Little Trains & Big Names With Pete Waterman

[Basil Jet]

New Series on More 4, 19th October, 9pm - 10pm, Episode 1 of 4 (if I'm reading this correctly).. Repeated at 00.10 the following morning.

 

[75A]

I watched the first one, but wont be watching the rest.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Can't be easy coming up with something 'new' to make a prog about with any specialist hobby. Classic car progs have been done to death, although I still look in on Bangers and Cash. Have a lot of respect for PW for having promoted the model railway hobby to a far wider public than many (famous) people may have admitted to being interested in years ago. He was a bit of a pioneer in that sense. Use to pop in to Ian Allan's at Waterloo occasionally, although I never plucked up the courage to say 'hello' on the couple of occasions my lunch break visit crossed paths with his visit.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The program is more palatable than The Great Model Railway Challenge.

 

[75A]

I'll agree with you on that.

 

[Forty29]

Enjoyed the first episode, Jools Holland's layout full of interest.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The wartime Bexhill in the snow layout was excellent.

 

[Falcon1200]

If only there was a way to watch the otherwise excellent programme without the incredibly irritating background music.....

 

[Mcr Warrior]

If only there was a way to watch the otherwise excellent programme without the incredibly irritating background music.....

Turn the sound off + maybe switch the subtitles on?

 

[Forty29]

If only there was a way to watch the otherwise excellent programme without the incredibly irritating background music.....

I stopped watching the Channel 5 Yorkshire vet programme's because of this, turned it into a musical! Hate watching a silent TV.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Anyone see last night's episide with lead guitarist Francis Rossi (of 'Status Quo' fame) who seemed to make a very good impression of someone who had been cajoled into taking part in the programme by the production team and wasn't all that interested in making a model train station?

 

[simonw]

Anyone see last night's episide with lead guitarist Francis Rossi (of 'Status Quo' fame) who seemed to make a very good impression of someone who had been cajoled into taking part in the programme by the production team and wasn't all that interested in making a model train station?

Actually he seemed to me someone who is camera shy. He seemed quite interested in what was going on.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Actually he seemed to me someone who is camera shy.

You may well be right. Seemed slightly strange though, given that Rossi is someone who's been a frontman in a rock band for well over 50 years.

Anyhoo, James May is the guest celebrity next week. Let's see how he does!

 

[Ashley Hill]

Is Francis Rossi a known railway enthusiast or was he just roped into making the program? Even Eddie Izzard only seemed to have a passing interest due to his father. Both of the Bexhill layouts he was involved in were mainly created by others.

 

[DelW]

What I was interested in, and was impressed by, was the CAD modelling by Pete Waterman's tech wizard. The 3D printing of the telecom masts and the laser cut plywood for a custom station model were brilliant. Having done a certain amount of simple CAD modelling myself it's hard to imagine just how much work must have gone into those.

 

[simonw]

Is Francis Rossi a known railway enthusiast or was he just roped into making the program? Even Eddie Izzard only seemed to have a passing interest due to his father. Both of the Bexhill layouts he was involved in were mainly created by others.

Izzard has close connections with Bexhill and the museum staff talk highly of her and her involvement. There are two railways that she has donated to the museum. Given th issues with men's mental health and the benefits of such things as modelling clubs, she is to be applauded for this IMHO. The snow layout contains a scene of her father giving a gift to the father's grandmother - a scene that unfortunately did not happen in reality, but was added because Izzards father always regretted that it didn't take place.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Hazard has close connections with Bexhill and the museum staff talk highly of her and her involvement. There are two railways that she has donated to the museum. Given th issues with men's mental health and the benefits of such things as modelling clubs, she is to be applauded for this IMHO. The snow layout contains a scene of her father giving a gift to the father's grandmother - a scene that unfortunately did not happen in reality, but was added because Izzards father always regretted that it didn't take place.

As I posted above the Bexhill layouts are excellent,I was just wondering how hands on Eddie was in their construction.

 

[4SubAsociation]

Just caught up on episode 3. Was not aware they where going to do a piece on the Liverpool Overhead railway. The SERA have the only other surving coach.

The Suburban Electric Railway Association - LOR 1st Class Trailer Car 7

 

[Ashley Hill]

The James May episode seemed wasted. Whilst James appears to like railways he’s not necessarily a modeller,he just fixes old model locos. He’s memories of DMUs were illustrated by clips of diesels and EMUs and just a quick flash of the RTC Derby Lightweight. I will say that Watermans layout was very good though.
I can’t see too many celebrities coming forward for a second series. Imagine if Chris Rea actually liked Deltics and had an east coast layout!

 

[Big Jumby 74]

memories of DMUs were illustrated by clips of diesels and EMUs

Ditto, given the hobby is trying to be promoted, surely the likes of PW would have noted formations of REP/TC and/or CIG's didn't quite match the theme of DMMU's - yet another media "can't really be bothered to be accurate". Sad to say, I won't be bothering (to look in) again after that one!

 

[Purple Train]

The James May episode seemed wasted. Whilst James appears to like railways he’s not necessarily a modeller,he just fixes old model locos. He’s memories of DMUs were illustrated by clips of diesels and EMUs and just a quick flash of the RTC Derby Lightweight. I will say that Watermans layout was very good though.
I can’t see too many celebrities coming forward for a second series. Imagine if Chris Rea actually liked Deltics and had an east coast layout!

I noticed the strange illustrations, but, other than that, I really enjoyed it. It was nice to have a programme that focused on the "dirty work" rather than the bright lights and gizmos (Great Model Railway Challenge, take note).

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Last night's episode featuring James May did seem like two completely separate half hour programmes welded together, i.e. (i) getting the model layout on and off the van to Chester Cathedral and (ii) how to repair clapped out model locos / driving the vintage DMU at the Swindon Steam Heritage Museum.

 

[43055]

Bit surprised to see the episode that features James May on last nights Gogglebox.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Bit surprised to see the episode that features James May on last nights Gogglebox.

What did they collectively think of it?

 

[simonw]

Last night's episode featuring James May did seem like two completely separate half hour programmes welded together, i.e. (i) getting the model layout on and off the van to Chester Cathedral and (ii) how to repair clapped out model locos / driving the vintage DMU at the Swindon Steam Heritage Museum.

The DMU scenes were, I beleive, filmed at the Swindon and Cricklade railway

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The DMU scenes were, I beleive, filmed at the Swindon and Cricklade railway

Thanks for so clarifying.

Possibly as near as James May got to Chester!

 

[43055]

What did they collectively think of it?

It got a mixed reception some we interested while others were not at all.

 

[Trackman]

Watching the first episode, I think it's great!

 

[Purple Train]

Last night's episode featuring James May did seem like two completely separate half hour programmes welded together, i.e. (i) getting the model layout on and off the van to Chester Cathedral and (ii) how to repair clapped out model locos / driving the vintage DMU at the Swindon Steam Heritage Museum.

Fair, I can't argue with that. The bit about Pendon was good though (just too short!)

The DMU scenes were, I believe, filmed at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway.

Yes, you can see the nameboard at Blunsdon station.

 

[John Webb]

An interesting series showing how broad an interest in railway modelling there is and what can be done in various ways. Hope there is more to come!