Abandoned Railways from Above,new C4 series.

[Cymroglan]

I thoroughly enjoyed this! I lived very close to the trackbed for a dozen years or so and have walked much of the route. The programme captured the feel of the line today and chose two interesting people to interview at Midsomer Norton.
My only major niggle is with the Bath section. I found the chap being interviewed rather dull and the whole Bath piece was way too long and actually underground rather than from the air!
My minor niggle is that like almost every book and programme about the S&D, they lost interest by the time the Somerset/Dorset border was reached! Ignoring Templecombe and Bournemouth West was weird….

 

[TheTallOne]

Anyone else getting a bit annoyed by the narrator constantly saying "our" - our line, our train, our this, our that. And the inflection on it too. Arrrrgghhhh.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Anyone else getting a bit annoyed by the narrator constantly saying "our" - our line, our train, our this, our that. And the inflection on it too. Arrrrgghhhh.

Actress reading a set script, presumably?

 

[Ediswan]

Anyone else getting a bit annoyed by the narrator constantly saying "our" - our line, our train, our this, our that.

Didn't notice that.

What irked me was the lurid green grass in the drone shots. That, and the repetition of the full route map animation. By all means show it now and then to cover the current section, but not the whole thing each time.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I thoroughly enjoyed this! I lived very close to the trackbed for a dozen years or so and have walked much of the route. The programme captured the feel of the line today and chose two interesting people to interview at Midsomer Norton.
My only major niggle is with the Bath section. I found the chap being interviewed rather dull and the whole Bath piece was way too long and actually underground rather than from the air!
My minor niggle is that like almost every book and programme about the S&D, they lost interest by the time the Somerset/Dorset border was reached! Ignoring Templecombe and Bournemouth West was weird….

It was arguably about Bath Green Park terminus and then the rest tagged on maybe.

I wonder if someone should do a documentary starting from the Bournemouth end. I suppose there is nothing left to show at that end though ?.

Anyone else getting a bit annoyed by the narrator constantly saying "our" - our line, our train, our this, our that. And the inflection on it too. Arrrrgghhhh.

Yes, it just seemed odd referring to "Our line" in a sort of possessive sense. But it was not a huge detraction.

 

[Mr. SW]

"Midsommer Norton" on the maps.

 

[Sun Chariot]

My minor niggle is that like almost every book and programme about the S&D, they lost interest by the time the Somerset/Dorset border was reached! Ignoring Templecombe and Bournemouth West was weird….

Perhaps the researchers treated Broadstone as the S&DJR boundary, rather than including its trackage rights into the LSWR's Bournemouth West.
Definitely a "miss" re: Templecombe (S&DJR); and I still enjoy Peter Handford's evocative audio, which includes the reversal at Templecombe of selected services in the 1950s & 1960s.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

"Midsommer Norton" on the maps.

Mmmm! One too many m's!


(Pic of correctly spelt modern day 'Midsomer Norton' station name board.)

 

[CaptainHaddock]

I enjoyed the programme as the views from the air offered a new slant which made it far more interesting than the many rail (and former rail) travelogues we've seen in recent years. Even better, with there being no presenter we didn't have to endure one having a go at irrelevant activities such as baking pies, driving a vintage bus or going on a rollercoaster, as in the case of Portillo, Merton, Rob Bell, etc...

The people they interviewed were also well chosen as they all had a relevance to the line and seemed to show a great deal of affection for it. Yes the ad breaks were annoying, even more so when the first few minutes of each segment repeated what they'd already told you just before the break but then modern TV assumes you have the attention span of a gnat so we're all used to being patronised. Nevertheless I look forward to the rest of the series.

 

[Meerkat]

I was getting a bit irritated that the narrator couldn’t pronounce the main station subject on “our line”….
The drone footage was surprisingly undramatic- these shows are usually so they can show off some arty and dramatic drone footage.
I think the fact that Ivo Peters could keep taking photos of the same train, by leapfrogging it in his car, is a big hint as to why the line closed!

 

[StoneRoad]

IP's car was also a fast one ! and it was alleged that he knew the "shortcuts"

I miss the S&D even as it closed when I was a nipper - it was a good route to the south, even if the tunnels south of Bath were somewhat difficult territory.

Hope the series gets out into the internet archives soon ...

 

[Peter Sarf]

I enjoyed the programme as the views from the air offered a new slant which made it far more interesting than the many rail (and former rail) travelogues we've seen in recent years. Even better, with there being no presenter we didn't have to endure one having a go at irrelevant activities such as baking pies, driving a vintage bus or going on a rollercoaster, as in the case of Portillo, Merton, Rob Bell, etc...

The people they interviewed were also well chosen as they all had a relevance to the line and seemed to show a great deal of affection for it. Yes the ad breaks were annoying, even more so when the first few minutes of each segment repeated what they'd already told you just before the break but then modern TV assumes you have the attention span of a gnat so we're all used to being patronised. Nevertheless I look forward to the rest of the series.

I have found this. A programme gets padded out with what they will tell you next when the adverts have finished and then tells you what was already told to you before the adverts started. Worst is when they keep reminding you of the end (sort of punch line) which means I have totally lost track when the piece finishes and the long stint of adverts goes on for ten minutes at the end.

The Yesterday channel seem the worst for this and I do find myself switching the TV off half way through programs as a result !. It actually feels likely that there is not much more than 30 minutes of actual programme in the elapsed hour.

At least this programme was bearable as it was on channel 4.

I was getting a bit irritated that the narrator couldn’t pronounce the main station subject on “our line”….
The drone footage was surprisingly undramatic- these shows are usually so they can show off some arty and dramatic drone footage.
I think the fact that Ivo Peters could keep taking photos of the same train, by leapfrogging it in his car, is a big hint as to why the line closed!

Yes. I felt I wanted more detail from the drone shots.

I had wondered how much faster Ivo Peters was than the train !.

---

I am looking forward to more of these. I just have to remember it is hopefully always after Strictly Come Dancing on Channel4+1 ?.

 

[Spamcan81]

Thank you.

And before the Corfe Mullen cut off was built, S&D trains ran into Wimborne and a reversal was needed if continuing to Bournemouth.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Watched it this morning. Not a remarkable programme ,but not rubbish either. Interesting about the Concorde engine testing in Middle Hill tunnels. Yes the map after the adverts is annoying. Still,not bad for a show aimed at the general public.

 

[Meerkat]

I have found this. A programme gets padded out with what they will tell you next when the adverts have finished and then tells you what was already told to you before the adverts started. Worst is when they keep reminding you of the end (sort of punch line) which means I have totally lost track when the piece finishes and the long stint of adverts goes on for ten minutes at the end.

Don’t watch it live - record it then you can fast forward to the content.

 

[75A]

Don’t watch it live - record it then you can fast forward to the content.

That's what I tend to do.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Don’t watch it live - record it then you can fast forward to the content.

That is what I used to do until the missus decided the set up was tidier if we used YouTube etc. HiFi went as well in favour of a sound bar. I just watch as little telly as I can as a result.

 

[Sun Chariot]

That is what I used to do until the missus decided the set up was tidier if we used YouTube etc. HiFi went as well in favour of a sound bar. I just watch as little telly as I can as a result.

I'll give up many of my vital organs, before I give up my valve pre-amp and 3 way speakers.

Admittedly, they were packed away, until our beautiful fluff-generating German Shepherd passed away last month. I am currently "in negotiations" with my wife - who disagrees with my wanting a dedicated room for 'em...

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So, on to next week. They say Oxford and the route links two university towns, but there is surprisingly little information despite the series is being shown ahead of us in Australia. It will probably be the Varsity line although that could hardly be called abandoned west of Bedford, in fact more like resurrected!

My TV listings magazine is stating that the Oxford-> Cambridge line (the subject of this week's episode) passes by 'Shuttleworth House' so presumably this is the place in Old Warden, Bedfordshire?

N.B. Series 1 Episode 2 airs on Saturday 28th September 2024 on Channel 4 at the slightly different time of 20:00, with the repeat on '4seven' at the same time, but on Thursday 3rd October 2024.

 

[John Webb]

My TV listings magazine is stating that the Oxford-> Cambridge line (the subject of this week's episode) passes by 'Shuttleworth House' so presumably this is the place in Old Warden, Bedfordshire?......

It is indeed, plus the 'Shuttleworth Collection' next door of old aircraft. Both house and collection are worth a visit.
(Although the line in question was some 4miles/7km north from the house. So 'passes by' seems to be a liberal interpretation!)

 

[Ediswan]

(Although the line in question was some 4miles/7km north from the house. So 'passes by' seems to be a liberal interpretation!)

South of Sandy, on the way to Potton, it is more like three miles. Still not exactly on the route.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I'll give up many of my vital organs, before I give up my valve pre-amp and 3 way speakers.

Admittedly, they were packed away, until our beautiful fluff-generating German Shepherd passed away last month. I am currently "in negotiations" with my wife - who disagrees with my wanting a dedicated room for 'em...

You could always offer to convert the kitchen into a man cave.......

 

[Cowley]

Hm.We might be starting to drift off topic a little here…

 

[Sun Chariot]

Hm.We might be starting to drift off topic a little here…

I can drift it back, promise. . I have many Peter Handford audio recordings, including numerous lost lines and lots of lost steam. So, a HiFi room will let me rediscover them all!

 

[quarella]

After watching the programme on the S & D I watched an edition of 'Out of Town' from 1981shown on Talking Pictures TV. The presenter, Jack Hargreaves (How! for those of a certain age) was exploring a disused railway line. While not naming it, the story about the canopy identified Shillingstone station looking rather derelict at that time.

 

[Peter Sarf]

So I watched episode two - Varsity Line. Quite interesting.

Really left me thinking the busway in Cambridge would have to be converted back to a rail line. I am also pretty sure a new route is needed in places to get as far as Bedford.

Niggles :-
The map they keep showing dropped all mention of Bedford by the time we had passed Bletchley !.

No mention at all of HS2 or the Great Central apart from the GC on the map early on.

Interesting they mentioned the Metropolitain railway service that connected at Verney Junction in the middle of nowhere !.

Interesting facts about the old terminus in Oxford (Rewley Road). The station building+train-shed from there was moved to Quanton Road on the Buckingham Railway Centre. I had completely forgotten the Varsity line did not run into the GW station at Oxford !.

Did anyone notice a slightly strange accent from the narrator. Some words seemed miss-pronounced and near the end I started to think AI was narrating it !.

 

[Mr. SW]

Did anyone notice a slightly strange accent from the narrator. Some words seemed miss-pronounced and near the end I started to think AI was narrating it

This lady.

Rhoda Ofori-Attah

Rhoda Ofori-Attah | Actress

Known for: Tulip Fever, You, Shadow and Bone

www.imdb.com

 

[John Webb]

I expected a bit more about the connection with the Midland Main Line at Bedford - there wasn't even clarification, when talking about the old St John's station, that the line from Bletchley had been diverted into the man Bedford station and a new St John's built. There are good photos on the 'Britain from above' site showing how the 'Varsity Line' crossed the original MR line to Hitchin on the level!

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Watched it this morning. Not a remarkable programme ,but not rubbish either. Interesting about the Concorde engine testing in Middle Hill tunnels. Yes the map after the adverts is annoying. Still,not bad for a show aimed at the general public

Agree. Hope you won't mind me pointing out a slight typo: 'Winsor' Hill......last walked that way in '86 at which time the newer and shorter UP line tunnel was open to walk through, but the original/Down line tunnel still had the huge metal doors in place.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Agree. Hope you won't mind me pointing out a slight typo: 'Winsor' Hill......last walked that way in '86 at which time the newer and shorter UP line tunnel was open to walk through, but the original/Down line tunnel still had the huge metal doors in place.

Correction noted. A colleague at work visited the tunnels and noted at the time that the concrete mountings for the engines were still visible.