Paddington Station 24/7 - Channel 5

[GodAtum]

Interesting so far, although I'm sure there was one a few years ago.

Regarding the fire evacuation, is there only one entrance/exit, surely there should be fire exists all around the station? Control where in a huge mess and couldn't tell their arse from their elbow!

I don't think the busker was annoying, but to be fair to the old lady, I find announcements at Paddington to be hard to hear.

I wonder why they blur out some of the departure screens?

 

[PHILIPE]

Interesting so far, although I'm sure there was one a few years ago.

Regarding the fire evacuation, is there only one entrance/exit, surely there should be fire exists all around the station? Control where in a huge mess and couldn't tell their arse from their elbow!

I don't think the busker was annoying, but to be fair to the old lady, I find announcements at Paddington to be hard to hear.

I wonder why they blur out some of the departure screens?

There was one last week. I watched it

 

[GW43125]

I wonder why they blur out some of the departure screens?

Was it actually blurred intentionally or just out of focus?

 

[GodAtum]

Was it actually blurred intentionally or just out of focus?

Looked like there were blurred intentionally like someone's face from what I could tell.

 

[Steddenm]

According to the production company, they were blurred out because the programme was filmed over a number of days, and the clocks were shown on the screens and could've been confusing for the viewer continuity-wise. Also any services operated by Heathrow Express, Heathrow Connect and Chiltern Railways needed to be blanked out as they didn't feature in the programme. If you look closely it's only the clock blurred out on the screens when GWR services are up, yet when Hex, HeC and CR services are on (and XC in BRI) the entire screen is blanked.

 

[IKB]

I was very impressed with the Chinese speaking customer/platform host.

 

[Harbouring]

According to the production company, they were blurred out because the programme was filmed over a number of days, and the clocks were shown on the screens and could've been confusing for the viewer continuity-wise. Also any services operated by Heathrow Express, Heathrow Connect and Chiltern Railways needed to be blanked out as they didn't feature in the programme. If you look closely it's only the clock blurred out on the screens when GWR services are up, yet when Hex, HeC and CR services are on (and XC in BRI) the entire screen is blanked.

In the Kings X one I think some of th Hull Trains and Grand Central info was blurred, and they weren't mentioned even when the staff had to help someone who fell off a Hull Train service

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

I was very impressed with the Chinese speaking customer/platform host.

Yes I was too, he's a legend! What a wonderful first impression for customers arriving from Heathrow looking for onward services and feeling a bit lost.

 

[gazthomas]

Yes I was too, he's a legend! What a wonderful first impression for customers arriving from Heathrow looking for onward services and feeling a bit lost.

That lad was awesome. Puts my "Pigeon French" to shame!

 

[ooo]

I was very impressed with the Chinese speaking customer/platform host.

Yes it is very good to have multilingual staff able to help customers. Do any other TOCs have similar badges to GWR which show the languages that the staff speak as I personally think they are very useful when abroad?

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[Kite159]

Who wants to bet that couple causing issues due to that overcrowded train were only travelling to Swindon? (Or even Reading!)

 

[driver9000]

Yes it is very good to have multilingual staff able to help customers. Do any other TOCs have similar badges to GWR which show the languages that the staff speak as I personally think they are very useful when abroad?

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The new Virgin West Coast badges seem to have languages on them when other than English is spoken.

 

[Envoy]

Who wants to bet that couple causing issues due to that overcrowded train were only travelling to Swindon? (Or even Reading!)

Surely, realising the situation, due to a cancellation, what should happen is that people who have to go the furthest get priority boarding. In this instance, it was the only train that would get people to Weston that evening. An electronic sign should be available saying queue here for WESTON and staff should then check the tickets.

The queing system at Cardiff following an event got things badly wrong initially by not prioritising those going the furthest. As an example, one line was formed for Gloucester, Cheltenham, Birmingham and the Midlands. A Cross Country train was loaded but people heading to places beyond Cheltenham could not get on due to those going shorter distances already on board. Such people were then boarded onto a ATW service that was only going as far as Cheltenham - leaving people for the Midlands stranded.

 

[ooo]

Surely, realising the situation, due to a cancellation, what should happen is that people who have to go the furthest get priority boarding. In this instance, it was the only train that would get people to Weston that evening. An electronic sign should be available saying queue here for WESTON and staff should then check the tickets.

The queing system at Cardiff following an event got things badly wrong initially by not prioritising those going the furthest. As an example, one line was formed for Gloucester, Cheltenham, Birmingham and the Midlands. A Cross Country train was loaded but people heading to places beyond Cheltenham could not get on due to those going shorter distances already on board. Such people were then boarded onto a ATW service that was only going as far as Cheltenham - leaving people for the Midlands stranded.

I thought it was just the last direct train not the last possible connection

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[jimm]

I thought it was just the last direct train not the last possible connection

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Nothing like a bit of artificial tension in a TV script...

 

[SpacePhoenix]

How many episodes is the series meant to run for?

 

[Darandio]

Eight according to Network Rail.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/new-documentary-series-begins-tonight-paddington-station-247/

The first episode of a new, eight-part series, Paddington Station 24/7, starts Monday 11 September on Channel 5 at 9pm.

 

[GarethW]

Nothing like a bit of artificial tension in a TV script...

They said it was the last direct service to Weston, not the last train.

Good episode last night, so far it's more interesting than the Virgin KX series.

 

[Dhassell]

They said it was the last direct service to Weston, not the last train.

Good episode last night, so far it's more interesting than the Virgin KX series.

Which is also factually wrong, as there is a 1C32 2145 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids

 

[BestWestern]

Surely, realising the situation, due to a cancellation, what should happen is that people who have to go the furthest get priority boarding. In this instance, it was the only train that would get people to Weston that evening. An electronic sign should be available saying queue here for WESTON and staff should then check the tickets.

That would take an awfully long time to set up, and really isn't very practical on a packed station concourse. An easier solution is to alter the calling pattern of trains, if necessary.

 

[Mag_seven]

Once upon a time they used to do "boarding controls" at key London termini on Friday evenings on busy bank holiday weekends to stop this type of nonsense happening.

 

[BestWestern]

Once upon a time they used to do "boarding controls" at key London termini on Friday evenings on busy bank holiday weekends to stop this type of nonsense happening.

The legendary metal sliding doors at Waterloo!

 

[robbeech]

For reference, as has been covered briefly already. When things like this are filmed it is done over several days / weeks / months. Amongst the interviews, the general commentary and chat with staff and their interactions with the public there is a lot of stock footage taken of general goings on. People boarding a train, a train leaving, a train arriving, someone running after a train, someone with a lot of luggage, a busy vestibule area. All these things are handy things to slot into the final program where necessary. There's nothing wrong with this but those of us with a keen eye are likely to spot things that are out of place. A shot of the departure boards might be from a different time of the day. It's not uncommon for a shot of people on the train and a shot of the "same train" departing to be 2 different trains, even a different class of train.
To us it may seem a bit annoying but to the general public they have no idea and it doesn't really cause too much issue.
Factually incorrect data like the last direct service that calls at Weston is a bit cheeky though, are we sure the 2145 existed when it was filmed?

 

[rich.davies]

It was interesting to see the tunnels under the platforms, mail belts and luggage belt for Heathrow.

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[SpacePhoenix]

Could the tunnels/areas under the platforms ever be opened up in a similar way to what was done at St Pancras?

 

[plymothian]

It was interesting to see the tunnels under the platforms, mail belts and luggage belt for Heathrow.

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Secrets of Paddington Station from Londonist.
https://londonist.com/2015/05/video-secrets-of-paddington-station

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It was interesting to see the tunnels under the platforms, mail belts and luggage belt for Heathrow.

Did that mail belt lead down to the Post Office Underground Railway or was it a second supplementary system in addition to that?

 

[GodAtum]

Was there a Parliamentary enquiry into the poor response for this massive failure?

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Network rail just being Network Rail.......useless!!

 

[HarleyDavidson]

I'm certain that it wasn't NR that installed the stuff along there, it was either BR or Railtrack and as such NR have been put in the unfortunate position of having to pick up the pieces when that kit goes kaput.

Anyone know who installed the kit in Slough IECC?