Remember, Remember the 5th - er - 4th November!

[Daniel Freeman]

I've just thought - it's 30 years next Nov.4th (a week today) when the Crossroads Motel burned down. Does anyone have any special memories of that time?
I was 21 years old at the time - and when I read about it in the papers (weeks beforehand), I made sure I was going to be in that night! At the time I was working in a hotel - working all sorts of hours. I made sure I had that day off! I had a video-recorder - but I was determined to see it 'live'!!
OK - we've all seen it since then - but has anyone any memories of that fateful night?
I remember thinking 'Meg can't die!'. Also why didn't the Motel have a fire-alarm? Why did those yobboes run the wrong way down the driveway - they were heading for the kitchen entrance - a dead end!! There was NO-ONE in reception while it was burning down - surely they would have had some staff to cover the late shift? They wouldn't leave an empty Motel (apart from Meg). Bizarre!!
But truly memorable for those days!
I also remember thinking that I'd wish we'd seen some scenes amongst the rubble of reception/kitchen area etc. Or even outdoor scenes of it - instead we got the burnt-looking corridor and the office/sitting room for weeks on end.
It was still good stuff anyways! (I blame the budget.....and they were saving up for the NEW purple Motel!  )

[Maria No. 1.]

I remember feeling sad watching that fire thinking (or what I thought) we had seen the last of Meg. 

I was in my last year at school and later that night attended the annual school Prize Night, so-called Star pupils from each Year getting prizes.  (I did get one  ).  I remember the chatter beforehand was about Crossroads, people saying they had watched it and also speculating about Meg being killed.  Most unusual because in my neck of the woods, telly chatter was usually about Coronation Street.  I had mixed feelings.

I also remember one week later when Meg thankfully re-appeared and my Mum excitedly saying "There she is, she's alive" when Jill burst through the door of Meg's room on the QE2. 

I can't comment about the Purple era because I was still watching Crossroads on a b/w telly so didn't see it.

[Aston Cross]

The fire episode is one of my earliest memories.  I was just 3 years old when it was broadcast and when Jill was sobbing and crying right at the very end of the episode, it stayed with me.  Strange the kind of thing that makes an impression, isn't it?  For instance, at some point in 1982 my sister moved to London - and I can't remember a thing about it.

[oorshughie]

Its spooky thats it thirty years ago now!

Noele's axing as big news,I can remember watching the fire episode thinking "Meg get out","The Daily Record" newspaper revealed

that Meg would survive the blase but that was a few days after the Fire episode aired.

It is all the more special because Noele's feeling about the axing come through,I always thought it was the last time they played

the "Crossroads" sad music but they also played it at Arthur Brownlow's funearl.

[Daniel Freeman]

I TOO thought that the last time they played the 'sad music' was Noele's last appearance on the QE2....that was HER theme really!
Never saw Arthur's funeral....I was working - and didn't tape it as much in that era (1982-85).

[oorshughie]

Maybe try and sort a copy of that for you sometime Daniel.

[Daniel Freeman]

Maybe try and sort a copy of that for you sometime Daniel.

Cheers matey - another one for my collection 

[Daniel Freeman]

Hmmm -the 30th anniversary is here!  Meg suddenly reveals who Sam Hurst was (out of nowhere), Jill announces how strange it is to have Bonfire Night on the 4th, Adam Chance chases some 'yobboes' down the wrong end of the interior 'driveway', and Meg sits down to her 'full sad theme' for the last time. The bonfire is a long way off from the Motel....and yet it is still burned to the ground!?
Ahhh the memories!
Check out ConCons thread for further discussion!

[Aston Cross]

And there's a special banner too!!!  How super!!!

I can't believe it's 30 years since it happened - and since one of my earliest memories was firmly etched into my brain!

[Daniel Freeman]

I remember being horrified at seeing my beloved reception burning and collapsing! It's the only Crossroads reception I had seen for the ten years I had watched it. (Probably why I so despised its replacement so much  )

[oorshughie]

I know the epiosde so well,poor Jill fluffs her lines and miosses the door handle as she tries to leave Meg's office.

I laugh at Arthur's old coat ,several sizes too small.

[Lucky]

I would have joined you all today at 5pm but don't have the episode in question! Only bought the boxset, not the original 4 volumes.

I do remember watching that episode though when it was on, I think it was that sense that something momentous was about to happen and I didn't know what, that kept me enthralled.

[Aston Cross]

I laugh at Arthur's old coat ,several sizes too small.

Kath (appalled):  "You're not wearing thaaaat?!"

I was a little late watching the episode (7:05pm) but it was good to wander down memory lane again.