The 'big stars' in the film are to be Dame Helen Mirren, Andrea Riseborough (nominated for a BAFTA TV Award for playing the title character in Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley), Sam Riley (won the British Independent Film Award for "Most Promising Newcomer" for playing the lead role of Ian Curtis in the movie Control - biopic about the lead singer of the 1970s post-punk band Joy Division) and the one and only Phil Davis (Chalky in Quadrophenia). It seems no expense is being spared in this remake of one of the most successful British films noir which was directed by John Boulting and starred Richard Attenborough as Pinkie, Carol Marsh as Rose, William Hartnell as Dallow, and Hermione Baddeley as Ida. The climax of the film takes place at the Palace Pier, Brighton. The CSC 'stars' would just be a few of the many new stars to play the roles of mods. We hoped we would get the opportunity to meet the real stars.
Phil was travelling to Eastbourne independently. Gary, Simon and Craig had decided to travel down very early on the Sunday morning with their three scooters carefully loaded in a Ford Transit van. On schedule at about 1.00 pm on the Saturday Craig arrived at Gary's home in Colne and the first TV175 was loaded. It was then on to Simon's place in Godmanchester to load the second TV. Finally it was back to Craig's house in St Neots where his GS160 was loaded - the film company had specifically asked him to take the Vespa rather than his fine S2 Lammie. The van and scooters were left there until 4.00 am on Sunday morning when Gary and Simon arrived at exactly the planned time and the three old mods were promptly on their way to Eastbourne. Craig was to drive the van and he had put enough diesel in the tank to get us to Eastbourne. We had been asked to arrive at The International Lawn Tennis Centre for 7.30 am to sign all the paperwark and to have our scooters and "costumes" checked out. Craig had estimated (with the help of his computer) that we should arrive just before 7.00 am.
All was going well when we crossed the Thames at Dartford sometime before 5.30 am. However, a few miles further round the M25 and Craig said we were getting low on fuel - the orange warning light had just come on. We decided we would have to stop at the very next filling station. The problem is there isn't one on that stretch of the M25! We turned off towards Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells still believing we would find a filling station. About halfway along the Tonbridge by-pass the Transit started lurching and we knew we were running on fresh air. There was no hard shoulder and it was still dark. Suddenly we saw a "P" sign indicating a lay-by was one mile ahead. So it was ignition off and into neutral. Would we make it to the lay-by? We did - just!
Our first thought was to call the AA but that could take an hour or more before they would get to us with some diesel. Craig used his 'Blackberry' to find out where the nearest 24 hour filling station was. The nearest one was in Tonbridge. Craig called them. At first there was no answer. We were going to be late for, or even miss, filming. Eventually the filling station answered their phone. We were about 5 miles from them. As it was Craig who had misjudged the amount of fuel we needed (and as his scoot was the last one loaded), it was out of the van with the GS and on with the parka, lid and gloves for Craig to ride to the filling station to get us a gallon of fuel to get the van going.
I set off to find a break in the central crash barrier so that when Craig returned with the fuel he could get back onto the other carrigeway and back to the van. We were in luck. There was a narrow opening in the crash barrier about half a mile behind us and I calculated it was just wide enough to get a Vespa GS through. Simon and I passed the time for what seemed like ages and ages but in reality it could only have been 15 or 20 minutes when we saw the headlight of a scooter coming towards us on the opposite carrigeway. I jumped out of the van and ran down the central reservation showing Craig where he could get through. I then ran back to the van to help put the fuel in and re-load the scooter. Then we discovered our next problem. The filler on the Transit was in such a position that it was impossible to pour the fuel into it from the green five litre can. Not to be beaten, a bottle of Putoline oil (only about 200 mls in it) was emptied into Craig's scooter. We then poured some diesel into the Putoline bottle and then poured the fuel from that into the Transit. It was a messy and slow job but eventually we got the diesel that we hadn't spilt in the lay-by into the Transit's tank. As we had had to put the 2-stroke oil into Craig's scoot we decided, rather than re-load it into the van, he would ride it back to the filling station again to put some unleaded in and hopefully get the then mixture about right. Simon and I followed in the van and put plenty of diesel in it to ensure we had enough this time! Craig filled his scoot and we loaded it back into the van.
We set off towards Tunbridge Wells at about 6.50 am. According to the sat nav system our expected arrival time in Eastbourne was now 7.28 am!! We would be there on time. Or would we.........?
All was going well again as we drove through Tunbridge Wells and the sat nav indicated arrival in Eastbourne at 7.26 am. We were improving on time albeit only by a few minutes but at least improving. But then...calamity once more. The road to Eastbourne was closed and we were sent on a 'diversion route' via who knows where. Craig wasn't worried as the sat nav (after a few miles along the diversion route) had recalculated our route and informed us to take the next right turn. We did. It then told us to take an immediate left. We did. We were now on a very narrow, windy, single track road but we were convinced it would join up with our original route. After a few miles it did. That was the cue for the next calamity. The main road was closed in both directions. There was nothing for it but to turn the van round and head back the way we came. We eventually got back to the 'diversion route' having wasted a good 15 to 20 minutes. Simon advised we stick to the 'diversion route' and not take any more gambles. The sat nav was now predicting an arrival time of 7.50 am. Simon tried to phone Nick (from Bar Italia SC who was also supposed to already be in Eastbourne) to get him to tell the film company we are not that far away and WE WILL GET THERE. Nick's phone was diverted to voice mail. We were just going to have to keep our fingers crossed.
These sat nav systems are pretty good - we pulled into the International Lawn Tennis Centre's car park at 7.50 am. Simon and I rushed off to find someone to tell we had arraived while Craig parked the van and began to untie the scoots. We found an associate director from the film company with the forms. He had all of our three names on his list. We weren't the last to arrive but we were almost the last. He told us where to put the scoots.
Then it was off to "wardrobe" for them to check that our mod 'costumes' were OK for filming. The wardbrobe area was teaming with budding film stars. Craig was petrified they would cut his hair - he has taken years to get the 'Paul Weller' cut just right but, after all, the 'Paul weller' cut didn't exist in 1964!! Gary was convinced his 58 year old body would never pass as a teenage body. Simon was his usual cool. We need not have worried - all three of us were passed as genuine 1964 looking mods with no problems whatsoever. I guess despite our film star aspirations we are only going to be seen from a distance and then only briefly. We participated in a welcome brew before walking back to the scoots to wait for our call.
Eventually we were led through the Eastbourne streets to park up outside the hotel that had been taken over by the film company. Here we could safely leave our crash helmets (mods didn't wear them in 1964) and anything else we didn't want with us during filming. Then the waiting began again. If you have seen the Ricky Gervais TV series called "Extras" I can confirm that it very accurately depicts what film extras have to do all the time - wait, wait and wait again!! We amused ourselves looking at all the fantastic scoots, the other classic vehicles and the authentic costumes all the other extras were wearing - policemen, rockers, small children, couples, pensioners and general pedestrians. Eastbourne Borough Council had been exceptionally helpful. They had closed the whole seafront and many of the nearby street specifically for this filming. I have to say the seafront and the pier area, with all the classic vehicles about and everybody dressed in appropriate clothes, took me right back to 1964. This film is going to be fantastic.
Suddenly we were called. Start the scoots and head west along the seafront to the far end of the main drag where we would be given further instructions. This was it. We were about to be put onto celluloid for all eternity! We rode up to the far end of the seafront and parked up - about 100 scoots in total. And then we waited again. And waited and waited and waited. We were called into a group at the side of the road for detailed instructions. We were to be filmed riding behind the stars (Sam and Phil) along the seafront to the pier. We were instructed to never get infront of the stars on the lead scooter. We were also told to stay in our positions when riding - no overtaking. We were back on our scooters. Engines were started. It was noisey - 100 2-stroke engines revving waiting for the off was a sound to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The smell was real 1960s. The flag dropped and we were off. Two minutes later and we had almost reached the pier. We stopped, turned round and went back to our starting positions. Engines were turned off and - you guessed it - we waited. We were told what had been good and what had been not so good about the first take and then it was engines started ready for take two. The flag dropped and we did it again. Then back to our starting positions. Engines off and wait again. Then take three. This was to be repeated about 12 times before we were told they had got enough cracking footage for that scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOs-bXmE1ms
The second scene we were to film was very similar. This time we were to start further along the seafront towards the pier but in this scene we are to ride right past the pier where there were to be rockers strategically placed to hurl abuse at us. As we are riding along to the pier more mods on foot will come up from the beach and run along side us cheering and directing us towards the rockers. The flag went down and off we rode for take one. Same old same old then followed. Back to the stat position and wait. And wait. And wait. Then it was take two and we did it all again. I think we did about six takes of this scene. We were then told to park up and assemble for a complex briefing for the third scene. And boy was it complicated. We were to be split into three groups. The three groups would ride towards the pier from three different directions. The rockers would run from the pier as they hear us approaching. We are all to meet at the roundabout in front of the pier where the mods and the rockers are to taunt each other while we ride round the roundabout. Police will try and calm the situation down and the onlookers will look fearfully on. This time we were in the group approaching the pier from the opposite direction in the east. Each take took the film crew an age to set up as the scene covered such a large part of the Eastbourne front and clearing it of the general public, modern rubish bins, for sale signs, bicycles and all other signs of post 1964 life was meticulous in every detail. I lost count of how many takes we did of this scene but it was several. Some of the mods were really getting into character by now and we witnessed blows between the scooter riding mods and the rockers trying to push us off our prized machines. This was real beachfront rioting now!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/digiquest/4043432872/
It was time for lunch. This was provided by the film company back at the hotel that they had taken over. We were all thanked for our efforts and told they had some fantastic footage. Lunch was not bad - chile, rice and saute potatoes with salad and a choice of desserts. There was to be no more filming of us mods riding our scoots. They had all they needed. But we were not done. We were now to film further scenes - but this time on foot.
The next scene involved a group of rockers on the (Brighton) pier. All of our scooters were to be parked at the end of the pier. Fifteen mods were to run up the steps to street level at each side of the pier (30 mods in total). As we get to street level and run round to the turnstyle at the pier entrance we are to call all the other mods who are hanging round in the streets to join us. We are then all to run onto the pier. Now when I signed up for this malarky I thought all I would be doing was riding my scooter and looking like a mod. I never expected to be running - and running up steps at that. And as for fighting rockers!! But I guess it will all be worth it for the stardom. The first take was at half speed, i.e. a fast walk rather than running. I was knackered. If that was half speed then full speed would kill me. Don't they realise how old I am? I just hope they get it in the can within the next couple of takes. Take two was done with us running. Phil went down on the floor as he ran onto the pier bringing dowen a couple of other mods as he did so. That means there will have to be another take. I was doubly knackered. Thanks Phil. Back to starting positions for take three. Then wait. And wait. And wait. It was time for take three. We ran really fast this time. Surely that will be good enough? Trebly knackered we went back to starting positions. And waited. And waited. We must have done another three or four takes. When can we go home? I feel like I'm dying! Finally they said they had enough good footage.
But we were not sent home. We were next assembled on the beach and given our instructions for our fifth scene. The rockers were on the pier taunting us from above. Some mods had got to where they were and they were fighting the rockers. We start taunting the rockers from the beach and chanting support for our mod colleagues. The lead rocker is thrown off the pier onto the beach. We charge forward in a scene reminiscent of the Quadrophenia beach fight. We were chanting "we are the mods, we are the mods, we are, we are, we are the mods". Then it's "cut" and back to starting positions to wait again. Craig's position is at the front of the crowd of mods. He was keen to have the best chance of being in camera shot. Simon and I were near the back. Phil had vanished. I am sure he was in the crowd somewhere but not near us. After much more waiting we did take two. And then we waited and waited before doing take three. An associate director came onto the beach wanting ten mods. He counted from the back of the assembled group and Simon and I were picked among others.
He led us off the beach and up the steps to street level. We thought we were to join the mods fighting on the pier but no! We were to go right along the seafront and join a group of about 50 other mods about 1,000 metres up the seafront road. The associate director hurried us along until we were all running. This filming has become very hard work. Do I really want to be a film star at my age? We reached the other mods and were given our instructions. There was a cake shop window and some mods were to throw rocks through the window. More mods were to appear from the beach. One of them had picked up a deck chair and he was to throw that through the window. We were to run past the cake shop shouting support for these rioting mods. Now there could only be one real take because once the window was broken that would be it. We were asked to rehearse the scene, i.e. the rocks and deck chair were not thrown. The adrenelin was running high. It was as if this whole thing was for real. The film directors were pleased with the rehearsal and told us the next go would be the real take. The cameras were re-positioned and "action" was called. This was another scene stolen from Quadrophenia but everyone was on a high when it had been shot and "cut" had been called. The deck chair going through the window was awesome. One of the mods managed to steel a cake stand for a souvenir (not rehearsed) as we ran past the window in full riot. Amazing!!
We were taken back to the pier. Our next scene was to rush onto the pier and join the mods and rockers that were already fighting. We did a couple of takes before being sent back down to the beach to re-join our original group of mods for more takes of us taunting the fighting rockers above. We did multiple takes until it became dark. We were then thanked profusely for our wonderful efforts throughout the day. It was time to go back to the hotel to pick up our crash helmets and other belongings before riding back to the International Tennis Centre.
While Simon and Craig loaded the scooters onto the van I took our three sets of contracts to the administration centre (a double decker bus) to get them countersigned so that we could be paid our film star salaries. We were to be given a small bonus on top of our salaries to cover the 2-stroke fuel we had used during the day. We were to be richly rewarded after all, despite all the publicity leading up to our selection saying we would not be paid. I went back to the van to help finish the loading.
We left Eastbourne shortly after 6.00 pm and our heads were buzzing with everything that we had experienced during the whole day. This was a day we would never forget. The film is due to be released about April 2010. We can't wait to see it. Simon, Craig, Phil and I will be in attendance when it is shown in Cambridge and Huntingdon to sign autographs for our fans!!
We were totally exhausted and got back to St Neots, having stopped for food and drinks at the Lakeside services on the M25, at about 9.30 pm. We quickly unloaded Craig's scooter and then carried on to Godmanchester. Having got Simon's scooter unloaded we then went on to Colne. My scooter was unloaded and in my garage by about 10.30 pm - 19 hours after I had set off in the morning. I was still buzzing. I opened a bottle of wine and spent the next two hours telling my wife about the day and everything that had happened. I wouldn't have missed it for all the tea in China. I hope I will have a film I can show my grandchildren (when I have any) so they can be proud of their mod grandfather.
Scootering never ceases to surprise me with all the opportunities it presents us scooterists with. Brighton Rock was one of the best opportunities so far and that is saying something after all the other absolutely fantastic things we have done (Elba, Ace Cafe, Shepherds Bush, Brighton Deckchairs at Dawn, Quadrophenia promotion, Southend, Buckingham Palace Run, Hunstanton (x2), Lincoln EuroLambretta etc.) with our scooters in 2009 alone.
Why is it whenyou throw cars or vans into the equation everything goes belly up ?? I must say though I can only imagine they filmed you from across the channel to make you look 18 
