Great Western Coffee Shop

Anyone notice that at the start of the first programme, they show a Pacer for outside shots, and a 150 for inside shots! (and for a shot of the guard operating the doors!) ;D ;D

Good BBC accuracy!

... the rather lovely Julia Bradbury ...

In the opening credits, there's a shot of a ticket being passed under a screen, before a hand covers it to take it.

It looks like it's a ticket from Exeter St Davids to Exeter Central, but I can't slow the replay clearly or pause it in the right place to be certain.

Anyone notice that at the start of the first programme, they show a Pacer for outside shots, and a 150 for inside shots! (and for a shot of the guard operating the doors!) ;D ;D

Good BBC accuracy!

How about the appalling waste of licence fee paying for rail fares, when he could have driven/ faredodged! ;D :P

Did you see how many times his ticket was checked in the first couple of episodes? I don't think that would have worked! ;)

a politition trying to promote the railways, and your knocking it?

Yes - but he is...........a Tory !!!

Has btline not yet commented on the inclusion of a clip of the fgw loco hauled set in todays Settle & Carlisle programme?  :o :o

Watch out for 1 min 37s then  ;)

Since when was their a direct line from Blackpool to Morcombe Bay?

he didnt say there was...he said he was making the next leg from blackpool to Morecambe Bay

DOCUMENTARY:  Great British Railway Journeys
Channel: BBC 2 Wales
Date: Monday 3rd January 2011
Time: 18:30 to 19:00 (starting in 14 days)
Duration: 30 minutes.
Brighton to Crystal Palace. Series 2, episode 1.
Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. In a series of five epic
...
 the underground quarries of Godstone, and discovers the wonders of the Crystal Palace in suburban south London.
 (Stereo, New Series, Widescreen, Subtitles, Audio Described)

DRAMA:  Ar y Tracs
Channel: S4C Digital
Date: Saturday 1st January 2011
Time: 21:00 to 22:30 (starting in 13 days)
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Y Tr^n I'r G^m.
It's the weekend of the big game. Wales v England. There's excitement in the air, and the tickets are like gold dust. Soon the trains will be packed full of
...
ers on their way to the Stadium, the Welsh Rail crew trying to keep them all in check. Join Reality, Pandora and the team as they go on another colourful adventure.
 (Stereo)

Week two follows the route of the 'Irish Mail' from Ledbury to Holyhead.

Did anyone set up their recorder to record Thursdays programme 20th January ? Mine is set up record the entire series and missed this one ! Speaking to friends, their recorders missed it too ! Does anyone have any idea what happenend ? ???

Hmmn, about 1:25 into today's episode and a train appears from a tunnel taillights blazing on the wrong road! Methinks someone without much railway knowledge has been in the editting suite making things look prettier!

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

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

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. :o

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 show follows the former Tory MP 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.

As seen on TV: the day Mr Portillo stopped by

A Malvern school will feature in TV series Great British Railway Journeys, hosted by Michael Portillo, on Tuesday, January 17.

The documentary series sees former Conservative politician Mr Portillo travel the length and breadth of the country by train, and Tuesday's episode comes to Great Malvern to examine the legacy of composer Sir Edward Elgar.

The programme will focus on Elgar^s connection with the railway, which he used to attend concerts and music festivals throughout the United Kingdom.

During filming last July, Mr Portillo visited Malvern St James, where he was entertained by Elgar's Chanson de Matin, performed by pupil Tamsin Elsey and music teacher Malcolm Forbes-Peckham. Tamsin and Mr Portillo also discussed the influence of Elgar^s music in her life and her interest in the composer.

Headteacher Patricia Woodhouse said: ^We were delighted that Mr Portillo was able to take in the rich heritage and history of Malvern, as well as experiencing the exceptional musical talents of the girls at Malvern St James. We are very much looking forward to seeing the programme.^

He also visits the home of Queen Victoria^s favourite bishop in Hartlebury, near Worcester, sniffs out the secrets of Worcestershire Sauce, and follows in the footsteps of Victorian health fanatics to the Malvern Hills.

Great British Railway Journeys can be seen on BBC2 at 6.30pm.

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 Iplayer ones.

It should give you the option to download for viewing on Windows Media Player, it's what I do when the stream goes a bit skewwiff.

Is it Bridgnorth or Bridgenorth?

My old favourites also include 'Oakhampton' and Barnstable'.  Perhaps a competition for citing wrongly-spelled GW station names could be started - it's Christmas and I only got one (that's 1 ) of the BNM quiz photos.  >:(   

then showed him sat on an HST on his way to Westbury. Heading west from Hungerford I didn't think you could do that?

The household authority has gone out this evening so ....

There are three westbound HST services per weekday that call at both Hungerford and Westbury.

Watched Miranda this evening. Showed her at Marylebone attempting to get a Chiltern Railways service to... WICK!

Yes - the continuity is interesting, but not really of relevance to 99% of the viewers.

New Year, new series.  His sixth set of programmes starts on Monday 5th January on BBC TWO.

The first week traces a journey from west to east Scotland.

You are, of course, correct.  Still catching up from Christmas on my planner!

What, Christmas has happened?

What, Christmas has happened?

We shared the same dream BB. See reply #124 in this thread.  ;D

Did anyone notice from the episode on the 19th January there was a shot of a train (a 158 I think) approaching Grantham with it's red tail lights on.

Week three of the series (w/c 19th Jan) takes him from Derby to Lindisfarne - via Grantham, birthplace of his former boss Margaret Thatcher.

Much to my surprise, Mr. P. didn't get down on his knees to pay homage to Mrs T whilst in Grantham.  Probably didn't want to spoil his snazzy slacks.

Certainly, he was an ardent fan of the "Iron Lady", and was said by some to have some traits that were more Thatcherite than Thatcher. He coined the phrase "clear blue water", and was tipped for the Tory leadership until unexpectedly losing his seat in the 1997 election. There may indeed have been a bit of quasi-papal dirt kissing, therefore, but off-camera to preserve the BBC's stance of neutrality (during licence fee negotiations at least).

His love of railways can be traced to his early ministerial career, when he claimed to have rescued the Settle and Carlisle route whilst in charge at transport. It is by no means his first foray in the heady world of professional television. In 1961, the star of a Ribena advert was none other than an 8-year-old Michael Portillo Blyth.

TV pays better than politics. It is much easier, and if people don't like what you are doing, you don't have to worry about them voting you out. The bonus of getting to ride around Britain, stay in fine hotels, and eat the best food available locally, then charging the tab to expenses, is common to both professions.

This summer I am working on the seventh series of Great British Railway Journeys, the fourth of Great Continental Railway Journeys and the first of Great American Railroad Journeys, all of which will be shown on BBC 2 between November 2015 and February 2016.

I quite like the pastel coloured jackets.

I'm not averse to them - just can't see me wearing one personally.

I quite like the pastel coloured jackets.

..and week 4 (25th to 29th Jan) Ashford (Kent) to Henley on Thames via Sevenoaks, East Grinstead, Guildford, Woking, Wisley, Brooklands, Walton on Thames, Hampton Court, Teddington and Egham

I believe he will also shown visiting the site of the Battle of Sedgemoor at Weston Zoyland and St. Marys Church in Bridgwater (unless this item has been edited out since recording last summer).

But for one of the Duke of Monmouth's men having an itchy trigger finger the lineage of the monarchy may have been very different. The rebels darn near crept up on the king's troops in the dead of night. Then, as the rebels aporoached Bussex Rhine, one of them let off his musket losing the element of surprise. The rebels were routed in the subsequent battle.

Mr Portillo should have visited the Tudor Tavern in Taunton. Here the Duke of Monmouth held his Privy Council and he was declared the rightful heir before the ill fated battle. Then MP should have visited Taunton Castle. Many of the captured rebels were tried here by Judge Jefferies in what became known as the Bloody Assizes. The lucky ones were transported. Those not so lucky were burned, beheaded; or hanged, drawn and quartered.

Because of the rebellion, and the fact so many of the rebels came from Somerset, no subsequent reigning monarch visited Taunton until QE2 in the early 1980s. Queen Victoria is said to have drawn the blinds whenever she passed through Bridgwater and Taunton by train. Long memories those nobs.

Lorna Do one. 

Love it! Poor old Lorna, always the scapegoat.

Thought you might put Your 'Oare' in.....

A three car 158 is the norm to/from Brighton with GWR.

The evening return can be a very busy service as it fulfills the role of a commuter service on the West Coastway. Somewhat to the detriment of longer distance passengers. I once made the mistake of turning up at Brighton just a few minutes before departure, on a journey to Bristol. I had to stand as far as Chichester.

Subsequent use of the service has been with a seat reservation.

I'll ignore that.  ::)

Having been raised in that part of Somerset, the Battle of Sedgemoor and the wider Monmouth rebellion is something I've read extensively about. A fascinating period of British history.

You didn't.  You 'liked' it.  And so did I.  ;) :D ;D

Not sure what was more :o on tonights episode....Mr P's organ or his hairy legs ! We have to thank Mr William and Sir Rowland Hill for the  unforgettable pairing of sights for sore eyes.
Given the previous clip about the production of the Acme Thunderer, I was surprised he didn't pick up on John Knox's thunderous  comment on the pipe organ as 'a kist o' whistles !' ;D
Think the programme could be summarised as Shrill, Hill, Hill and pill !

Did Mr P call it "Nailsea and Blackwell"?

Did anyone else pick up on the truly dreadful overdubbing of a steam loco sound (the producers chose to use the sound of a steam loco at speed when the pictures showed one slowly pulling away from a station) when MP was visiting the Bluebell railway a couple of days ago?!  ::)

On the steam section, I was paying more attention to the fact there seemed to be two drivers (they referred to the woman as the driver, but rather than a fireman I thought I recognised the second member of staff on the footplate from a programme I watched frequently on video years ago, where he was described as a fully-qualified driver himself).

Some sources have the programme being shown tonight - so, if true, I suspect the former reason.

What happens about fitting in the rest of the episodes remains to be seen.

Just in case you thought your Sky box had missed last night's episode in error, it seems it was dropped at the last minute.  The BBC have not said why or when it will be shown.   Speculation on other forums suggests, as Mr Portillo was visiting a crematorium, it would sit uneasily with the following programme on World Holocaust Day while others said it might be due to him visiting Walton on Thames where Milly Dowler came from and who was in the news yesterday.

Agreed, the dubbing of a different steam engine sound on Tuesday's episode over the original sounded awful and should not have been done IMHO.

Other than that, Great British Railway Journeys is a truly wonderful program brilliantly produced. Long may it continue.

On the steam section, I was paying more attention to the fact there seemed to be two drivers (they referred to the woman as the driver, but rather than a fireman I thought I recognised the second member of staff on the footplate from a programme I watched frequently on video years ago, where he was described as a fully-qualified driver himself).

Hold on a minute - bobm got an ACoRP award, not a knighthood!  :o ::) ;D

Hold on a minute - bobm got an ACoRP award, not a knighthood!  :o ::) ;D

Slightly off topic, but Michael Portillo is appearing at the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon on 17th February 2017.
https://swindontheatres.co.uk/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=4C26A80E-CFC3-4AB2-A2FE-4573829AEB81

It is a Boundless (part of FremantleMedia UK) production for BBC Two and will air Autumn 2017

Shepton Mallet prison tours are run by Jailhouse Tours, who also operate tours at Gloucester and Shrewsbury prisons. I visited Gloucester prison earlier in the year, and found it to be most interesting.

https://www.jailhousetours.com/

Great British Railway Journeys
On: BBC 2 HD (102)   
Date: Tuesday 2nd January 2018
Time: 18:30 to 19:00 (30 minutes long)

Cromer to Cambridge.
Michael Portillo fast tracks to the early 20th century to embark on a new series of railway journeys through Edwardian Britain. His "new" guide book, published over a hundred years ago, unlocks Britain's railways at their zenith, when some 20,000 miles of track reached into every corner of the country. His first journey follows in the footsteps of the new monarch for the new century, King Edward VII, from the grand estates of Norfolk to a bivouac on Brownsea Island. Michael takes a pot shot at the sport of kings at a country estate, where the king dallied with his mistress. He learns the ropes aboard an Edwardian wherry on the Norfolk Broads and joins variety performers to tap dance on Cromer Pier. In Cambridge, he investigates the student days of the young Prince of Wales and the novelist EM Forster.
(Stereo, Widescreen, High Definition, Subtitles, Audio Described, 2010, 4 Star)

Definitely the same seat covers as Truronian and Western Greyhound....

DOCUMENTARY: Great Alaskan Railroad Journeys
On: BBC 2 HD (102)   
Date: Monday 7th January 2019
Time: 18:30 to 19:00 (30 minutes long)

Michael Portillo heads for the Last Frontier of the United States armed with his 1899 Appleton's Guide-Book to Alaska. In Seward, Michael feeds a rescued sea otter pup with a fearsome bite and learns how the luxurious pelts of these endearing creatures were once the most valuable in the world.
(Stereo, Widescreen, High Definition, Subtitles, Audio Described)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=143197

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