We rewind back in time to 2020 when we asked and we promised to not release this footage until the release of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 on 14th July 2023.
So, in this video, we capture the arrival of the model steam locomotive used in the film as part of a train crash stunt arriving at Quorn & Woodhouse on the Great Central Railway by two low loaders, one with the loco and other with the tender for its tests prior to the shooting of the film on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Stoney Middleton in Derbyshire where the crash scene would take place in 2021. This would be her first outing of 'Le General Rive-Reine' in public to anyone who saw her heading to the GCR.
Some details about the loco told to us by the designers and people who brought her to the GCR from Surrey:
The loco design was based on the BR Britannia Pacific & 9F classes
She was built in Surrey using a real newly built loco frame and newly constructed A4 based chime whistle. Most parts of the loco were a mix of wood and steel
It was tender driven using a Scania lorry diesel engine from a remote control 'Making this the first real life tender driven engine?'
The loco cost over 2 million pounds to build!
The loco was totally destroyed from the crash impact and has been sent for scrap.
After capturing her at Quorn & Woodhouse we fast forward 360 to Stoney Middleton in the Peak District on 18th August 2021 where we see the loco awaiting its fate of crashing into the disused quarry as part of the film, the scene would take place just 3 days later on 21st August 2021.
Please note these clips were taken before we acquired directional microphones with windshields on them so please do excuse the lots of wind noise on this windy day.
Overall it was a pleasure to capture this locomotive up close before it was used in the crash scene, a truly once in a lifetime experience and what an amazing creation it was!
Please like, comment & subscribe for more videos - enjoy!