tbtc
Veteran Member
Which is your favourite fictional railway/ public transport?
Rather than the usual transport debates (why an as yet unbuilt train wont be as good as the ones I grew up with, why my local area gets underinvested in, why one corporate group is always the hero/villain etc), heres something different Im not sure which section to put it in, so feel free to move it...
Which is your favourite fictional railway/ public transport?
A few contenders:
Ivor The Engine: I was most disappointed when I first visited the top left hand corner of Wales to find it was nothing like the stories about the Merioneth and Llantisilly Railway Traction Company Limited had suggested! Plus points for using dragons as a fuel source (something ecological that the real life railways have yet to embrace), but I dont remember any stock other than Ivor (?). Having just the one engine would have made life dull for Welsh trainspotters.
Thomas The Tank Engine: Sodor always seemed a fairly accurate depiction of a railway - apart from the crazy numbering system that resembles First Groups attempts to randomly put a five digit number on all of their buses (e.g. if Thomas is number one then surely another tank engine like Percy should similarly have a low number? But number two is Edward surely he should be numbered in sequence with James? little things like this can rankle!). The plot always seemed to be the same (redemption so that you could once again become a Really Useful Engine), but then theres not that many stories you can crowbar into a series about railways (and the Thomas series has probably got more stories than any other franchise). Some amusing moments, like when the different engines were arguing about the name of the terminus in London (i.e. Duck thought it was Paddington, as a GWR engine would, Gordon thought it was Kings Cross) that would have gone over most kids heads. Donald and Douglass accents seemed a bit over the top though.
Chuggington: Resembles a railway if HSTed were ever to be put in charge (
) there are lines everywhere are there even any roads, or is everything done on rails? Plus points for having a BR blue Class 37 (Brewster), but minus points for only giving him one cab.
Underground Ernie never watched it, but see the toys in charity shops from time to time has anyone seen it?
On The Buses never seen it so cant comment on how realistic it was
Eastenders not watched it in a while, there was always a (surprisingly shiny) red Routemaster on the number 15 plus an Underground station (though I dont think I ever saw the stock involved, just heard it rumbling underneath)
Coronation Street another programme Ive not watched in ages (who needs Soap Operas when theres theres this Forum...). I think theres a tram in the title sequence, but does anyone ever use it in episodes? Back in my day I remember an orange minibus running round the back streets (GM Buses, presumably, though whether this was in the GM or after the north south split, I dont recall)
Any others?
Rather than the usual transport debates (why an as yet unbuilt train wont be as good as the ones I grew up with, why my local area gets underinvested in, why one corporate group is always the hero/villain etc), heres something different Im not sure which section to put it in, so feel free to move it...
Which is your favourite fictional railway/ public transport?
A few contenders:
Ivor The Engine: I was most disappointed when I first visited the top left hand corner of Wales to find it was nothing like the stories about the Merioneth and Llantisilly Railway Traction Company Limited had suggested! Plus points for using dragons as a fuel source (something ecological that the real life railways have yet to embrace), but I dont remember any stock other than Ivor (?). Having just the one engine would have made life dull for Welsh trainspotters.
Thomas The Tank Engine: Sodor always seemed a fairly accurate depiction of a railway - apart from the crazy numbering system that resembles First Groups attempts to randomly put a five digit number on all of their buses (e.g. if Thomas is number one then surely another tank engine like Percy should similarly have a low number? But number two is Edward surely he should be numbered in sequence with James? little things like this can rankle!). The plot always seemed to be the same (redemption so that you could once again become a Really Useful Engine), but then theres not that many stories you can crowbar into a series about railways (and the Thomas series has probably got more stories than any other franchise). Some amusing moments, like when the different engines were arguing about the name of the terminus in London (i.e. Duck thought it was Paddington, as a GWR engine would, Gordon thought it was Kings Cross) that would have gone over most kids heads. Donald and Douglass accents seemed a bit over the top though.
Chuggington: Resembles a railway if HSTed were ever to be put in charge (
) there are lines everywhere are there even any roads, or is everything done on rails? Plus points for having a BR blue Class 37 (Brewster), but minus points for only giving him one cab.Underground Ernie never watched it, but see the toys in charity shops from time to time has anyone seen it?
On The Buses never seen it so cant comment on how realistic it was
Eastenders not watched it in a while, there was always a (surprisingly shiny) red Routemaster on the number 15 plus an Underground station (though I dont think I ever saw the stock involved, just heard it rumbling underneath)
Coronation Street another programme Ive not watched in ages (who needs Soap Operas when theres theres this Forum...). I think theres a tram in the title sequence, but does anyone ever use it in episodes? Back in my day I remember an orange minibus running round the back streets (GM Buses, presumably, though whether this was in the GM or after the north south split, I dont recall)
Any others?
