TV locations for the Famous Five series

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
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Onkel Quentin
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Onkel Quentin »

number 6 wrote:A clearer view of the Britannia B&B on station street, Lymington Town, which doubled as the Police Station in the 'Get into trouble' episode.
I like this photo, I think it is a good adress for one of my next visits in the NF.
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number 6
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

An interesting little snippet from an interview with Four of the F5 actors, which featured in the 70's Children magazine ' Look-in'.
Regarding the end titles: Jenny said " We had to walk about a quarter of a mile to this ramp as we were being filmed & just as we reached it, Toddy stopped to answer the call of nature! We had to go right back to the start!".
Gary said, "And then, I fell down an hole & disappeared, so we had to do it again!".

Jenny confirms what Gary told us in a recent post. This definitely rules out the Partridge bush & Beaulieu CP areas, but does coincide with the area I suggested in my last post, which was the expanse of moorland (Yew Tree Heath) & the minor pine copse, South of DPF. Both are about a quarter of a mile from a small car park & a road that splits off from the B3056 Beaulieu rd. The road/CP are tantalisingingly close to where some of the galloping scenes were filmed.

* I included the bit where Gary fell into an hole, just cos I would've loved to have seen that. Quite funny. I wouldn't have laughed, of course....well, not much, anyway! :lol:
Last edited by number 6 on 09 Aug 2017, 15:14, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Onkel Quentin wrote:
number 6 wrote:A clearer view of the Britannia B&B on station street, Lymington Town, which doubled as the Police Station in the 'Get into trouble' episode.
I like this photo, I think it is a good adress for one of my next visits in the NF.
Go for it, O.Q.! It'll be a lovely place to stay! Im contracted to do some work in Dorset again next year. This'll run from Sat 22nd July till Sat 4th August, which will give me some free time in the New Forest as well. You never know, I might see you there! :D 8)
Last edited by number 6 on 11 Apr 2018, 14:33, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Gary Russell »

number 6 wrote:
* I included the bit where Gary fell into an hole, just cos I would've loved to have seen that. Quite funny. I wouldn't have laughed, of course....well, not much, anyway! :lol:
I reckon she must have pushed me. I was far too sensible and mature to just fall down holes unaided. Absolutely Definitely. Oh yes. *cough*
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by timv »

I've looked through a download of the Mystery Moor episode online several times, and I admit that despite knowing Yew Tree Heath well I find it difficult to be sure of what was filmed where - though I can recognise the Decoy Pond farm scenes OK. The possibility of trees being lost or heather growing up in the years since filming means that it may be difficult to state positions for camera angles exactly. My thoughts so far are these:

1. The end credits scene is pretty certainly filmed from the road from the small car park by Beaulieu Road Station up to Decoy Pond farm, on the opposite (E) side of the B3056 from the station. This is clear from the distance to Pig Bush Woods (in the distance at left) and the slope of the moor in the distance to the right, which is the SW end of Yew Tree Heath sloping down to Woodfidley Railway Bridge. You can just see Partridge Bush as a small clump of trees in the left distance, in front of Pig Bush. The camera is looking S or SSW, and is at the edge of the small wood next to the car park.
2. The dim line of road is either the B3056, running NW (right) to SE (left), or (likelier) the side-road that goes off it East across the Moor to Ipley Bridge. As recalled by Jennifer in the article and by Gary, the children walk off from the trees over a bank and then over the moor, over a road towards the dip that can be seen in the distance. If they headed SW and crossed the main road (3056), they would soon hit the SW edge of the level moor - they don't so I think they are crossing the side-road and walking directly S. There is open moor here and a dip in it with a stream, as J and G said. At a guess I would say the shots are taken from the NE corner of the wood, nearest to Decoy Pond Farm.
The hole could be a bomb crater from the War - there was a searchlight/ anti-aircraft position to the East of this, as Ferney Crofts car park!
3. After the rescue a bit earlier, they mount in a little wood and ride off onto the moor - either the wood by the car park or Partridge Bush. Both are the right size, but PB has fewer pines and more oaks like the one in the film. It looks to me like PB, where the trees are more open, but it is too murky to be sure.
4. The ride to safety is on a track, with open moor around; higher ground then a dip to the right. Probably the track from the entrance to DPF, heading West to the railway line; here there is a dip to the North (right). Heading East, the dip would be to the left. Other possibilities are the track just NW of Partridge Bush, heading NW towards the station, or another track heading SE from DPF entrance along the top of the moor to another car park at Ferney Crofts .
I will see if I can place other moorland scenes when I am next on the moor, weather permitting.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Wow! Thanks timv! I'll have to get my map out & try to follow your directions. Some of the names are quite new to me. You're in a great position to explore the area more closely & at your leisure, than I'am. It's a pity we didn't meet up & have a good look round. That would've been bang on! :D


If you want, timv, PM me your e-mail address & I'll send you the few photos that I took looking across the Heath from Partridge bush to Pig bush, & from Beaulieu Rd CP towards Yew tree Heath/Pig bush. They're not good at all, but I think you may find them useful. :D
Last edited by number 6 on 09 Aug 2017, 19:12, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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Gary Russell wrote:
number 6 wrote:
* I included the bit where Gary fell into an hole, just cos I would've loved to have seen that. Quite funny. I wouldn't have laughed, of course....well, not much, anyway! :lol:
I reckon she must have pushed me. I was far too sensible and mature to just fall down holes unaided. Absolutely Definitely. Oh yes. *cough*
Oh, I totally agree, Gary! Jenny's angelic face never fooled me. No, never. Not one bit. She definitely pushed you!!!! :wink: (PS I'm not grinning...I'm just giving my teeth a bit of fresh air! :D )
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Billycock »

Thanks guys! Thankyou Onkel! Really interesting stuff. Iam going to the New Forest this weekend, will definitely be checking out some of these marvellous locations. I have a Youtube channel (not very good but I try :) ) I've filmed numous films and tv programmes locations including the other Southern television classic 'Worzel Gummidge'. All good fun.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Hope you enjoy your time in the NF, Billycock! Fingers crossed the weather is fine as well. Interesting to note that you've filmed other locations for various tv programmes. I've been to quite a few locations, inc Last of the Summer Wine, Heartbeat, The Railway Children (1970) & plenty of others. As you say, good fun! :D
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by timv »

I went up Yew Tree Heath yesterday to take a look after viewing the Five Go to Mystery Moor video again, though my (non-digital) camera only had a few shots left in the film so I couldn't take many photos. I'll do some more later.

The closing credits were definitely taken from the NE end of the car park opposite Beaulieu Rd Station or a little way up the road towards Decoy Pond Farm (if the latter, trees now cut down). If you go any further up the road the rise of the moor in front of you means you can't see the dip in the middle distance visible in the credits. From the DPF entrance you can't see the moor properly at all as in dip. The opening credits of the programme were shot from the track to Ferny Croft's N gates (bottom right of the map in No 6's post on p. 55 of this thread), sweeping from initial view West to NW. The clump of trees to the left in the opening shot is still there, by FC gates.
I can't certainly place the riding scenes with the children and Henry (near the start of Pt 2 of the YouTube video) where they see the rails in the heather and then meet Sniffer and the other gypsies. The latter are camped in a little wood of mixed trees with a gravel track running through it so this is not Partridge Bush (only a narrow earth track, straight not curved entrance) or the Beaulieu Rd car park (a straight, not curved track and only tall pine trees). But I'll keep looking. There is no sandpit on the Moor at present either - grassed over or filmed elsewhere? I suspect some of the scattered trees in the open moor shots have gone, but these shots could be on the open moor just up the B3056 from Pig Bush on the E side of the road (bottom of map on p. 55) or the track NW from Ferny Crofts to Decoy Pond Farm.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Great stuff, timv! The gypsy camp was filmed at Denny Wood campsite, about a mile North West of Beaulieu rd station. The gravel circular surface is still there. I think Onkel Quentin took some photos of when he visited in May. I did visit it a number of years ago, but I didn't have time to pop up this year. :D
Last edited by number 6 on 14 Feb 2021, 16:57, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Onkel Quentin »

You can see a picture on side number 41 in this forum, I made from the gipsy campsite.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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Thanks O.Q.! I knew you'd been recently, but I couldn't remember if you had posted any pics. :D
I do forget these things. It's another Senior moment!! :roll:
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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Just watched the first few seconds of the opening scenes of the Mystery moor episode, where the camera pans from left to right across the moor (to eerie music!) This, I think, shows a partial glimpse of Partridge bush on the far left (viewed from near the B3056 rd) & as the camera pans right, part of Denny lodge inclosure & Denny wood come into view in the distance. It then fades into the DPF scene where the Riders on horses trot along the lane & into the stables.
I recognise the scene from the few hours I spent in & around the Partridge bush area. I also had overlapping photos of this scene, but I deleted them cos I thought they were no good!
I believe that Jane (DPF owner) was referring to the opening scene (& a few others scenes) for the Mystery moor episode being filmed up near Partridge bush, not the end title sequence.

The scene where the railway lines are found on the moor was filmed, I think, on Furzy brow, just S of Partridge bush. If you look behind the Children, PB is seen in the background looking N from the Pig bush direction.
Part of the galloping scenes were also filmed here. Henry says 'it's just a good place to ride, that's all', then the five ride off across a stretch of moor...towards Partridge bush! This then merges into the galloping scene which was filmed on the moor that runs along beside the driveway to DPF, with the trees of Denny Lodge CP (Beaulieu rd) behind them in the distance...I think! Or it could've been where the ex-forest ranger said it was filmed...opposite Partridge bush. Hmmm... not convinced on that one!
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by timv »

I think that we can't be completely clear on the riding scenes, given the murkiness of the view and the fact that the woods in the background could be either Pig Bush or those by the Decoy Pond Farm entrance - or even the Ferny Crofts woods , if a few smaller trees have been lost since. Despite walking over the ground at all three places , however many times I check the scene of the children and Henry riding I can't make my kind up! The riding scene that was apparently done by DPF drive is presumably on the narrow track (which you can see in the foreground) that runs parallel to the road down to the Station car park at first and then heads off W to the rail footbridge, with the riders galloping W. Forumites who are lucky enough to have a chance to visit the sites can then know where to look, using the map on p. 55.

I agree with Number Six about the scenes where Partridge Bush seems to feature, given that it is so distinct a (small and compact) wood. The discovery of the rails scene should be on Furzy Brow, a little to the S or SE of the PB trees near the edge of the ridge, with the camera looking N or NW to PB. The B3056 road is out of view over the brow of the ridge , and the cameramen presumably parked in Pig Bush carpark about 100 yards away, hence Jane remembering this. (Ditto for the shots of the children escaping the gypsies, probably in the PB trees, near the end?) And thanks for the info on the shots done at Denny Wood campsite, as that one had me puzzled. Once the currently full campsite there clears in Sept I can take a few photos there. Possibly I could do an article and photos for the Journal once I've located more sites from the filming - Gary's pieces on it give me an idea where to look and I know the Mudeford and Hurst castle views (Demons' Rocks) haven't changed much.
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