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BBC Trainspotting Live
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Kite159
Veteran Member
Close, but a 411 instead on the live blog!
https://twitter.com/Suburban_Jogger/status/753311672870309888
dave87016
Established Member
I still think Dick Strawbridge would get excited if he was to watch paint dry as mr Strawbridge" oh yes such a wonderful sight ive just seen a first coat of dulux applied on the wall " according to my book I've never seen a coat of dulux before giggles excitedly it looks smashing and its a monumentous moment"
theblackwatch
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This show could have been much better if it wasn't for Peter Snow, who may know something about railways, but I'm afraid he clearly doesn't know his backside from his elbow when it comes to traction/spotting matters. He mistakenly thought a 458 unit was a 45, and yesterday, when a picture of a K1 was used, commented on it being a Black 5. Would it be acceptable for the lead presenter to refer to a Blackbird as a Sparrow on 'Springwatch'?
Philip Phlopp
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This is a bloody embarrassment to the BBC - ignoring the railway content being wrong for a moment, it's incoherent and contradicts itself in places.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ec55v2/live/c5v2fx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ec55v2/live/c5v2fx
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Slightly disappointed there was no Pacer action, though if there had been I'm sure it would have been error-strewn!
richieb1971
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The show needs reformatting. It needs someone who properly knows the ins and outs and the content needs to be current. There are literally 100's of ideas floating in my head.
But on the + side, I watched all 3 episodes and enjoyed most of the content. I just don't think most of it was appropriate given the name of the show.
But on the + side, I watched all 3 episodes and enjoyed most of the content. I just don't think most of it was appropriate given the name of the show.
Close, but a 411 instead on the live blog!
https://twitter.com/Suburban_Jogger/status/753311672870309888
Matt Taylor certainly is quite a humorous chap, he was also responsible for the original Trainy McTrainface IIRC.
Merthyr Imp
Member
I wondered if that was somebody playing a prank on them by sending that report in. If so, it needs a person who knows something about the subject to weed out any spoof reports before they get through to the presenters.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Merthyr Imp
Member
I think the main reason - not sure how well it came across - was simply that by the time the broad gauge was introduced by Brunel it was in the minority, so when a nationwide standard had to be decided upon the 4' 8'' gauge won out because there was so much more of it already in place.
A bit like the rival video tape systems a while back - Betamax was technically a better system than VHS, but it died out because the latter had a bigger market share.
In practice, it would have prevented many of the lines that we have today being built. The grand scale that Brunel built the GWR to would not have seen the light of day on many of the nations schemes. The not infrequent need to fit alignments into cities, around various objects (including rivers) and past hills to avoid gradients would have rendered many planned lines stillborn when it came to profitability. In reality, stability hasn't been a problem with SG even with speeds topping 200mph so the broad gauge is technically better argument is fallacious.
I thought that Peter Snow's helpful explanation of EMU numbering would just confuse any budding enthusiast:
- 3xx series are all ac - well apart from 375/3s, 375/7-9s, 376s, 377/1,/3,/4,/6s, 378/1, a total of over 300 units
- 5xx & over, not on the lines south of London - despite the fact that by 2020, there will be nearly 150 units running on DC south of the Thames.
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No. I'm sure John Fashanu was the one with the sex tape of Jo O'Mera.
Harbornite
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Indeed.
scott118
Member
Chris125
Established Member
As well as the respective sizes of the networks, Broad Gauge to Standard could be achieved using the existing earthworks and structures - converting the other way really wasn't a practical option given the cost and disruption.
So, we're all done. Thank God.
What a mess. Finished up nicely with the 390 spotted up in Wick. So, what have I learned from this?
1) Peter Snow should enjoy a well earned retirement.
2) Dr Hannah Fry needs a show of her own about maths. Give her time to talk about what she's passionate about and you'll get a worthwhile show.
3) Whatever Dick Strawbridge is smoking looks like it would be a lot of fun, but significantly impairs your concentration.
4) There is the potential for a well done show about the railways. This was not it.
5) After almost 80 years of broadcasting, we still struggle with live content.
6) Fact checking is seemingly optional nowadays.
7) If you use amateurs to talk about a subject, the result is predictably amateurish.
What a mess. Finished up nicely with the 390 spotted up in Wick. So, what have I learned from this?
1) Peter Snow should enjoy a well earned retirement.
2) Dr Hannah Fry needs a show of her own about maths. Give her time to talk about what she's passionate about and you'll get a worthwhile show.
3) Whatever Dick Strawbridge is smoking looks like it would be a lot of fun, but significantly impairs your concentration.
4) There is the potential for a well done show about the railways. This was not it.
5) After almost 80 years of broadcasting, we still struggle with live content.
6) Fact checking is seemingly optional nowadays.
7) If you use amateurs to talk about a subject, the result is predictably amateurish.
The BBC seems to be obsessed with Twitter. On lots of programmes you hear about so and so having tweeted this or that. Given some of the wibble that was tweeted on this show, how much credibility can we put on anything thats tweeted on any other programme?
Johnnie2Sheds
Member
The 390 at Wick was hilarious. The show wasnt perfect, but I'd love to see another series, perhaps with the frothing turned down a little. I thought Snow was about to spit his teeth out at one point. Also, was Hannah Fry using it as a stepping stone to something bigger? "If you can make this interesting, you can present anything?"
43074
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It was mentioned in the subtitles that she is presenting The Joy of Data on BBC4 next week (Wednesday at 21:00 if anyone's interested), maybe it's a gentle nod towards her passion for all things maths?
Iskra
Established Member
Countdown?
I thought last nights episode was an improvement. I feel the BBC are testing the water with this mini-series; I hope they persist as it has potential if the delivery is improved, it has been quite interesting in places.
It has also raised the profile of railways both on twitter and even making front page news so even if we never see this show again, something positive has come from it.
While there have been a number of factual/content errors, I hope the criticism doesn't put the producers off doing another series.
Peter Snow needs to retire.
Requeststop
Member
I've seen two out of three of the programmes out here. Ok good idea, plenty of faults. The biggest one was trying to cram too much into a short time.
They could have filmed at an open day, talk to enthusiasts, and shown a lot more about types and differences and so on. A bit more "filmed earlier today" items, showing arrivals and departures etc, so that live items could be covered more properly, and then early arrivals and late departures could be completely covered. A 2 hour programme would be far better, especially when asking the public to contribute with video, photo's and "tweets" etc.
Like others, I hope the BBC give it another shot.
They could have filmed at an open day, talk to enthusiasts, and shown a lot more about types and differences and so on. A bit more "filmed earlier today" items, showing arrivals and departures etc, so that live items could be covered more properly, and then early arrivals and late departures could be completely covered. A 2 hour programme would be far better, especially when asking the public to contribute with video, photo's and "tweets" etc.
Like others, I hope the BBC give it another shot.
richieb1971
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The company collecting the facts was Plum pictures, not the BBC.
James Wake
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I was there with Dick and the crew and about 15 other enthusiasts. We did all see it from platform 17, it was after the filming had been done that someone first saw the plume of smoke.
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