Great Railway Journeys Michael Palin.

[Lost property]

As seen last night, unexpectedly, from c 1980.

An interesting trip from Euston to the Kyle of Lochalsh, but with some fascinating clips....an almost empty Euston, the HST driver.... with pipe firmly clenched in his mouth, and, "The Manchester Pullman "...which brought back memories, not that I ever travelled on it.

And a guards van...full of just about everything that could be carried.

Bit of nostalgic viewing really.

 

[AJM580]

A great program, the scene at the beginning when his wife and children are waving him off is all the more poignant given the recent news that MP's wife passed away.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Believe the programme in question, entitled "Confessions of a Trainspotter", was originally part of the "Great Railway Journeys of the World" series and was first broadcast by the BBC in November 1980.

As the presenter (Michael Palin) was born in 1943, and so is now aged 80, that, for him, and indeed most of us, is more than half a lifetime ago.

P.S. When did the 'Manchester Pullman' last run, using the carriage stock shown in the programme?

 

[hexagon789]

P.S. When did the 'Manchester Pullman' last run, using the carriage stock shown in the programme?

The original Mk2 vehicles were withdrawn from the Manchester Pullman service in about 1983 IIRC. 7 vehicles had already been withdrawn and stored in 1975 when the Liverpool Pullman service was withdrawn and the diagram was taken over (but not worked as a Pullman service) by the then new Mk3A stock.

In 1985, the Manchester Pullman (among others - the Liverpool service, as the Merseyside Pullman, was reintroduced and a new service to Blackpool, as the Lancashire Pullman, was also introduced) was relaunched using the then new Mk3B stock.

The 12 ex-MP Mk2s which did not have Asbestos insulation were refurbished, fitted with air-brakes, painted into IC livery and went into the charter pool in 1985.

Believe the programme in question, entitled "Confessions of a Trainspotter", was originally part of the "Great Railway Journeys of the World" series

The original 1980 series, yes.

There was a second run of the programme in the latter 1990s and Michael Palin did another journey for that series, this time following his Irish routes from Derry to Kerry in Northern and Southern Ireland.

I believe Palin was the only person to feature in both the original and the second run of the programme.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I too caught this last night, quite by accident leading to a swift pushing of the green button. What followed was an hour of quite delightful nostalgia. Mind you I had forgotten that Palin turned down (allegedly) some Deltic haulage north from York in favour of a trip to the NYMR! For those that missed it the programme is on the BBC iPlayer for 30 days as is the whole of the second series alluded to upthread. Also available there is a 1 hour report on the Rainhill 150 event which I haven't seen before and will have to fit in this weekend.

In passing it's worth noting that the 1980 series of Great Railway Journeys of the World was very much the precursor to so many travelogue shows that followed, not always including train travel, such as Palin's own various adventures (Around the World in 80 Days, Pole to Pole, Sahara, Himalaya) as well as efforts by Chris Tarrant, Joanna Lumley, Tony Robinson and of course the ever popular perambulations of Michael "I saved the S&C" Portillo. It's perhaps a pity that only the Palin trip of that original series has been made available (there were 8 episodes in total) but it was perhaps the most memorable by being more relatable to a UK audience and it's also full of the various characteristics that made all of Palin's programmes so watchable. Confessions of a Trainspotter is well worth an hour of your time.

 

[hexagon789]

I too caught this last night, quite by accident leading to a swift pushing of the green button. What followed was an hour of quite delightful nostalgia. Mind you I had forgotten that Palin turned down (allegedly) some Deltic haulage north from York in favour of a trip to the NYMR! For those that missed it the programme is on the BBC iPlayer for 30 days as is the whole of the second series alluded to upthread. Also available there is a 1 hour report on the Rainhill 150 event which I haven't seen before and will have to fit in this weekend.

In passing it's worth noting that the 1980 series of Great Railway Journeys of the World was very much the precursor to so many travelogue shows that followed, not always including train travel, such as Palin's own various adventures (Around the World in 80 Days, Pole to Pole, Sahara, Himalaya) as well as efforts by Chris Tarrant, Joanna Lumley, Tony Robinson and of course the ever popular perambulations of Michael "I saved the S&C" Portillo. It's perhaps a pity that only the Palin trip of that original series has been made available (there were 8 episodes in total) but it was perhaps the most memorable by being more relatable to a UK audience and it's also full of the various characteristics that made all of Palin's programmes so watchable. Confessions of a Trainspotter is well worth an hour of your time.

I believe the Confessions of a Trainspotter episode is permanently available on the BBC Archive, which can be accessed via the iPlayer.

The other series/episodes have been occasionally shown on Yesterday.

 

[Royston Vasey]

It is a wonderful series and I probably watch Confessions of a Trainspotter at least once a month! Coast to Coast with Ludovic Kennedy (New York to LA) and The Long Straight with Michael Frayn (Sydney to Perth) are also wonderful visually and with fabulous soundtracks (based on Copland's Appalachian Spring and Sky's prog rock album "Sky 2" respectively)

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I believe the Confessions of a Trainspotter episode is permanently available on the BBC Archive, which can be accessed via the iPlayer.

The other series/episodes have been occasionally shown on Yesterday.

I must confess I have never explored the Archive. Thanks for the tip.

 

[hexagon789]

I must confess I have never explored the Archive. Thanks for the tip.

Have a good look through it, there are several other railway (and indeed transport) programmes on there as well.

Plus of course, various other programmes.

 

[Mollington St]

Some 1970s and 80s Timetables and Guides to help plan those trips and journeys . I do especially like the Germany and USSR joint issue .

These are all duplicates , that i have started to scan and list on my site - www.transport past times

Hope they trigger some more stories , as i find more i will keep on scanning for here if people are interested

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Believe the programme in question, entitled "Confessions of a Trainspotter", was originally part of the "Great Railway Journeys of the World" series and was first broadcast by the BBC in November 1980.

There was also a book entitled "Great Railway Journeys of the World", although it's long out of print. I've got a copy - bought from the bookstall run by the South Wales Branch of the RCTS at their meetings - and it's quite good.

The book covers the first series as listed below by Baxenden Bank.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

The main seven episodes of the first series of 'Great Railway Journeys' are available on YouTube in various locations. The missing episode is the first one which is an introduction to the series rather than a journey in itself.

Presenter	Country	Youtube location	Journey	Notes
Ludovic Kennedy	none		none	introductory programme with extracts from series
Ludovic Kennedy	United States	lovealltrains	Coast to Coast: New York to Los Angeles	Ludovic Kennedy crosses the United States via Amtrak in 1980 along some of the most famous vintage railroad routes (the Broadway Limited, California Zephyr, and Coast Daylight) in this terrific BBC production. Highlights also include visiting old Dearborn Station in Chicago, the annual Golden Spike ceremony, and the California State Railway Museum in Sacramento.
Michael Frayn	Australia	dennis marks archive	The Long Straight: Sydney to Perth
Brian B Thompson	India	antiquaria	Deccan: Bombay to Cochin
Michael Palin	United Kingdom	DVD*	Confessions of a Train-spotter: London to Kyle of Lochalsh
Michael Wood	South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe	shimon d-i	Zambezi Express: Cape Town to Victoria Falls	Cape Town, Blue Train, De Aar - Kimberley - Mafeking - Frances Town - Bulawayo - Thomson Junction - Wankee - Matetsi - Victoria Falls
Miles Kington	Peru, Bolivia	lovealltrains	Three Miles High: Lima to La Paz	Lima – Huancayo (diesel) – Huancavelica (steam). Then Machu Pichu – Cuzco (diesel) - Juliaca (steam) - Guaqui (steamer Ellanto) - Viacha (autoferro) - Le Paz abandoned due to coup
Eric Robson	France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary	antiquaria	Changing Trains: Paris to Budapest	16 trains in 5 days

Some of the second series is also available:

Presenter	Country	Youtube location	Journey	Notes
Clive Anderson	Hong Kong, China, Mongolia	cofiant	Hong Kong to Ulaanbaatar	Hong Kong - Beijing - Ulaanbaatar
Rian Malan	South Africa		Cape Town to the Lost City
Natalia Makarova	Russia, Uzbekistan	tony begbie	St Petersburg to Tashkent
Michael Palin	United Kingdom, Ireland	DVD*	Derry to Kerry
Lisa St Aubin de Teran	Brazil, Bolivia	cofiant	Santos to Santa Cruz	Santos – San Paulo – Campinas – Americana – Cordeiropolis – Bauru – Campo Grande – Miranda – Corumba - Puerto Quijarro – Robore – San Jose – Santa Cruz
Mark Tully	Pakistan	pakistanrailbuff (in parts and 2-6 only)	Karachi to the Khyber Pass	Karachi - Rohri - Bolan railway to Quetta (side trip) - Lahore - Rawalpindi - Peshawar - Landi Kotal (Khyber Pass summit)

DVD means that I have it on a commerically produced DVD so haven't searched online.
I've not located any of the third and fourth series.

Series 3:

Victoria Wood	United Kingdom		Crewe to Crewe
Alexei Sayle	Syria, Jordan		Aleppo to Aqaba
Henry Louis Gates Jr	Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania		Great Zimbabwe to Kilimatinde
Buck Henry	Argentina		The High Andes to Patagonia
Benedict Allen	Kenya, Uganda		Mombasa to the Mountains of the Moon
Ben Okri	United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Itay, Greece	London to Arcadia
Chris Bonnington	Canada		Halifax to Porteau Cove

Series 4:

Ian Hislop	India		India East to West
Michael Portillo	Spain		Granada to Salamanca
Fergal Keane	Japan		Tokyo to Kagoshima
Rick Stein	Mexico		Los Mochis to Veracruz
Nick Hancock	Cuba		Guantanamo to Pinar del Rio
Danny Glover	Senegal, Mali		St Louis to Dogon Country
Stephen Tompkinson	Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand		Singapore to Bangkok

All of which were preceded by 'Great Little Railways'

Simon Hoggart	United States - Alaska / Canada - Yukon	Vintage Lynx	The Gold Rush Line: White Pass & Yukon Railway	Steam hauled from Skagway to Bennett, diesel hauled through to Whitehorse
Brian Blessed	Poland	Vintage Lynx	The Other Poland	Two narrow gauge lines: Nasielsk to Putrusk, Cisna to Komancza
Michael Wood	Greece	Vintage Lynx	Slow Train to Olympia	Athens to Olympia
Colin Garratt	Philippines	Vintage Lynx	The Dragons of Sugar Island	Industrial railways of Negros Island
John Shrapnel	India	Vintage Lynx	Line of Dreams	Jodhpur to Jaipur
Ray Gosling	Portugal	favenchi	Journey to the Land Beyond the Mountains:	Oporto to Douro Valley and close to Spanish border, including Corgo branch
Stanley Reynolds	Ecuador	alexis favenchi / openmystic	The Good and The Quick	Guayaquil to Quito. Steam to Riobamba, Autoferro to Quito

 

[Mollington St]

Here is a few more from the mid 1980s , very varied images used to portray each Countries Railways

All duplicates along with any more I come across at - www. Transport Past Times

I am sure i have a box of them from the 1960s so will try and dig that out at some point.

PS - Please do not forget the Railway Collectors Fair at Crewe on June 24th , every bit of support will being helping the Railway Children Charity

 

[Royston Vasey]

P

The main seven episodes of the first series of 'Great Railway Journeys' are available on YouTube in various locations. The missing episode is the first one which is an introduction to the series rather than a journey in itself.

Presenter	Country	Youtube location	Journey	Notes
Ludovic Kennedy	none		none	introductory programme with extracts from series
Ludovic Kennedy	United States	lovealltrains	Coast to Coast: New York to Los Angeles	Ludovic Kennedy crosses the United States via Amtrak in 1980 along some of the most famous vintage railroad routes (the Broadway Limited, California Zephyr, and Coast Daylight) in this terrific BBC production. Highlights also include visiting old Dearborn Station in Chicago, the annual Golden Spike ceremony, and the California State Railway Museum in Sacramento.
Michael Frayn	Australia	dennis marks archive	The Long Straight: Sydney to Perth
Brian B Thompson	India	antiquaria	Deccan: Bombay to Cochin
Michael Palin	United Kingdom	DVD*	Confessions of a Train-spotter: London to Kyle of Lochalsh
Michael Wood	South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe	shimon d-i	Zambezi Express: Cape Town to Victoria Falls	Cape Town, Blue Train, De Aar - Kimberley - Mafeking - Frances Town - Bulawayo - Thomson Junction - Wankee - Matetsi - Victoria Falls
Miles Kington	Peru, Bolivia	lovealltrains	Three Miles High: Lima to La Paz	Lima – Huancayo (diesel) – Huancavelica (steam). Then Machu Pichu – Cuzco (diesel) - Juliaca (steam) - Guaqui (steamer Ellanto) - Viacha (autoferro) - Le Paz abandoned due to coup
Eric Robson	France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary	antiquaria	Changing Trains: Paris to Budapest	16 trains in 5 days

Some of the second series is also available:

Presenter	Country	Youtube location	Journey	Notes
Clive Anderson	Hong Kong, China, Mongolia	cofiant	Hong Kong to Ulaanbaatar	Hong Kong - Beijing - Ulaanbaatar
Rian Malan	South Africa		Cape Town to the Lost City
Natalia Makarova	Russia, Uzbekistan	tony begbie	St Petersburg to Tashkent
Michael Palin	United Kingdom, Ireland	DVD*	Derry to Kerry
Lisa St Aubin de Teran	Brazil, Bolivia	cofiant	Santos to Santa Cruz	Santos – San Paulo – Campinas – Americana – Cordeiropolis – Bauru – Campo Grande – Miranda – Corumba - Puerto Quijarro – Robore – San Jose – Santa Cruz
Mark Tully	Pakistan	pakistanrailbuff (in parts and 2-6 only)	Karachi to the Khyber Pass	Karachi - Rohri - Bolan railway to Quetta (side trip) - Lahore - Rawalpindi - Peshawar - Landi Kotal (Khyber Pass summit)

DVD means that I have it on a commerically produced DVD so haven't searched online.
I've not located any of the third and fourth series.

Series 3:

Victoria Wood	United Kingdom		Crewe to Crewe
Alexei Sayle	Syria, Jordan		Aleppo to Aqaba
Henry Louis Gates Jr	Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania		Great Zimbabwe to Kilimatinde
Buck Henry	Argentina		The High Andes to Patagonia
Benedict Allen	Kenya, Uganda		Mombasa to the Mountains of the Moon
Ben Okri	United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Itay, Greece	London to Arcadia
Chris Bonnington	Canada		Halifax to Porteau Cove

Series 4:

Ian Hislop	India		India East to West
Michael Portillo	Spain		Granada to Salamanca
Fergal Keane	Japan		Tokyo to Kagoshima
Rick Stein	Mexico		Los Mochis to Veracruz
Nick Hancock	Cuba		Guantanamo to Pinar del Rio
Danny Glover	Senegal, Mali		St Louis to Dogon Country
Stephen Tompkinson	Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand		Singapore to Bangkok

All of which were preceded by 'Great Little Railways'

Simon Hoggart	United States - Alaska / Canada - Yukon	Vintage Lynx	The Gold Rush Line: White Pass & Yukon Railway	Steam hauled from Skagway to Bennett, diesel hauled through to Whitehorse
Brian Blessed	Poland	Vintage Lynx	The Other Poland	Two narrow gauge lines: Nasielsk to Putrusk, Cisna to Komancza
Michael Wood	Greece	Vintage Lynx	Slow Train to Olympia	Athens to Olympia
Colin Garratt	Philippines	Vintage Lynx	The Dragons of Sugar Island	Industrial railways of Negros Island
John Shrapnel	India	Vintage Lynx	Line of Dreams	Jodhpur to Jaipur
Ray Gosling	Portugal	favenchi	Journey to the Land Beyond the Mountains:	Oporto to Douro Valley and close to Spanish border, including Corgo branch
Stanley Reynolds	Ecuador	alexis favenchi / openmystic	The Good and The Quick	Guayaquil to Quito. Steam to Riobamba, Autoferro to Quito

Excellent resource, thank you!

Palin's Derry to Kerry is also on YouTube.

Eric Robson only presented the Changing Trains episode - mostly narration apart from one opening section filmed at Victoria in the rain - after Bill Grundy, who had actually undertaken the trip itself, had "fallen down the neck of a whisky bottle in Zurich" (in the words of Eric Robson) and the footage was repurposed without him!

 

[G42]

The main seven episodes of the first series of 'Great Railway Journeys' are available on YouTube in various locations. The missing episode is the first one which is an introduction to the series rather than a journey in itself.

Presenter	Country	Youtube location	Journey	Notes
Ludovic Kennedy	none		none	introductory programme with extracts from series
Ludovic Kennedy	United States	lovealltrains	Coast to Coast: New York to Los Angeles	Ludovic Kennedy crosses the United States via Amtrak in 1980 along some of the most famous vintage railroad routes (the Broadway Limited, California Zephyr, and Coast Daylight) in this terrific BBC production. Highlights also include visiting old Dearborn Station in Chicago, the annual Golden Spike ceremony, and the California State Railway Museum in Sacramento.
Michael Frayn	Australia	dennis marks archive	The Long Straight: Sydney to Perth
Brian B Thompson	India	antiquaria	Deccan: Bombay to Cochin
Michael Palin	United Kingdom	DVD*	Confessions of a Train-spotter: London to Kyle of Lochalsh
Michael Wood	South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe	shimon d-i	Zambezi Express: Cape Town to Victoria Falls	Cape Town, Blue Train, De Aar - Kimberley - Mafeking - Frances Town - Bulawayo - Thomson Junction - Wankee - Matetsi - Victoria Falls
Miles Kington	Peru, Bolivia	lovealltrains	Three Miles High: Lima to La Paz	Lima – Huancayo (diesel) – Huancavelica (steam). Then Machu Pichu – Cuzco (diesel) - Juliaca (steam) - Guaqui (steamer Ellanto) - Viacha (autoferro) - Le Paz abandoned due to coup
Eric Robson	France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary	antiquaria	Changing Trains: Paris to Budapest	16 trains in 5 days

Some of the second series is also available:

Presenter	Country	Youtube location	Journey	Notes
Clive Anderson	Hong Kong, China, Mongolia	cofiant	Hong Kong to Ulaanbaatar	Hong Kong - Beijing - Ulaanbaatar
Rian Malan	South Africa		Cape Town to the Lost City
Natalia Makarova	Russia, Uzbekistan	tony begbie	St Petersburg to Tashkent
Michael Palin	United Kingdom, Ireland	DVD*	Derry to Kerry
Lisa St Aubin de Teran	Brazil, Bolivia	cofiant	Santos to Santa Cruz	Santos – San Paulo – Campinas – Americana – Cordeiropolis – Bauru – Campo Grande – Miranda – Corumba - Puerto Quijarro – Robore – San Jose – Santa Cruz
Mark Tully	Pakistan	pakistanrailbuff (in parts and 2-6 only)	Karachi to the Khyber Pass	Karachi - Rohri - Bolan railway to Quetta (side trip) - Lahore - Rawalpindi - Peshawar - Landi Kotal (Khyber Pass summit)

DVD means that I have it on a commerically produced DVD so haven't searched online.
I've not located any of the third and fourth series.

Series 3:

Victoria Wood	United Kingdom		Crewe to Crewe
Alexei Sayle	Syria, Jordan		Aleppo to Aqaba
Henry Louis Gates Jr	Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania		Great Zimbabwe to Kilimatinde
Buck Henry	Argentina		The High Andes to Patagonia
Benedict Allen	Kenya, Uganda		Mombasa to the Mountains of the Moon
Ben Okri	United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Itay, Greece	London to Arcadia
Chris Bonnington	Canada		Halifax to Porteau Cove

Series 4:

Ian Hislop	India		India East to West
Michael Portillo	Spain		Granada to Salamanca
Fergal Keane	Japan		Tokyo to Kagoshima
Rick Stein	Mexico		Los Mochis to Veracruz
Nick Hancock	Cuba		Guantanamo to Pinar del Rio
Danny Glover	Senegal, Mali		St Louis to Dogon Country
Stephen Tompkinson	Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand		Singapore to Bangkok

All of which were preceded by 'Great Little Railways'

Simon Hoggart	United States - Alaska / Canada - Yukon	Vintage Lynx	The Gold Rush Line: White Pass & Yukon Railway	Steam hauled from Skagway to Bennett, diesel hauled through to Whitehorse
Brian Blessed	Poland	Vintage Lynx	The Other Poland	Two narrow gauge lines: Nasielsk to Putrusk, Cisna to Komancza
Michael Wood	Greece	Vintage Lynx	Slow Train to Olympia	Athens to Olympia
Colin Garratt	Philippines	Vintage Lynx	The Dragons of Sugar Island	Industrial railways of Negros Island
John Shrapnel	India	Vintage Lynx	Line of Dreams	Jodhpur to Jaipur
Ray Gosling	Portugal	favenchi	Journey to the Land Beyond the Mountains:	Oporto to Douro Valley and close to Spanish border, including Corgo branch
Stanley Reynolds	Ecuador	alexis favenchi / openmystic	The Good and The Quick	Guayaquil to Quito. Steam to Riobamba, Autoferro to Quito

Thanks, great to have it all in once place!

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

The main seven episodes of the first series of 'Great Railway Journeys' are available on YouTube in various locations. The missing episode is the first one which is an introduction to the series rather than a journey in itself.

Presenter	Country	Youtube location	Journey	Notes
Ludovic Kennedy	none		none	introductory programme with extracts from series
Ludovic Kennedy	United States	lovealltrains	Coast to Coast: New York to Los Angeles	Ludovic Kennedy crosses the United States via Amtrak in 1980 along some of the most famous vintage railroad routes (the Broadway Limited, California Zephyr, and Coast Daylight) in this terrific BBC production. Highlights also include visiting old Dearborn Station in Chicago, the annual Golden Spike ceremony, and the California State Railway Museum in Sacramento.
Michael Frayn	Australia	dennis marks archive	The Long Straight: Sydney to Perth
Brian B Thompson	India	antiquaria	Deccan: Bombay to Cochin
Michael Palin	United Kingdom	DVD*	Confessions of a Train-spotter: London to Kyle of Lochalsh
Michael Wood	South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe	shimon d-i	Zambezi Express: Cape Town to Victoria Falls	Cape Town, Blue Train, De Aar - Kimberley - Mafeking - Frances Town - Bulawayo - Thomson Junction - Wankee - Matetsi - Victoria Falls
Miles Kington	Peru, Bolivia	lovealltrains	Three Miles High: Lima to La Paz	Lima – Huancayo (diesel) – Huancavelica (steam). Then Machu Pichu – Cuzco (diesel) - Juliaca (steam) - Guaqui (steamer Ellanto) - Viacha (autoferro) - Le Paz abandoned due to coup
Eric Robson	France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary	antiquaria	Changing Trains: Paris to Budapest	16 trains in 5 days

Some of the second series is also available:

Presenter	Country	Youtube location	Journey	Notes
Clive Anderson	Hong Kong, China, Mongolia	cofiant	Hong Kong to Ulaanbaatar	Hong Kong - Beijing - Ulaanbaatar
Rian Malan	South Africa		Cape Town to the Lost City
Natalia Makarova	Russia, Uzbekistan	tony begbie	St Petersburg to Tashkent
Michael Palin	United Kingdom, Ireland	DVD*	Derry to Kerry
Lisa St Aubin de Teran	Brazil, Bolivia	cofiant	Santos to Santa Cruz	Santos – San Paulo – Campinas – Americana – Cordeiropolis – Bauru – Campo Grande – Miranda – Corumba - Puerto Quijarro – Robore – San Jose – Santa Cruz
Mark Tully	Pakistan	pakistanrailbuff (in parts and 2-6 only)	Karachi to the Khyber Pass	Karachi - Rohri - Bolan railway to Quetta (side trip) - Lahore - Rawalpindi - Peshawar - Landi Kotal (Khyber Pass summit)

DVD means that I have it on a commerically produced DVD so haven't searched online.
I've not located any of the third and fourth series.

Series 3:

Victoria Wood	United Kingdom		Crewe to Crewe
Alexei Sayle	Syria, Jordan		Aleppo to Aqaba
Henry Louis Gates Jr	Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania		Great Zimbabwe to Kilimatinde
Buck Henry	Argentina		The High Andes to Patagonia
Benedict Allen	Kenya, Uganda		Mombasa to the Mountains of the Moon
Ben Okri	United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Itay, Greece	London to Arcadia
Chris Bonnington	Canada		Halifax to Porteau Cove

Series 4:

Ian Hislop	India		India East to West
Michael Portillo	Spain		Granada to Salamanca
Fergal Keane	Japan		Tokyo to Kagoshima
Rick Stein	Mexico		Los Mochis to Veracruz
Nick Hancock	Cuba		Guantanamo to Pinar del Rio
Danny Glover	Senegal, Mali		St Louis to Dogon Country
Stephen Tompkinson	Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand		Singapore to Bangkok

All of which were preceded by 'Great Little Railways'

Simon Hoggart	United States - Alaska / Canada - Yukon	Vintage Lynx	The Gold Rush Line: White Pass & Yukon Railway	Steam hauled from Skagway to Bennett, diesel hauled through to Whitehorse
Brian Blessed	Poland	Vintage Lynx	The Other Poland	Two narrow gauge lines: Nasielsk to Putrusk, Cisna to Komancza
Michael Wood	Greece	Vintage Lynx	Slow Train to Olympia	Athens to Olympia
Colin Garratt	Philippines	Vintage Lynx	The Dragons of Sugar Island	Industrial railways of Negros Island
John Shrapnel	India	Vintage Lynx	Line of Dreams	Jodhpur to Jaipur
Ray Gosling	Portugal	favenchi	Journey to the Land Beyond the Mountains:	Oporto to Douro Valley and close to Spanish border, including Corgo branch
Stanley Reynolds	Ecuador	alexis favenchi / openmystic	The Good and The Quick	Guayaquil to Quito. Steam to Riobamba, Autoferro to Quito

The Victoria Wood episode (Series 3, Episode 1: Crewe to Crewe) was shown last night and as such is now available on the iPlayer for a month. Now I wasn't a huge fan of Ms Wood's work but this show was highly amusing. Being made in 1995 it was set during the immediate pre-privatisation era when there was huge uncertainty at how things would develop. Her commentary often reflected this along with her gently sarcastic and cynical reflections on British society. Also included were the nostalgic sights of HSTs on the WCML, 156s on the Kyle & Far North lines and Tyne & Wear liveried Pacers on the Whitby line. And an encounter with a real life trainspotter at Carlisle.

There is no sign of further shows being broadcast. It would appear last night was part of a small appreciation of Victoria Woods' career.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

It would appear last night was part of a small appreciation of Victoria Woods' career.

Indeed. In fact, it would have been her 70th birthday tomorrow (Friday).

Programme in question has also been discussed here...

Great Railway Journey's Victoria Wood.

It would appear the BBC are now screening some former journeys hence last night, one from Ms Victoria Wood who was one of the best comediennes in the business and a sad loss. Last night's trip, from Crewe to Thurso, and a few other places, was more a nostalgic reminder of 1995 and, although...

www.railforums.co.uk

Just to re-iterate, last night's airing was a celebration of Victoria Wood's career, rather than being a railway themed evening.