Great British Railway Journeys - Michael Portillo's television series

[whole diary]

[inspector_blakey]

Just been catching up on an episode from earlier on last week (the one with Tarbert and Crianlarich in it) and I'm amazed by the number of 6-car 156s apparently running around western Scotland. Can't be all down to the continuity of the aerial shots as there are a couple of occasions when he quite clearly boards or alights from a six-car train.

Is there really demand for that length of train up there, or is it a reflection of portion working where a few trains leave Glasgow coupled together then divide and go their separate ways to Mallaig/Oban etc? My knowledge of workings north of the border is zero, I've never made it up there by train (one day though, the scenery looks fantastic...) And if they don't need all of those units for capacity or portion working, can we have a couple down in FGW^▸ (First Great Western)-land please...

[The Tall Controller]

They join/separate at Crianlarich unless they are running late in which case its a different station!

[laird]

Normal pattern is 6 cars to Crianlarich, then the diagrams either put 4 cars North to Fort William and Mallaig or 4 to Oban. Usually 4 toward Fort William.

The crew workings are even more interesting, the Mallaig/Fort William crew bring the set down to Crianlarich where they are relieved by the crew coming from Oban.
The Oban crew then work all six cars between Crianlarich and Ardlui where they swap with the Glasgow crew on the Northbound working.
Presumably this gives the Fort William crew just about enough break time before they work North from Crianlarich, the trolley does the same.

During the summer season the peak services are operated separately, four cars each then work through to Oban/Mallaig without splitting at Crianlarich.
This gives an effective 2 car set increase over the Glasgow to Crianlarich section and increases the number of services between these points by one.

There is also a commuter service which operates over the Southern section of the line allowing the locals to travel in to Glasgow and then return on the 1812 from Queen Street.

[JayMac]

Series 3 of Michael Portillo's 'Great British Railway Journeys' started this past Monday. The first week focused on journeys in East Anglia and all episodes are still available on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) iPlayer.

As before, each weeks' 5 episodes focus on one area of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), or are linked by one journey (with off shoots). Of interest to Coffee Shop members may be the next two weeks' episodes:

Starting Monday 9th January BBC2 1830, Michael will be making a journey from Windsor to Portland, taking in Didcot, Reading, Winchester, The Isle of Wight, Brockenhurst (hope you don't have problems with the camera crew there Michael  ), Poole and Weymouth/Portland.

Starting Monday 16th January, Michael travels from Oxford to Milford Haven, taking in Pershore, Great Malvern, Lydney, Newport, Cardiff and Brecon.

As with the second series there are 25 episodes in total. As yet, I've not found any information as to content for the journeys in weeks 4 and 5.

[inspector_blakey]

Starting Monday 16th January, Michael travels from Oxford to Milford Haven, taking in Pershore, Great Malvern, Lydney, Newport, Cardiff and Brecon.

I'll have to keep an eye out for that one...made almost exactly that journey many times (except not quite as far as Milford).

[Btline]

He was seen filming at Hartlebury station (near Kidderminster). Will this be a deviation from the Pershore - Malvern route? If so, I'm surprised he's ignored the Severn Valley Railway, Britain's premier steam railway...

BNM: Are you referring to SWT^▸ (South West Trains) "draconian" measures to stop filming, as Brockenhurst must be high on the terror target list. Listen here, you take Brokenhurst out, the whole country will grind to a halt - you never know, a few SWT services might be AXED DUE TO OPERATIONAL CONVENIENCE."

I wish he wouldn't wear that pink shirt/jacket...

[JayMac]

He was seen filming at Hartlebury station (near Kidderminster). Will this be a deviation from the Pershore - Malvern route?

Indeed, Hartlebury is to feature in week 3 from Jan 16th.

[Brucey]

I didn't realise there was a new series.  Thanks for the reminder bignosemac.

Shame it won't let me get this on Series Download as I (ironically) tend to watch these when travelling on the train!

[Btline]

I wonder if he gets off at the station - only served by a parliamentary service, albeit - double that of Melksham.

Shame he's diverting that way without the SVR. Fingers crossed for Series 4!

[devon_metro]

As before, this series is up to the same quality as previous series. Light hearted, enjoyable and showing UK^▸ (United Kingdom) railways in a positive light.

[Btline]

Fenchurch Street desperately needs Phil Sayer...

Also what was Michael thinking walking on the Royal Mail Tube with LIVE rails?!! I'd assume it was a section that was off but was shocked when they boarded that train and SPARKS flew out.

[Rhydgaled]

Brecon? Long way from a railway nowdays that. Is he only doing Milford Haven, or will the Pembroke Dock and Fishguard branches get a look in too?

Iplayer is a right pain for me now. I found out about this new series on Monday evening (having missed Monday's episode) and only managed to watch the Iplayer clip yesterday evening because I had to borrow my brother's computer since mine won't play the audio and video at the same speed. It is fine with most videos, but not BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Iplayer ones.

[Electric train]

Also what was Michael thinking walking on the Royal Mail Tube with LIVE rails?!! I'd assume it was a section that was off but was shocked when they boarded that train and SPARKS flew out.

Mailrail is defunct now there is it would seem only a small section kept working as a museum piece

[BerkshireBugsy]

It case some of you are interested this program, which goes out on weekdays at 630 pm , is covering some of the area around reading and the south coast.

It goes out on bbc2 and hd. I haven't watched today's completely but there were bits from reading and the watercress line. I personally enjoy the programme although in my opinion it will never win any prizes for continuity!

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Bournemouth Echo:

Michael Portillo explores Swanage^s historic steam railway

Political commentator and former defence secretary Michael Portillo lets off steam in Swanage this week.

He will appear on television ^ against the backdrop of Swanage^s historic steam railway ^ as part of the documentary Great British Railway Journeys.

This BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) show follows the former Tory MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) as he takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw^s Victorian Railway Guidebook under his arm, in a continuing quest to uncover what of Bradshaw^s Britain remains and how the railways have shaped the nation^s psyche.

The Swanage episode, to be aired on Friday, was filmed last summer. The first episode of Mr Portillo^s five-part journey from Windsor to Portland was aired on Monday and the show will be shown nightly.

^In 1840 one man transformed travel in Britain,^ said Mr Portillo. ^His name was George Bradshaw and his railway guide inspired the Victorians to take to the tracks. Stop by stop he told them where to travel, what to see and where to stop.^

Swanage Railway commercial manager Martin Payne explained how the opening of the ten-mile branch line from Wareham in 1885, some time after Bradshaw^s guidebook was published, changed Swanage from a quarrying and fishing community into a Victorian and Edwardian seaside resort.

He said: ^Purbeck stone was exported from Swanage by train while Purbeck ball clay was exported by rail from Norden and Furzebrook, north of Corfe Castle, to the Midlands^ potteries.^

Mr Payne added that everyone connected to Swanage Railway was ^delighted^ to help the BBC make a small part of the documentary, now in its third series.

^The episode featuring the Swanage Railway was filmed during the summer and looks fantastic,^ he said.

^Seeing those awesome Medieval ruins of Corfe Castle from our steam train makes a stunning and really striking visual for television.^

The award-winning Swanage Railway operates some 2,800 trains a year, mostly steam hauled. It is run by around 500 volunteers, assisted by more than 30 paid staff.

Friday^s show is scheduled to start at 6.30pm on BBC2.