BBC Documentary 'The Railways'

[Trog]

I don't see a problem with employing the son of a good worker as it is likely he will share a good work ethic and also not want to bring shame on the family by throwing sickies and being a waste of space...

My father was a BR manager back in the 1970's and 80's, and one of the questions it was suggested they ask at interviews was does your family work on the railway. As if the family were railway people, the applicant probably would be as well.

The other reason you can get runs of people from a family at a location is that even without any unfairness, the availability of tip offs on exactly when and where to apply is a great advantage.


One story I was once told years ago by an old driver nearing retirement, was of how he got his start on the railway. This was at the end of the 1930's depression when things were just starting to pick up. The rumour went round the town where he lived that the local steam shed were going to take on a couple of lads as cleaners. Parents eyes must have lit up all over town, as in those days a railway "job for life", was a prize worth having. On the appointed day he went to the shed and there were about 100 lads, waiting to see the shed master. After a wait of hours he was ushered in to see the great man. Who asked "Are you Sammy's lad?" Sam being his father who had been a driver there before his death. On being told yes he was Sammy's son, he was told to come back tommorow, and collect his ticket and directions for his railway medical from the shed office. "Next please."

 

[stut]

The Ale Trail was wild but don't be fooled into thinking that it is a 'one-off' section of railway. This is becoming a much too regular occurrence on our railway from KGX - EDB and much further afield!

Is it a new thing, though? When I used to travel up and down the ECML based in Newcastle and York in the 80s and 90s, the seats next to the buffet car were seemingly permanently occupied by people necking endless supplies of McEwan's Export, staggering off to the smoking carriage every so often.

I suppose the time of day changes, though. Every time I go on the Eurostar, for example, early on a Saturday morning, the bar area is usually full of people knocking back the booze from 8am onwards.

 

[Butts]

Is it a new thing, though? When I used to travel up and down the ECML based in Newcastle and York in the 80s and 90s, the seats next to the buffet car were seemingly permanently occupied by people necking endless supplies of McEwan's Export, staggering off to the smoking carriage every so often.

Ah those were the days - you actually didn't have to leave the Buffet at one time to have a smoke

 

[YorkshireBear]

My father was a BR manager back in the 1970's and 80's, and one of the questions it was suggested they ask at interviews was does your family work on the railway. As if the family were railway people, the applicant probably would be as well.

The other reason you can get runs of people from a family at a location is that even without any unfairness, the availability of tip offs on exactly when and where to apply is a great advantage.


One story I was once told years ago by an old driver nearing retirement, was of how he got his start on the railway. This was at the end of the 1930's depression when things were just starting to pick up. The rumour went round the town where he lived that the local steam shed were going to take on a couple of lads as cleaners. Parents eyes must have lit up all over town, as in those days a railway "job for life", was a prize worth having. On the appointed day he went to the shed and there were about 100 lads, waiting to see the shed master. After a wait of hours he was ushered in to see the great man. Who asked "Are you Sammy's lad?" Sam being his father who had been a driver there before his death. On being told yes he was Sammy's son, he was told to come back tommorow, and collect his ticket and directions for his railway medical from the shed office. "Next please."

Nothing wrong with that (not that you said there was), sometimes it being a family thing can show a bigger commitment which can only be a good thing in staff.
The story at the end is a very interesting one thanks for sharing.

 

[armadillomaste]

he sounded like Karl Pilkington

I said that!

He loved it that lad...

 

[GodAtum]

I'm confused. The section about the boy killed on the tracks, the narrator says that it was a tragic accident rather then a deliberate act. Surely being on the tracks is a deliberate act?

TBh I am a very angry and petty commuter and an expert shoulder barger!

 

[CC 72100]

I'm confused. The section about the boy killed on the tracks, the narrator says that it was a tragic accident rather then a deliberate act. Surely being on the tracks is a deliberate act?

TBh I am a very angry and petty commuter and an expert shoulder barger!

I believe that it was an accident that the boy was killed by the train (regardless of how he got into the situation), with it being a deliberate act if it was suicide for example.

 

[Jack1989]

Anyone know what else is coming up in the series?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

IIRC next week's is about capacity and overcrowding and is set around the Thames Valley area. After that, there's one in Scotland, one on the WCML and one on railways in the community.

 

[jon0844]

If FGW assisted with that then maybe they can explain to passengers how they're unable to perform miracles.

If they didn't, I can't see them coming out looking good as they'll be stitched up when it's full of ranting passengers all in one coach because they didn't want to walk down, or wait for an emptier train a few minutes later from Reading etc.

 

[EM2]

In the titles, there's a woman on board what looks very much like an FGW HST who shouts 'It must be illegal to be crowded in like this!'.

 

[Flamingo]

If FGW assisted with that then maybe they can explain to passengers how they're unable to perform miracles.

If they didn't, I can't see them coming out looking good as they'll be stitched up when it's full of ranting passengers all in one coach because they didn't want to walk down, or wait for an emptier train a few minutes later from Reading etc.

That's the one!

 

[Captain Chaos]

In the titles, there's a woman on board what looks very much like an FGW HST who shouts 'It must be illegal to be crowded in like this!'.

And quelle surprise, she is in Coach E!

 

[BestWestern]

In the titles, there's a woman on board what looks very much like an FGW HST who shouts 'It must be illegal to be crowded in like this!'.

I had to tutt loudly at that. Obviously FGW staff had come out and forced everybody to get onto the train against their will :roll:

 

[Captain Chaos]

I had to tutt loudly at that. Obviously FGW staff had come out and forced everybody to get onto the train against their will :roll:

They do in Japan though don't they? Which is rather ironic. A passenger once complained to me about overcrowding and how rude staff were etc. Said we should be just like the Japanese. Hmmm.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I had to tutt loudly at that. Obviously FGW staff had come out and forced everybody to get onto the train against their will :roll:

on top of that I thought maybe this person should go to a City rush hour in Japan!!

 

[BestWestern]

on top of that I thought maybe this person should go to a City rush hour in Japan!!

Indeed, or travel on the London Underground perhaps?!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

In the titles, there's a woman on board what looks very much like an FGW HST who shouts 'It must be illegal to be crowded in like this!'.

If a certain web based rail ticket retailer is correct then it probably is illegal for most of them (though those who 'saved' an average of 43% on their trains fares would still have to put up with it), but alas it looks to me as though they are wrong, biologically speaking.

 

[jon0844]

In the titles, there's a woman on board what looks very much like an FGW HST who shouts 'It must be illegal to be crowded in like this!'.

Ah yes, of course.

The woman who thought she had been forced to board a crowded train, and would probably make a comparison to lorries taking animals in horrid conditions (which don't have a choice) if given the chance...

 

[musicking1306]

The women in the FGW HST shouldn't be complaining at all as if you look carefully you can see the door is unlocked and she could easily get off and get on the next train!!!!!

 

[rebmcr]

In the titles, there's a woman on board what looks very much like an FGW HST who shouts 'It must be illegal to be crowded in like this!'.

Not to mention that she would be probably none-too-happy at the mandatory reservation lottery that no-standing would entail...

 

[Jack1989]

In the last episode they showed a small section on the 0637 Leeds to Manchester Victoria. When I lived in Farsley, Leeds (near that line) until a few months ago it was always a 4 car 158. They made it look really crowded as they must have chosen the only day when it has been a 2 car.

 

[Crossover]

Just watched it - good episode. I agree that it seemed to flow a lot better than episode 1

I think the only dodgy bit were the two customer reps laughing at the passenger, as mentioned previously.

We had to laugh at the blocked drain at Morley station...we've had a blocked drain (and consequential lake every time it rained) outside our house for 9 months since we came here...finally fixed last week, it has taken 9 months of persuasion to get it sorted (and apparently had been like that for a couple of years before) so I don't envisage that will be sorted anytime soon!
We guessed the filiming for that was on the day when we had the very heavy rainfall in June...even I had to drive through a mini lake in the car...it really wasn't good.

Clearly the passengers didn't appreciate the seriousness of the situation..."well, can you guarantee the next one will turn up on time?"
"No"

Oh yeah - as someone above said...will the enthusiast please stand up hehe

 

[D365]

I had to tutt loudly at that. Obviously FGW staff had come out and forced everybody to get onto the train against their will :roll:

They do in Japan though don't they? Which is rather ironic. A passenger once complained to me about overcrowding and how rude staff were etc. Said we should be just like the Japanese. Hmmm.

I've always thought of that as a cheaper alternative to Thameslink Programme, how'd she like that then :P

 

[LE Greys]

Just watched it - good episode. I agree that it seemed to flow a lot better than episode 1

I think the only dodgy bit were the two customer reps laughing at the passenger, as mentioned previously.

We had to laugh at the blocked drain at Morley station...we've had a blocked drain (and consequential lake every time it rained) outside our house for 9 months since we came here...finally fixed last week, it has taken 9 months of persuasion to get it sorted (and apparently had been like that for a couple of years before) so I don't envisage that will be sorted anytime soon!
We guessed the filiming for that was on the day when we had the very heavy rainfall in June...even I had to drive through a mini lake in the car...it really wasn't good.

Clearly the passengers didn't appreciate the seriousness of the situation..."well, can you guarantee the next one will turn up on time?"
"No"

Oh yeah - as someone above said...will the enthusiast please stand up hehe

Only nine months! hock: My family have been fighting the District Council, the Parish Council and Herts Highways over one for at least twenty years, I've been clearing the thing myself with a shooting stick every time it rains. And it floods the house. I remember watching that bit and commenting on how it's the same wherever you go.

 

[jon0844]

In the last episode they showed a small section on the 0637 Leeds to Manchester Victoria. When I lived in Farsley, Leeds (near that line) until a few months ago it was always a 4 car 158. They made it look really crowded as they must have chosen the only day when it has been a 2 car.

It didn't actually look that crowded to me. Very busy, yes, but with room for people to move about a bit and stretch legs etc.

 

[Searle]

Clearly the passengers didn't appreciate the seriousness of the situation..."well, can you guarantee the next one will turn up on time?"
"No"

Oh yeah - as someone above said...will the enthusiast please stand up hehe

That made me laugh so much, just so blunt about it.

That episode was much more enjoyable than the first episode. The driver during the Ale Trail and who made a little appearance at the end was so funny, and you got the impression he was a really nice guy as well.

 

[swj99]

I must confess to being somewhat dubious about shows like this, and I wonder how differently the people would have behaved if they weren't being filmed, with the obvious exception of the extremely drunk people, who probably weren't in any state to care if they were being filmed or not.

 

[175001]

Just to add regarding the Ale Trail that there isn't always security at stations, and very rarely on trains, and at times it's us against them at Slaithwaite and Marsden. The program gave the impression that there was at all times. Sadly.....not.

 

[Tracky]

The women in the FGW HST shouldn't be complaining at all as if you look carefully you can see the door is unlocked and she could easily get off and get on the next train!!!!!

As always the people who travel from Reading to Paddington do have a choice not to. They use rail because it is still, even with the overcrowding and the fare rises, the most sensible and reasonable way to travel from Reading to London.

The complaint of "being treated like cattle" and "it must be illegal - there are restrictions on animal transport" gets no sympathy from me. Animals have legal limits because they have no choice. I would add none of them get a seat for the journey. Animals go where they are herded also don't complain...