Great British Railway Journeys

[Darandio]

With thanks to 'national east coast express' in the cerdits, a strange pronounciation of 'Embsay', a 185 that became a 158, a 158 that looks like a 144 inside, and a conversation with a train spotter in tonight's installment.

Cannot wait to watch that one on iplayer. Sounds like a cracker.

 

[Vulcan]

I think the helicopter from tonight's is the only vehicle that is the same inside as outside in this program.

 

[Aictos]

Well, I've found the seried so far to be interesting and informative, actually learning stuff about the places he's visiting during the course of the series and at only 30 mins per episode is ideal when you have other family members who might not as keen as you are to watch it but still enjoy it.
As to the catalogue of errors ie a 158 on the external shots and a 14X on the interior well I'm ignoring them and concentrating on the actual presenter and the rest of the show.

Wonder how long before it's available on DVD...?

 

[CosherB]

I thought it a pity that, as he spoke of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, that while in Manchester he dind't visit Liverpool Rd Station. As well as being the original terminus and the oldest railway station in the world, it has a working replica of 'Planet', a typical L&M loco, running on a stretch of track.

 

[will1337]

Is Liverpool Road the station that's now in the Museum of Science and Industry?

 

[Metroland]

Next 2 weeks now on the Radio times:

Mon: Preston - Morecambe

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. He explores the origins of the temperance movement in Preston, samples the attractions of Blackpool, a resort made by the railways, and takes a walk across Morecambe Bay with the official Keeper of the Sands.

Tues: Settle to Garsdale

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. He returns to the historic Settle-Carlisle line to find out what has happened to it since he helped save it in the 1980s. Along the way, he explores the magnificent Ribblehead viaduct, finds out about the navvies who helped to build it and catches a steam train along the line.

Wed: Windermere to Kendal

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, taking a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. He takes a steamboat tour of Lake Windermere, visits Wordsworth's home village of Grasmere and makes sausages with a local Herdwick sheep farmer.

Thurs: Carlisle - Glasgow

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, taking a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. He meets the wild clansmen of Carlisle, the Border Reivers, witnesses a wedding in Gretna Green and visits a secret World War One munitions factory.

Friday: Edinburgh to Kirkcaldy

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. He makes apple juice in the Clyde valley orchards, pays a thrilling visit to the top of the Forth Rail Bridge and relives his childhood memories in his grandparents' home town of Kirkcaldy.

Mon: Swindon to Bristol

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. Michael finds out about free holiday trains for the GWR workers in Swindon, samples the Spa in Bath, and tries his hand at glass blowing in Bristol.

Tues: Yatton to Weston Super Mare

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. Michael samples local Cheddar strawberries, explores Cheddar Gorge and the famous caves, and visits one of the oldest piers in the country at Weston Super Mare.

Wed: Torquay to Totnes

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. Michael finds out about Torquay's micro climate, goes salmon fishing on the Dart estuary and spends some of Totnes' new local currency.


Thurs: Bugle to Mevagissey

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. Michael visits the largest clay mine in the world near St Austell, goes pilchard fishing in Mevagissey and finds out how the estate of Heligan shaped British gardens.

Truro to Penzance

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. Michael searches for the lost church of St Piran, explores the last working tin mine in Cornwall and harvests oysters on the Helford River.

 

[Mojo]

He's down in Bristol but can't believe he's not taking in the Severn Beach line; one of the most scenic in Europe so says Thomas Cook.

 

[Vulcan]

I think Filey is the only station he has been to where the exterior and interior shots of trains could well be parts of the same unit!

Also, when he talked about Scarbrough station clock, I have been to Scarbrough loads of times and never noticed that clock!

 

[Dennis]

Can't believe he's not taking in the Severn Beach line; one of the most scenic in Europe so says Thomas Cook.

Be a different matter if Mr Bradshaw had said it was one of the most scenic; he'd be up there clutching his little book and talking to local artists

 

[Mojo]

Not sure there's much to see between Swindon & Bristol, although Bath is quite impressive. I suppose he'll be speeding through much of it at 200km/h so it gives him more time in each location, maybe it's more of a "filler move"

 

[317666]

Having just seen the first two episodes, I'm impressed - I think this looks to be a good series...

 

[djw1981]

The interior exterior shots are a function of filming.

Much like in say Top Gear, a lot of the general driving shots are done at a different time to the 'in the car' test shots - it is just the way that filming, and takes goes. They had to fit with normal railway timetables etc when filming the Portillo series, so any retakes or delays would mean filming the interior scenes out of sequence. .

 

[me123]

The editing is really poor, though. On tonight's episode, he opened the door on a 156 and then stepped off a 185! I know it's a bit nit-picky, but it looks really unprofessional and cheap. it's not as if there's a shortage of 156s in Preston, surely?

And surely it's not just me, as a train person, noticing this. The continuity is terrible, and even a "normal" can tell the difference between a red pacer and a blue 158, surely.

 

[Max]

Yes, the editing is shocking. The biggest cock up I noticed was on Thursday when he arrives at Pontefract. It briefly shows passengers alighting at Hull and then switches back to Monkhill - an error, surely? However, the portray of Hull was, in my view, very positive, refreshing considering the treatment the city usually gets in the media and I have generally enjoyed it!

 

[Vulcan]

However, the portray of Hull was, in my view, very positive, refreshing considering the treatment the city usually gets in the media

...and your avatar

 

[theblackwatch]

However, the portray of Hull was, in my view, very positive, refreshing considering the treatment the city usually gets in the media and I have generally enjoyed it!

Indeed, normally the only positive comments about Hull are from people on their way out of the place!

I've enjoyed it so far (just finished watching the final episode from last week - I'm a little behind with it), but I wish he wouldn't spend the first 5 minutes of every single episode telling us where hes visiting that week, by day 5 it becomes a bit much, and it's a waste of time which could be used more productively in the show.

 

[Lampshade]

The editing is really poor, though. On tonight's episode, he opened the door on a 156 and then stepped off a 185! I know it's a bit nit-picky, but it looks really unprofessional and cheap. it's not as if there's a shortage of 156s in Preston, surely?

They're really not as common as you might think, many more 150s and an ever increasing number of 142s ever since Merseytravel collared most of the 156s. You're probably more likely to see more 158s in a day at Preston than you are 156s at the moment.

 

[Max]

...and your avatar

I live in Hull, I have more of a right to insult it!

 

[me123]

Yes, the editing is shocking. The biggest cock up I noticed was on Thursday when he arrives at Pontefract. It briefly shows passengers alighting at Hull and then switches back to Monkhill - an error, surely? However, the portray of Hull was, in my view, very positive, refreshing considering the treatment the city usually gets in the media and I have generally enjoyed it!

I was actually quite surprised to see how nice parts of Hull are. I go through it quite a bit en route to the ferries, and it's struck me as the most horrible place on earth. But there were some lovely things shown in the video.

Editing aside, it is a very good series which, hopefully, will spur some people on to explore the country by rail. I'm quite disappointed he's only going to Kirkcaldy, though. I'd have thought there'd been more to see in Dundee if I'm honest.

 

[142094]

The problem is that after watching the Hull epsiode there was a Traffic Cops show on one of the Freeview channels showing the other side of Hull...

 

[Mojo]

It doesn't seem uncommon to complain about where you live, yet when someone or the media says how horrible it is (even if backed up by fact) you come out to defend your place!

 

[SouthEastern-465]

It doesn't seem uncommon to complain about where you live, yet when someone or the media says how horrible it is (even if backed up by fact) you come out to defend your place!

It would not bother me if anyone said Lewisham is s*it as it is

 

[Metroland]

I was actually quite surprised to see how nice parts of Hull are. I go through it quite a bit en route to the ferries, and it's struck me as the most horrible place on earth. But there were some lovely things shown in the video.

Editing aside, it is a very good series which, hopefully, will spur some people on to explore the country by rail. I'm quite disappointed he's only going to Kirkcaldy, though. I'd have thought there'd been more to see in Dundee if I'm honest.

Yes, there's a lot of lines in Scotland really worth seeing. If you look on the titles the forth week looks like it might include EMT area.

 

[Vulcan]

It would not bother me if anyone said Lewisham is s*it as it is

as is Bradford city centre. The rest of it is ok, but they have taken my nearest bus stop to the interchange out of use to they can built a pretty bit of grass next to city hall 'to attract visitors'. how about sorting out that crater where the shops should be? which has been there for years. Bradford council really need a good sorting out. [/RANT]

 

[317666]

As far as I can tell from the opening titles, he will visit St. Ives in one episode.

 

[Pumbaa]

Great episode last night on the Settle and Carlisle. Nice to see how much it means to him even after 20 years.

Some interesting changes in locomotive though going across Ribblehead!

 

[Aictos]

Well he can be seen on a FCC service from Elstree to St Pancras which FCC says will air on the 28 or 29 January.

 

[Metroland]

First 3 trips on the final week are up on the Radio times, it's going to please some people I know. I'll post the other 2 when they are up Friday.

Buxton to Matlock

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. Michael visits an architectural wonder, the Duke of Devonshire's stables in Buxton, helps to repair the ancient peat landscape of the Peak District and travels on the historic steam railway to Rowsley.

Cramford to Buxton

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. Michael visits the oldest working factory in the world at Cromford, explores the country's first public park in Derby and finds out why Burton's beer is said to be the best.

Walsall to Bournville

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train, with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, to discover how the railways changed us and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains. Michael meets the queen's saddler in Walsall, learns how to cook an authentic Indian curry in Birmingham and visits Bournville, rumoured to be the best place to live in Britain.

 

[Vulcan]

Did anyone else spot the EWS class 56 in the ariel shot of Lockerbie?

 

[Astaroth]

Great episode last night on the Settle and Carlisle. Nice to see how much it means to him even after 20 years.

Some interesting changes in locomotive though going across Ribblehead!

Don't believe everything you hear from Portillo, he's a 'politician' you know, so the truth is rarely in evidence.

The real reason the Settle-Carlisle line was kept open is because Thatcher's closure of the UK's coal mines meant that imported coal would be needed to fuel the coal-fired power stations in Yorkshire, and that meant transporting large quantities of coal from Clydeside, a task which is better done by rail than by road; witness the large number of freight trains hauling coal down the line today.

QED!