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Great British railway journeys programme(1) — Andy — 30/01/2010 10:22:34 | So, any thoughts on the Michael Portillo series now that it has concluded?
For my part I'm happy to revise (up) my opinion of the man. Seems to have a genuine interest / passion for the subject.
Did I catch the continuity announcer say that there was to be another series? Any suggestions for routes?
Andy
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Great British railway journeys programme(2) — Neil — 30/01/2010 13:38:04 | I agree; a good piece of PR for the railway network from a man no-one can label an "anorak".
He could try the Cambrian Coast line and the West Highland - both things which successive governments might well have closed given half a chance [!]; the east coast main line might be worth a look, too.
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Great British railway journeys programme(2) — Robin — 30/01/2010 13:52:55 | Interesting - I too have somewhat revised my opinion of Mr P in a positive way. And yes, Andy, another series should be broadcast early in 2011.
I spent some of this week tracing his steps by taking a trip to the Manchester area. The John Rylands library on Dean Street was a particular hit, as was Tompsons excellent fish and chip restaurant in Bury. Apparently we weren't the first to visit that particular eatery as a result of this TV series. I wonder why his visit to Manchester did not include the MoSI on the L&M's Water Street station site. Even in its present state of upheaval, this would have been an interesting stop-off for the non-enthusiast viewer.
My suggestion for a route would be Kings Cross to York. This could refer to the original route as well as the "new" towns line via Grantham, Newark and Retford of the 1850s. It could also cover the reasons why the GN went through Peterborough rather than Stamford as the Great North Road did. Also the various exploits on Stoke Bank, the Grantham crash of 1906, Doncaster works and the Selby diversion could all be covered.
Well, that's my penny-worth. Now I'm off to relay some track on Greetby Minster (Google it to see it). Hopefully by evening I'll have thawed out after a morning spent freezing my buffers off in the garden! | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(3) — Andy — 30/01/2010 14:40:10 | Anyone got a copy of Bradshaw's Guide?
I reckon a foray into East Anglia would be good as the Broads may have been a tourist attraction in Victorian times?
Or more locally, a trip down to Hampshire, via the Brookwood cemetary, Mid Hants and on to Winchester. No idea if this part of the world featured in the guide.
Or perhaps some of Kent, perhaps getting some aerial shots of steam haulage past the White cliffs?
I guess this is the link if you want to lobby!
http://www.michaelportillo.co.uk/contact.htm | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(4) — Paul — 30/01/2010 15:25:41 | Bradshaw covered the entire network. The only significant UK railway it will not contain is HS1.
Hopefully he will subsequently tackle the ECML as he does actually mention it as a route on the BBC online programme link. For on with his background, there's some interesting parliamentary links, such as selected LNER vehicles being retained in service long into BR days, simply because they were the preferred conveyance of those in power. As for Lord Salisbury as PM in late C19th, he enjoyed a faster Hatfield - KX service than has ever been publicly timetabled. Even now the electrics cannot beat what a Stirling single routinely achieved. | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(5) — DavidBroad — 30/01/2010 17:18:27 | | Maybe he should have done Swindon Chetenham, forget Strling singles and specials, we could do the trip in 55 minutes in 1915 it's an hour and ten minutes or more now! | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(6) — Geriatrico — 01/02/2010 11:34:39 | Maybe a little trip up to Ebbw Vale to emphasise the success story of reintroducing passenger services there. Also, to explore how the local population has adapted to the loss of traditional industries - steel and coal.
Quite tickled by the lack of continuity at times in terms of rolling stock. HST rolls into the platform - a few seconds later Mr P is sat on a Sprinter. However, I think it worked as a series and the boy did well.
Had a look at Greetby Minster, Robin. Good layout if you like operating. Liked the concept of being able to change era. Always impressed by seeing long rakes of bogie coal wagons. Well done.
Gerry | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(7) — maxtee — 01/02/2010 12:42:37 | Continuity errors?
Never mind the Sprinter/Pacer glitches, when he did the Settle & Carlisle he got on a train pulled by a red Jubilee and was then seen crossing the viaduct hauled bt a green Scot! You do not have to be a railway expert to notice that one, just not colour blind!
I think a Prairie Tank turned into a King too in similar circumstances in Torbay but I suppose at least they were both green! Who notices sizes?
Their researchers could do with a boot too. In the very first episode he talked about the famous Royal Liver building while the pics showed the Cunard building!
maxtee | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(8) — Robin — 01/02/2010 18:25:57 | Me again ....
I reckon the programme makers also put some "joke" shots into these programmes which weren't just down to sloppy continuity. I spotted two:
1. When he pulled into Weston-super-Mare there was a brief flash of 1970s/80s blue/grey coaching stock.
2. In the piece on Watford Junction about evacueees one of the black & white shots was of a (presumably) French coach with the wording "Fumeur" or "Non-Fumeur" (I don't remember which) clearly visible.
I'm tempted to record them all when they are repeated - as they surely will be - to spot these "jokes" in the other programmes too. Rather like hunting for the mouse in a Cuneo painting methinks! | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(9) — G King — 02/02/2010 13:22:13 | | Nothing to do with the railways I know, but I can't decide whether Mr P knew in full what he was saying, when his lesson on the Scouse dialect included the phrase "bricking it". Was he naive enough to be set-up by some scallywag? | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(10) — Geriatrico — 05/02/2010 21:57:16 | Nay Robin, the blue and greys at Weston S Mare were genuine enough. They are the old tat which FGW contracts in because they are totally incapable of meeting their own availablity targets with their own stock. This is a 4 car rake topped and tailed with DBS 67's. Until the last timetable change, they worked Taunton - Cardiff services. Since December, they have been supplemented by a similar rake in ex Anglia blue topped and tailed with a variety of 57's under the GBRf banner. This lot has been an unmitigated disaster, rarely completing a day's diagram without failing. Hardly surprising when you consider that all this stuff is over 40 years old.
Just be thankful we weren't treated to shots of the interiors of the ex Silverlink 150/1 units also imposed on the long suffering commuters in the Bristol area. How they have the gall to actually expect people to pay money to travel on those heaps is beyond me. I'll bet none of their directors has actually had the misfortune to travel on one. Too busy lording it in first class on the HST's with those extremely hard, colour uncoordinated leather seats. Try nodding off on one of those and you end up sliding on the floor.
Rant over!
Gerry | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(11) — Andy — 06/02/2010 08:27:16 | I guess a lot of the continuity errors come down to the practicalities of programme making.
To get a shot of a train arriving, Mr P getting on board and then instantly starting to chat to passengers would stretch practicalities too far.
Likewise, the logistics of getting a helicopter to take photos of THE train he was on would be significant and no doubt impact on the budget.
I like to think that in sacrificing the actuality of what he travelled on, we got to see a lot more trains than we would have done.
Like railway modelling I guess one has to suspend belief for a while and enjoy what can be produced.
Reminds me of a programme I was in last year which involved being interviewed by a celebrity at his home. For the first part of the interview he was "in shot" and it was all as filmed. The second part of the interview with him was filmed "as if" he was there asking the questions (the technique used is to get the interviewee to repeat back the questions within the answer).
This little ruse allowed the celeb to nip out and do the "school run".
Andy | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(12) — Geriatrico — 08/02/2010 21:23:52 | Sounds like the definition of a fiddle yard!
G | |
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Great British railway journeys programme(13) — Albert Hall — 09/02/2010 16:51:37 | ...and from what I've been reading in the news this past week, MP appears to have come from the biggest fiddle yard of all.
I'm really pleased to see that this forum has been so active since I was last here. I'm going to enjoy wading through the archives during these dark evenings.
Bert | |
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