'Could You Really Say Goodbye?' - Brief Encounter's Carnforth Station | BFI

Carnforth station Heritage Centre Manager John Adams and owner of The Refreshment Room Andrew Coates discuss the featured 19th-century station were David Lean’s classic British romance Brief Encounter (1945) was shot. Retired rail worker and Carnforth clock keeper Jim Walker talks about the iconic 1895 clock on the main platform and how it was thought lost for years until a mysterious benefactor contacted the station and the original clock was put up again in 2002.

David Lean’s Brief Encounter (1945), starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard, was named the best movie romance of all time by a panel of 101 actors, directors and critics.

Turbulent passion and middle-class restraint combine in uniquely English style when a married woman falls for a doctor she meets at a railway station.

Film details
Year 1945
Director David Lean
Featuring Celia Johnson , Trevor Howard , Stanley Holloway

[whouster]

Brief Encounter is a truly magical film, and well done to everyone preserving the legacy at Carnforth. Well done to the old fella for getting the job of winding the clock!

[ValerieVfc]

I've just recently watched this treasure of a movie.
Great directing by David Lean, timeless story by Noël Coward, amazing acting by Celia Johnson, and lovely sets. Without the sets, you wouldn't have the sense of urgency, the waiting, longing, and heartbreak.
It truly is a wonderful thing that so many people and organizations have come together to make this part of history. Thank you.
I am planning a trip to the UK from Canada, and now am compelled to stop and see the fruits of your labor, and to experience the story. Amazing job!

[gwouv]

What a lovely story well done all the volunteers.

[Onmysheet]

Amazing film! The production design doesn't look like it was made in 1945.

[Nunofurdambiznez]

I watch Brief Encounter just about every night before bed. It's romantically calming and relaxing and, of course, beautifully written and acted by an extremely talented cast!

[worldgrill]

I love that movie and one of the greatest romantic movies ever made.I was at that station over 15 years ago and it was in bad shape. So thankful for all the wonderful people that came together to restore this for many more future movie lovers! It will always be one of the greatest British movies ever made by one of their greatest directors.Plus it is a living time capsule of that period.

[MrBobby]

As i watch the movie for lets say the 200th time today i am sitting semi quarantined still in Arizona on a 110 degree day yet am magically transformed back to pre ww2 milford junction hoping that just once they will remain together in the end but sadly it does not happen..maybe next month it will when i watch for the 201st time..its truly amazing how these 2 normal everyday people command our attention each second when they are together on screen..

[GRAHAM]

Excellent, must go there one day, one of my favorite films.

[freedomofspeech]

I absolutely love this movie. Watched it over ten times. One of my favorites

[petersmith]

well done volunteers, celia Johnson would be proud of you.

[vivviedarling]

I was shown Brief Encounter as a Theatre studies student in the early 1990s and my son has just seen it as a film production undergraduate. Safe to say that Brief Encounter is going to endure for a good while yet. I love that they restored the tea room!

[dotdoughty]

Must go. There. Some time. Loved. The. Film. Seen it. Loads. Of. Time. X

[philwilliams]

Well I didn't know that ...how lovely 💖💖💖💖

[marcusaurelius]

A good few years yet jesus, the work of coward is iconic its not a few years its forever people fall in love it obeys no rules this play portrays human love that never ever changes depite the decades that seperate it from us now, look at the look in their eyes everything about it, there is no such thing as weve afew years left hogwash, as long as humans fall in love such films of this quality that capture human emotion and even just a snapshot in time, reign for eternity, or as long as humans are as we all are precisely because we are human suffer human love, a love that obeys no rules, divine or otherwise!!!

[garysimpson]

Thank you for bringing fictitious Milford Junction to life.

[guidofaria]

I'm thrilled to come across this documentary. I watched the film a month ago and it had such a great impact on me that I referred to a good number of friends. A masterpiece. Celia Johnson takes us with her through her mind and body in a way that we feel kind of the same. I can feel it but I have no words to define. Never mind words.

[erinrising]

I hope the refreshment shop is still in business when I am able to visit
Edit: It seems the owners (depicted in this video) have sold it, and the new owners aren't having it be a refreshment shop 😭💔

[jcaldu]

Thanks for making this possible. It´s one of the best films ever!

[feminineone]

I was depressed during the pandemic…thank God I discovered this movie…living alone..this was a life saver…I would a trip to this place one day 🥰🌺🙏🏽

[stephendavidbailey]

Incredible film. Can never see it enough.