BBC 4 Wed 2 Sep 2015 - Trains That Time Forgot.

[Envoy]

BBC 4 at 9pm on Wed 2 September, 2015 have 'The Trains That Time Forgot'. (NEW programme)!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b068fvln

Timeshift journeys back to a lost era of rail travel, when trains had names, character and style. Once the pride of the railway companies that ran them, the named train is now largely consigned to railway history.



Writer and presenter Andrew Martin asks why we once named trains and why we don't do so anymore. He embarks on three railway journeys around Britain, following the routes of three of the most famous named trains - the Flying Scotsman, the Cornish Riviera Express and the Brighton Belle. We reflect on travel during the golden age of railways - when the journey itself was as important as reaching your destination - and compare those same journeys with the passenger experience today.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I'll get my rose-tinted glasses out and at the ready!

 

[Minilad]

Looking at that I have noticed a series about The Ordnance Survey. Much more interesting to me. Will have to remember to watch that

 

[CapitalStar378]

Is it about Pacers?

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Is it about Pacers?

They're not trains, they're a chewy mint sweet from the 70's & 80's.

Now come on mods who can remember them?

 

[Feathers44]

They're not trains, they're a chewy mint sweet from the 70's & 80's.

Now come on mods who can remember them?

Me! Me!

That's an image I probably never expected to see again.

 

[Minilad]

They're not trains, they're a chewy mint sweet from the 70's & 80's.

Now come on mods who can remember them?

Lovely things. Used to be Opal Mints

 

[yorksrob]

They're not trains, they're a chewy mint sweet from the 70's & 80's.

Now come on mods who can remember them?

I'm not a mod, but I can remember them. Like opal fruits but a minty version.

 

[Romilly]

And when they were Opal Mints they were plain white without the three green stripes that were added later (I am told).

 

[Mag_seven]

BBC 4 at 9pm on Wed 2 September, 2015 have 'The Trains That Time Forgot'. (NEW programme)!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b068fvln

It will probably all be about steam - those of us of a certain age have nostalgia for diesel and electric loco hauled services.

 

[Minilad]

It will probably all be about steam - those of us of a certain age have nostalgia for diesel and electric loco haulded services.

This is my situation. Steam does absolutely nothing for me at all. I started in the late 70s so I am all about diesel and electric

 

[nickswift99]

The Brighton Belle is one of the named trains in this programme. Definitely 3rd rail DC and much more comfortable than a Pacer.

The link above has some clips from the programme.

 

[Tracked]

Writer and presenter Andrew Martin asks why we once named trains and why we don't do so anymore.

err, we do, don't we? seem to think there's quite a few 68's trundling around with names on

 

[Minilad]

err, we do, don't we? seem to think there's quite a few 68's trundling around with names on

He doesn't mean naming locomotives. He is referring to naming services. Such as The Flying Scotsman. The Clansman. The Hull Executive. The Master Cutler

 

[fairysdad]

err, we do, don't we? seem to think there's quite a few 68's trundling around with names on

Of course, without watching the programme I cannot tell, but on first impression, I'd say that 'named trains' is more naming a particular journey rather than a particular loco/unit (as in the old Atlantic Coast Express from Waterloo to the South West) (the first that came to mind).

Of course, again, we do actually have names for these trains, although not necessarily advertised as much as they once were (I know, for instance, that FGW have a number of named journeys).

EDIT: beaten to it!

 

[Crossover]

Relatively recently filmed - we have VTEC!

 

[yorksrob]

The Brighton Belle is one of the named trains in this programme. Definitely 3rd rail DC and much more comfortable than a Pacer.

The link above has some clips from the programme.

I wonder if the 71 hauled Golden Arrow will put in an appearance !

 

[IanXC]

Interesting he mentioned that VTEC told him they intend to reinstate the Northbound Flying Scotsman. No news of when or any detail, but interesting none the less!

 

[Aldaniti]

A very enjoyable programme. I never thought I would see a television programme about named trains. Top marks to the BBC for commissioning it.

 

[Envoy]

It turned about to be an excellent programmed based on 3 named expresses:> 'The Cornish Riviera', 'THe Flying Scotsman' & 'The Brighton Belle'.

At Plymouth, he said that a King was swapped for a Castle class in the days of steam. The locos we saw being swapped were not a King or Castle!

One of the final shots was of Reading station with a double headed Warship class shooting through with 'The Cornish Riviera Express' whilst a Western Class was going the other way. A pity that we did not see more on the early diesel age as well as flashbacks from the modern journey to the steam age.

I travelled to Tenby on the 'Pembroke Coast Express' in early August & found no on train branding or announcements. Neither was it billed as such at ATW stations or on electronic signs. (The last run of this HST from PAD to Pembroke for this year will be on Saturday 5th September 2015).

Do named express services have any purpose in this day & age? If they do, then surely more branding - such as menus & on electronic signs, should be used.

 

[didcotdean]

FGW produced this leaflet on their named trains.

At Didcot the 10:45 to London is announced as the Red Dragon - but I am not sure really that (m)any take any notice. It isn't any different to the other train services.

 

[work-traveller]

'The Trains That Time Forgot'

A documentary about 'Northern' franchise operations?

 

[Envoy]

FGW produced this leaflet on their named trains.

At Didcot the 10:45 to London is announced as the Red Dragon - but I am not sure really that (m)any take any notice. It isn't any different to the other train services.

The 6.55am from Cardiff to London is named 'The Capitals United'. It runs non stop between Swindon & London & I believe it to be the fastest service between Cardiff & London. It also has Pullman dining in First Class.

'The Red Dragon' is the only service (M>F) that serves Carmarthen. Being as it is the longest distance HST on the south Wales route, you would think that it too would have the dining facilities & not be a service that stops at Didcot.

'The Torbay Express' (10am from PAD) does not even take the shortest route to Paignton but goes via Chippenham & Bristol.

You would think that each named train would be the quickest on a particular route.

 

[Taunton]

I recently went down from Paddington to Worcester on "The Cathedrals Express". Zero difference to any other IC125, it wasn't even announced on the PA as such. No refreshments, nor even any ticket inspection, well the conductor is too busy making constant announcements about only the first three coaches will be platformed, and then doing dispatch from there, at the next unstaffed halt through the Cotswolds, where it stops every few minutes. When this key train of the day arrived at Worcester Shrub Hill there weren't even any taxis to be had. But when I returned, on an ordinary class 180, there was a refreshment trolley pass several times, and the conductor showed themselves as well.

In about 1958 the carriage liveries on BR were revised, and the Western Region was allowed to use their classic "chocolate and cream" livery again, but "only on named services". Cue a great many new named services being announced. One introduced in the 1950s from Paddington to Birmingham and Wolverhampton was the first usage of the name "Inter-City".

One of the final shots was of Reading station with a double headed Warship class shooting through with 'The Cornish Riviera Express' whilst a Western Class was going the other way.

A rare shot. The double-headed Warships only lasted a short time, in the late 1960s, just two services a day, the Golden Hind and the "Rivvy", on accelerated timings. It was soon found that a single Western could handle the trains adequately, doubtless to the relief of the crews as a Warship at full speed, especially on the continuous curves of the Berks & Hants, was a very bouncy environment. Of course, if they had put one loco at each end and run the trains push-pull, we would have had a prototype for the IC125 to come!

 

[didcotdean]

'The Red Dragon' is the only service (M>F) that serves Carmarthen. Being as it is the longest distance HST on the south Wales route, you would think that it too would have the dining facilities & not be a service that stops at Didcot.

The 'Saint David' from Swansea later in the day doesn't, but it runs in an hour where there is a Cheltenham train, thus the number of services stopping at Didcot is maintained. If the Red Dragon didn't stop there would be a 45-minute gap.

 

[matchmaker]

Relatively recently filmed - we have VTEC!

Like on a Honda?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

This is my situation. Steam does absolutely nothing for me at all. I started in the late 70s so I am all about diesel and electric

I know what you mean. My dad is a (relative) "normal" but he always says that diesels all look the same: a charge I'd say applies more so to kettles!

 

[Polarbear]

It was a good programme & I for one enjoyed it. Also nice to hear some of the historical context behind the original named trains.

I felt a bit sorry for him on the run to Brighton-something of a come down from the previous two journeys & certainly a world apart from the Brighton Belle.

I do wonder why our current day TOC's don't make a little more of initiatives such as naming trains? Relatively little expenditure for quite a bit of publicity I would imagine.

 

[westv]

I know what you mean. My dad is a (relative) "normal" but he always says that diesels all look the same: a charge I'd say applies more so to kettles!

Oh yes, Mallard and the Rocket are so damn similar it's difficult to tell them apart sometimed.

 

[Minilad]

Oh yes, Mallard and the Rocket are so damn similar it's difficult to tell them apart sometimed.

Likewise a 20 and a Deltic