New railway series on BBC2 - Locomotion - Dan Snow's History of railways

[whole diary]

[ray951]

I see there is a new Railway series starting on BBC2 and BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) HD next week.
Locomotion  - Dan Snow's History of railways.
Tuesday 15th January at 21:00
Further details can be found here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01q16wj/broadcasts/upcoming

[swrural]

I'm a bit worried about all this (can't believe it quite).  When do we get the backlash after all this rail enthusiasm?

Or is it just the price of petrol that's doing it?

[trainer]

It makes a change from all the wretched sport we've had to put up with in the last 12 months.  I am making a point of letting the broadcasters know that these programmes are enjoyed, so they have positive feedback when planning future programme ideas.

[CLPGMS]

See http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/news852.htm for more information.

[trainer]

Having watched the first programme, I will indeed be contacting to BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) but sadly with a strong criticism of the shooting style which detracts and distracts from the excellent script.  All the out-of-focus, extreme close-ups and camera wobble frustrated me beyond belief.  Why so many fuzzy shots through grass, trees and ironmongery?  Seems a shame.  I was looking forward to this.  I'd be interested in other forum members' opinions.

[John R]

I thought it was an excellent programme, and presented the subject in an informative, and, unusually for modern broadcasting, not in a dumbed down way. I didn't notice the aspects of the filming you mention at all.

[chuffed]

I agree with John R. I  think we have all become somewhat seduced by the glut of the glamorous Mr Portaloo staying in the best hotels, swanning around Europe and artificially stage managed bits of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom). This programme did what it said on the tin....the unvarnished truth,i.e  'loco motion' or 'mad movement'. The rushed breathess delivery, the suppressed excitement, the dirt, the water, the brilliant contrasts of light and darkness captured the mania of those ground breaking early years perfectly. Dan Snow brought a refreshing dose of realism to the whole subject by getting down and dirty where it really mattered.

[Western Enterprise]

All the out-of-focus, extreme close-ups and camera wobble frustrated me beyond belief.  Why so many fuzzy shots through grass, trees and ironmongery?

I have to say I enjoyed it but there did seem to be quite a bit of jumping around history wise. I don^t recall seeing anything about the first railroads in South Wales nor of the ones in Cornwall, but I could be mistaken. What annoyed me most were the repetitive mini-sequences of steaming pistons and miniature rockets running round in sepia. This was just pure ^filler^ to bulk the programme out.

[Trowres]

Did they say where that tunnel with the cable haulage was?

[paul7575]

I don't think the location was mentioned in the narrative, but it was the 'Victoria Tunnel', that runs for roughly 2 miles NW > SE (Spital Tongues to eastern Quayside) under Newcastle upon Tyne.  It was built because a direct wagonway through the built up area was not practical, even 200 years ago.

Some info here:
http://ouseburntrust.org.uk/index.php?page=victoria-tunnel

and here, with a map at the bottom of the page:
http://newcastlephotos.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/victoria-tunnel.html

Paul

[The Grecian]

I did like the fact that in tonight's episode talk of Mr Peto taking railway technology to the land across the Atlantic featured a view of the Isle of Wight from Old Harry Rocks in Dorset for no apparent reason. The first time I've ever seen the USA compared to the isle across the Solent.

[Rhydgaled]

Is it really the end of the series already? There's so much more to the history of the railways, diesel and electric traction, the (British?) invention of tiliting trains etc.

I thought the shot of Mr Snow standing on top of a moving train was rather silly, obviously he wasn't really on top of one but could it give pepole bad ideas?

[GBM]

Also standing in the middle of a London terminus walkway? with no reflective or hard hat.
Surely 'elf'n's' would 'ave a fit?

[swrural]

More seriously, he was pictured on the Bluebell railway with a train shooting past him by inches, and (of course) well within the boundary fence and with no high viz clothing.

It's more serious as that is exactly what puts fear into the managers of such lines.

[Trowres]

I don't think the location was mentioned in the narrative, but it was the 'Victoria Tunnel', that runs for roughly 2 miles NW > SE (Spital Tongues to eastern Quayside) under Newcastle upon Tyne.  It was built because a direct wagonway through the built up area was not practical, even 200 years ago.
Paul

Belated thanks, Paul. I was way off with my thoughts of the time, the Pwll Du tunnel near Blaenavon in South Wales, which at some time in its life was cable worked. See:
http://www.secret-bottletop.com/Pwll-Du/History.html