WALFORD FOUND ON TUBE MAP!
WALFORD FOUND ON TUBE MAP!
Diehard readers of the Walford Gazette might remember an interview I
did a few years ago with then EastEnders producer Jo Ward, who talked
about how at the time the series recently introduced the Walford tube
station, and in particular, trains that ran across an overpass.
"At the moment we're still getting letters like 'We're avid
trainspotters. Can you tell us which train goes across because we
can't find it on any of our timetables.' I have to tell them that the
train is graphically reproduced through a computer. We don have
expansion on the lot and are building a tube station."
To which I replied, "But it won't connect to London." Without
missing a beat, Jo quipped: Well theoretically it won't."
Since then, even we public TV viewers stateside have seen it
occasionally used as an external set (e.g., Sonya Jackson busking on
her trumpet comes to mind), As a frequent visitor to London, as well
as someone who had the privilege several times to tour the BBC set in
Borehamwood (no, Walford is not a real place), I can tell you
firsthand that it looks fairly authentic.
But what really threw me a few months ago while watching an
episode was the brief glimpse of a tube station map that had actually
placed Walford East on an East London route. Luckily I had my 35mm
camera handy-so here's the proof (upper right).
-Larry Jaffee
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