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Title: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: Chris from Nailsea on June 18, 2009, 20:22:18 From the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8106414.stm):
Quote The first mainline steam engine to be built in Britain for 50 years is to feature in a TV race against a sports car and a motorbike. The ^3m Tornado, built by enthusiasts in Darlington in an 18-year project, made its maiden trip last year. The loco will be shown on BBC's Top Gear programme racing a Jaguar XK120 car and a Vincent Black Shadow motorbike from London to Edinburgh. The race took place on 25 April, and the result will be shown on Sunday. Presenter Jeremy Clarkson mans the Tornado's footplate while James May takes to the wheel of the Jaguar and Richard Hammond sits astride the motorbike. Tornado, which sets off from London's Kings Cross station and stops off at Grantham, York, Newcastle and Berwick during the race, has entered regular service on excursion trains on the Network Rail main line. Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on June 18, 2009, 20:38:03 the pictures of clarkson after the trip are quite amusing
Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: willc on June 29, 2009, 23:50:03 I may have missed it, as I only switched this on part way through, but while the car apparently 'won', in the bits of the programme I saw featuring the 'race', they never actually mentioned that in 1949 the A1 was rather lacking in bypassses and dual carriageway and motorway sections, never mind Tornado being limited to 75mph and having to stop four times for water and topping up the coal at Newcastle.
Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: Not from Brighton on June 30, 2009, 20:50:38 Plus James May didn't have several hundred passengers in the back!
Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: John R on June 30, 2009, 20:54:27 Let's face it. What are the chances of a real race ending in arrivals a couple of minutes apart. It was almost certainly staged, as many TV programmes are, to provide greater entertainment for the viewers. (And it was great entertainment.)
Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: Phil on June 30, 2009, 21:39:19 Surely nobody takes Top Gear seriously? Even the guys involved admit it's purely for entertainment.
It's "Last of the Summer Wine with Cars", basically. Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: Electric train on June 30, 2009, 22:12:05 ....... and its a program about cars ::)
Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: Timmer on July 01, 2009, 06:11:48 Surely nobody takes Top Gear seriously? Even the guys involved admit it's purely for entertainment. And and that bombshell...It's "Last of the Summer Wine with Cars", basically. Yes as Phil says its an entertainment show and if anyone believes all that goes on on Top Gear really happens may need to think again. I think the worst example of 'fixing' events was when Jeremy "accidently" set fire to a caravan whilst cooking chips setting fire to someone elses tent. Wasn't even in the same field as the camp site where that segment of the program was filmed. Having said that I love watching Top Gear just don't take it too seriously. Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: Henry on June 13, 2010, 17:54:27 I notice that this programme is repeated again tonight. Must admit Clarkson is not my favourite TV character, Although I did enjoy this the first time around. Likewise, last weeks trip in Vietnam and their encounters with the rail network. Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: eightf48544 on June 13, 2010, 19:25:40 Also they had a spell of slow running alledgely due to injector problems. However the driver didn't seem too concerned and the fireman didn't seem to be fiddling with to get it restarted which you would be if it was a real injector problem.
As a matter of interest does Tornado have an exhaust injector? Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: John R on June 13, 2010, 19:33:27 Having watched many TG's, it's obvious that they have to make a show of it. So no doubt problems were invented to make it a close race.
Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: vacman on June 13, 2010, 21:40:02 lets face it, in 1940 the train would have pee'd all over the car, it wouldn't have had to stop for water and would be going faster than 75MPH!
Title: Re: 'Steam loco in TV race challenge', from London to Edinburgh Post by: Timmer on June 14, 2010, 07:01:50 Having watched many TG's, it's obvious that they have to make a show of it. So no doubt problems were invented to make it a close race. I'm a big fan of Top Gear but watch the show knowing that all may not be as it appears especially on some of the challenges and races. Whether or not the London to Edinburgh race had some things invented to make it a close race, it made for a good piece of TV especially the camera work showing the train at its best between Newcastle and Edinburgh.This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |