The working title for the series was Magnox (a fact confirmed by Mat Irvine). A rumour that another working title was Dark Forces has yet to be confirmed.


All the rain in the series is totally artificial.
(from CULT TV INTERNATIONAL)

Jedburgh's quote as he walks away from the spring that bubbles out near where Emma was shot is actually from Hamlet. More information here.


Much of Eric Clapton's music was improvised in recording whilst syncing to a video playback.
(from CULT TV INTERNATIONAL)

Although the show can be read as a simple thriller, it operates at many levels. There are even hints at the conspiracy being the latest battle in a centuries-old struggle between two secret medieval societies.
(from I LOVE TV : EDGE OF DARKNESS)

According to rumour, the touchy subject matter of the series, made at the height of Thatcherism and the cold war, resulted in some tension between the BBC and British Rail. The rail company had displayed a helpful attitude to BBC filming requests in the past but in this instance they refused to supply any locomotives, rolling stock or location access. The train sequences had to be filmed on private sidings in Leeds which doubled for a railway overbridge close to Shepherds Bush (the hotel Craven stays in when in London was adjacent to the large roundabout to the east of Shepherds Bush). The production designer was also faced with the task of dressing up a suitable private train.

For years rumours have spread that an early idea for the end of the series featured Ronald Craven turning into a tree as he stands atop the cliff. Mat Irvine (Visual Effects) has confirmed this and elaborates that it was Ronald AND Emma Craven who would be turned into a tree. Irvine worked out the whole procedure using miniatures and stop-frame animation but it would have cost most of the existing FX budget to do (and shot on 35mm not 16mm) so the idea was scrapped and Troy Kennedy Martin re-wrote the end. Mat notes that the effect could be reproduced relatively cheaply these days using CGI.


Edge of Darkness was so popular it was almost instantly repeated twice in the UK. Rather than diminishing, as is usual, the audience figures actually INCREASED with each successive showing.
(from I LOVE TV : EDGE OF DARKNESS)