Morning fellow moles

Years ago, I watched the BBC series 'Edge of Darkness' but missed the last 2 episodes. Finally caught up and bought the series on DVD.

In the episode 'Northmoor' it is obviously the road up and through what used to be the 'big green door' and into the wartime offloading bay for the art treasures. Later, it is one of the buildings inside the chambers. I've a feeling that they also used Llechwedd in the filming.

Anyone shed any light? Also, is there anything left of the former artwork storage buildings in the Manod chambers or have they all been quarried away by the untopping ops.

Managed a visit to the chambers via the old 'back door' and came out through the 'green door' many, many years ago - just hoped we hadn't set any alarms off and Heddlu might be waiting outside for us. Luckily not... In recent years I got to know the now late Tony Smedley who'd been Clerk of Works for the Ministry looking after the underground buildings up to when they were returned to the quarry. He had some fascinating tales to tell.

BFN

Clive

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You are correct, Manod did indeed double for 'Northmoor'. They also used Clogau gold mine for some filming. Quite a lot of the underground scenes were actually a set though, including the 'hot cell' which was built in a factory not far away in Penygroes.

Quite a lot of the underground scenes were actually a set though, including the 'hot cell' which was built in a factory not far away in Penygroes.

Thanks for that, I never knew that

I think they flipped between Manod and Clogau underground and above ground. The riverbank scene and the loco on the bridge Clogau, then cut to Manod for the Landrover convoy and the shot of them going underground. The loco in the level must have been Clogau but then most of ret of the underground sequences back in Manod.

They did a good job on the sound too, spot on for a slate chamber.

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They did a good job on the sound too, spot on for a slate chamber.

I completely agree, it's really great. TV drama sound people are well know for being obsessed with making sure things sound just right. A good friend of mine did the sound for the BBC drama Birdsong last year. He wanted the underground scenes to sound as close as possible to how they would have in the WW1 tunnels so we headed off to Godstone mine for a day of recording. The sounds of the troops crawling, running and climbing up and down the shaft is me. I'll have to dig out some photos.

Ahhh, Clogau. The gorge and bridge did seem familiar!

If you'd been blind you would have said that the scenes in Manod were a slate mine - the 'k-chink, k-chink' as they walked along were truly there...

It's weird looking at the series again after all these years. The subject matter is stangely as pertinent today as it was then (and I work in 'the industry'...) 😉

BFN

Clive

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Well worth the money. 🙂

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Edge-Darkness-Complete-Bob-Peck/dp/B00004CYR0/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1370272663&sr=1-1&keywords=edge+of+darkness 

Can anyone give links to any stills or clips showing the 'interesting' bits, I cant find anything on the web.

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Hi Roy

For some reason a while back I did some screen grabs from the DDVD. Here's the sequence of the Landrovers in convoy up beyond Cwm Teigl to Manod (or Bwlch y Slaters) to the point of going underground and one view of one of the old artwork stores doubling as a cold war nuclear bunker.

The reason for taking these stills escapes me now :lol:

If you've not seen it - treat yourself to the DVD. The underground sequences are only part of one episode, but it's a damn fine drama.

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The underground sequences are only part of one episode, but it's a damn fine drama.

I suspect I might be very much alone in saying this but I thought the underground parts were very much the weak link in what was up to that point an excellent series... :oops:

The reason for taking these stills escapes me now :lol:

Roys looking at them, reason enough!
:lol:

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I purchased a copy recently, and can confirm it is a very fine drama, spoiled by a weak ending.

For those who grew up / remember the cold war, it is full of subtle references.

Chris.

Hidden meanings..... :blink: :confused: .....discuss!

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I'm sure I've seen behind the scenes footage and/or stills of some of the locations including the Northmoor set, but so far I haven't been able to locate it. I had a quick skim down the making of video - Magnox - but couldn't see anything. When I get a chance I'll look at it properly.

.... the Landrovers in convoy

they can stay off my land
:lol:

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I just watched this again last night for the first time in MANY years. i recall it being on in 1985 as a child and the fast repeat the immediately following Christmas. It is in my opinion an AMAZINGLY good series, despite being so very much slower in pace than modern shows - and all the better for that! All six parts form the best entry in a sub-genre of what could be called 'Nuclear Horror', or perhaps 'Radioactive Thriller'.

My favourite episode is the fifth - 'Northmoor' as a culmination of all the lingering nuclear menace and mystery that has been building through the prior four. The caving is also absolutely fascinating and I was totally absorbed as a kid and really sorry when it finished. I can sort of see why some might criticize it though as there is a LOT to cover in only 50 minutes.

The exploration or the old passageways and chambers is gripping enough, all with the constant fear any moment 'we' will be deluged in highly radioactive primary coolant and no way to run away fast enough! However I think there are a couple of breaks in continuity, especially where one moment Craven and Jedburgh are happily waving off Godbolt and then the very next scene with them they have been gassed and half-drowned in an off-camera moment. That doesn't really work. Nor properly does the whole 'Consoritum' vault - more explanation about that should have been seeded in earlier episodes, especially as it seems ALL the good AND bad establishment types are members. The scene where Craven and Jedburgh finally find the 'Hotcell' though with the tick of their geigers rising instantly from menacing to utter screaming terror is just amazing. I am not convinced Kennedy-Martin properly knew what a Hotcell actually is since what we are showed inside doesn't really tie-up - no manipulator rooms or lead glass/zinc bromide water windows. Maybe we just saw the storage area with Jedburgh's plutonium? Nor was it made very clear what Gaia did, beyond planting some kind of bomb - presumably which caused a criticality excursion while the IIF workers were in there... But there didn't seem enough damage and I think they would all have been hurt by the blast rather than the radiation itself. Still - it works in a suggestive way. Plus the whole thrust is IIF have no license for anything above low-level waste - but are well known to be legitimately receiving spent fuel-rods in the archetypal flasks. NOT low-level! Again I am not convinced the writer properly got hold of the research there.

But still... The feel of the mine, the fascinating remnants of the Cold War... Glued to my screen doesn't describe it!

I hear Clogau itself may be starting up again soon? A very positive report came in a couple of years ago about remaining stocks?

I have just been loaned the DVD set of Edge of Darkness as I hadn't seen it before (thanks Digit). I am aware that most of the underground scenes were filmed at Manod with a few being shot at Clogau Gold Mine.

One scene does puzzle me though. It is where the three men are talking underground and looking down into a vast chamber. The older gentleman refer to it as the Cathedral. You also see a shot from below looking up at them standing on a ledge at the top of a sheer (slate) rock face.

It is many, many years since I last went in to Manod so my memory may be (probably is) at fault. Is there a chamber like that in Manod, as I don't remember it.

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It's at 18'30'' on that YouTube link

It's at 18'30' on that YouTube link

I fell asleep half way through the Boots Christmas advert :oops:

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