The 1967 train crash.

[CAEF]

Even though the crash was never seen, the immediate aftermath was and it was very good effects for its time.

Unseen character Sonia Peters was killed. She was about 20 at the time.

I wonder if the 1967 train crash storyline was the catalyst for the producers to decided to build an outdoor set a few months later? The first outdoor set was first seen in January 1968.

[roverman]

What I've read about it in books is that it pushed the show's crew to its absolute limits but a good strong storyline was needed as the show was in real danger of being axed. It was losing viewers year on year and some felt 'little backstreets in the North' just weren't apt anymore, because in the towns, North and South, those little back streets were being bulldozed.

I'm told the spin off show 'Pardon the Expression' featuring Leonard Swindley (Arthur Lowe) had been rather popular and one plan mooted was to end the serial and write 3 spins off from Corrie featuring popular characters; Annie, Jack, Elsie, Len, Ken and Val etc with viewers following them off into their new lives, presumably away from the Street, which I suppose would have been flattened just like the real Coronation Street (Archie Street).

Luckily this didn't happen, although Kershaw wrote a 2nd spin off for Swindley called Turn out the Lights which apparently was a spin off too far and received poor ratings. I think the lesson here is that you can spin a character too far away from the Street and something gets lost in production.

This did not stop spin offs from happening and a good number of special episodes and 'straight to video/dvd' specials have been made over the years, some better than others!

The Tram Crash earned the show its reprieve and money was allocated to update it. 'Backlots' were something a lot of the US soaps had but it was quite unusual for a UK show to have a permanent outdoor set. ATV had just started using one for its new show 'Market in Honey Lane', that backlot was Elstree, which later was used for Series 1 of Auf Wiedersehen Pet and since 1985 has been home to Eastenders. It is interesting that money was found by ATV for a backlot for its new show, that lasted just 4 years but Crossroads, which it had been making since 1964 and would continue to make until 1988, never got an outdoor set. Carlton built a frontage for the Hotel in its 2001 remake, simply faking one onto the side of the studio wall!


So in a way we've got a lot to thank that Tram Crash for, because had it not happened, or had it been a failure, then we may not be here now discussing a show thats been on air for 56 years and over 9,000 episodes.

[CAEF]

Well it is the 1967 version of the Emmerdale plane crash, the storyline that saved the show.

[Zeus89]

Two train crashes in one street, with there being 43 years in between each one. surprised it was never referenced, by Ken when he had his "frustrating moment".
I suspect for the 70th the train will come off the tracks again, but end up hitting a passing helicopter, with the 100 year old Ken, moaning about how boring life is on the street.

[Deleted]

Still better than Godzilla tram.