Good Afternoon,
I chanced upon your website when doing some research into Victorian safe cracking. I am working on a BBC drama called Ripper Street and was hoping that you could offer me some advice. We have an upcoming episode in which there is a heist and a safe is blown up. The directions read as follows “ …his men prepare braces and drills, carefully handle the Lyddite….” It then cuts to a BOOM and the safe is blown!
The script isn’t really all that specific but we will be attempting to achieve the most realistic version of events as possible. Even thown the safe cracking procedure may not be explicitly seen on camera, we still need to understand the mechanics of it ourselves. This is where I was hoping you might be able to be of assistance.
Do you have any idea what kind of equipment would be used? Do you know anything about Lyddite - all I can glean so far is that it was yellow in colour but would have been predominately been used in shells and not a a powder. How would it be ignited and what would be the effect on the safe? Where on the safe would the thieves drill into? The safe is scripted as a Chatwood Company safe, would this have any impact on the proceedings?
Any information that you could offer would be most beneficial. Thank you for your time
Kind Regards
Emma
Emma O’ Donnell
Art Department
Ripper Street Productions Ltd.
0879857467
My reply suggested that a propellant would not be a suitable explosive, that a Chatwood having a ½″ body and door would take far too long to drill with a belly brace etc.
This is their reply:
Good Morning.
Thank you so much for your quick response to my email. I really appreciate the information. There is a new script today which I am just about to read (and see if any changes have been made to the safe blowing scenes!!)
Kind Regards
Emma
Well, I tried.
Peterman.
