive history with the railways and helped to produce the script for the pilot, rather than with his previous creative collaborators.[2]
"Blossom", the locomotive featured in the series
The pilot proved a success when aired in 1995, leading the BBC to commission the sitcom for two series; although broadcast of the sitcom was delayed until 1996. Filming for both the pilot and the series relied on exterior shots filmed at Arley railway station, taking advantage of the preservation work of the Severn Valley Railway for both the location and a LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0, No 46521, which resided on the line; the locomotive was later sold on to the Great Central Railway and loaned to other railways after the series had concluded. The cost of using the line and the locomotive had a notable impact on the show's budget, effectively requiring the BBC to provide it with more money than other programming during its production.[2]
Much of the cast who took part in the series were recruited from Croft's previous work on both Hi-de-Hi! and You Rang, M'Lord?, with guest appearances from a number of Croft's other works with his former partner Jimmy Perry; Spendlove himself also made several appearances in the programme.
Premise
Oh, Doctor Beeching! focuses on the small fictional branch line railway station of Hatley, which has been disorganised since the retirement of its previous station master. Jack Skinner, the station's porter, does what he can to keep the station operational as its acting station master, alongside his family, friends and colleagues, including: May, his wife, who runs the buffet; Gloria, the Skinners' daughter, who volunteers when not teaching lessons; Harry Lambert, who serves as the local signalman; Ethel Schumann, an eccentric and easily flustered booking clerk; Wilfred, Ethel's somewhat dimwitted son, who serves as the station dogsbody; and Vera Plumtree, a local volunteer whose husband worked on the railway. In addition, the station often provides a respite for a regular train crew consisting of engine driver Arnold Thomas, his inexperienced fireman Ralph (who is training to be a driver himself), and flirtatious train guard Percy, whom Ethel is besotted with at times.
By 1963, the station is deemed in need of improvement, so the railway line's owners decide to send in a new station master in the form of Cecil Parkin, a stern, but keen man who wishes to bring the station up to standards. However, his arrival presents a dilemma for May, who had a romantic fling with him while dating Jack, before the couple's marriage, and that she has no idea that Parkin still loves her even after they parted ways around the time of the Second World War. From the first episode, after Parkin arrives, the station staff receive news of a story printed in the papers in which Dr. Richard Beeching has written a report to the British government recommending the closure of branch lines and rural stations, with Parkin deciding to do whatever he can to prove the station and the line can run efficiently (while secretly having meetings with May), despite Jack disliking his presence and ideas.
Main cast
Cecil R. Parkin (Jeffrey Holland) Stationmaster – the new stationmaster at Hatley who appears midway through the first episode. He is a perfectionist and is determined to make the station the best on the line.[3] On the surface, he seems refined, but it turns out that he knows the station's buffet manager because they had a passionate affair, which was going on behind her boyfriend (later husband) Jack Skinner's back. He still has lecherous thoughts about her and in several episodes he tries his best to get her to leave Jack. The station staff react to him in different ways – most are tolerant of him, but Jack and Harry, the signalman, take an intense dislike to him, which only slightly mellows as the series goes on.
Jack Skinner (Paul Shane) Head Porter and Deputy Stationmaster – He is deeply in love with his beautiful wife, May, but gets very jealous whenever she comes into close contact with other men, especially Cecil. He heartily dislikes Cecil and shows it. He is an ex-soldier with a limp from a wound he supposedly received during the war – only in Episode 9 we learn that his leg was wounded when he was thrown out of a pub and the landlord's wife slammed the door on his foot, not during a battle, although Ethel changed the story to him jumping on a German tank to shove a land mine down it and a big German trapped his foot in the door.
Ethel Schumann (Su Pollard) Ticket Clerk – She is scatter-brained and sometimes muddles her words. She often gets frustrated with Jack for his jealousy of May. She is also a flirt – she has a son from her marriage to a now deceased American soldier named Earl, whom she frequently refers to in the earlier episodes. She is desperate for another boyfriend and frequently makes advances to the station's guard, Percy, who appreciates her advances, but seems more interested in the regular commuter, Amy. She is the only one who knows of Cecil and May's war-time fling once May tells her.
Harry Lambert (Stephen Lewis) Signalman – He is eternally miserable, with Stephen Lewis portraying the character very much like "Blakey" in On the Buses. He never smiles and often sees the down side of things, never being seen happy. He hates his job, often calling the trains "ruddy". Because trains come through Hatley only a few times a day, he operates numerous sidelines from his box: growing vegetables, mending bikes and clocks, rearing farm animals (pigs, turkeys and chickens) for the staff's dinners, giving haircuts and taking bets. They are all illegal, yet all the staff, including Gloria, know about them, are customers and keep their mouths shut. Cecil does not know, as he would make it stop. There is a recurring gag, where Harry will say, "if they poke their noses around, they will get the flat end o' my tongue", that person comes and he starts sucking up to them. He often resists Vera's advances.
May Skinner (née Blanchflower) (Julia Deakin) Buffet Manageress – She had a passionate affair with Cecil Parkin before she married Jack, which ended when Cecil was called up to serve in the Army. She appears to genuinely love Jack, but she seems to still have buried feelings for Cecil. She frequently resists Cecil's advances, but occasionally relents, even letting him kiss her in Episode 10, but states that it must never happen again. In early episodes it is hinted that Cecil is the father of her daughter, Gloria, but this is proved to be false in Episode 11. The character of May was played by Sherrie Hewson in the original pilot episode shown in August 1995. Because of her role in Coronation Street, Hewson was unable to continue with the role of May in the series proper, so the character was recast to Julia Deakin. When the pilot episode was repeated as the first episode of the first series in July 1996, Hewson's scenes as May were reshot with Deakin in the role.
Vera Plumtree (Barbara New) Cleaner – She helps the staff by cleaning their homes and washing linen for them. She has a lot in common with Ethel: she muddles her words and frequently talks about her unnamed late husband, who was an engine driver. She is fond of Harry, but he is not interested in her.
Wilfred Schumann (Paul Aspden, credited as Paul Aspen) Porter – Ethel's son. Most of the time he comes across as extremely stupid. He is often verbally abused and hit around the head by Jack. Wilfred joins the Army in one episode so as to allow Ethel to elope with her new American airmen boyfriend, but she ends the relationship. Wilfred was born in 1946, making him 17.
Gloria Skinner (Lindsay Grimshaw) – Jack and May's daughter. A rebellious teenager, very fond of short skirts and the company of older men. Jack is over-protective and will let no man in the station take Gloria out. Gloria was born in February 1945, making her 18.
Percy (Terry John) Guard – the main station flirt. He flirts with every woman he comes into contact with, except Vera. But he seems to prefer Amy above others: he takes her out on several dates during the series, often leaving Ethel in the lurch. We learn in Episode 14 that he keeps promising to take Ethel out, but never does.
Arnold Thomas (Ivor Roberts) Train Driver – An older train-driver. He is the star of the penultimate episode, where he goes to great lengths to make sure he is not sacked. He has a wife called Jessica, who appears to be forgetful. He alludes to her in almost every episode, but she only appears briefly in an uncredited role in Episode 13. The actress was Ivor Roberts' real life wife also.
Ralph (Perry Benson) Fireman and Trainee Driver – Works with Arnold – the two often engage in comic banter. Ralph can be as daft as Wilfred and is slow at learning to drive – but he drives the train perfectly in the final episode. One episode centres around him – in Episode 14 he threatens to go on strike. It is also revealed that he has a crush on Gloria.
Amy (Tara Daniels), best school friend of Gloria's, she appears in most of the episodes. She is often the object of Percy's desires.
Mr Orkindale (Richard Spendlove) District Inspector – Senior to Parkin, calls staff by Christian names and fancies May. Dislikes Mr Parkin as much as everyone else and in Episode 17 cheats him out of a place on the bowls club outing just so he can have a few extra drinks.
Guest appearances
Other actors who had previously collaborated with David Croft made guest appearances in the series. Former Hi-de-Hi! regular Felix Bowness made a number of appearances as relief train guard Bernie Bleasdale.[4]Windsor Davies appeared in the final episode as the mayor of Clumberfield, when the station staff re-enacted the station's opening for its 100th anniversary. James Pertwee, son of the actor Bill Pertwee, made an appearance as a photographer in this final episode also. Sally Grace appeared in Episode 7 as Mr Parkin's fiancée, Edna. Hugh Lloyd made an appearance in one episode as a chauffeur.
In 1963, Hatley Station comes under the supervision of a new efficient station master, Cecil Parkin. To his surprise, he finds the station buffett is run by his former lover May Blanchflower, who is now married to station porter Jack Skinner, and has a daughter she hints could be Cecil's. As staff prepare for his regime, news soon arrives about Dr Beeching's plans for Britain's railway that could leave Hatley under threat of possible closure.
Note: Sherrie Hewson portrayed the character of May in the pilot; when the series was produced, the actress was later replaced by Julia Deakin. The plot of the pilot would be re-used for the episode "All Change" when the series was officially produced.
Parkin faces his first real test when Hatley's signalman, Harry Lambert, panicks and has to stop a train from running over a turkey he was raising for next Christmas dinner. Not impressed, Parkin intends to hold a meeting to discuss what to do, leaving Harry concerned over the future of his side businesses he runs between signlalling in trains, including hairdressing, greengrocing, and bookie work.
4
3
"The Train Now Standing…"
Roy Gould
David Croft and Richard Spendlove
15July1996(1996-07-15)
Parkin decides that Hatley should become a more sophisticated station, and requests its speaker system be re-established, despite Jack now believing it may work. After he proves ineffective for making announcements with it, Parkin asks Ethel Schumann to handle it. While she proves reliable, the system becomes a handful when Jack reveals the speakers aren't working, to which trying to rectify it just makes things worse.
5
4
"A Moving Story"
Roy Gould
David Croft and Richard Spendlove
22July1996(1996-07-22)
The station staff are asked by Parkin to help him with moving his furniture into the Station Master's house, after it arrives in Hatley. As they help out, Ethel's neighbour Vera Plumtree arranges a bath for Parkin to enjoy upon settling in. Meanwhile, May is forced to confess to Ethel her involvement with the station master, leaving her friend with a moral dilema to deal with.
6
5
"The Late Mr Buckly"
Roy Gould
David Croft and Richard Spendlove
29July1996(1996-07-29)
Jack is surprised when a coffin arrives at Hatley, containing the body of one Mr Buckly. To his annoyance, Ethel's son Wilfred burned a delivery note that could help them know what to do with it. Until the coffin can be collected, Jack attempts to keep it out of sight of passengers, as well as Parkin, which soon creates a whirlwind of problems.
7
6
"Horse Play"
Roy Gould
David Croft and Richard Spendlove
5August1996(1996-08-05)
Wilfred fails to properly manage one of Harry's signals, causing its light box wick to catch fire and chaos to unfold in fixing it. Parkin buys expensive lingerie for May to express his continued love for her, but Ethel has to lie to Jack about the present when Vera mentions this to him. Hatley is expecting a horse to arrive at the station, but are shocked when a lion turns up instead.
Harry asks the staff to help him conceal a pig at the station, having brought it in for their Christmas dinner without Parkin's knowledge. Fortunately, the station master has to head off for a meeting, but while away, Ethel is surprised when his fiancee, tax-inspector Edna Taylor, turns up to check up on him since their engagement six years ago. When she finds letters he wrote, Edna is determine to confront him over a love affair he might be having.
9
8
"Job Opportunity"
Roy Gould
John Stevenson
19August1996(1996-08-19)
May gets a surprise when she is offered a job at Loxley Station's refreshment room by its manager Fred Foster. After she leaves for her interview, both Jack and Parkin agree they do not want her to go, and eagerly seek to sabotage her plans when she seeks to impress with her own buffet work. Harry is just as interested to meet Fred, as he was the man who caused Harry's wife to leave him several years ago.
10
9
"Sleeping Around"
Roy Gould
David Croft and Richard Spendlove
27August1996(1996-08-27)
Jack and May's daughter, Gloria, chastises Parkin when he gets her to respect her father more, after she and a friend are found to have spent the night in his house. Meanwhile, as Hatley's staff prepare for the annual Saturday dance in town, Jack is shocked when he finds the railway's head office intends to have him undergo a medical examination for a leg condition, even though he has been exaggerating it since World War II.
There is a crisis when May has no milk in her buffet and the Minister of Transport decides to pay a visit. Mr Parkin has installed a "Position Closed" sign in the Booking Office, which Ethel has trouble getting to grips with. Mr Skinner sets out to get revenge on Mr Parkin when the latter suggests that he take the day off following his drastic over-reaction to Mr Parkin's solution to the milk problem.
12
2
"Father's Day"
Roy Gould
David Croft and Richard Spendlove
6July1997(1997-07-06)
May is placed in an awful predicament when Parkin makes clear he wants to be a part of Gloria's life, despite the fact there is no clear evidence he could be her father. She later confides in Ethel the situation she is in, only for May to learn Jack has become highly suspicious of Parkin's behaviour to her and intends to make his life a misery through any means he wishes to use.
13
3
"The Gravy Train"
Roy Gould
Brian Leveson and Paul Minett
13July1997(1997-07-13)
Jack is surprised when he comes across a suitcase dumped by the track after a train pulls in. When he opens it, he finds it contains hundreds of five-pound notes, and is eager to spend some on gambling. May becomes concerned for his freedom, when Percy, the train's guard, reveals a group of forgers were arrested by the police from the train, and that they are trying to find the forged notes they were supposed to be carrying with them.
14
4
"The Van"
Roy Gould
David Croft and Richard Spendlove
20July1997(1997-07-20)
Parkin informs the Hatley staff that he has been appointed by the railways to be the Station Master of three smaller stations on their line, and has been given a railway van for this job. Unfortunately, he can't drive, and the van is rather a problematic vehicle when Jack and Ethel ask to use it for some minor jobs. Then the pair have to take along Arnold, a local train driver, back home when he fears something has happened to his wife.
Local train fireman Ralph is placed in an awkward position when his uncle informs him he intends to start up strike action, despite the local union not approving of this. Parkin is not happy to learn of this, and reveals he intends to fire anyone who goes along with this, leading Arnold to seek help in convincing his fireman from going ahead. This leads May to convince Gloria and Jack to make allowances that can convince Ralph to change his mind.
16
6
"Love is a Very Splendid Thing"
Roy Gould
David Croft and Richard Spendlove
17August1997(1997-08-17)
Ethel returns to Hatley in a blissful mood, singing one of the hit songs from musical she had watched at the cinema. She confides in May that she was become smitten with an American airman, and is contemplating a future with them. While the Hatley staff are concerned for her well-being, Wilfred is not too happy, and decides to join the army to try to impress his mother. But both soon receive news that upends their plans
May gets accidentally left behind, when the staff head off for the annual Hatley Bowls Club Outing, except for Parkin, who delights in this. Ethel soon notices, but fails to prevent Jack learning of this. Fueled by his jealousy, he is soon trying to find a way to get home fast, even if it means taking control of the train, much to Ethel's displeasure when she serves the Outing's buffet car.
Notes: This episode was originally scheduled for broadcast on 31 August 1997, but had to be postponed in the wake of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, after the BBC suspended all programming that day to provide extensive live news coverage of her death.[7]
Parkin is surprised when a chauffeur for Lady Lawrence informs them that his employer is to come to the station to meet Dr Beeching. Naturally, he is eager for the station to make a good impression, and so has the Hatley staff spruce up everything, before arranging a rehearsal session to ensure everyone knows what to do when their VIP turns up, unaware her ladyship is meeting someone else.
Following an awkward day of training to become accustomed to driving diesel locomotives, Arnold gets a call from head office and assumes he is going to be fired, leading him to take drastic steps to ensure this does not happen. Meanwhile, May confides in Jack that she thinks she is pregnant, leaving her husband concerned about whether the time is right for them to have another baby.
20
10
"Ton Up"
Roy Gould
David Croft and Richard Spendlove
28September1997(1997-09-28)
After Wilfred finds an old newspaper concerning the station, Parkin discovers that Hatley station is about to become 100 years old. As such, he arranges a celebration, including period clothing for the staff, and Hatley's mayor attending proceedings with the newspaper covering the event. But the planned street party certainly is a trumpeting success in a way, when Jack fails to secure the meat for a barbeque.
Cancellation
The pilot for Oh, Doctor Beeching! proved popular when it was aired on 14 August 1995, far greater than comedy pilots created in the 1990s. When the first series was aired, it continued to hold favorable ratings, but by the second series, viewing figures dropped. When the programme was axed, blame was placed on the BBC, in regards to two areas.
Internal politics at the broadcaster meant that many of David Croft's allies had gone by the time the second series had begun, leaving him little hope of keeping the show going as the broadcaster began to question the cost of production for each episode. In addition, Oh, Doctor Beeching! received no repeats of its first series as had happened before, and the scheduling of the second series was effectively complicated - although a hiatus was provided for live coverage of the 1997 Athletics World Championship in Athens on 3 and 10 August, the decision to allow another programme to air before the series resumed, coupled with the sudden death of Diana, Princess of Wales that same month, meant the series lost viewers by the time episodes continued in September.
Home media releases
The first series was released on VHS and DVD in 2004,[8][9] while the second series on DVD only, in 2005.[10] The packaging of the first series misleadingly stated that it "included the pilot"; in reality, it contained the revised first episode and not the original version of the pilot. Edits are made to certain episodes because of copyright music issues.
A complete box set containing both series and all 19 episodes (also including the original pilot) was made available, distributed by Acorn Media UK in 2009.[11] It was later discontinued, but it was made available again in 2017.[12]
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