You know how it is...one minute you're repairing rotten window frames, and the next you're standing outside the Crossroads hotel.

Okay... I'll start at the beginning. School holidays are horrible times for teachers - because you have to do all those jobs that you've been putting off during term time. I was repairing my window frames when my mind wandered to Crossroads. (It does that a lot - I'm sure you know what I mean.)

I was still furious that the show had been axed - but gradually a plan started to formulate in my mind. I decided to ask if I could visit the set before it was demolished once and for all. After a series of phone calls - too embarassing to go into here, I eventually got special permission to drive in to Lenton Lane, take some pictures and then go. Unlike other studios, Carlton don't actually do tours so I realised that I was going to get a very privileged look behind the scenes of our favourite show.

The first thing that struck me was how small the entrance actually is - however it was somehat dwarfed by the massive studio it is built onto. How the Samsons ever gave Carlton permission to build there is beyone me! The curved white walls which look quite solid in real life are in actual fact flats. Behind them on the right (as you look at the hotel) are the remains of the trellis work as seen in series 2 - and behind the left are two metal containers bearing the Central TV logo.

The roads don't go anywhere. Surprising though it seems - especially since I've rewatched many of the exterior shots - they actually stop just off to the sides of what you see on screen. One leads indirectly to the security area and car park, while the other turns into a sort of track that allows you to drive around the studios.

I noticed the switch for the fountain on the side of the curved pool wall - but didn't dare switch it on. There were one or two coins in the pool which were probably the ones thrown by angel and joe at the beginning of the series. I left them there.

The set looked exactly as it did on screen with the exception of the gold pots, the urns and the plants which had all been removed. It looked beautiful even though it was a good month since filming finished. I cannot praise the talents of everyone who worked on the show enough. We can all see the actors on screen, but the building itself was fantastic. Attention to detail was amazing.

As I was wandering round, I walked towards the door to have my picture taken under the canopy, and believe it or not - the doors slid open. There were no men in coats pulling strings - the doors were genuine. I was able to walk into the hotel! (well, the entrance bit anyway.)

Inside the entrance the flowers had gone, but the tables remained. It was also possible to walk around the side of the flats to get to the series II windows (you know, the ones with the louvre blinds on.) In this area, behind the white walls there was quite a bit of stuff left over from filming - empty boxes and such like. Even in the entrance the detail was lovely - the "C" on the doormat, the spotted floor, the criss-cross doors. It gave me a sense of the luxury of what the hotel really would have been like.

I had a good chance to look around the exterior. The statue is amazing. It looks somuch better in real life than it ever did on screen, Very similar to some Henry Moore pieces. The hill on which it stands hides a busy road and the rest of Nottingham. Before you ask - I had a good look for Jill's tree, but I couldn't find any evidence of which it was and my memory wasn't that good.

And then it was time to go. The security guard that accompanied me was very gracious and waited as I snapped happily - however, I didn't want to outstay my welcome. And so I left - clutching my camera. It was - for me - an unforgettable day. I really do have to say "Thank you Carlton". As I said before, it was made clear that the visit was very much an unusual occurance. I sent them a letter the next day thanking them. A very large company has made one person very, very happy.

One last thing - I actually got the impression that some of the people I spoke to were quite proud of Crossroads. In fact that day made me even more proud to be a Crossroads fan.

The Pictures

The state of the Crossroads Mark III exterior about six weeks after filming finished

As you can see, most of the plants have been unceremoniously ripped out of the flower beds - and the two large gold pots are no longer at the side of the entrance. However, the fountain (outside this shot on the left), Angel's statue (see below for reverse angle shot from this entrance) and the red carpet (as shown) were still there at the time, although they have now been sold off.

The curvy supports would have held a fake wall which can be removed or rolled round for the close-up shots with Angel's statue in the background. The "entrance" to Crossroads (both Mark II and Mark III) is on the back of the studio complex - it used to be a fire exit between a major studio and what's used for the Central News East news bulletins.

And this, below, was the view looking towards the bank and the Angel's statue. As you can see, the ornamental urns are missing from the side of the statue, although the plaque (and for sadists, also Jenny's body...) is still there at the bottom. It's rather poetic really...

Crossroads lives on - Angel's statue (later sold) when at Lenton Lane

Photos, in particular this one that we've had to shrink slightly to fit on the page, don't do the statue justice, but then neither do the cameras when putting it on the small screen.

This photograph below shows the interior of the Crossroads set and it was still pretty much intact - notice the spotted floor and the criss-cross pattern on the automated door.

A standard spotlight but looking around it reveals the familiar decor of Crossroads

As you can see - the interior of the entrance still remained pretty much intact six weeks after filming finished. This shot is looking directly across from the base of the stairs, we reckon.

Checking in and/or out of the Crossroads

This is the outdoor scenery of the Crossroads hotel in real life. Notice density of natural forestry.

With thanks to Heathbury for the pictures and the original article.