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'Steam Days' on BBC4 (and iPlayer)


Claude_Dreyfus
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I was rather pleased to see that the BBC are doing a rerun of the 1986 series 'Steam Days'. It always seemed to me that with the plethora of railway programs we have, especially recently, this series is particularly good - helped by the wry and intelligent presenting of Miles Kington (who also wrote the series). To me it manages to combine entertainment with a decent enough level of technical information (he observes that Stanier 5MT 44767 was fitted with Stephenson link motion). If you are not aware of the series, it is certainly worth catching.

Edited by Claude_Dreyfus
Oops, loco number typo!
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Only three episodes though, and only available for 29 days so be quick. The FS one was already available.

 

They should be put in the Railway section permanently IMHO.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/group/p01277qd

 

The other two aren't scheduled unfortunately. ISTR the Duchess one was pretty good, can't quite remember the Workhorses one.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_Days

 

 

 

Jason

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1 hour ago, Claude_Dreyfus said:

… (he observes that Stanier 5MT 45767 was fitted with Stephenson link motion) …


I hope he doesn’t!

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On 01/04/2022 at 21:09, Claude_Dreyfus said:

The series I would love to see repeated is the first series of Great Railway Journeys of the World. I have most (missing the US and Europe) on VHS, taped back in the 80s.

 

I liked the narrow gauge series as well.

 

Great Little Railways. Especially the one by Colin Garratt on the sugar beet railway. Proper industrial steam still working in the 1980s.

 

List of episodes here. The only one I've seen repeated in recent years is the Michael Palin trip to Kyle Of Lochalsh which was on BBC Four about five years ago.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Railway_Journeys

 

 

 

Whisper it quietly but I think some might be on YT but probably poor quality video copies.

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I have never had the pleasure of the narrow gauge series. One day, I hope.

 

In terms of the Great Railway Journeys of the World, the UK version is probably my least favourite (although still enjoyable). For me, the most interesting was probably South Africa with Michael Wood, with Miles Kington's Peru a close second.

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@Claude_Dreyfus @Steamport Southport check out these on YouTube:

 

My favourite was always the last episode about Ecuador, the narration really brought it to life:


I was 6 years old at the time these were first broadcast and they’ve stuck with me. 
 

Of the original great railway journeys episodes I also remember the South Africa one with Michael

Wood, mainly for the steam locos and the Australia one for the Zig Zag railway, the Nullabor and the soundtrack by Sky. 

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On 31/03/2022 at 21:46, Steamport Southport said:

can't quite remember the Workhorses one.

 

Barclays at Carnforth, shunting on the SVR and 9F Black Prince (but can't remember where - ESR?) from memory

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On 09/04/2022 at 00:05, Claude_Dreyfus said:

I have never had the pleasure of the narrow gauge series. One day, I hope.

 

In terms of the Great Railway Journeys of the World, the UK version is probably my least favourite (although still enjoyable). For me, the most interesting was probably South Africa with Michael Wood, with Miles Kington's Peru a close second.

 

I totally agree, not that Palin and his episode are bad, far from it, just some really great ones, I'd suggest that probably the most informative is 'The Long Straight' with Michael Frayn, but Miles Kington was phenomenal too, and apparently it was his episode of Great Railway Journey's that ultimately lead to him considering Steam Days.

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