h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The filming caused serious damage to an area of Chobham Common a Site of Special Scientific Interest that supports nationally rare species.
The excavated sand was pushed back into the "trenches" when they were waterlogged creating quicksand. The area have to be fenced off for nearly ten years and never fully recovered.

That's very interesting – have you got more information about it?

I thought the damaged areas were caused by the Ministry of War during the Second World War...?

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The site was restored (reseeded) after the Second World War although not all of it fully recovered, the large blocks of gorse came in as a result of military disturbance (and the cuttings for the M3). The Pipes of Peace damage was quite different all be it on a much smaller scale. Interestingly another area of the Common was damaged by the filming of Superman II and as a consequence of both this and the Pipes of Peace filming was greatly restricted on the Common. Prior to that it had been used for films from about 1914 including a few well known ones like Carry on Cowboy and Dad's Army.

I never knew that - is the 'Pipes of Peace' area close to where Dad's Army (I assume you mean the film) was filmed? I don't know about anyone else, but I'd be very interested if someone wrote an article about the common - do you live near there?

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Dad's Army (the film) was mostly filmed on the roads that cross the Common. I used to live near there, knew the Common quite well and did write a number of articles about it - I'll see what I can dig up from my old files.

I'll look forward to reading more!

In the meantime I'll think of something to add to the bottom of this entry about it.

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I've added a section to the middle based on what you've said and given you an 'additional material by' credit. Can you let me know in the Peer Review conversation if you're happy, or would like any changes made?

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Yes I am happy with that