Buses on Screen: Ask a Policeman (1939, Will Hay)

Will Hay stars as a policeman in this classic comedy which features a London Transport AEC Renown Bluebird-type LT1249(GX5202) being driven around Brooklands race track (including the banked bit) with the driver trying not to hit any of the racing cars which are also on the track. Steve Floyd notes: "The closing sequence of 'Ask A Policeman' has Will Hay, Graham Moffat and Moore Marriot, all dressed as policemen but handcuffed together, chasing some crooks making off in a lorry. They run past Mortlake Garage with LT1249 parked outside with Route 9 blinds."

A second older LT also blinded for route 9 is parked in the doorway of the garage.
"The next scene has all three of them squashed in the cab, chasing the crooks in the bus. As the bus stops at traffic lights (as an STL passes), passengers run and board the bus. The three in the cab look back in amazement and Will Hay says 'they're all coming with us!'.

There are several street and road scenes, and a policeman at a 'Tardis' police box reports that 'the stolen bus is in the Weybridge area.'. The crooks in the lorry see they are being chased by a bus, then spot a police road block. They turn off with the bus and other police in pursuit. They end up on Brooklands Racetrack, and have to swerve in between racing cars.

The lorry and the bus collide head on and the crooks are caught."

Colin Read notes a scene just before the Brooklands sequence almost certainly filmed in Dorking in Surrey. The awful The Boys in Blue (1982) is loosely a remake.

Buses on Screen > Films > Films A > Ask a Policeman (1939, Will Hay)