Remember when Vaseline tragically drowned as he, Bayleaf and
George dived into Greenland Dock to rescue the submerged driver of a white Transit
van? Or when Sicknote, who lived with
wife Jean on Reverdy Road, dealt with armed robbers at Blackwall fire station while
dressed as a banana?
Firefighter Bert 'Sicknote' Quigley played by Richard Walsh (© London's Burning Wiki) |
Nick 'Zorba' Georgiadis played by Andrew Kazamia (© Virgin Media) |
Blue Watch pictured outside Dockhead fire station (© London's Burning Wiki) |
Much of the area is unrecognisable now, following the
aggressive redevelopment that transformed the homes of the many into the gated
communities of the few. But, in each
episode the Bermondsey spirit is evident: from the politically-incorrect names
of the firefighters, to the strong sense of camaraderie and community practised
among the officers and the public they serve.
London’s Burning demonstrates that together Bermondsey and
Rotherhithe provide the ideal setting for a serial drama: the river, the docks,
huge housing estates, countless nooks and crannies, and most importantly, the
people. In fact, a new Bermondsey TV drama
scripted and acted by local people would contribute much towards our vibrant
local community. Who knows, London’s
Burning season 15 could even save Dockhead fire station for good…
So, if you want to remember fondly the untouched, and some
would say unspoiled, Bermondsey and Rotherhithe peninsula of the 80s and 90s, tune
in to London’s 24hr entertainment channel London Live every Saturday and Sunday between 11.30am and 1.30pm, for a double-bill of Bermondsey magic. Oh, and watch carefully – you might catch
sight of a street, school or converted warehouse near you.
Seasons 1 - 14 available on DVD. Will there be a new season 15? |
The Circle on Queen Elizabeth Street SE1 - Shad Thames was used for location filming |
London Live (watch catch-up episodes)
London’s Burning Wiki
Roland 'Vaseline' Cartwright's death at Greenland Dock SE16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOWTMliwVPY
Save Southwark fire station (Facebook)
Save Southwark fire station (Twitter)
I remember it very well, watching as a kid perhaps sparked an interest that led me to give 12 years to Bucks Fire & Rescue. London's Burning was and is a classic in Sunday evening entertainment. It was a real shame that LWT ran it into the ground, it was getting pretty appalling in the last couple of series.
ReplyDeleteIt was London Live's screenings that have started me watching the Pilot episode and now into series 3.