Railway Top Gear?

[TrainBoy98]

*Note to Mods, move this if you want, didnt know where to put it*

I was wondering whether it would be possible to have a railway version of top gear?

If so, where could it be, and what could be done on the show?

 

[dstrat]

I think the BBC used to have something called Railwatch if thats sort of what you are looking for.

 

[northwichcat]

You can't really.

Much of what's done on Top Gear relates to running cars off road, running them at speeds higher than they are allowed on the road and allowing them to be driven in a way which would be dangerous on an ordinary road.

Taking a Pendolino to the continent and running it at 140mph instead of 125mph would hardly make entertaining viewing.

 

[TrainBoy98]

Rip out the breaker that stops it at 140 and run it to the max perhaps?

 

[northwichcat]

Rip out the breaker that stops it at 140 and run it to the max perhaps?

Still I think it wouldn't be that impressive.

Run a Pacer to the max and run a Eurostar or TGV to the max on an adjacent line is probably the only entertaining thing you can do. However, any stunt drivers volunteers for the Pacer that's literally going to fall part when you do that?

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Perhaps a suitable section of four track main line could be used for a Shredder vs Hymek vs Tractor Type 3 Drag Race?

 

[Butts]

Who would be the lead presenter Christian Woolmer

 

[D365]

There really isn't much to provide entertainment on rails since steering is taken care of by the track and performance isn't great in relation to road vehicles. Thrashing some trains would be fun - but leasing companies wouldn't be impressed!

Although, there was the Top Gear episode where they built trains out of adapted cars and caravans. Enjoyed that one! And the one little clip featuring below is a 0-120km/h Siemens EuroSprinter/Taurus.

[youtube]cdy3G_an65s[/youtube]

 

[TrainBoy98]

Racing on a quad track doesnt sound too bad. Plus, could we do what they do eg star in a cheap, old train? or 'soup up' a pacer and race it against something decent? Weird stuff like they sometimes do??

 

[cuccir]

I was wondering whether it would be possible to have a railway version of top gear?

An anti-intelligence, banal, sexist, cringe-worthy, overbloated TV show which is now a parody of its-once-entertaining-self?

Think I'll stick with Portillo...

 

[142056]

There's 'Trainspotting' that's often on the Discovery Shed channel, which is similar in a way to Top Gear. Though a lot slower and only for those that are really interested in railways perhaps. Just my opinion anyway.

 

[Manchester77]

An anti-intelligence, banal, sexist, cringe-worthy, overbloated TV show which is now a parody of its-once-entertaining-self?

Think I'll stick with Portillo...

aha same! despite him being a tory i do love great british railway journeys!!

 

[sprinterguy]

I was wondering whether it would be possible to have a railway version of top gear?

If so, where could it be, and what could be done on the show?

I refer you to the last, extensive, discussion that was had on this very subject:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=44874

 

[TrainBoy98]

I refer you to the last, extensive, discussion that was had on this very subject:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=44874

Thank you, I'll be reading through this

 

[61653 HTAFC]

An anti-intelligence, banal, sexist, cringe-worthy, overbloated TV show which is now a parody of its-once-entertaining-self?

Think I'll stick with Portillo...

Erm...

Maybe if the PPS get hold of an excess of redundant 142s in 2020, they could raise a bit of money for preserving one or two: by hosting an event where several get the 'Top Gear' treatment by being souped up/refitted as living accomodation/crashed into each other at a closing speed of 150mph!

 

[Bald Rick]

Later in the new series, there will be a race from Wembley to the San Siro in Milan, featuring a 319 unit from Hendon to St Pancras if that floats your boat...

 

[TrainBoy98]

Erm...

Maybe if the PPS get hold of an excess of redundant 142s in 2020, they could raise a bit of money for preserving one or two: by hosting an event where several get the 'Top Gear' treatment by being souped up/refitted as living accomodation/crashed into each other at a closing speed of 150mph!

Train Wars!!

 

[exile]

Of course, it was discussed nearly 2 years ago so we're not allowed to raise the subject again - maybe wait till HS2 is finished?

In the meantime - I preferred Top Gear when it was a consumer programme for motorists covering things like insurance and buying a used car so I'd prefer a train programme like that - covering fares, timetables, and so on - but I'd have a hard time selling that to the networks!

 

[Beveridges]

Locos arent that great for speed compared to the top gear cars [1], but they are hundreds of times better at pulling heavy loads. So get a loco and see the very maximum it can haul as entertainment. The "thrash" that they give off really adds to the entertainment, especially the old types, but even a 66 without a silencer could be entertaining. Also the "heavy load" haulage is more impressive than the "speed" that the cars reach, just in a different way.


[1] Unless it's an electric loco running light engine and unrestricted on how fast it can go

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Who remembers the episode of 'trainspotting' where they went on the Romny and Hyth Dymchurch railway? They had some gala where they ran the trains parallel with each-other and raced each-other to the end of the railway.

You could use something like that for a railway top gear. The only problem-Where could you do it?

 

[TrainBoy98]

Exile is right, that would help, but as said, it would be hard to sell...

And yes Beveridges, you could do that, and you could race a train and a car on equal terms (straight track, next to a straight road to make it fair?) And attach trailer to a train and a car to see which can pull the most

 

[sprinterguy]

Locos arent that great for speed compared to the top gear cars [1], but they are hundreds of times better at pulling heavy loads. So get a loco and see the very maximum it can haul as entertainment. The "thrash" that they give off really adds to the entertainment, especially the old types, but even a 66 without a silencer could be entertaining. Also the "heavy load" haulage is more impressive than the "speed" that the cars reach, just in a different way.

The European rail haulage record was set by Yeoman's 59005 in 1991, with a train weighing 11,982 tonnes and measuring 5,415 feet in length - It would indeed be quite a sight to see that record beaten!

 

[Beveridges]

And yes Beveridges, you could do that, and you could race a train and a car on equal terms (straight track, next to a straight road to make it fair?) And attach trailer to a train and a car to see which can pull the most

That would be too predictable. Considering that most locos would be capable of hauling well over 10,000 tons on flat rail, a car would not stand a chance.

 

[Crossover]

Erm...

Maybe if the PPS get hold of an excess of redundant 142s in 2020, they could raise a bit of money for preserving one or two: by hosting an event where several get the 'Top Gear' treatment by being souped up/refitted as living accomodation/crashed into each other at a closing speed of 150mph!

Only two...but that would still leave 90 odd of them.....add a zero to the end of your number to ensure we cull a few more

 

[BestWestern]

Later in the new series, there will be a race from Wembley to the San Siro in Milan, featuring a 319 unit from Hendon to St Pancras if that floats your boat...

The 'Races' are mildly entertaining until you appreciate that the car will always 'win' - in the final cut anyway - regardless of what may or may not have actually happened on the day!

 

[al78]

The 'Races' are mildly entertaining until you appreciate that the car will always 'win' - in the final cut anyway - regardless of what may or may not have actually happened on the day!

Not necessarily. In the race across London the bicycle won, the car came in last.

 

[Beveridges]

But the one with the Flying Scotsman, the car and the motorbike, the car won. The car even won on the race across France vs the TGV! Can't remember how exactly that was possible.

 

[ushawk]

Later in the new series, there will be a race from Wembley to the San Siro in Milan, featuring a 319 unit from Hendon to St Pancras if that floats your boat...

Why would they go from from Wembley to Hendon to get to the E* at STP ?

Surely its easier to use LOROL to Euston then walk ?

EDIT - Or even the direct Met Line from Wembley Park to Kings Cross St Pancras !!!

 

[hilly]

But the one with the Flying Scotsman, the car and the motorbike, the car won. The car even won on the race across France vs the TGV! Can't remember how exactly that was possible.

the car won because the car went direct - hammond and may on the train had to go through several changes en route - not just the tgv
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_Races#Aston_Martin_DB9_vs._French_TGV_-_Distance_900_miles

 

[sprinterguy]

But the one with the Flying Scotsman, the car and the motorbike, the car won.

That wasn't "Flying Scotsman", that was "Tornado" - A Peppercorn Pacific (Well, a recreation of one, anyway) rather than a Gresley one.