Michael Portillo's railway programme Geat British Railway journeys.

[northwichcat]

The expensive bit is now getting from home to the airport.

I used to be of the mindset that I wasn't going to pay £30 for a taxi due to an early/late flight and I'd book one during the hours public transport operated. However, I later realised that wasn't always the most logical approach. Saving £30 by arriving at the destination at 6pm means you don't have chance to do anything of note that day. Paying the £30 and arriving in the middle of the day, means you have chance to do something before places start to close.

 

[Cowley]

Ok. I suppose we could try and get back on topic. Unless anyone thinks that there’s a separate thread to be had out of the Thomas Cook stuff?

 

[BanburyBlue]

I see tonight he went to RR at Derby - interesting as he alighted and re-joined at Peartree.

 

[davetheguard]

I see tonight he went to RR at Derby - interesting as he alighted and re-joined at Peartree.

Purely by chance I happened to be on that train from Crewe to Derby.

Portillo boarded with his team of three a couple of stops after leaving Crewe and did some filming on board. When we stopped at Peartree, he was filmed leaving the train. He then quickly got back on it again, and the train continued on to Derby where he (& I) got off.

 

[BanburyBlue]

Purely by chance I happened to be on that train from Crewe to Derby.

Portillo boarded with his team of three a couple of stops after leaving Crewe and did some filming on board. When we stopped at Peartree, he was filmed leaving the train. He then quickly got back on it again, and the train continued on to Derby where he (& I) got off.

So I believe there is only one train a day that stops at Peartree? So was this a scheduled stop, or did they stop the train specifically for Michael?

 

[davetheguard]

So I believe there is only one train a day that stops at Peartree? So was this a scheduled stop, or did they stop the train specifically for Michael?

I can tell you it was the 16.10 Crewe to Newark Castle on Thursday 1st June 2023. I'm afraid I can't tell you if Peartree was a scheduled stop or not for that train; perhaps someone else can assist in that?

 

[nanstallon]

Perhaps Peartree is a request stop, and Mr Portillo requested that the train should stop?

I like his programmes because they put the railway into context.

 

[43055]

Purely by chance I happened to be on that train from Crewe to Derby.

Portillo boarded with his team of three a couple of stops after leaving Crewe and did some filming on board. When we stopped at Peartree, he was filmed leaving the train. He then quickly got back on it again, and the train continued on to Derby where he (& I) got off.

I can tell you it was the 16.10 Crewe to Newark Castle on Thursday 1st June 2023. I'm afraid I can't tell you if Peartree was a scheduled stop or not for that train; perhaps someone else can assist in that?

I did notice that when he was talking about the next stop is Peartree it in the Stoke area. The 1610 is timetabled to stop and at the time the only evening eastbound call. Makes me wonder when did he film the Uttoxeter segment?

So I believe there is only one train a day that stops at Peartree? So was this a scheduled stop, or did they stop the train specifically for Michael?

8 calls on a Weekday and 4 on Saturdays.

 

[northwichcat]

Next Monday's 16:10 Crewe to Newark Castle is scheduled to call at Peartree

Realtime Trains | 1N21 1610 Crewe to Newark Castle | 08/04/2024

Real-time train running information for 1N21 1610 departure from Crewe to Newark Castle on 08/04/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[northwichcat]

Makes me wonder when did he film the Uttoxeter segment?

They don't always film things in the order they are broadcast in. They may well have filmed the train journey after he had done the visits.

I understand on one episode it showed him changing from Merseyrail to Northern at Chester. Yet it was claimed he spent the night in a hotel and caught the first Northern service out of Chester the following morning.

 

[Lost property]

Perhaps he got a lift in Susan Calman's camper van 'Helen'.

I do wish they would do a travel series of Michael and Susan touring the UK together. It would be comedy gold.

You have to be joking !

Portillo is as obnoxious now as he always has been / will be. His programmes invariably show as much free loading as he can get, plus, he always stays in the most upmarket accom he can find, not forgetting the smirk when he brandishes his cab ride pass. For him, the programmes are simply "celeb" (himself) promotion and indulgence.

Ms Calman on the other hand, is quirky, amusing, entertaining and as far from "celeb" infatuated with herself as you can get.

Never the twain shall meet, although I suggest if they did, Ms Calman would run rings around him

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

This week has seen the start of series 3 of spinoff(?) Great Coastal Railway Journeys. Yesterday’s episode was set entirely exploring the railway mecca that is the Isles of Scilly.....

 

[Envoy]

How can you make a TV programme called Great British Railway Journeys, do the Cambrian Coast Line & completely ignore the crossing of the Mawddach estuary? Well, apparently Portillo can. However, time could be found time to tell us about the ancient tree stumps on the beach at Borth and the Welsh Government wasting money making sand dunes at Harlech.

 

[Lost property]

How can you make a TV programme called Great British Railway Journeys, do the Cambrian Coast Line & completely ignore the crossing of the Mawddach estuary? Well, apparently Portillo can. However, time could be found time to tell us about the ancient tree stumps on the beach at Borth and the Welsh Government wasting money making sand dunes at Harlech.

True, mind you, for the enthusiasts, he also missed out the narrow gauge at Fairbourne....I've been on the dunes at Borth, and, to be fair, the conservation efforts are interesting.

Elsewhere, an older programme recently showed another contrived Portillo moment in America.

Cue him at USN Air Station San Diego, going to "help" the engineers...cue him walking up in flying suit, then, getting kitted up with mask, rubber gloves and apron to "help " change a leaking fuel pipe !...do me a favour, H&S yes, but not overkill !....then shown putting a spanner on a bolt and a socket on the nut ! WOW !...and, getting ecstatic when fuel appears !....it would do, it's residual !....wisely, the Crew Chief decided not to let him try and install the new pipe.

And, another to add to the freeloading trips, recently advertised, "Week end breaks in favourite Cities "...or words to that effect.

 

[Envoy]

True, mind you, for the enthusiasts, he also missed out the narrow gauge at Fairbourne....I've been on the dunes at Borth, and, to be fair, the conservation efforts are interesting.

Elsewhere, an older programme recently showed another contrived Portillo moment in America.

Cue him at USN Air Station San Diego, going to "help" the engineers...cue him walking up in flying suit, then, getting kitted up with mask, rubber gloves and apron to "help " change a leaking fuel pipe !...do me a favour, H&S yes, but not overkill !....then shown putting a spanner on a bolt and a socket on the nut ! WOW !...and, getting ecstatic when fuel appears !....it would do, it's residual !....wisely, the Crew Chief decided not to let him try and install the new pipe.

And, another to add to the freeloading trips, recently advertised, "Week end breaks in favourite Cities "...or words to that effect.

The sand dunes in question were those at Harlech & Natural Resources Wales (Welsh Gov) did not like the fact that vegetation was taking over and wanted them to revert to blown sand - hence the bulldozers. Seems pretty bonkers to me and a waste of public money. Meanwhile, Welsh Gov have decreed that at Borth they will let natural processes do their work and the community can be swamped by the sea in future. (This may also threaten the Cambrian Line).

I enjoyed Portillo’s recent series on Spain. Hopefully his new cities series on CH5 on Friday nights will prove interesting? Madrid on Friday 19 April 2024.

 

[dgl]

Did find it midly amusing on a recent episode where he went to Axminster Station and preceded to immediately leave the town and go to Lyme Regis!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How can you make a TV programme called Great British Railway Journeys, do the Cambrian Coast Line & completely ignore the crossing of the Mawddach estuary? Well, apparently Portillo can.

Isn't the programme airing this week actually called "Great Coastal Railway Journeys"? Also, didn't he visit Barmouth in an episode of one of his previous series?

 

[SteveM70]

Isn't the programme airing this week actually called "Great Coastal Railway Journeys"? Also, didn't he visit Barmouth in an episode of one of his previous series?

Not sure about Barmouth, but I remember him going to Criccieth and on the Ffestiniog / Welsh Highland

 

[Envoy]

I don’t remember him ever doing the Cambrian Coast Line.

You would think that he would have visited Portmeirion as it is within walking distance of Minffordd station.

Anyway, the Welsh Highland Railway got excellent coverage.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I don’t remember him ever doing the Cambrian Coast Line.

You would think that he would have visited Portmeirion as it is within walking distance of Minffordd station.

He has. In series 12 which was first aired back in May 2021.

BBC Two - Great British Railway Journeys, Series 12, Blaenau Ffestiniog to Barmouth

Michael heads across Snowdonia to the coastal towns of north western Wales.

www.bbc.co.uk

Extract...

Blaenau Ffestiniog to Barmouth
Great British Railway Journeys
Series 12 Episode 14 of 15.

Michael heads across the Welsh mountains of Snowdonia to the coastal towns of Porthmadog, Portmeirion and Barmouth.

 

[DelW]

Isn't the programme airing this week actually called "Great Coastal Railway Journeys"? Also, didn't he visit Barmouth in an episode of one of his previous series?

In last night's episode he visited a business extracting salt from seawater on Anglesey, and it was mentioned that he'd visited it in an earlier incarnation (as an aquarium iirc) in one of his earlier series.