Trainspotting TV Show

[BigAndy]

Thought tonight's was the best one, but as per most programmes, they take a bit of time to gel.

 

The presenter's were pretty good on the whole, but I do think that Peter Snow as main anchor on a live programme is probably pushing his abilities now a wee bit. Maybe his son Dan should step in or someone whose a bit more Savvy on the whole 'Live' programme thing.....

 

Generally though, a very positive view of Railway Enthusiasts as a whole were portrayed. I mean, we seem to have come a long way from the horrendous attitudes of TV towards enthusiasts over the last 20 years or 30 years, so I don't think we can complain really. Yeah, sure there were things they could have done better, but as someone else has said, let's hope the format itself has found enough viewers for them to have another crack at it. You never know, it may even reignite some genuine interest and kudos from the general public into our wonderful hobby!

 

cheers

 

Andy

[Nimbus]

No, I'm not. I think you've missed the point again. I never said it would be exactly the same.

 

I'm assuming a more professional presenter won't result to the pathetic and unnecessary histrionics that the TS presenters displayed. They didn't make it exciting, they made it embarrassing. Obviously it won't be as slick as a pre-recorded presentation but there are plenty of presenters who do a far better job on live programmes.

 

I presume the chap at Waverley is an amateur? He was way more lucid, structured and concise than any of the professionals!

 

The Nim.

[darrel]

Tonight's episode was better (not just because they used one of my videos). I would still scrap the live nonsense and stick to prerecorded bits maybe with a live link, just like railwatch all those years ago.

[Steamport Southport]

Overall I quite enjoyed it to be honest. Okay they messed up a few times with the live bits.

 

 

Presenter wise I thought that the young lad was just a bit nervous, as was Dr Hannah. Dick Strawbridge did alright as the interested bloke willing to learn. But I thought that Peter Snow was the weak link.. Yes he likes trains, but he doesn't seem to be very knowledgeable about them and was a bit too manic.

 

If it does comes back, I hope they get someone who is capable of anchoring a live programme and actually knows about railways, both modern and historic? I nominate Nicholas Owen. At least he knows what an EMU is.

 

 

Jason

[Revolution Ben]

God I do NOT look forward to travelling in that awful new Hitachi IEP - looks worse than the Pendolino for seats with no view !! Hope they never run through Wigan.

 

 

Hi there,

 

I always want a seat with a window, but I have noticed when riding on even quite empty Pendolinos that some people make a beeline for the seats without windows - they are surprisingly popular.  I think some people want to either sleep, or concentrate, without the distraction of a view... odd as that may seem to us!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[gismorail]

Yes would agree with the general feeling that tonight's episode was far better with some good informative coverage. Excellent showing the two young apprentices at the Seven Valley Railway it's the sort of thing that will inspire other younger people to get involved. It's a shame that some of the 'New Build' projects were not brought to the public's attention or maybe that's a series in it's own right, 

Having seen the American rail fan's 'outburst'     maybe it's a good thing we're a little 'reserved' this side of the pond. 

[newbryford]

This comment isn't too far off the mark. (from the Buzzfeed page)

 

Way more entertaining than the f***ing Kardashians

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Suzie]

There can be no doubt it got better. Monday's was 10% O.K., Wednesday's 75% O.K.

 

They at last justified why they were at Didcot with 7' ¼", dual gauge track, transfer shed, the general wonders of IKB. It all linked well with the high speed sardine tin that bears his name.

 

And Clapham Junction - it showed that spotting can be a little more tricky than just sitting on your rucksack sipping Tizer and getting the notebook out every half an hour as a Pacer plods by. Nothing easy about getting the middle unit number on a 12-car set eleven platforms over!

 

I am sure that further lessons will be learned if they do it again, but Jon Snow has shown that enthusiasm is not enough - you do need to know what you are talking about. It is hard to know why he was the choice - does he have a stake in Plum Duff productions? They could surely have got a better well known presenter like Anne Diamond or Pete Waterman. Even Dick Strawbridge could have anchored it better - he showed genuine interest in the spotting and appeared to be willing to learn and apply. Clearly the presenters did not have quite the backup that they should have had.

[rockershovel]

Hi there,

 

I always want a seat with a window, but I have noticed when riding on even quite empty Pendolinos that some people make a beeline for the seats without windows - they are surprisingly popular.  I think some people want to either sleep, or concentrate, without the distraction of a view... odd as that may seem to us!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

I fly more than I travel by train, and I've long become accustomed to seats which don't match the windows. Personally I prefer a train seat with a window but if I was still commuting, I might not bother and I might prefer one up I was travelling on business with documents to read or work on - a table would be more important.

 

One thing I DID find worthwhile, was the power sockets at most seats on the GCR service from Hartlepool to ECML

[luckymucklebackit]

Class 390 at Wick?!!!

 

Me thinks that tweet was not telling the truth!

 

I thought I heard that comment, was there not another report of an EMU at Buxton or Bakewell??

 

Jim

[JohnR]

If you look at every other programme that covers a technical subject top the layman, you will see the presenter is actually an expert in the field, who has had some TV training.

 

Professor Brian Cox is the leading example. But some have mention Dan Snow - he's actually a professional Historian, likewise many of the other History shows - Professor Mary Beard's recent series on the Romans springs to mind.

 

So, if we are to have it again, get someone who knows what they are talking about. Give them some training. Put them in charge. If you want, pair them up with the enthusiast non-expert (but even here I would urge caution over choice - Dara O'Brien on Stargazing live has a degree in Maths and is an amateur astronomer, as is Jon Culshaw).

[Ian J.]

I nominate Jason Schron as a new presenter! But who for the novice to teach?

 

Re non-window seats, I find that I can rest my head to get some sleep more easily against a pillar or wall panel than against a window.

[RJS1977]

Ben Ando might be another option.

[JohnR]

Ben Ando might be another option.

I'd say that would be a VERY good option.

[talisman56]

Class 390 at Wick?!!!

 

Me thinks that tweet was not telling the truth!

 

The look of surprise on the face of the NRM guy when Peter Snow read that out was an image to remember...

 

Why didn't the 'expert' spotter tell Uncle Dick (really impressed with the 'tea-strainer' moustache, there) that at Clapham Junction you either concentrated on one set of platforms at a time, or had a few of you scattered across the platforms and compared notes on the train home afterwards...

[Mallard60022]

Dear Sir or Madam,

With reference to the broadcast at 20.00hrs on the BBC 9 Channel last evening.

Did anyone else notice the state of Mr Strawberry's note book? Damn disgrace Sir. All runkled and with pages crumpled; absolute shambles.

I would also place a bet that he also only had one pen and that is not advisable due to ball damage once dropped and to the shame of British Railways there is rarely a W.H Smiths booth on any Railway Station these days where, for 1/6 he could purchase a replacement BiC with green ink. 

Perhaps the Corporation could encourage him to get a recording device; perhaps a DicktoPhone and do the paperwork at home after a G & T.?

Yours faithfully,

I. Allen
P.S.

I was amused at Snow's quip about Emus and bird spotting; absolutely top hole humour. 

[RJS1977]

I have on one occasion travelled on a train which was briefly delayed by an emu walking down the track....

[MJI]

3rd episode was best.

 

But general comments

 

There are lots of great locos which are not 66s, where were the 47s, the 60s?

 

No mention of the HST repowering, we could have had a mention of Valenta when in the prototype power car.

 

Not enough CSVT sound track, should have shown a clip of the Carlisle loco pulling away.

 

Too many 66s.

 

Kidderminster bit was good, pity the 50s were not running.

 

Worth doing again with more expert presenters

[jonny777]

The look of surprise on the face of the NRM guy when Peter Snow read that out was an image to remember...

 

Why didn't the 'expert' spotter tell Uncle Dick (really impressed with the 'tea-strainer' moustache, there) that at Clapham Junction you either concentrated on one set of platforms at a time, or had a few of you scattered across the platforms and compared notes on the train home afterwards...

 

 

Damn ! 

 

Is that how you do it? Why did someone not tell me that in the 1970s when it was just scribble down as many numbers as possible and use binoculars to see things approaching from the Victoria/Waterloo direction and get the leading units down early?

 

The 4-SUBs  EPBs etc., were a pain because they had numbers in the centre at the front, and I had become so used to looking at the VEPs, CEPs with numbers above the cab window it was difficult to adjust. If a train of four 2-HAPs appeared and didn't stop it was a bit manic.

[CovDriver]

The twitter reports of a 390 EMU at Wick was hilarious I did notice a few other dodgy reports coming in. Overall I think the 3rd night was the best but they could have found someone better than Mr Snow to present the show he an absolute bumbling fool living in the past,how dare he say the class 37 was ugly

[talisman56]

Damn ! 

 

Is that how you do it? Why did someone not tell me that in the 1970s when it was just scribble down as many numbers as possible and use binoculars to see things approaching from the Victoria/Waterloo direction and get the leading units down early?

 

The 4-SUBs  EPBs etc., were a pain because they had numbers in the centre at the front, and I had become so used to looking at the VEPs, CEPs with numbers above the cab window it was difficult to adjust. If a train of four 2-HAPs appeared and didn't stop it was a bit manic.

 

At least it was only 4 digits in those days...

[Pacific231G]

If you look at every other programme that covers a technical subject top the layman, you will see the presenter is actually an expert in the field, who has had some TV training.

 

Professor Brian Cox is the leading example. But some have mention Dan Snow - he's actually a professional Historian, likewise many of the other History shows - Professor Mary Beard's recent series on the Romans springs to mind.

 

So, if we are to have it again, get someone who knows what they are talking about. Give them some training. Put them in charge. If you want, pair them up with the enthusiast non-expert (but even here I would urge caution over choice - Dara O'Brien on Stargazing live has a degree in Maths and is an amateur astronomer, as is Jon Culshaw).

 

Would that it were that easy. To front three hour long live outside broadcasts with multiple outside sources - which can and will go wrong- is a very different proposition from presenting a pre-recorded documentary or even a live programme in a more controlled environment such as a studio.  I'm afraid "some TV training" doesn't really cut it, it takes years of experience to be able to handle it well. Whatever you think of his presenting style, Peter Snow does have that experience from years in news and current affairs - he used to present Newsnight- and is also a railway enthusiast. Last night they obviously lost something from Clapham jct. but Snow was able to carry on as if nothing much had happened.

Presenters who can actually carry off something like this and have an interest in the subject are very thin on the ground. As well as his interest in astronomy, Dara O'Brien is also a very experienced presenter and used to front a live children's programme "Echo Island"  three times a week for RTÉ. 

 

What I can tell you (from years of experience as a live TV director) is that Trainspotting Live was a very complex live operation, probably far more so than Springwatch or Stargazing Live because of the far less predictable elements from other sites. To front a show like that you need a presenter who can cope with sudden changes and things failing and still keep the show on the road. As with any high level craft skill those who are really expert at it, and Peter Snow is, make it look vastly easier than it really is but I've seen several presenters (and producers) who'd only ever worked on pre-recorded programmes falling flat on their faces or even freezing completely when faced with fairly minor glitches in a live programme.

 

How well Trainspotting Live worked as a programme is another matter. Personally I thought it focussed too much on one, perhaps not central, aspect of railway enthusiasm. Just because some railway enthusiasts are number collectors doesn't mean that most of us are train spotters. I also didn't find the mathematical interjections remotely relevant (and I've produced maths programmes for adults) an engneer might have been far more useful.  I think the producers may have fallen into the trap of thinking that because trainspotting is about numbers then it must have something to do with maths; you wouldn't make that mistake with plane spotters collecting letter based registrations. In any case I wouldn't centre a live series about enthusiasm for aviation on plane spotters though I would include them as an element. 

[Torper]

Decent railway stuff starts on the 21st I think it is.

 

I take it you're referring to "Full Steam Ahead".  I'm not at all sure how much decent railway content we're going to get in it.   I look forward to the day when the BBC provides us with a "railway" programme where at least one of the presenters is a genuine expert (and enthusiast) on matters pertaining to railways.  In "Full Steam Ahead" we have three stock BBC presenters, all of whom are no doubt experts in their subjects which appear to be history and archeology (and dressing up in Victorian costumes).  They have also devoted much time to farming in bygone times.  I'm not at all sure how that qualifies any of them to present an accurate programme dealing with railways.  I'm probably being unduly cynical, but I'll watch more in hope than expectation.

 

DT

[Colin_McLeod]

OOOOO-OOO-OO! Its a class 66, ooooh and there's another, and another. What a surprise considering that they are practically the only ******* loco type left on the network!

Well should be thankful then that the railway companies did not number all the sleepers

There's one. There's another. and another.....

[Coryton]

Re non-window seats, I find that I can rest my head to get some sleep more easily against a pillar or wall panel than against a window.

 

And leaning on a wall rather than a window avoids being rudely woken up when another train passes at high speed and the window feels as if it's about to pop out (didn't that happen in the early days of HSTs? Or is that another myth like the frozen chickens?)

 

Although I'll take a window seat any time.