User Reviews

This is arguably one of the best episodes in the series long history. Brian Wilde is on his finest form. I just love Foggy's enthusiasm and excitement when he gets behind the controls of the train.

Compo also provides the usual laughs. It's always great seeing him wind up foggy and getting into mischief.

There's so many funny moments throughout the episode. Much of the episode is shot on location and we see some great banter between the trio. The characters are well and truly formed and their friendship is very believable.

There's also a bit a peril in the form of a runaway train. You can just imagine the trouble our trio would have been in with the local police and train owners after the episode.

Interestingly and unusually for Last of the Summer Wine, this episode focuses purely on our main trio. None of the regular supporting cast make any appearances and there are no other characters with speaking parts. For me, this is what the show should always have been about, with supporting characters only appearing when required. I wish Clarke and future producer Alan Bell has used this episode as inspiration when working on the later series, as the story telling became extremely diluted with too many characters to squeeze in.

This was the first full series in two years. Maybe Roy Clarke was stretched with his other writing commitments at the time.

This is regarded as Peter Sallis's favourite episode. It is a glorious day and Foggy wants to take Compo and Clegg to appreciate the beauty of steam engines but they are reluctant. Maybe they think it will end in disaster and it does. A steam engine suddenly goes out of control and runs away from them and our trio try to catch it and stop it.

There is an appearance by a colliery band which plays the actual Last of the Summer Wine theme tune as the steam engine passes by the platform with all the visiting dignitaries in attendance.