Great Rail Restorations

[melmerby]

Hi all

 

Just spotted another railway  programme

 

"Great Rail Restorations with Peter Snow" It's a 5 part programme about restoring Iconic carriages

Starts Channel 4 2100 June 6th

 

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/great-rail-restorations-with-peter-snow

 

Episode 1 "Brake Composite carriage"

 

Keith

Edited May 27, 2018 by melmerby

[Hroth]

Hi all

 

Just spotted another railway  programme

 

"Great Rail Restorations with Peter Snow" It's a 5 part programme about restoring Iconic carriages

Starts Channel 4 2100 June 6th

 

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/great-rail-restorations-with-peter-snow

 

Episode 1 "Brake Composite carriage"

 

Keith

I'l give it a go.  Just hoping they don't include the Channel 5 "False Jeopardy" gambit before each commercial break!

 

"Has he cut the piece of wood too short"?

"Have they mixed the paint the right colour"?

 

[RichardLong]

There's a thread about it on the National Preservation website here: https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/channel-4-programme.1024476/

 

It looks very exciting. One of the carriages which has been restored (apparently in secret over the past year) is an 1864-built Isle of Wight Railway carriage at Havenstreet.

[Steamport Southport]

Well that was alright. Plenty of decent shots of Llangollen as a bonus.

 

Forgot to record it though so I'll have to set the DVD for the repeat.

 

 

 

Jason

[45156]

I enjoyed this one more than many other railway related shows this year - and even SWMBO said that it was "worth watching" which she didn't with the one about the NYMR, or the "getting a model railway across Scotland" show.

[Harlequin]

[ Spoiler Alert! ]

 

I'm afraid it was the usual formula where the engineers and craftsmen just get on with the hard graft and the presenter shows up a for an hour every few months and does over-enthusiastic pieces to camera.

 

Can they get it all done in time for, "The 'TimeTrain's incredible first journey"? (Yes, they call it the "Time Train" and pulling 4 coaches behind a steam loco is apparently, "incredible"...)

 

Have they got enough sealing compound to do the roof? Oh no! Oh wait, they can water it down, so yes, they have.

 

There's a crack in one of the castings that could put the whole project in jeopardy! Oh no! Ah, it's all right, they just welded it back together again.

 

Good Grief!

Edited June 8, 2018 by Harlequin

[Hroth]

[ Spoiler Alert! ]

 

I'm afraid it was the usual formula where the engineers and craftsmen just get on with the hard graft and the presenter shows up a for an hour every few months and does over-enthusiastic pieces to camera.

 

Can they get it all done in time for, "The 'TimeTrain's incredible first journey"? (Yes, they call it the "Time Train" and pulling 4 coaches behind a steam loco is apparently, "incredible"...)

 

Have they got enough sealing compound to do the roof? Oh no! Oh wait, they can water it down, so yes, they have.

 

There's a crack in one of the castings that could put the whole project in jeopardy! Oh no! Ah, it's all right, they just welded it back together again.

 

Good Grief!

A series of documentaries about railway restoration projects apparently can't be done without flagging up problems to engage the viewers attention.  Its laudable that Channel 5 4 is airing all this railway content, but surely there must be a better way than employing a team of excitable 5 year olds to prepare the presenters script?

 

Sorry for blaming 5 for all this, its 4 of course!

Edited June 8, 2018 by Hroth

[Hroth]

I'l give it a go.  Just hoping they don't include the Channel 5 "False Jeopardy" gambit before each commercial break!

 

"Has he cut the piece of wood too short"?

"Have they mixed the paint the right colour"?

 

 

I must say that i didn't really expect them to take me so literally!

[RedgateModels]

AS a (now) HSQE Manager I was more interested in the COSHH assessment for that roof sealing compound The colour rang alarm bells wit me and I hope it was not loaded with Zinc Chromate like the good old Unial jointing compound. Carcinogenic don't you know ....

[dibber25]

To be fair, this was a half-decent effort at showing ordinary TV viewers some of what goes in to preserving an old railway carriage. I don't think it was unreasonable to show the kind of problems which are discovered as restoration progresses, and to show how they were dealt with. Yes, if you look at it with a view to ruthlessly ripping it apart because you know something and you can't understand why everyone else doesn't, then you are going to find it pretty banal. I've done the same to programmes about  print media and magazines. But after 56 years in the railway hobby, I've seen for the first time how a canvas roof on a carriage is re-done. Furthermore, if TV puts money into restoration - and the owners of these carriages will have been pretty lame if they didn't get some cash out of it - then, more power to them! (CJL)

[Steamport Southport]

What ever fees they did get or "kick up the arse" which made them complete it in six months was worth it.

 

That carriage was well down the pecking order. In fact many people at Llan saw it as firewood. As stated in the programme the SVR said take it away as we don't want it and they have a full set of LNER teaks.

 

Why restore a pretty useless carriage when you could restore further Mark Ones, especially all the suburbans they've been acquiring recently?

 

 

 

Jason

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

It was better with the sound off and a little fast forward through the drivelling to get to the next piece of work. (We don't watch anything live at all now by intention, all filtered by means of the hard drive.)

 

The 350hp shunter at the end. Was that a pre-BR specimen?

 

Llangollen looked very attractive, and my wife quickly discovered there's Erdigg nearby which is on her to do list, so a future trip then.

[49395]

Is this the shunter?

 

http://www.llangollen-railway.org.uk/davydieselshunter.html

[Steamport Southport]

It was better with the sound off and a little fast forward through the drivelling to get to the next piece of work. (We don't watch anything live at all now by intention, all filtered by means of the hard drive.)

 

The 350hp shunter at the end. Was that a pre-BR specimen?

 

Llangollen looked very attractive, and my wife quickly discovered there's Erdigg nearby which is on her to do list, so a future trip then.

 

It's an industrial version.

 

http://www.llangollen-railway.org.uk/davydieselshunter.html

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Hroth]

To be fair, this was a half-decent effort at showing ordinary TV viewers some of what goes in to preserving an old railway carriage. I don't think it was unreasonable to show the kind of problems which are discovered as restoration progresses, and to show how they were dealt with. Yes, if you look at it with a view to ruthlessly ripping it apart because you know something and you can't understand why everyone else doesn't, then you are going to find it pretty banal. I've done the same to programmes about  print media and magazines. But after 56 years in the railway hobby, I've seen for the first time how a canvas roof on a carriage is re-done. Furthermore, if TV puts money into restoration - and the owners of these carriages will have been pretty lame if they didn't get some cash out of it - then, more power to them! (CJL)

Thats the thing, there's interesting stuff in there, then they shoot themselves in the foot with needless tension and "entertainment".

[dibber25]

It was better with the sound off and a little fast forward through the drivelling to get to the next piece of work. (We don't watch anything live at all now by intention, all filtered by means of the hard drive.)

 

The 350hp shunter at the end. Was that a pre-BR specimen?

 

Llangollen looked very attractive, and my wife quickly discovered there's Erdigg nearby which is on her to do list, so a future trip then.

 

Llangollen is a great piece of railway, from the fine example of a GWR standard '1902' station right on the river bank, to the beautifully restored DMUs running through great scenery, it's really one not to be missed. Walk up to the cemetery which overlooks the yard and there's usually some interesting stored stock to be seen, too. And - from memory - a GWR boundary marker IN the cemetery! (CJL)

[dibber25]

Thats the thing, there's interesting stuff in there, then they shoot themselves in the foot with needless tension and "entertainment".

I guess I've got used to seeing that - although I don't watch much TV - and it just drifts over me. The tension and entertainment is sprats to catch mackerels, there to catch the attention of the 'average viewer'. Railway preservation needs to interest and attract those people, both to spend their money by visiting and, perhaps, to get interested in practical support. I wonder how many TV viewers will be looking out for that particular carriage when they visit Llangollen in future? (CJL)

[RedgateModels]

On 08/06/2018 at 12:09, dibber25 said:

 a GWR boundary marker IN the cemetery! (CJL)

 

There's also one in the yard opposite the Corn Mill a bit futher up(or down)stream 

 

Edited September 14, 2022 by RedgateModels

[Steamport Southport]

Yes it's a nice place to go. I've been there three times in the last month or so. Just as a visitor.

 

 

As well as the stations such as the delightful Berwyn and Carrog (of Coachman fame) there are plenty of interesting touristy places. Plas Newydd, Castell Dinas Bran, Valle Crucis abbey, the canal, horseshoe falls and Pontcysyllte aqueduct, the Chainbridge at Berwyn, etc. That's without even mentioning the almost constant cultural events.

 

There's also the Glyn Valley Railway starting up down the road in Chirk.

 

 

 

Jason

[dibber25]

Yes it's a nice place to go. I've been there three times in the last month or so. Just as a visitor.

 

 

As well as the stations such as the delightful Berwyn and Carrog (of Coachman fame) there are plenty of interesting touristy places. Plas Newydd, Castell Dinas Bran, Valle Crucis abbey, the canal, horseshoe falls and Pontcysyllte aqueduct, the Chainbridge at Berwyn, etc. That's without even mentioning the almost constant cultural events.

 

There's also the Glyn Valley Railway starting up down the road in Chirk.

 

 

 

Jason

 

Yes, and I believe the Chain Bridge has been restored? It was closed last time I went there a few years ago, but I walked over it in the 1960s. (CJL)

[Steamport Southport]

Yes it's been restored for a couple of years now. I haven't been over it since though.

 

The last time I did go over it was back in the 1980s when the line only got as far as Berwyn. Then it was closed and if you wanted to go to the pub/hotel then you had to go around by the stone bridge.

 

I had a nice little sit on the platform the other day whilst waiting for a DMU. It's one of those stations that you can just sit down and enjoy the view.

 

 

 

Jason

[Andy Hayter]

Thats the thing, there's interesting stuff in there, then they shoot themselves in the foot with needless tension and "entertainment".

 

 

I am sorry but I am amazed by the negativity shown here and in several of the other posts.

 

Firstly it is supposed to be entertainment and as such entertaining.  Yes we as "experts" can see the staged issues that arise - indeed are almost bound to arise in such projects.

 

Secondly we bemoan the future of our hobby and interest in railways in general and when someone comes along and perhaps starts to take some steps to address that all we can collectively do is slag them off because it does not fit OUR view of how the program should be made - which we would probably find very interesting but would probably send a general audience into deep slumber half way through.

 

If it offends that badly don't watch.  I will however make sure I see the rest of the series - not for the staged tension but for the genuine information to be found.

[wombatofludham]

To be fair, this was a half-decent effort at showing ordinary TV viewers some of what goes in to preserving an old railway carriage. I don't think it was unreasonable to show the kind of problems which are discovered as restoration progresses, and to show how they were dealt with. Yes, if you look at it with a view to ruthlessly ripping it apart because you know something and you can't understand why everyone else doesn't, then you are going to find it pretty banal. I've done the same to programmes about  print media and magazines. But after 56 years in the railway hobby, I've seen for the first time how a canvas roof on a carriage is re-done. Furthermore, if TV puts money into restoration - and the owners of these carriages will have been pretty lame if they didn't get some cash out of it - then, more power to them! (CJL)

 

Fully agree.  This is Channel 4 not the Railway Channel, so it has to be aimed at a general market.  If you want something more enthusiast centric, buy a DVD.  Even with Peter Snow, who I feel is an acquired taste, it was entertaining and quite interesting.  To be honest, I've been amazed at just how much railway themed stuff has been coming out of C5 and Channel 4, yes, it's aimed at the ordinaries but coming from a position where just a few years ago the only time you saw anything with railways was knocking copy documentaries or bad news, it's good to see some programmes which show the normals that railways are more than something to bitch about and show enthusiasts in a slightly more positive light.

 

​More to the point, if you think this new generation of British railway programme is lightweight, just try watching some of the stuff from America or Australia on the Dustbin Lid documentary channels, like "Extreme Trains" or "Railroad Australia".  The former seemed to be extraordinarily insular to America whilst the latter, which overall is quite entertaining, ramps up the faux jeopardy to histrionic levels.  By comparison, our programmes are actually less over the top.

Edited June 8, 2018 by wombatofludham

[47164]

All round it was a decent programme, and certainly when compared to similar motoring ones where they always seem to want the good cop bad cop approach to presentation.

I am looking forward to the Pullman episode.

[Hroth]

Caught the end of tonights episode.

 

They made a good job of the reconstruction of the "1864" 4-wheeler, though I assume the chassis was a modern recreation as the body itself spent many years as a grounded "Holiday Chalet"!

 

But the C4 advertising puff that an 1864 vehicle is from the dawn of the railways?  The L&M in 1829 is the dawn of the passenger railway.  this coach was the result of 35 years of further railway development!