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Post by Gene Hunt on Oct 28, 2016 21:14:17 GMT
4:3tv Meet 003 The Maida Vale / Hammersmith tour.
Post you pictures and reports of the day here.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Oct 30, 2016 22:03:50 GMT
Will do a proper post soon but a great meet today and big thanks to Gene for the work he puts into it and to all you guys for making it so good/enjoyable. Bring on April.
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Mickyosan
Cameraman
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Post by Mickyosan on Oct 30, 2016 22:19:25 GMT
Beat me to it Dirty. What a great day all round and many thanks to Gene for the planning, efforts and organisation. Some pictures to follow.
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Post by Athene Noctua on Oct 31, 2016 16:34:56 GMT
A massive THANK YOU to all the Guv'nors for the time they put in behind the scenes to make a brilliant day out for us all. From breakfast to dinner, we all had a wonderful day, seeing some great locations across the board from Sweeney to Minder and a few film locations too. And to top it off with a super-star guest like John Lyons, just Aces guys! What a warm, lovely chap he (and Ann) is, and very generous with taking time for photos and signings. It was a bit different all going on the tube, but actually done the trick as all those that travelled stayed together and no-one getting left on the platform like Paddington Bear. [Will try and upload some smudges when I get my head round the technology...!]
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Post by Steve Austin on Oct 31, 2016 16:35:31 GMT
8.5 miles. 8.5 miles we covered yesterday. Seems a lot doesn't it but when you think about it, surely those 8.5 miles cannot house so many iconic locations from the world of music, film & TV?? If anyone can put together such a caper with a bunch of likely foot soldiers then it's the Guv; Gene Hunt. This was not the first such meet that has been organised, but even so the locations on this one had not been done before on any previous tour, no mean feat. I was like a kid in a sweet shop and enjoyed every single minute, from breakfast (how can toilets smell so bad so early?) through to the evening meal with the bonus being the excellent talk given by John Lyons, "Huke" from my favourite episode of The Sweeney, "Bad Apple". In addition to the locations, the day is made better with the great company. I think I managed to talk to everyone throughout the day and they were all very welcoming and friendly. To a newcomer such as myself, this is a huge relief. I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone for putting up with me throughout the day. Highlights included having a pint or two in The Warrington and sharing some chips, bread and a love of the "C" word with Carter (I hope that's your name mate, I told you I had a poor memory - OSI needs to look at that), as well as helping re-enact some familiar scenes from "Night Out", seeing Abbey Road (huge The Beatles fan), Georgy Girl location and all of The Sweeney locations, including the "extra" ones Gene pointed out. The talk by John was simply sublime and well compered too. He had no problem at all in spending an hour or so recounting his career, not only in The Sweeney but also including On The Buses, Man About The House and of course A Touch Of Frost among others. I did feel like telling the other patrons through the bar to shut up but ever the pro, John simply carried on. Funny and informative, he took the time at the end to sign a few bits and pieces and have a picture taken which I very much appreciated. He mentioned the set-ups he fell foul of during the filming of a Touch of Frost, here is a video I found which is what I think he referred to, looks like he had a rare old time: A fantastic day, the weather being kind again with great locations bringing another dimension to familiar programmes with some great people. Thanks to Vi, Brown Granada, Steed, Carter (I hope that is you, the ladykiller ), Superclassic, Athene Noctua, Windy Miller (sorry if I got distracted during our conversations ), Peter Picard, DC Burtonshaw, Dirty Epic (Methadone Mickey), Bronson, Mickyosan, The Watford Boys, not forgetting Nosher (Del), Sam Tyler and The Saint and finally, the guv Gene for an absolute belter of a day. They just get better Gene, thanks a ton mate Apologies if I forgot anyone, must get OSI to sort out the memory chip!! This'll keep me going 'till the next one, roll on 2017!!
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Post by Windy Miller on Oct 31, 2016 18:10:31 GMT
A huge and great many thanks to Gene for the vastly successful and meticulously planned October 2016 4:3 TV Meet. Organising a 4:3 TV Meet is never a walk in the park, but a walk in Maida Vale and Hammersmith runs with ease and fluidity which is solely due to Gene’s leadership and shepherding proficiency. Well done for producing, and I know it’s a cliché but in this instance I mean it, one of the best ever Forum Meets that I’ve been to.
Bleary eyed forumites gathered at 8.00am inside the William Morris, thankful for the extra hour in bed to sleep of the effects from the big pre-meet p***-up from the night before. Aware that an army marches on its stomach, double rations, or rashers of high calorie Full English Breakfast were ordered to provide sustenance for the day ahead :-
The Meet got underway proper from the usual Sweeney-turfed location, with a tube ride to Warwick Avenue. At Abbey Road the squad was joined by a convivial Scotland Football Supporter called Nosher, who was intent on enjoying the day, and eager to get to The Warrington for a few beers.
In The Warrington, and a lovely pub it is too, Nosher became a different person, intent on picking a fight with anybody who asked politely enough. Thankfully the bar staff didn’t mind…. they’d seen it all before, back in 1975.
It was a tube ride back to Hammersmith, (the tube rides were good fun and an inspired idea as using cars for this single return journey would have been pointless), and it was then a walk round the manor we have all come to love so much. The richness of Sweeney locations in this square mile of London in unmatched anywhere in the world.
Finishing the Meet in the Queen’s Head we were joined for dinner by John Lyons and his lovely wife. This was truly the icing on the cake for us all, and it was an honour and a privilege to listen to John’s stories and anecdotes from his life as an actor. Many thanks John, if you read this, for taking the time to entertain us - it's much appreciated.
Once again, thanks so much Gene for arranging the day and bringing a really good group of enthusiasts together for another Meet in which there weren't enough hours to mingle, talk and listen to each other. Glad I went along!
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Oct 31, 2016 20:07:16 GMT
Evening all - well what can I say about Sunday that's not been said so eloquently by the members above so far? Well my own day was a little unusual as it was the first 4:3 TV meet where I wasn't driving or getting a lift down so was able to take the train, but then a last minute change in circumstances meant I had to get a pretty pricey Cab ride to Hammersmith from "Saint pancakes" due to a security alert at the aforementioned station.
Even so, got there in plenty of time and after meeting the familiar faces and saying hellos we set off for the first tube journey. Quite a good and well though out itinerary and so convenient to get around the locations. When we got to Maida Vale, it was good to see locations I'd personally never seen and parts of London I'd never been to like Little Venice. Interesting always to compare the then and nows with being there, where productions were filmed even if I've not seen Georgie Girl, plus the fact it was superb to see the area of the Robbery car chase. Those residential flats in the area must have been very recently built at the time of filming in 1967. Even the road looked just about wide enough for a car chase to be filmed down!
Other Minder and Man about the House locations were also interesting to see, although I've seen the MATH film, I think it must have been in the 90's now. Eventually we stopped at our rest and watering hole at the Warrington where I think I must have started the punch up with tripping up a bloke coming down the stairs (as he was going to blow our squads cover!) and then inadvertently started a punch up between Nosher and the opposing team fan!! LOL! Bit of a surprise to see this tartan army member turn up, but I thought I'd better get the old man out the pub after which I helped myself to a pint over the bar and the Skip told me about the weird film he saw at the pictures!
Well I managed to devour a few onion rings (great grub they serve in the place and thank you to staff) and then when it was time to go, we had some more obbos to do on the Sweeney locations. Again a few I'd not seen before and was interesting that by later in the series with season 4, the series was so well known, they probably had to film within a smaller area. Shame some of the locations and from Minder too are slowly disappearing, as the other car garage has been built on and what were those monstrosities that have since been built??!
Anyway, soon it was time to turn up for grub at the Queen's bonce and a surprise later in the day was, to hear from the great John Lyons and his lovely wife, and huge thanks also to him for accepting the Guv's invitation to join us once again as well as giving up some of his spare time which was valued by us! Was quite engrossing listening to his career and always interesting to hear about the background and behind the scenes anecdotes! (Yeah the people behind us were a bit noisy!)
So thanks to once again Gene and Sam's organisation and background draughting and grafting, for making the event work like clockwork, everyone's company and all I spoke to, sorry I didn't get to chat with everyone for longer, but thanks to all the attenders as well as Mr John Lyons and wife for joining us.
Good also to catch up with various forum members and chinwag about our interests, and hobbies be it, old TV shows, films, retro collecting, our childhood and teenage memories of living in those eras, old motors and anything else!
Roll on the future meets!
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Post by Superclassic on Oct 31, 2016 21:24:21 GMT
I'm going to keep my thoughts on the day quite brief here,and just say what a fantastic time I had at the squad meet yesterday.The plan of action worked absolutely brilliantly,the locations again were all excellent,great weather,a really great group,great banter once again,need I go on?And I am still absolutely full of myself,still,at meeting the great John Lyons.What a fantastic feller,it was just like listening and talking to an old friend.I would like to thank every single person who attended the meet,I feel I have made some lovely friends,I think I managed to chat to everybody.I get so much info at these meets,I learn so much.So to Gene,Sam and Del,I am raising a glass as I type to say a massive thank you,managed to get Del a stout but a drink is still owed to Gene and Sam.I do try to buy you a pint,I feel it's the least I can do to show my gratitude for such a brilliant day,but yesterday I was scuppered.But it'll keep lads,stand on me.Once again,firm handshakes all round,and thank you,thank you.And John Lyons......just the best yet.Easily.Legend.Will leave it there,I'm sure you get the message.
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Post by Charles Bronson on Oct 31, 2016 22:11:29 GMT
Many thanks to Gene for another great meet. I've been feeling pleasantly, slightly shattered today, got home in the early hours, then straight to bed. I will be back on this thread tomorrow to write my full thanks and appreciation for a cracking weekend. Charles.
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