Shoestring Locations

All pictures copyright BBC

Find the Lady
This is the episode which features Toyah Willcox as "Toola".

	Screen shot	Storyline	Location notes
1.9.10		Eddie walks along the pier to meet Toola.	A lot of the action in this episode takes place on a pier. This is Birnbeck Pier just north of Weston super-Mare. Birnbeck pier is now in very poor condition.
1.9.20		Mole wakes up underneath the pier.	This is the Grand Pier at Weston super-Mare.
1.9.30		Mole comes out of the police station after having a chat with his brother.	This is the King Edward Hospital in Mattock Lane, West Ealing. The building was demolished soon after the filming, but the wall, railings and the ornate gate shown here are still there. This is now the Mattock Lane Health Centre.
1.9.40		Eddie chases Mole outside the police station....	Mattock Lane again, looking westwards.
1.9.50		…and down the street where Mole heads into an alley...	This is The Boulevard in Weston super-Mare.
1.9.55		...where Eddie finds a tattoo shop.	The tattoo shop was in King's Lane which runs south off The Boulevard, Weston super-Mare. The shop front has since been bricked up.
1.9.60		Eddie talks to Mole at the “Tivoli café” near the entrance to the pier	The cafe building is still there at the entrance to Birnbeck Pier.
1.9.70		Eddie visits Kenrick at his unusual house.	This is Midford Castle, just south of Bath. It was recently owned by actor Nicholas Cage.
1.9.80		Mole finds the cave-like drugs factory and helps himself to Kenricks drugs.	These are the Redcliffe caves, at the side of the docks between Redcliffe Way and Redcliffe Parade, Bristol.
1.9.90		Kenrick and Cantly discuss Shoestring on the top deck of a bus.	They are passing the Grand Atlantic Hotel on the front at Weston super-Mare.
1.9.95		Eddie and Erica discuss the photo of Chrissie standing on front of a shop called "FAGS MAGS AND ICES".	The shop is on the Royal Parade, opposite the entrance to the Grand Pier near the corner with Regent Street, Weston Super Mare. But it is now a chip shop.
1.9.100		Eddie parks the car and follows the van on foot.	This is the corner where Guinea Street meets Lower Guinea Street, next to the docks in Bristol.
1.9.110		Kenrick’s men load the drugs from outside the cave-like factory into the truck...	This is at the side of the docks between Redcliffe Way and Redcliffe Parade, Bristol. This area is now open to the air, but the brick wall seen in the background is still there. The chap on the right of this shot is Britain's most prolific supporting actor Harry 'Aitch' Fielder. He has appeared in over 800 films and TV programmes including Highlander, The Young Ones, Blake's Seven, Doctor Who, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc. He also played one of the police officers who failed to catch Eddie at the church in the Shoestring episode "An Uncertain Circle".
1.9.120		...but Eddie is watching them.	This shot agrees with the previous shot, as it is also on the dockside at Redcliffe. In the background you can see the Prince Street swing bridge (still there), derricks (still there) and large white buildings (gone). The old crane that Eddie is leaning against is also still there.
1.9.124		Edde follows the gang to the airport	The airport chase scene at the end of this episode was filmed at two different airports. The actual car chase with Eddieo the bonnet was at Blackbushe (see next location), but where were Toola's (Toyah's) band when they were loading the plane? The DC-3 shown here carries the registration G-AMPO and it was indeed registered to Eastern Airways at the time, who were based at Humberside Airport. But Humberside airport is surrounded by very flat countryside, and it's probably too far north for a London / Bristol based crew.
1.9.127		When Kenrick drives off in Eddie's car, Mole's brother arrives to lend a hand.	So this is a really tricky one. Does anybody have any ideas?
1.9.130		Eddie clings to the bonnet of his own Ford Cortina as Kenrick tries to escape by driving along the airfield road.	This is not the same airport as above. This is on the west side of Blackbushe airport, near Camberley in Surrey. It is recognisable by the old control tower in the background. This one took some finding. The stunt man here is not quite the same build as Trevor Eve...