NIGHT MAIL
The dark mysterious world of cross-country postal traffic is something that’s rarely modelled. TIM SHACKLETON explores the possibilities.
Midnight Rambler - In steam days the shadowy, gaslit atmosphere of railway stations late at night was the stuff of dreams. This is very much the kind of cinematic Brief Encounter mood I wanted to evoke – Manchester Exchange in 1967, as the last few passengers pray their trains won’t be late and the station readies itself for the nocturnal rush of mail, parcels and newspaper traffic. Such workings, connecting with other, equally urgent services, were always smartly timed.
