timdunn Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Hi folks - tonight on The Architecture The Railways Built at 8pm on TV, it's a varied bunch of interesting stuff: Wolferton "royal" station in Norfolk - closed in 1969, for a while a very good railway museum which you may have visited, but now beautifully restored as a private home and semi-open garden - we got rare permission to film inside, and get into the converted GER signal box too 55 Broadway - London Transport's former HQ at St James's's's Park - I think we were the last film crew in as it's now been sold Barmouth Bridge (a brief history of - and showing how it's maintained by Network Rail) Helsinki station - including a v rare visit into the massive clock tower. Very kind of the VR Group, Finnish Railways, to let us go up there. Will also be available to catch-up online here: https://uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/shows/the-architecture-the-railways-built/watch-online/ Hope you enjoy! 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off Tackle Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Really enjoying this show, varied subjects that I knew nothing or next to nothing about, presented with a passion and enthusiasm that makes it a joy to watch. Then Mr Dunn shows up on Most Scenic Railway Journeys, and unlike Bill, actually gets to go on location.... I hope you don't have to go through Alan Partridge levels of effort to get a second series, because this is lovely stuff. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 18 hours ago, timdunn said: 55 Broadway - London Transport's former HQ at St James's's's Park - I think we were the last film crew in as it's now been sold A lovely building, sad to think that TfL decided that they'd take the money and run. I hope the train recorder was removed to go to a museum before they left! Particularly liked the anecdote that it was still "ticking" occasionally as a forgotten sensor was triggered! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timdunn Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 (edited) To correct myself - technically it hasn't been sold - it is on a v long lease. But fear not; it is Grade 1 listed and there are a lot of people ensuring that the various details are not missed. There is talk of public access to gallery/bar space too, which would make it more accessible than it has been in recent years. It is a shame, but I do understand why it is not apt for modern offices any more. Edited June 17, 2020 by timdunn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlenPudzeoch Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Really enjoying all episodes - but what trains would go to Wolverton from St Pancras ? Surely Liverpool Street? Then again, I get nosebleeds when I go south of the Tweed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timdunn Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 (edited) WELL! generally royals are not allowed to go into the city of London w/o permission (long story). so trains - for simplicity - were run from STP and not LST! A quirk of operations there. Edited June 17, 2020 by timdunn 1 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timdunn Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 This week, again an eclectic mix of stuff. 1. Shildon: A couple of Stockton & Darlington Rly-based things inc the Institute. 2. Skerne Bridge, Darlington. 3. Stockholm Metro! 4. Chappel Viaduct! 5. Hitachi facility at Newton Aycliffe. Not my first time there by any stretch, but was fun to see the Azumas u/c and to understand the kind of space and processes required for assembly. Tuesday, 8pm, Yesterday Channel and UKTV Play. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caradoc Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 On 17/06/2020 at 12:05, GlenPudzeoch said: Really enjoying all episodes - but what trains would go to Wolverton from St Pancras ? Surely Liverpool Street? Then again, I get nosebleeds when I go south of the Tweed. Actually it's Euston for Wolverton ! (sorry GlenPudzeoch). On 17/06/2020 at 12:50, timdunn said: WELL! generally royals are not allowed to go into the city of London w/o permission (long story). so trains - for simplicity - were run from STP and not LST! A quirk of operations there. Interesting. Nowadays HRH travels on service trains to Kings Lynn; Did that only happen after Kings X became the London terminal for Kings Lynn trains ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagrizz Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 On 22/06/2020 at 13:01, caradoc said: Actually it's Euston for Wolverton ! (sorry GlenPudzeoch). Interesting. Nowadays HRH travels on service trains to Kings Lynn; Did that only happen after Kings X became the London terminal for Kings Lynn trains ? As it happens, we visited Wolferton (not Wolverton) station this week and it is a stunning site to look at. It was the nearest station to Sandringham so the branch line to Hunstanton was kept open until 1969 for the Royals. When BR got agreement from the Palace for the Royals to use Kings Lynn instead, then the Hunstanton line could be closed. Graham 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 31A Posted June 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2020 On 22/06/2020 at 13:01, caradoc said: Actually it's Euston for Wolverton ! (sorry GlenPudzeoch). Interesting. Nowadays HRH travels on service trains to Kings Lynn; Did that only happen after Kings X became the London terminal for Kings Lynn trains ? The Great Eastern Railway ran Royal Trains to St. Pancras (via Tottenham Hale & Kentish Town) to avoid the formalities involved with Royalty entering the City of London. This just applied to the reigning monarch, I believe. There was at one time a short lived ordinary passenger service from the GE Cambridge line to St. Pancras by this route. After the Grouping, the LNER used King's Cross as the London terminus for Royal Trains for this reason. I remember seeing Royal trains passing through Cambridge in the late '60s-early '70s, sometimes a single saloon was attached to a Kings Lynn-Liverpool St. train (but had no idea who was inside!). As you say, in recent years Royalty have travelled from King's Cross to Kings Lynn but I'm not sure whether that's just 'by default' as the KX line is now the normal route from London to Kings Lynn. When I commuted from Cambridge to London in the '90s you'd sometimes find the first class section locked off and guarded by burly security men (not that I would have travelled in first class anyway), which might have caused some embarrassment with a Class 317 having only one first class section - less of a problem with 365s I suppose! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2020 In a similar vein Tim's got an article in the the latest issue of Steam Railway magazine on the Swindon Village of the GWR. Even my Missus watches the TV series so it can't be too Nerd focussed! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Phil Parker Posted June 27, 2020 Administrators Share Posted June 27, 2020 Just to say, we have an interview with Tim during our Virtual Exhibition. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caradoc Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 14 hours ago, dagrizz said: As it happens, we visited Wolferton (not Wolverton) station this week and it is a stunning site to look at. It was the nearest station to Sandringham so the branch line to Hunstanton was kept open until 1969 for the Royals. When BR got agreement from the Palace for the Royals to use Kings Lynn instead, then the Hunstanton line could be closed. Graham I'm not of the 'no railway line should ever have closed' opinion, but the Hunstanton branch does seem an odd one to have gone, especially as BR had spent money modernising it, and of course with its Royal connections; Had it survived Wolferton may well have been a popular destination for luxury day excursion type trains ! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators AY Mod Posted June 27, 2020 Moderators Share Posted June 27, 2020 2 hours ago, Phil Parker said: Just to say, we have an interview with Tim during our Virtual Exhibition. Very good it is too; if you've enjoyed the series you will enjoy the chat. I think Phil and I have got a bit of HST envy after this, I've been searching for old travel agents' models. If the kitchen's only serving Travellers Fare I may give the sandwiches a miss. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Phil Parker Posted June 27, 2020 Administrators Share Posted June 27, 2020 3 minutes ago, AY Mod said: I think Phil and I have got a bit of HST envy after this Only a little bit. I do have 2 APT's after all, and that made Tim jealous! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagrizz Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 48 minutes ago, caradoc said: I'm not of the 'no railway line should ever have closed' opinion, but the Hunstanton branch does seem an odd one to have gone, especially as BR had spent money modernising it, and of course with its Royal connections; Had it survived Wolferton may well have been a popular destination for luxury day excursion type trains ! On one of the information boards we read at the site of the old Hunstanton station, it suggested that the line was still profitable but BR wanted shot of a little branch line. Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
didcot Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 Really enjoying this series and Tim's enthusiasm for the subject makes it all the more engaging. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timdunn Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Last episode tonight! Swindon's Railway Village - the Hydro baths, the Medical Fund, the workers' cottages Jubilee line extension stations (Westminster, Southwark etc) Milano Centrale - a rather darker past than some might realise. Cheers for all the comments above and those who watch it - it's been a smashing project to work on. The stars really are the crews who researched and organised it, and the 35+ contributors who gave their time and knowledge so generously so that the rest of us might learn and enjoy. trailer here. 4 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Huw Griffiths Posted July 1, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 1, 2020 I very much hope the "one last time" isn't "for keeps". Like a number of people, I've really enjoyed this series (and the contrast between wartime and postwar events at or inspired by Milan and Swindon was particularly telling). If there is a second (and hopefully third etc) series, I strongly suspect that a number of members of sites like this could come up with credible ideas for stations and other structures etc, which could make for interesting features. Personally, I can't help wondering if there might be some "mileage" in keeping track of some stations that are in the process of being expanded / rebuilt (or are due to be) - preferably with much of the previous buildings remaining (especially if they're listed or otherwise reasonably interesting). Examples of these might include: Coventry: Despite only being a few years older than me, this station is listed. As it currently stands, it's also not capable of handling the number of people who need to use it. it could be interesting to see some photos / footage over a period of a few years, as various parties attempt to do something about this. Cardiff Central: Another listed station that's become too small for the number of people using it. The current concourse dates from the 1930s (photos of the time show it opening onto a residential area, which was demolished long before my time). Bristol Temple Meads: Another imposing station - I gather that expansion might be on the cards here, too. Meanwhile, elsewhere, some former station buildings have also found new uses - like at Newport (Gwent), where a number of press reports suggest that their replacements might not be quite as good (or as well sited). I guess that's called progress! Huw. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul.Uni Posted October 15, 2020 Author Share Posted October 15, 2020 Two more series are coming. Series 2 in 2021. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Phil Parker Posted October 15, 2020 Administrators Share Posted October 15, 2020 More details over on WoR: https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/news/the-architecture-the-railways-built-to-return-for-a-new-series Includes exclusive quotes! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Huw Griffiths Posted October 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 16, 2020 Excellent news about the future series - if they're anything like as good as the first series, they promise to be well worth the wait. It's interesting that the trailer shows the inside of an engine shed - partly because a number of us could be accused of "going all out" to build / acquire lots of locos, but rather less in the way of unpowered rolling stock (whilst I suspect the balance between the two might have been rather different on real railways). Of course, there's also the fact that some people might just happen to like engine sheds. In my case, there might be an element of both. Certainly, most of my recent, or planned, model railway build projects seem to revolve around motive power - albeit railbuses and multiple units. More to the point, if / when I get chance to build a layout, I'm certain it would feature an "abbreviated" version of one of those former steam sheds which were built / rebuilt in the 1940s - complete with rectangular frontage and shallow, louvre roof. I'm thinking in terms of the former MPDs at Mold Junction or (more likely) the (long - demolished) Northwich "shed". OK - I know that, by the time I was in lodgings in Northwich (a large chunk of my industrial training, in 1986 - 1987), the former 8E "shed" had actually been closed for a while. However, even then, the occasional "kettle" would still call at the adjacent (and rather attractive) station, just for old time's sake. As you might have guessed by now, I've got pleasant memories of Northwich. I could also add that Saturdays usually seemed to involve my Railcard getting a workout (I was 21 at the time). This usually meant a trip on a 1950s DMU to either Chester or Manchester. (Of course, waiting for the train to arrive would offer me plenty of chance to admire the architecture of the main building at Northwich station.) Perhaps It's not surprising that I came to really like the place. As for the 1940s vintage steam engine sheds, I wonder how many of these actually survive. My guess is probably not very many - certainly as active train sheds, anyway. Occasionally, I see images of former sheds being used for other purposes, or sometimes just being left to rot. However, if any former steam "sheds" from this era survive, it might be interesting to see what they look like inside (including a few decent shots of the roof beams and ducting). OK - chances are that nothing like this will feature in the new series. Fair enough - whatever does feature, I'm sure there'll be plenty of interest, not just to me, but to lots of people. I look forward to seeing the new series - and, of course, I hope you're able to stay safely away from "Corona" hotspots. Regards, Huw. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 Series 1 is being repeated daily (M-F) 10pm starting on Mon 21st Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul.Uni Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 Series 2 starts 19th January 3 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Huw Griffiths Posted January 2, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2021 Excellent news about the second series - it'll be well worth the wait. I know what I'll be watching at 8pm on the 19th. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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