California Surveyors Forums

This is a scene from Foyle's Law, a British TV show about a Detective Chief Superintendant during World War II.

I noticed this in a scene to the end of the second episode of the second season.

I stuck out even more because DCS Foyle's father was a policeman, too. His son is a pilot in the None of them would have reason to own the level.

Interesting prop.

if you have blue you'd have the deleted scene that explains the level.... nah just kidding But if happens quite a bit that items showing up in the frame are explained by other scenes that have been deleted...or maybe it is yet to be explained... There is a reason for something so well lit to be in the frame....emwtk

Ian,
I too noticed this level while watching the show and mentioned it to my wife. Good to know that other surveyors enjoy this show, as it is more cerebral (a trait most surveyors share.) then most American police shows.

On a similar note but not a surprise to see a level as a prop in the movie. Recall the 1995 British file entitled: “The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain.”

I was well into watching this movie when I sat upright and told my wife; “Hey, I have that level!” (My wife has become accustomed to having each and every surveyor or survey instrument that appears on the TV screen pointed out loud! LOL).

Background; I was on a little vacation down in Monterey and went into an antique shop and saw a “Y” level (A.G. Thornton & Co, Manchester) on a tripod for sale. My wife asked why I did not purchase it and I told her that it was an English design and I was only interested in American made instruments (Boy what a snob!). We left with and I quickly forgot about it.

Well it turns out my wife did not forget it. She took a day off of work and enlisted my mother and father (the late Donald J. Foley, PLS 3771) to go and look at it. Well along comes my birthday and my mother and father show up unannounced with a big box wrapped in birthday paper with the level was in it! I turn around and my wife is holding the tripod. In the box is an edition of POB with an article on how to repair spider-web cross hairs.

Well my English level looks exactly the same as the level used in the movie! I have it boxed up in the closet and will post a photograph later if I find one handy.

I know why the instrument is there. The Detective was on his way to the next town and noticed a survey crew working off the road. In the distance was a Royal Airbase. He became suspicious of the surveyors when he asked for directions and they were courteous and polite, giving him directions that anyone could follow. He also noticed a rodman pacing off a distance with goose steps. But, the final straw was when he looked at his watch and noticed that it was 4:05. He asked the instrument man what time he had and he said 4:05. At this the Dectective went into action and confiscated the level. That's when he noticed that it was made in Germany and the copyright date was 1940. So he arrested everyone as German spies and kept the level to remind himself that things are not always as they appear. Why was time so significant?... It was Tea Time.

LOL. Tea time was very important to the British troops even in combat per a friends father that landed at Normandy.