Walking Britain's Lost Railways

[melmerby]

Hi all

 

A new series about walking along disused railways starts at 2100 next Friday, 21st September on Channel 5.

 

Rob Bell, he of several programmes about engineering, will be walking some abandoned lines and the first episode is titled "Scotland"

 

Keith

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

Yet another rehash of an old BBC programme?

 

 

Get some new ideas please programme makers.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[melmerby]

Yet another rehash of an old BBC programme?

 

 

Get some new ideas please programme makers.

 

 

 

 

Jason

At least it's an engineer with an interest in railways rather than that airhead fashionista Julia Bradbury.

He's also covering some different routes.

 

Keith

Edited September 14, 2018 by melmerby

[Hroth]

I thought Julia Bradbury had covered the interesting ones for the BBC?

 

A bit more fun than "Excited Gasp" Bell.....

[Jinty3f]

Thank you for taking the time to post this heads up - I will be giving this a watch, regardless of the merits or otherwise of the presenter.

[Gilbert]

At least it's an engineer with an interest in railways rather than that airhead fashionista Julia Bradbury.

He's also covering some different routes.

 

Keith

I quite like Julia Bradbury AND railways - both at the same time does nicely...

[melmerby]

I quite like Julia Bradbury AND railways - both at the same time does nicely...

I don't mind Julia as a person and/or presenter but I find the "must wear the latest in outdoor fashionwear" a bit OTT

Compare her to Ellie Harrison when on Countryfile. Ellie has been using the same boots and jacket for years, Juila had a different outfit for every report she did!

 

Keith

[Captain Kernow]

I do like the idea of programmes on old railways and I think there's still mileage in the idea yet.

 

What would be interesting, is if mention could be made of what infrastructure is left on any given line of route (eg. which station buildings and other station structures remain, which have been demolished and replaced by housing/industrial etc. and perhaps which sections of trackbed are publicly accessible.

[Nobby (John)]

Yet another rehash of an old BBC programme?

 

 

Get some new ideas please programme makers.

 

 

 

 

Jason

 

Sorry i disagree, dont do enough of these type of programmes, with Paddington, Walking Old railways and Great Model Railway Challenge i think someone on C5 likes trains.

 

Can always watch Corrie ( its been going for 50 years or so )

[Trog]

I quite like Julia Bradbury AND railways - both at the same time does nicely...

 

I think that both railways and Julia Bradbury have their good points, and agree that both at the same time does nicely....

[Steamport Southport]

Sorry i disagree, dont do enough of these type of programmes, with Paddington, Walking Old railways and Great Model Railway Challenge i think someone on C5 likes trains.

 

Can always watch Corrie ( its been going for 50 years or so )

 

Coronation Street?  I've never watched a soap opera in my life.  

 

 

I'll also be giving this programme a miss.

 

The presenter is awful and it's been done before by somebody who is an actual walker rather than a hyperactive squirrel whose knowledge is flaky at best. I turned both the Brunel and Flying Scotsman programmes off before the first ad break as I couldn't put up with the amount of inaccuracies and presenting style.

 

I can even put up with Dan Snow, he's a bit dull but usually accurate. But I think I'll pass on this one.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Hroth]

I'll stick it onto record and sample the first effort.

 

Can't say fairer than that, can I!

[Guest Nero]

Keith thanks for the heads up I’m looking forward to watching this after I get in from work.

[caradoc]

A little unfair maybe to criticise the programme before it has even been broadcast ?! I'll watch Episode 1 and see what it's like, hopefully it won't (like so many in the media seem to nowadays) blame every railway closure that has ever happened on poor old Doctor Beeching !

[melmerby]

 hopefully it won't (like so many in the media seem to nowadays) blame every railway closure that has ever happened on poor old Doctor Beeching !

I don't blame any closures on Dr Beeching.

Roadbuilder Marples however.......*

 

Keith

 

EDIT * but the Tories had been voted out by the time most were implemented.

Edited September 19, 2018 by melmerby

[Hroth]

I don't blame any closures on Dr Beeching.

Roadbuilder Marples however.......*

 

Keith

 

EDIT * but the Tories had been voted out by the time most were implemented.

Its like this:

 

Marples suggested the gun

Beeching loaded it, with selective care

Marples fired it

The subsequent Labour government sat on their hands and let the damage continue.

 

But yes, there have been closures aplenty since the Railways began.  There were high profile closures in the inter-war years (Leek&Manifold, Lynton & Barnstaple) and quite a few in the 1950's before Dr Beeching appeared to devise his plan.

 

However, many "Preserved" railways became available for preservation thanks to the Good Doctor.  Many of those that provide mere walks were closed before his tenure and the desire to retain what was being lost.

[Tony Davis]

Sat down to watch this programme last night but it seems to have been replaced by a documentary about some bloke called Rob Bell, there were lots of views of his face, the back of his head and his feet. Clever camera work though, managed to leave out just about everything that wasn't Rob Bell.

 

Won't be bothering again

[Hroth]

Sat down to watch this programme last night but it seems to have been replaced by a documentary about some bloke called Rob Bell, there were lots of views of his face, the back of his head and his feet. Clever camera work though, managed to leave out just about everything that wasn't Rob Bell.

 

Won't be bothering again

Surely its not as bad as that?  The program would be reduced to a Portilloesque "journey" meeting colourful locals.  Anyhow, I'll be watching it later today, keeping my eyes open for any former railways.

 

The feet shots will be a clever idea to show that he's "walking"...

[gwrrob]

Does anyone know where the other episodes in this series feature please. I think next week is Woodhead but don't know the other four.

[Nobby (John)]

Surely its not as bad as that?  The program would be reduced to a Portilloesque "journey" meeting colourful locals.  Anyhow, I'll be watching it later today, keeping my eyes open for any former railways.

 

The feet shots will be a clever idea to show that he's "walking"...

No, it’s not as bad as that, I quite enjoyed it, but them I am interested in railways and would watch it even if it was bad. I’m sure C5 are quaking in their boots that a viewer will not watch it again. To be honest it’s not their loss..............

[Kris]

I watched the first 10 minutes or so, then turned off. 

[Ohmisterporter]

I watched it and learned some interesting stuff about a railway that existed in a part of the country I have never visited. In some places it is hard to believe that a railway existed at all. 

[Hroth]

I watched it.

 

Good lord, it IS bad.

 

Portillo travelogue without the "charisma".

 

By time I got to 30 minutes in, I'd given up the will to live and stopped watching.

 

"I can't find the junction"  points at OS map "Hey lets ask these Railway Ramblers!"

 

They explain the farmers have grubbed up the embankments (shot of accommodation bridge standing on its lonesome in a field)...

 

 

According to the programme guide, next Friday its "Sheffield".  God knows what travesties of presentation will come from that.

 

Perhaps:  "I can't find the old station!"  Local, turns to camera and points: "Its under that multistory car park"...

[Pacific231G]

Its like this:

 

Marples suggested the gun

Beeching loaded it, with selective care

Marples fired it

The subsequent Labour government sat on their hands and let the damage continue.

 

The Transport and General Workers Union represented road tranport workers and was far more powerful in the Labour party than the rail unions.

 

I think the real myth that Beeching was based on was that there was a profitable railway lurking within BR if you could simply cut out all unprofitable bits. From all accounts the Beeching plan actually saved relatively little money. A lot of the central costs that were ascribed to unprofitable activities didn't disappear when they closed so many of the savings were fairly marginal. Some lines were undoubtedly hopeless and would have closed under any regime but far too little effort was put into turning around services that, while not actually profitable, were nevertheless handling a reasonable level of traffic.

 

I suspect that if a TV company in Switzerland, a country with no significant car or truck industry, attempted to make a similar programme there, it would be a very short series. 

[caradoc]

The Transport and General Workers Union represented road tranport workers and was far more powerful in the Labour party than the rail unions.

 

I think the real myth that Beeching was based on was that there was a profitable railway lurking within BR if you could simply cut out all unprofitable bits. From all accounts the Beeching plan actually saved relatively little money. A lot of the central costs that were ascribed to unprofitable activities didn't disappear when they closed so many of the savings were fairly marginal. Some lines were undoubtedly hopeless and would have closed under any regime but far too little effort was put into turning around services that, while not actually profitable, were nevertheless handling a reasonable level of traffic.

 

I suspect that if a TV company in Switzerland, a country with no significant car or truck industry, attempted to make a similar programme there, it would be a very short series. 

 

Fair point regarding Switzerland Pacific231G, but did they have the free-for-all of private companies building competing lines, some of which were completely unnecessary ? I am thinking of the Great Central's London extension here, not to mention absurdities such as the Lanarkshire & Ayrshire Railway, or the parallel routes between Paisley and Barrhead (although the demise of the latter two was pre-Beeching).

 

Regarding the programme, there was too much non-railway stuff for me but then it has to appeal to a wider audience than just us enthusiasts. The Presenter could also become irritating at times, but I did learn some new things and will give Episode 2 a chance.