Monday, 1 July 2013

Locations 'Day One' Episode 2


Locations Guide – Episode 2 – Day One
Written by John Bond-Winstone (The Doctor)

Hollywood Bowl, Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff
Hollywood Bowl is the main bowling centre at the Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff Bay.  This location is a 2-minute walk from the Welsh Millennium Centre and the Torchwood Tower.  Hollywood Bowl is located in a complex, which has many restaurants, bars, and an Odeon Cinema Complex as well.

How to get to Hollywood Bowl:

Bus – Catch the Bay Car (Number 6) Bendy bus from Lower St Mary Street and then get off at the Wales Millennium Centre.  The Red dragon centre is directly opposite the WMC.


Ask! Restaurant, Mill Lane, City Centre, Cardiff
Ask! Restaurant is used in the dinner date scene when Gwen and Rhys are enjoying some time together, which was rudely interrupted by the meteorite falling fast over Cardiff.  This is the scene where Gwen and Rhys run off without paying for their food.  I would advise never to do a runner from a restaurant without paying your bill! Especially in Cardiff.


How to get to Ask! Restaurant:

By Foot from Cardiff Central Train Station – Turn right outside the station and walk up towards the Sleeperz Hotel and the Great Western Pub.  You will then notice St Mary’s Street to you left and Mill lane directly opposite you.  Walk up Mill Lane past all the bars and you will come to Ask! Restaurant on your left hand side on the corner of the Wyndham Arcade.


Wyndham Arcade, City Centre, Cardiff
The next location is Wyndham Arcade, which is the scene where Gwen and Rhys are running through an arcade chasing the meteorite.

How to get to Wyndham Arcade:

By Foot from Cardiff Central Train Station – Turn right outside the station and walk up towards the Sleeperz Hotel and the Great Western Pub.  You will then notice St Mary’s Street to you left and Mill lane directly opposite you.  Walk up Mill Lane past all the bars and you will come to Wyndham Arcade on your left hand side.


The Friary, City Centre, Cardiff

This location is used directly after the scene where Gwen and Rhys are chasing the meteorite.  This shot is made to look like that the meteorite is flying not far from where Gwen and Rhys are, but TV being TV, they used another location in the city centre to imprint the meteorite flying over the Hilton Hotel.


Minskys Showbar, Charles Street, Cardiff

This location is used for the sex attack crime by the possessed Carys.  Minskys Showbar is a drag bar in Charles Street in Cardiff.  This bar is a popular location for hen parties etc. Also this location is used as the place where Carys gets possessed by the Gas life form. This location is directly outside the venue and down the side lane, which is a private access road for the church next door.  Minsky also has 2 exits, the one used for the location shot is on Charles Street but the main entrance to the venue is around the corner in Cathedral Walk opposite the Debenhams store.


How to get to Minskys Show bar:

By Foot from Central Train Station:
Turn right outside the station and walk up towards the Sleeperz Hotel and the Great Western Pub.  You will then notice St Mary’s Street to you left and Mill lane directly opposite you.  Walk up Mill Lane past all the bars and you will come to Wyndham Arcade on your left handside.  Keep walking up past Wyndham Arcade until you reach a Welsh Speaking Church on St John’s Street on your left hand side.  Directly opposite the church is an entrance through St David’s 2 Shopping Centre.  Walk straight through the shopping centre and when you exit on the other side you will see a Job Centre Plus office at the bottom of Charles Street.  Head for the Job Centre Office and turn left into Charles Street.  Walk up Charles Street and the location area will be on your left hand side.


Crash Site

From the image on the computer, it looks as though the location of the 'Crash Site' is Mountain Lakes Golf Club, just north of Cardiff. We're not sure if this is where they filmed the actual 'Crash Site' but it's well worth a visit. Take exit 32 on the M4, turn off at the last exit of the roundabout signed 'Tongwynlais', turn right at Lewis Arms past Castell Coch and it's three miles up the road on the left hand side.

Thanks to Matthew Lock of Cardiff for this update:
"I can confirm the area where the crash site is filmed is the forest directly behind (and accessed from) Castell Coch. The crash crater is a cave opening known as the 3 bears. None of it is actually on the Mountain Lakes Golf Club land, and it can be accessed by the public by following the footpaths through the forest from the castle. The actual 3 bears crater is about 5 metres from the main footpath, though it is (poorly) fenced off for safety and I am sure thousands of people walk past it every year and don’t even see it =)"


Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff

This is the location used when Gwen and Tosh are chasing after Carys when she escapes from the hub.  They go through various locations in Mermaid Quay.  Mermaid Quay has plenty bars, restaurants, shops and even the Glee Club (Don’t get confused with that all singing programme).  From watching the scene you can see the Glee Club in one of the shots.

How to get to Mermaid Quay:

Bus:
Catch the Bay Car (Number 6) Bendy bus from Lower St Mary Street and then get off at the Wales Millennium Centre.  Once off the bus, turn right and walk along Bute place.  Turn left onto Bute Street and you will see Mermaid Quay right in front of you with a Tesco’s up ahead.


Windsor Place, City Centre, Cardiff
This location is used as an external set up for the Conway Clinic scene. The hub find out that Carys works at a fertility clinic as a temp.  The location is near to the Buffalo Bar but at the other end of the street.
 




How to get to Windsor Place:


Walk from Cardiff Central Train Station:
Turn right outside the station and walk up towards the Sleeperz Hotel and the Great Western Pub.  Turn left onto St Mary’s Street and walk all the way to the top and you will be standing in front of Cardiff Castle.  Turn right and walk past Forbidden Planet and Burger King until you come onto Queen Street.  Keep walking along Queen Straight until you see the Capitol Shopping Centre on your right.  You will notice a Poundland shop on your left hand side.  Turn left up this street and you are on Windsor Place.





Source
Torchwood Locations website
BBC Torchwood Day One episode
Google 







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