Trainspotting TV Show

[Phil Parker]

I really didn't understand the "spotting" bit, it's like the program makers seem to think spotters turn up at a location and are surprised when something out of the ordinary turns up. And as for doing so live, it was a bit "look at what you've missed...", like filming empty sky at an Airshow because there was a plane there a moment ago. Do these program makers really expect trains to perform to order...?

It's not like there is a published timetable or similar.

 

I think they were trying to convey the excitement of train spotting which most people think is for weird and boring individuals. Even if it didn't come off entirely, at least someone had a go.

[coachmann]

It's not like there is a published timetable or similar.

 

I think they were trying to convey the excitement of train spotting which most people think is for weird and boring individuals. Even if it didn't come off entirely, at least someone had a go.

There are a lot of weird and boring individuals, the wrong perception being that the whole lot are weird and boring. For instance, some BR employees called enthusiast specials CrankX's and I remember a BR bloke at Llandudno shouting to folk who had paid good money to travel behind unusual motive power... "Keep off the platform slope you lot". 

 

The problem is most members of the public see diesels as boring, as indeed do a good many railway enthusiasts, and so anyone seen taking an interest in the current scene must look weird. If I had a pound for every citizen that asked me if a "steamer" was due because I was on a platform or overbridge with a camera, I'd be a wealthy man!

[Mallard60022]

That's the unnamed inspiration for my comment although I figured everybody would know him from the description.  A delightful fellow who as Stephen mentions dabbled in many things and loved many others including all things to do with railways, old buildings and he finally picked St Enodoc church in one of his favourite counties as his last resting place.  He probably dabbled in churches also!

 

Brian.

He most certainly did. Do read Summoned by Bells as well; beautiful stuff. 

Phil

[caradoc]

I gave up interest in modern railways when the locos arrived at Barry scrap, and it's been downhill to oblivion ever since, failed projects, foreign engines bought in, closed railway production in the UK, and trivial colurfull liveries, even the HST from Kent to London is Hitachi, modern rail in the Uk is terminally ill and boring, badly run, with no vision at all except the arrival of the subsidy cheques from the Government.

The HST to the north might be exciting if the various British firms and designers got up of their lazy A***S and and built the lot.

The Program even celebrated the designer of the HS, Where's his contribution to the new line if he was such a genius? ( nothing personal, just an example)

Stephen

 

How sad to read such a sour and depressing point of view. My interest in railways started in 1972, and despite the huge changes that have occurred since then I still find almost every facet of railway organisation and operation interesting, to varying degrees. To say that 'modern rail is terminally ill', and 'badly run', does not correlate with record numbers of passengers being carried with a safety record better than pretty well everywhere else in the world. And the comment about the designer of the 'HS' (I presume this means the HST) is rather nasty, given that the HST was designed in the early 1970s and we are now in 2016.

 

Back to the programme; I found it interesting, sometimes slightly annoying, but at least it was an attempt to portray the fascination and diversity of railways to a wider audience, and I hope the viewing figures result in more being made, learning from experience of the first three.

[Metr0Land]

I've never actually managed to get there.  I *think* it's somewhere SE of Ballinasloe on the opposite side of the Shannon from Shannonbridge power station.

 

Try here:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2667333,-8.1163932,3a,75y,241.91h,70.06t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgn3MhE44Af_wvZiJx9AmBg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Mallard60022]

I forgot to ask, was that Caroline behind the 37 in the closing credits on Wednesday?

[bike2steam]

The problem is most members of the public see diesels as boring, as indeed do a good many railway enthusiasts, and so anyone seen taking an interest in the current scene must look weird.

 

Too bloody right, I ain't watched it, nor am I going to waste my time, I'd spend my time being more productive on the hobby, unless it goes 100% steam.

[RJS1977]

How sad to read such a sour and depressing point of view. My interest in railways started in 1972, and despite the huge changes that have occurred since then I still find almost every facet of railway organisation and operation interesting, to varying degrees. To say that 'modern rail is terminally ill', and 'badly run', does not correlate with record numbers of passengers being carried with a safety record better than pretty well everywhere else in the world. And the comment about the designer of the 'HS' (I presume this means the HST) is rather nasty, given that the HST was designed in the early 1970s and we are now in 2016.

 

Back to the programme; I found it interesting, sometimes slightly annoying, but at least it was an attempt to portray the fascination and diversity of railways to a wider audience, and I hope the viewing figures result in more being made, learning from experience of the first three.

 

And, the net subsidy to the train operators is approximately nil - some operators get a subsidy, some pay back to Government. The bulk of the railway subsidy these days goes to Network Rail.

[298]

It's not like there is a published timetable or similar.

I think they were trying to convey the excitement of train spotting which most people think is for weird and boring individuals. Even if it didn't come off entirely, at least someone had a go.

There are publically available signalling feeds such as Realtime Trains and Open Train Times (or a helicopter), so you do have an approximate idea of what is going to turn up when if they must do live to camera pieces. But it would have been easier to record those reports a few minutes before.

 

Apart from 43002 leading into Swindon, it didn't seen like they had the co-operation of the big railway- the Malcolm liveried 90 would cause a lot of platform end froth amongst spotters but was the trailing loco at Stafford, and the spectacular of a class 37 was presented with one idling instead of taking the ECS to Kingmoor.

[melmerby]

There are publically available signalling feeds such as Realtime Trains and Open Train Times (or a helicopter), so you do have an approximate idea of what is going to turn up when if they must do live to camera pieces. But it would have been easier to record those reports a few minutes before.

 

Apart from 43002 leading into Swindon, it didn't seen like they had the co-operation of the big railway- the Malcolm liveried 90 would cause a lot of platform end froth amongst spotters but was the trailing loco at Stafford, and the spectacular of a class 37 was presented with one idling instead of taking the ECS to Kingmoor.

 

 

 

I think they were trying to convey the excitement of train spotting which most people think is for weird and boring individuals. Even if it didn't come off entirely, at least someone had a go.

If you join Railcam you can access track/signalling diagrams which look a bit like the ones they showed in the signalling centre in the same way as Open Time Trains but with much more comprehensive coverage.

Using that and Real Time Trains you can follow a particular train over much of the network.

 

It's a pity that 43002 in "original livery" isn't

 

What about the black above yellow paint job on the front end of the power cars?

I thought that was the first livery.

 

Keth

[talisman56]

I forgot to ask, was that Caroline behind the 37 in the closing credits on Wednesday?

 

I believe it was...

[Phil Parker]

There are publically available signalling feeds such as Realtime Trains and Open Train Times (or a helicopter), so you do have an approximate idea of what is going to turn up when if they must do live to camera pieces. But it would have been easier to record those reports a few minutes before.

Apart from 43002 leading into Swindon, it didn't seen like they had the co-operation of the big railway- the Malcolm liveried 90 would cause a lot of platform end froth amongst spotters but was the trailing loco at Stafford, and the spectacular of a class 37 was presented with one idling instead of taking the ECS to Kingmoor.

It's hardly "Trainspotting Live" if you pre-record through "live" bits. They slipped one by accident into a piece and it made the front page of the Sun. Do the rest and the Internet would melt down with frothing.

 

If your argument is they should have made a different show, then that's valid and maybe what will happen in the future.

 

Support from the big railway did seem to be lacking. If I was in PR for a TOCK I'd be talking to the producers soon as the is some positive news time going begging.

[St. Simon]

Apart from 43002 leading into Swindon, it didn't seen like they had the co-operation of the big railway- the Malcolm liveried 90 would cause a lot of platform end froth amongst spotters but was the trailing loco at Stafford, and the spectacular of a class 37 was presented with one idling instead of taking the ECS to Kingmoor.

I think that the show was based on a 'turn up and see what's there' (with a little realtimetrains research possibly) kind of principle. 

 

The fact that 43002 was leading into Swindon was almost certainly just the fact that it was its turn on the that diagram, I highly doubt that GWR would of specially organised it for a a minute long segment on a TV show, it would mean a lot of planning to review maintenance schedules and other diagrams to take into account a change of diagram.

 

Railway enthusiasts seem to forget that the railway is not just there to look pretty in their photographs or get some numbers in their notebook, it is there to provide a service to the public and companies of the UK, if I was TOC boss, I would agree to letting the production company film on the platforms and trains (including special bits like the IEP run), but I wouldn't change my very carefully worked out service and maintenance plans so that a TV company gets to show off some pretty trains to people who may or may not be watching.

 

Simon

[298]

The fact that 43002 was leading into Swindon was almost certainly just the fact that it was its turn on the that diagram, I highly doubt that GWR would of specially organised it for a a minute long segment on a TV show, it would mean a lot of planning to review maintenance schedules and other diagrams to take into account a change of diagram.

 

 

Of course it's possible, a few weeks ago it was on a diagram that ended up with the set being turned so it would be at the country end of Paddington to be alongside a Western on a Railtour.

[Hobby]

How sad to read such a sour and depressing point of view. My interest in railways started in 1972, and despite the huge changes that have occurred since then I still find almost every facet of railway organisation and operation interesting, to varying degrees.

 

I agree and my interest started in the mid 60s before the end of steam.

 

Everyone likes different aspects of railways and that's one reason Railway Modelling is still as strong as ever... Variety... I can remember members of the club I was in saying railways would soon be gone when we lost our last steamers at Lostock Hall but we are still around (and I still have a job!!)... I don't like BR Blue and find it boring but appreciate others do like it and respect their right to that... Just because the world ended for "you" in '68 doesn't mean it did for everyone else...

 

I can remember people saying that no-one would want to preserve one of those new fangled diesels but now there are more of them preserved than steamers! When the Voyager and Pendo fleets have run their course in 10 or 15 years time I expect one of them WILL be preserved. People tend to preserve what they like and remember and both have plenty of fans amongst the enthusiast community (despite what some people may think!)... Watch this space!

[bertiedog]

How sad to read such a sour and depressing point of view. My interest in railways started in 1972, and despite the huge changes that have occurred since then I still find almost every facet of railway organisation and operation interesting, to varying degrees. To say that 'modern rail is terminally ill', and 'badly run', does not correlate with record numbers of passengers being carried with a safety record better than pretty well everywhere else in the world. And the comment about the designer of the 'HS' (I presume this means the HST) is rather nasty, given that the HST was designed in the early 1970s and we are now in 2016.

 

Back to the programme; I found it interesting, sometimes slightly annoying, but at least it was an attempt to portray the fascination and diversity of railways to a wider audience, and I hope the viewing figures result in more being made, learning from experience of the first three.

Obviously satirical comments are not registering with modern railway enthusiasts, and maybe not living with the current fiasco on Southern Rail at present.... costing people careers and employment. Hmm... your dating of the early 1970 till 2026 just about sums up the efforts of British Engineers in rail today, and that's not satirical.

[jjb1970]

British engineers are still responsible for quite a lot of high value design and manufacture even if the big end product bits are put together elsewhere. GE and Alstom both continue to design and make a lot of high end electrical equipment here. Some will say they're not UK companies so it doesn't count, in which case presumably the UK can take credit for MTU diesel engines, a huge chunk of Norwegian offshore engineering etc which are British owned.

[Coryton]

The fact that 43002 was leading into Swindon was almost certainly just the fact that it was its turn on the that diagram, I highly doubt that GWR would of specially organised it for a a minute long segment on a TV show, it would mean a lot of planning to review maintenance schedules and other diagrams to take into account a change of diagram.

 

Railway enthusiasts seem to forget that the railway is not just there to look pretty in their photographs or get some numbers in their notebook, it is there to provide a service to the public and companies of the UK, if I was TOC boss, I would agree to letting the production company film on the platforms and trains (including special bits like the IEP run), but I wouldn't change my very carefully worked out service and maintenance plans so that a TV company gets to show off some pretty trains to people who may or may not be watching.

 

 

Surely the fact that 43 002* was repainted into the old livery in the first place shows that TOCs don't quite behave in the way you describe?

 

I don't know how much planning went into:

- Arranging for 43 002 (not just any power car*) to be repainted into the original livery

- Holding the open day at St Phillip's March at which it was unveiled

- Arranging for several other TOCs to each send an HST power car down for the day

 

But the industry did all that and I would have thought that putting a specific set on a specific diagram would be an awful lot easier than all of the above.

 

* Please don't spoil my illusions by telling me 43 002 swapped its identity with whichever power car was due for a repaint next. I don't want to know...

[St. Simon]

Surely the fact that 43 002* was repainted into the old livery in the first place shows that TOCs don't quite behave in the way you describe?

 

I don't know how much planning went into:

- Arranging for 43 002 (not just any power car*) to be repainted into the original livery

- Holding the open day at St Phillip's March at which it was unveiled

- Arranging for several other TOCs to each send an HST power car down for the day

 

But the industry did all that and I would have thought that putting a specific set on a specific diagram would be an awful lot easier than all of the above.

 

* Please don't spoil my illusions by telling me 43 002 swapped its identity with whichever power car was due for a repaint next. I don't want to know...

 

Don't get me wrong, TOC's do do stuff like that, but I can't believe that the company would be willing to change a lot of plans and diagrams just for one TV company to get a minutes worth of footage (particularity live which as we saw on the last night, isn't necessarily reliable) and for the most part that minute was talking to someone without the P/C fully in view.

 

Simon 

[RJS1977]

Every time I've seen 43002, it's been facing west so I don't think it was specially turned either for the TV show or the appearance with a Western someone mentioned.

[298]

Every time I've seen 43002, it's been facing west so I don't think it was specially turned either for the TV show or the appearance with a Western someone mentioned.

When it first re-entered traffic following the open day unveiling, it was facing east.

[Metr0Land]

When it first re-entered traffic following the open day unveiling, it was facing east.

Depends where you were! 1st public service train was 1B76 03May16 Paddington-Carmarthen. This reversed at Swansea so 43002 was leading Swansea-CMN seen here at Pembrey and Burry Port. Thanks to the marvel of didgital it was just about phottable at 9pm.

 

[MJI]

Depends where you were! 1st public service train was 1B76 03May16 Paddington-Carmarthen. This reversed at Swansea so 43002 was leading Swansea-CMN seen here at Pembrey and Burry Port. Thanks to the marvel of didgital it was just about phottable at 9pm.

 

 

 

Where is the window in the luggage compartment, and why not a whole set including 43003?

[Coryton]

Where is the window in the luggage compartment, and why not a whole set including 43003?

 

I think we should probably count ourselves lucky to have got one power car repainted into the correct livery.

 

In any case, as I understand it the set numbers were dropped early on because it turned out that power cars got swapped around fairly frequently. I think coaches are now kept in fixed formations but power cars are interchanged.

 

This would suggest that keeping a full set in blue and grey together wouldn't be practical.

 

However....the GWR green HST seems to have stayed together, so.....?

[RJS1977]

 

 

However....the GWR green HST seems to have stayed together, so.....?

 

I've seen that with purple coaches mixed in on a couple of occasions....