The Railways on Television

[CEB24]

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone could suggest any good rail-focused TV series to watch? Documentaries ideally but other suggestions welcome. So far I've come across two, both a few years old now, and wondered if anyone had any good suggestions?

I have found:

• The Railway: Keeping Britain on Track, 6-episodes [2013]

• Available on YouTube, no longer available on the BBC iPlayer

• Inside King's Cross: The Railway, 4-episodes [2017]

• Available on YouTube and I believe Prime Video

Would love to know what else is out there!

 

[John Webb]

The "Architecture the Railways Built", a series often repeated on 'U&Yesterday', 'U&Eden' and others covers both British and overseas railways.
"Secrets of the London Underground" also to be seen on the above channels.
All the above were made in the past decade or so.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

As well as all the above, "Inside Central Station", produced by/for BBC Scotland, and largely featuring Glasgow Central Station, is certainly worth a watch. Been the four series since 2019, with six episodes in each series. Various episodes available on YouTube.

 

[CEB24]

Thanks @John Webb @Mcr Warrior, I'll look them up! Any other suggestions are welcome

 

[GooseWaffe]

Hiya mate! There's also another program in the series, Paddington 24/7

 

[GooseWaffe]

Nevermind I was getting confused with the Railways 24/7

 

[Robson]

As well as all the above, "Inside Central Station", produced by/for BBC Scotland, and largely featuring Glasgow Central Station, is certainly worth a watch. Been the four series since 2019, with six episodes in each series. Various episodes available on YouTube.

One of the better series, but needs subtitles with some of the strong Scottish accents.

 

[Robson]

'The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard' is quite good. Several episodes are on youtube:

The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard

The series has a youtube spinoff called "Piglet Chats" starring Paul Middleton, the NYMR's Traction and Rolling Stock Manager.

Paul Middleton also stars in two seasons of Ch5's 'The Big Steam Adventure' alongside John Sergeant and Peter Davison.

https://www.nymr.co.uk/news/our-very-own-paul-piglet-middleton-features-in-season-2-of-the-big-steam-adventure

 

[Robson]

Ch4's "Abandoned Railways From Above"

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/abandoned-railways-from-above

 

[Hophead]

The "Architecture the Railways Built", a series often repeated on 'U&Yesterday', 'U&Eden' and others covers both British and overseas railways.
"Secrets of the London Underground" also to be seen on the above channels.
All the above were made in the past decade or so.

All episodes from both of these are available on the U app

 

[hexagon789]

There's Trainspotting from the Discovery Channel, two series were made but over 20 years old now. (2002 and 2004 respectively for the two series).

All but one episode can be found on YouTube for anyone who wants a flashback to the 2000s privatisation era...

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Going back to 1989 saw Railwatch on the BBC. Broadcast every day for a week and included the launch of the Railfreight sector logos. Episode 1 at least is on You Tube

 

[TheTallOne]

I've been watching The Tube (circa 2002) on YouTube (Spark).

Randomly popped up in my suggestions. Crazy how old stuff looks - computers, panels, VHS tape player!

The Tube

Share your videos with friends, family and the world

youtube.com

Spark

Welcome to Spark, the home of science, tech, engineering and more. We will be uploading award-winning documentaries and mind blowing shows every week from the best producers on the planet. Subscribe so you don't miss out. Sign up for History Hit and unlock hundreds of hours of original...

youtube.com

 

[sprinterguy]

Going back to 1989 saw Railwatch on the BBC. Broadcast every day for a week and included the launch of the Railfreight sector logos.

A bit late for that surely, given that the Trainload Freight identities were unveiled at Ripple Lane in October 1987, just after The Great Storm.

 

[generalnerd]

I've been watching The Tube (circa 2002) on YouTube (Spark).

Randomly popped up in my suggestions. Crazy how old stuff looks - computers, panels, VHS tape player!

The Tube

Share your videos with friends, family and the world

youtube.com

Spark

Welcome to Spark, the home of science, tech, engineering and more. We will be uploading award-winning documentaries and mind blowing shows every week from the best producers on the planet. Subscribe so you don't miss out. Sign up for History Hit and unlock hundreds of hours of original...

youtube.com

The tube is great, I can’t recommend is enough. Created some great characters and covered some very historical moments for the tube, for better and worse.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The tube is great, I can’t recommend is enough. Created some great characters and covered some very historical moments for the tube, for better and worse.

I watched it the first time round. It was such a shame it finished.

 

[geoffk]

Of course there are lots of travel/history series with railways or trains in the title, which appeal to non-enthusiast viewers but which have some railway interest. Michael Portillo's many series have no doubt been discussed here (he has a new one showing at the moment), and there's also Griff Rhys Jones (in Australia), Alice Roberts (Ancient Egypt/Ottoman Empire/Ancient Greece by train), Chris Tarrant Extreme Railways, Tony Robinson Around the World by Train and others I've forgotten, such as All Aboard Scotland's Poshest Train with Alan Cumming.

Michael P visited Zweisimmen last night and showed us the gauge changer. Interesting to hear that, apart from changing the gauge, the bogies also adjust the height of the coaches to suit different platform heights on the two gauges.