Film & TV

Services for Film and Television
Whether you are looking for a small branch line steam train similar to "The Railway Children", or a modern, main-line express diesel train thundering up the main line, we offer location, facilities and rolling stock to meet your filming and location requirements.

Our diesel locomotives and diesel railcars are representatives of types used from the late 1950's right up to the present day.

We have modern carriages that represent today's railways, as well as those that were used in the 1950s, 1960's and 1970s. These support both internal and external shoots, supporting bygone and up-to-date passenger travel.

We also have a variety of freight vehicles to complement the locomotives and passenger vehicles above.

Our railway features over and under bridges, a level crossing, a tunnel and a large viaduct, as well as cuttings and embankments - a full range of geographic features that are similar to many parts of the country, so whether your setting is the open fields of Lincolnshire, the Dales of Yorkshire or a railway yard, it won't take a miracle of modern editing or expensive large-scale on-location set design to re-create the exact environment you seek.

Our staff have excellent contacts within the industry, so if the location is right for you, but the vehicles are not, we can help source the vehicles you require to make your shoot run smoothly.

With our central location and good road links, our facilities are easy to reach and within two hours of London, Leeds or Manchester and just an hour-and-a-half from Birmingham.

These assets were all seen as benefits for Yorkshire Television (a subsidiary of Granada Media), who shot for an episode of "The Royal" (a successful spin-off from top-rated show "Heartbeat") at GCRN in November 2006. GCRN provided a period setting for the filming of a collision between a train and a car at a road crossing - in this case the location was our own Asher Lane Crossing. Some images of that filming are reproduced on this page, courtesy of photographer Paul Biggs. YTV were able to set-up, film and dilapidate all within three days.

ITV used similar facilities in August 2010 to film for the popular soap "Emmerdale". Filming took-place over a week-long period, all footage being filmed during the hours of darkness. As well as location facilities, GCRN also provided locomotive, rolling stock, train crew and support, including materials used at the location itself. ITV partnered with special effects company Bickers (who are well established in film and TV, probably best-known for their work supporting the "Top Gear" TV show), to prepare one of our locomotives for it's starring role.

For ITV and Granada Media, GCRN has been a successful, cost-effective partner, with a range of facilities to support their needs. The end result has been praised by cast and crew alike, as the excerpt below shows:

ITV produced an excellent "Behind the Scenes" film, which can be found on youtube here. The clip showcases how GCRN can work with you to ensure you achieve your goals as we have done for ITV Emmerdale.

We understand that you will need flexibility in your schedule, and that you may require specific conditions in which to film. Our business is well geared to these demands as our infrastructure and facilities may be made available in a flexible manner to suit your schedules and needs.

If you would like to explore the options for working with us, please contact us at:info@gcrn.co.uk to discuss your requirements and arrange a site visit.