New TV series: The Architecture the Railways Built

[timmydunn]

Hey chaps and chap-esses; re: the question on DVDs. There are no plans AFAIK to release as a hard media format, but the whole series is online to view for the foreseeable future on UKTV's website and app, free.

No plans for anything else (although reception and viewer figs v lovely!) as (1) COVID makes filming everything somewhat tricky and (2) I have a day job wrangling words and data getting more of the UK and Europe to travel by train at Trainline. Thank you all above for (a) the support and (b) the feedback during 'TATRB' - it was a labour of love and we have data to prove it brought more people into our ferro-equine world. Other projects, as ever, are in the pipeline; it's not an easy feat to pull off but I hope the next ones bridge the gaps between casual viewer and obsessive in the ways that both would indeed hope.

BTW series link plug: https://uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/shows/the-architecture-the-railways-built/watch-online/

 

[43055]

It has been announced that there will be two more series (20 episodes) which will be broadcast from 2021.

Yesterday goes big on Brown Bob railway doc

Commissions 20-eps of Tim Dunn-fronted format

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Commissions 20-eps of Tim Dunn-fronted format
Yesterday has commissioned 20-episodes of The Architecture The Railways Built, following its debut run.
Brown Bob’s format, in which railway expert and train enthusiast Tim Dunn explores the stunning architecture that line the railway network in Britain and beyond, is to return for a further two, 10 x 60-minute series.
The first series aired earlier in April and was Yesterday’s best-performing factual launch on record, opening with 540,000 (2.5%) before going to inform an average of 510,000 viewers, according to the broadcaster.
Locations visited in the first series included the Ribblehead Viaduct in North Yorkshire, the St Pancras station in London and the ultra-modern Rotterdam Centraal station in Holland, alongside a raft of other stations, viaducts, signal boxes, tunnels, pedestrian passages, workshops and hotels.
Deputy director of commissioning Hilary Rosen ordered the series, alongside channel director Gerald Casey. UKTV’s Kirsty Hanson will exec produce alongside Brown Bob’s Rob Dersley and Audrey Neil.
Casey said: “The Architecture The Railways Built brilliantly managed to remind us that thanks to the railways we’ve built a wonderful world out there, at a time when it was difficult for many of us to see it for ourselves.”
Brown Bob chief executive Jacqueline Hewer said: This double commission gives us scope to explore an even wider variety of railway architecture.”
The news follows a number of recommissions from UKTV, with Yesterday series Bangers & Cash also receiving a 20-part order in August.
The series, which is currently in production, will be distributed internationally by Passion Distribution.

 

[ashkeba]

Hurrah! There's a lot of fascinating railway building out there and more built every year.

 

[HamSandwich]

Yes!!! Great news. Such an interesting and informative show - something to look forward to

 

[Envoy]

Great news - just a shame that Yesterday channel is not in HD.

 

[timmydunn]

Great news - just a shame that Yesterday channel is not in HD.

I believe that the UKTV Play app is... so you can watch it on that after live.

 

[Envoy]

I believe that the UKTV Play app is... so you can watch it on that after live.

Many thanks.

 

[timmydunn]

Hullo! Pleased to be able to announce that beginning Tuesday 19th January, a brand new series of The Architecture The Railways Built will screen on UKTV's Yesterday channel. More details on locations as we get to them -- but there's a great cross-section of stuff across the country and at least one place from continental Europe per episode too. Not easy to film something like this in a pandemic (it turns out) but we've done it. More details soon; just thought you (like me) might look forward to This Sort Of Thing given everything else that is going on. Some will like it, some will love it, some will tell me it's not got enough of what they wanted, but I do hope that it's enjoyable to most and shares a bit of what we all like with a wider 2021 audience. Cheers! https://twitter.com/YesterdayTweets/status/1345323956446912512?s=20

 

[yorksrob]

Great stuff Mr Dunn. Enjoyed the last episodes and look forward to these ones !

 

[Crossover]

Hullo! Pleased to be able to announce that beginning Tuesday 19th January, a brand new series of The Architecture The Railways Built will screen on UKTV's Yesterday channel. More details on locations as we get to them -- but there's a great cross-section of stuff across the country and at least one place from continental Europe per episode too. Not easy to film something like this in a pandemic (it turns out) but we've done it. More details soon; just thought you (like me) might look forward to This Sort Of Thing given everything else that is going on. Some will like it, some will love it, some will tell me it's not got enough of what they wanted, but I do hope that it's enjoyable to most and shares a bit of what we all like with a wider 2021 audience. Cheers! https://twitter.com/YesterdayTweets/status/1345323956446912512?s=20

Excellent news - looking forward to the new series

 

[Hardcastle]

Excellent i loved the previous series i look forward to watching this.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

According to RailAdvent, in the first episode of the new series, Tim (Dunn) will visit Wemyss Bay in Inverclyde, take a look at the engineering behind Blackfriars in London and there will also be a feature on the Sao Bento station in Portugal.

 

[geoffk]

Looking forward to this.

 

[davetheguard]

According to RailAdvent, in the first episode of the new series, Tim (Dunn) will visit Wemyss Bay in Inverclyde, take a look at the engineering behind Blackfriars in London and there will also be a feature on the Sao Bento station in Portugal.

I've luckily managed to catch a train from all three of those stations; I'll enjoy seeing them again. The blue tiles at Sao Bento are magnificent; Wemyss Bay must be one of the most beautiful stations in Britain; and in my opinion the view along the river from the platforms at Blackfriars is sublime.

 

[timmydunn]

This is on at 8pm on the Yesterday Channel, BTW.
Wemyss Bay station, Blackfriars station, Sao Bento station in Portugal.
Next week - Royal Albert Bridge, Wolverhampton x2, Gallivare
Then another 35 ish stations, loco sheds, viaducts, tunnels and more. Tricky to film in a pandemic, and the team worked very hard.

 

[32475]

I’ve managed to get to the record button just in time! Tim’s infectious enthusiasm in his presentation is an absolute treat

 

[306024]

........Tricky to film in a pandemic, and the team worked very hard.

And all the hard work is much appreciated, sitting here in the armchair. Thoroughly enjoyable once again, the record button is pressed for the whole series.

 

[geoffk]

An excellent programme, well up to the standard of the first series. I've not seen the new Blackfriars station so will rectify that when I'm able to travel to London. I thought you could walk across the river along the platform, presumably after buying a platform ticket or similar. Is that correct?

 

[Ashley Hill]

I had a bit of deja-vu with the Weymms Bay item. Didn't someone visit the station last year and do much the same thing?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I had a bit of deja-vu with the Weymms Bay item. Didn't someone visit the station last year and do much the same thing?

Wemyss Bay station was also featured last year in Series One, Episode Eight of Channel 4's "Scotland's Scenic Railways" series, I believe.

 

[AM9]

An excellent programme, well up to the standard of the first series. I've not seen the new Blackfriars station so will rectify that when I'm able to travel to London. I thought you could walk across the river along the platform, presumably after buying a platform ticket or similar. Is that correct?

Yes you can enter the station through the gateline on one side of the river and exit via the other. If going from south to north, ensure that you take the stairs/lifts to either platform 1 or 4 for the best view of the river east or west respectively. Going from the north, the gatelines are at platform level, so the choice is for platform 1 or the 2/3/4 gateline.

 

[John Webb]

I agree that the new series has got off to an excellent start. One omission struck me regarding the lovely Wemyss Bay station - there was no mention of the help provided by the Railway Heritage Trust (RHT) towards the restoration of the station.

Indeed, the work of the RHT could form the basis of a programme in its own right!

 

[timmydunn]

Thx for comments above! Glad people enjoy it; I have enjoyed reading feedback elsewhere that we are inspiring folk to visit when they can.

re: RHT. We do not list all the people who have contributed towards featured projects - they are often many and lists do not make great telly, and it would get repetitive. You will hear the RHT mentioned other times in the series, as well as other representative organisations who assist groups in their work. (A disclaimer here, I am on the Advisory Panel for the trust).

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Entertaining stuff last night but can't imagine Tim going out of his way to investigate the railway architecture at nearby Ardrossan Harbour station anytime soon.

 

[swt_passenger]

Good that there’s a story about the series on Network Rail’s website, easily accessible from their homepage:

The Architecture the Railways Built – Wemyss Bay - Network Rail

Tim Dunn’s The Architecture the Railways Built is back for a second series.

www.networkrail.co.uk

 

[BrianW]

Thx for comments above! Glad people enjoy it; I have enjoyed reading feedback elsewhere that we are inspiring folk to visit when they can.

Wemyss Bay. I know the series title is The Architecture the Railways Built so maybe off target here but ... I note that you arrived by ferry, so you must have visited Rothesay? I took that trip two years ago, starting Glasgow Central, passing the former Clydeside shipbuilding 'yards' and their 'successor' Armadillo, Hydro, SS Waverley, derelict IBM Greenock ... lovely Wemyss Bay station, ferry with all the anticipation of Rothesay 'O and the Isle Of Bute (as in beaut), only to land in Rothesay oh what a rundown shadow of a former resort! Maybe scope for a next variant of your series- The Architecture the Railways Facilitated/ Encouraged?
BTW- on return to Wemyss Bay I took the bus to Largs and ferry to isle of Cumbrae- cyclists welcome- and back to Glasgow from Largs Station- not what it was!

Love the series and your enthusiasm.

Now thinking- The Architecture the Railways are about to build- eg Curzon St/ Birmingham 'Exchange', Old Oak Uncommon(or Scrubs Parkway, whatever),?

Have you considered a career move to the best PM yet to be not had?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Re-run of Episode 1 of the new series on "Yesterday" channel at midnight on Friday 22nd January 2021.

 

[Ashley Hill]

More deja-vu this week as the St Germans camping coaches have recently featured in another railway program. It's still very enjoyable though.
More intriguing was the random advert for Video 125 during a commercial break.

 

[Ridercross]

It would be nice to have seen the new Wolverhampton station complete rather than the building site it is as I found it hard to imagine what it will really look like especially with the 1960's canopies etc still in place at the time of filming.

So overall I wish they could have held this particular segment back till the next series!

 

[geoffk]

It would be nice to have seen the new Wolverhampton station complete rather than the building site it is as I found it hard to imagine what it will really look like especially with the 1960's canopies etc still in place at the time of filming.

So overall I wish they could have held this particular segment back till the next series!

Perhaps Tim will make another visit. It was good to hear the Railway Heritage Trust mentioned at Saltash, where we also saw some of GWR's Half Size Trains! Another excellent programme in a wide range of locations.