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Great British Railway Journeys - New Series


kevpeo

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Great to see another series starting. Despite the irritating repetition and lack of continuity between film sequences, I still find it interesting and informative. The only problem is that it's a bit of a commitment to watch 25 programmes when they're broadcast. I recorded series 2 and still haven't caught up!!

 

Last night's journey from Great Yarmouth to Beccles was good. A working swing bridge, like the one at Reedham, would make an interesting model. And it seems that the banks were causing problems over a century ago too!! Samuel Morton Peto, who built many of the railways in East Anglia, was made bankrupt in the financial crisis of 1866.

 

Looking forward to the rest of the series.

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So far this is proving to be an interesting first week,rail staff are spoken to and their opinions canvased,continuity better and a good shot of the top and tail working with the 47,s.A cab ride in a 70 tonight very quiet in the cab not like a 66 he promotes the idea of freight on rail.Good shots of horse shunting in a peice with some beautiful Suffolk Punches ,hope it continues on this vain as seeems to be more history content regarding railways this series.Also hes got some realy smart jacketets as well!

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Just watched it on BBC-iPlayer .......quite interesting; especially about the shunting horses.

 

 

`Tis a shame that Portillo`s style of presentation can rather get 'in the way' of the interesting content (as is the case also with Brian Cox`s programmes): all that cheesy-smiling and over-awed surrogate wonderment......but, it`s still watchable! :yes:

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anybody spot the continuity error tonight?? it would appear overhead electrification has taken place between Darsham & Woodbridge!! & how strange that having visited the suffolk punch trust, never actually mentioned that woodbridge was one of the last stations on the network to retain horse shunting

 

Nigel

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I really enjoy these, but was puzzled by a sudden clip of two Southern Railway steam hauled freights in the first program. I thought we were in east Anglia!

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They are good, but you do have to ignore the continuity - I have already lost count of the number of howlers errors that have occurred - from transmogrification of different DMU types to others, and in one case changing from push pull loco hauled to a DMU and back.

 

I believe that later in the series Mr P is visiting Lancaster area, as my friendly second hand bookseller saw him, and buttonholed him into signing a copy of a facsimile of a Bradshaws guide which he had on his bookstall - we joked that it had probably only taken a tenner off the value, but it seems that it did actually add value with its inscription of "keep travelling with Bradshaws - Michael Portillo" on the flyleaf, as he sold it quickly, and also at about £20 over the original asking price.

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He appeared to manage to travel in pretty much every class available in East Anglia. I got Mk3 set, 321, 357, 360, 150,156,170. Did I miss a 153 somewhere?

 

Pretty certain he got off a 153 at Yarmouth Vaux

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Does anyone know anything about the clip of a permanent way gang digging out ballast on old baulk road in tonight's episode? It was something that I'd not seen before. It is in the section where Portillo is sampling the products of Hook Norton brewery.

 

Nick

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Like a lot of us I like to follow Mr potillos journeys. I had to chuckle tonight when he went to Ashington I was expecting a load of ex miners jumping out and lynching him I have that typical North Eastern sense of humour( I hope) and I was still chuckling to myself when he did the Bowes incline and the conversation with the rope operator.

It was the same when he did Marsden colliery in the last series.Fair play to him he gives a good show.

Some of the clips used are interesting,was it me but the blurry shot of the A3 coming over the Royal bridge did it have unusally large cabside numbers

Please note there is NO political thoughts here just a Durham lad and his sense of humour. Brave man that Mr Portillo

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This is worth watching through the interviewers tired cliche responses about trains as he finds none of the three interviewees will roll over but support railways. John Snow, Michael Portillo and I can't remember his name discuss railways.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...litics-16544978

 

Worth watching this clip from "The Daily Politics". To my mind it illustrates how interviewers like Andrew Neill couch questions in the manner they think will appeal to most of their viewers. When the three interviewees stood their ground he suddenly revealed some slight knowledge of railways himself. At the end he was agreeing with them. I wouldn't be surprised if he had had a train set when he was young.

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I did enjoy last nights, covering my local area - the scene when he was in the open market was about three seconds (if that) and I know some of the market traders, and one said it took ages to film. I was also amused by his comment about an early rise at the Kings Arms - I work next door, and we use it for visitors - all of whom have commented about how noisy it is (old building on the main drag).

 

BUT - oh the continuity was even worse (or was it just knowing the area I noticed it) - he was allegedly travelling somewhere on the Furness line, and there was an aerial shot of Hest Bank level crossing on the WCML. Why he went to Bare Lane as the nearest station to the aqueduct - it's several miles, and in the closing shot he was heading for Heysham (Northern Rail northbound) on a Transpennine Southbound service. Yes it is good, as it's not really about railways as a subject, but about their impact and effect on the country, but there's no excuse at all for quite so many howlers errors.

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