Paul Merton's Secret Stations

[whole diary]

[patch38]

Channel 4, Sunday 1 May

http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/d5hyns/paul-mertons-secret-stations--series-1-episode-1

The comedian is in his element pootling around railways with a flat cap and a boyish grin. The secret stations are Britain^s 152 request stops, beginning with Attadale on the shore of Loch Carron in the Scottish Highlands. After learning that a Victorian opium dealer turned MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) had it built to serve his 30,000-acre estate, Merton attempts to artificially inseminate a wild salmon, which proves fertile ground for gags but less so for the poor fish.

His second stop is less enticing: Drigg on the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line, a low-level repository for the nearby nuclear power station where the grassy fields are actually a graveyard for radioactive waste. There^s also a trip to Ferryside in west Wales, where Merton pulls some levers at one of the few remaining manually operated signal boxes, and comes over all nostalgic.

Summary

The comedian takes a tour of Britain's 152 request stop railway stations to find out why they are there, who uses them, and the history of the area, with the aid of experts and enthusiasts. Paul begins his journey in the Scottish Highlands, stopping at Attadale to visit Lochcaroon and a local salmon farm. He then takes a trip on the Cumbrian Coast Line, getting off at Drigg and Silecroft, where he meets a group of fell runners. Finally, he visits Ferryside in Pembrokeshire and St Keyne Wishing Well Halt in Cornwall.

[JayMac]

Channel 4, Sunday 1 May

http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/d5hyns/paul-mertons-secret-stations--series-1-episode-1

The comedian is in his element pootling around railways with a flat cap and a boyish grin.

De riguer. 

[chuffed]

Does that mean BNM that you go around with a mannish scowl or is that reserved for gateline staffers at Paddington ?!

[grahame]

Looking ahead to episode 2:

The comedian's tour of Britain's request stop railway stations takes him to Pontarddulais, a Welsh town famous for weddings, where he helps a bride to choose a dress and sings with the local male voice choir. He also gets off the train at Beasdale in the Scottish Highlands, near a famous training site for spies during the Second World War, and discovers why there is a request stop in the middle of Bristol.

I'm scratching my head on "middle of Bristol".  St. Andrew's Road, by any chance, or is there a staff platform somewhere?

[JayMac]

St Andrew's Road isn't a request stop. Neither is the other possible candidate, Pilning.

I've no idea what station the quote is referring to.

[patch38]

With all the usual provisos about accuracy  here's a Wikipedia list of request stops. They seem to make it 144 but Merton's programme bumf says 152...?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Railway_request_stops_in_Great_Britain

This suggests that St. Andrew's Road is a request stop but something tells me 'BNM knows best' 

[IndustryInsider]

With all the usual provisos about accuracy  here's a Wikipedia list of request stops. They seem to make it 144 but Merton's programme bumf says 152...?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Railway_request_stops_in_Great_Britain

Accuracy not great.  Finstock is listed, but (correctly) Combe, Ascott and Shipton are not.  All used to be request stops many years ago on the halts train, but now none of them are - most probably because there's nearly always at least one passenger for the few trains a day that call.

[Bmblbzzz]

Does St Andrew's Road operate as a request stop for certain services? Avoncliff is listed and Freshford used to be a request stop quite a few years ago.

[grahame]

Does St Andrew's Road operate as a request stop for certain services? Avoncliff is listed and Freshford used to be a request stop quite a few years ago.

Avoncliff is no longer a request stop ... but Dilton Marsh (unlisted) is.   Dilton Marsh is just about it the Bristol Travel to Work area, and if you're standing at Bristol Temple Meads listening for announcements, you'll hear "passenger wishing to alight must inform the conductor on the train".   There are 3 other stations you'll hear that for at Bristol Temple Meads too.

[JayMac]

Does St Andrew's Road operate as a request stop for certain services?

All timetabled services now stop.

[brizzlechris]

The Channel 4 press information for the show gives the details if you want the answer...

http://www.channel4.com/info/press/programme-information/paul-mertons-secret-stations

[JayMac]

Well... if it was filmed before December 2014 then, yes, St Andrew's Road was a request stop. Not since then though.

[LiskeardRich]

St keyne I expect he will visit the music museum. I remember going with my Grandad as a child.

[bobm]

Wonderful irony here.  Mentioned this programme to bignosemac last week and then totally forgot about it.  Now set to record!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Mentioned this programme to bignosemac last week and then totally forgot about it.

It's your age, old boy.