Trainspotting Live - three part documentary on BBC4, 11 - 13 July 2016

[whole diary]

[Rhydgaled]

Very amateurish. For example I think they were talking about the class 43 named "Squadron Leader Harold Starr" and showed a clip of an IC125 pulling into a platform, which presumably was supposed to be that locomotive, but I don't think it was. The clip ran on for a while, so I thought "maybe it is the rear power car", but before the rear power car was visible they cut to a green set (43005 if I recall correctly).

Also, was it me or did somebody say they had spotted a class 155 at Swindon? If so, was there really one (and if so why) or was it a slip of the tounge, or a novice trainspotter mistaking a pair of 153s for a 155?

[BerkshireBugsy]

Very amateurish. For example I think they were talking about the class 43 named "Squadron Leader Harold Starr" and showed a clip of an IC125 pulling into a platform, which presumably was supposed to be that locomotive, but I don't think it was. The clip ran on for a while, so I thought "maybe it is the rear power car", but before the rear power car was visible they cut to a green set (43005 if I recall correctly).

Also, was it me or did somebody say they had spotted a class 155 at Swindon? If so, was there really one (and if so why) or was it a slip of the tounge, or a novice trainspotter mistaking a pair of 153s for a 155?

I thought, but may well be wrong, they were talking about class 150s at Swindon but can't sure.

[Rob on the hill]

Full marks to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) for ensuring the diagram of 43002 "Sir Kenneth Grange" meant a timely appearance at Swindon platform 3. 

[TonyK]

Full marks to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) for ensuring the diagram of 43002 "Sir Kenneth Grange" meant a timely appearance at Swindon platform 3. 

I did like that - a fitting tribute!

[Western Enterprise]

Also, was it me or did somebody say they had spotted a class 155 at Swindon? If so, was there really one (and if so why) or was it a slip of the tounge, or a novice trainspotter mistaking a pair of 153s for a 155?

I thought, but may well be wrong, they were talking about class 150s at Swindon but can't sure.

Pulling into Maidenhead last night on the Bourne End train, there was a SouthWest trains' DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) which had stopped just short of the platform on the down relief (I don't know what class it was). 
It had a headboard of sorts but I thought this was very out-of place.
I wonder if this was designed to go through Swindon when this programme aired ?

[paul7575]

Pulling into Maidenhead last night on the Bourne End train, there was a SouthWest trains' DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) which had stopped just short of the platform on the down relief (I don't know what class it was). 

It seems to have been a move from Wolverton works to Salisbury depot via WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line), Willesden, Acton Mainline, Reading and Westbury - shows passing Maidenhead at 1915:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K91054/2016/07/12/advanced

Reported elsewhere as 158890.     Was the headboard a sort of rectangular light blue thing? If so it would mean the move was undertaken by "Rail Operations Group".

Paul

[Western Enterprise]

That's the one!
I was almost expecting "The Devonian" .

Back on topic, perhaps if they had routed it via Swindon,  Dick Strawbridge may have been lost for words !
(that is a beard and a half!)

[eightf48544]

I noticed they seemed very uninformed about when trains should turn up at various places and seemed at a loss as to know why, almost as if it were at random.  

Surely someone on the production team would be running 'realtime' or 'ontime' trains to ascertain what train, when, where etc. For instance they seemed very surprised when a couple of Down HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)   rounded the East curve at Didcot. Possibly the  the  18:50 Padd - Oxford and 19:21 Padd - Oxford although as HSTs are pretty regular on the route they could ahve been fimed earlier and slotted in.

Also in the first programme when they were hunting 66s they had a train of 6 Brand New ones surely someone must have known that would be worth talking about from where to where why etc.

Slight slip of tongue when describing allegedly Tuesday's Jacobite loco as a Black 5 when it was the K1.

Although it's a good job they weren't filming on the Southern as any train would be a surprise!

[chuffed]

Can't hear a word the dynamic dick says with his demonic delivery and diction. I need subtitles. I wonder how he finds a way to feed himself through the  fantastical follicle forest.

[bobm]

Not sure which is worse. Trainspotting live pronouncing EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) as though they were flightless birds or putting AM/PM after 24 hour times on photo captions.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Pedant. 

[TonyK]

They are addressing the Great British Public, some of whom own clocks that only go up to 12.

[chrisr_75]

They are addressing the Great British Public, some of whom own clocks that only go up to 12.

Nonetheless, if you say 23:45, it is completely superfluous to add PM to it. Much in the same way as stating prices in the format £1.99p or the dreaded grocers apostrophes! Don't try to spoil the fun for us pedants!   

I did catch the programme on Tuesday and found it mostly mildy irritating. Nothing like the glory days of Railwatch (day 1 https://youtu.be/CXv-wy1oft8) or the series called Trainspotting which aired on satellite tv in 2002 (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_6x5VDPSQYpr-WprXa3OEI5fPUNo_PK5

[Rob on the hill]

Don't you mean Grocers apostrophe's? 

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

I watched the start of Trainspotting Live on Monday.  This show, together with Peter Snow’s presentation style, was clearly aimed at people (or the children of people) who watch The One Show.

I turned off after 30 minutes and cancelled the planned recordings.