Railway programmes: who did it better?

[backontrack]

This is a debate that has been opened up recently with Julie Walters' new programme as well as Series 9 of Great British Railway - and I'd be interested to know people's views.

 

[GusB]

Why can't I vote for Peter Snow? (I'm getting my coat...)

 

[Cowley]

Why can't I vote for Peter Snow? (I'm getting my coat...)

Just the thought of it makes me squirm...
I’m going Palin on this just because his first one (Great Railway Journeys to Kyle) featured 26s and he was part of Monty Python and that’ll always be enough for me.
Fair play to Portillo though, he’s opened up the UK in a different way and he does say “Mmm Delicious!” particularly well...

 

[Ash Bridge]

Michael Palin gets my vote too, although Dick Strawbridge after his wonderful performances live on Doncaster station and similar the other year comes a close second

 

[yorksrob]

Surely if we're talking about the greats of railway documentary, there should be a button for the man who started it all - Sir John Betjeman.

Metroland is the most well remembered, but he also did very enjoyable programmes on the Somerset and Dorset as well as the Hunstanton branch.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Surely if we're talking about the greats of railway documentary, there should be a button for the man who started it all - Sir John Betjeman.

Metroland is the most well remembered, but he also did very enjoyable programmes on the Somerset and Dorset as well as the Hunstanton branch.

Absolutely agree....I'm ashamed that Betjeman wasn't the first name that sprung to mind when I first saw this Should the poll be amended to include the great man then I shall certainly change my vote!

Edit: wakey wakey....just noticed the 'Other' option and now amended, John Betjeman it is for me.

 

[bishdunster]

Absolutely agree....I'm ashamed that Betjeman wasn't the first name that sprung to mind when I first saw this Should the poll be amended to include the great man then I shall certainly change my vote!

Edit: wakey wakey....just noticed the 'Other' option and now amended, John Betjeman it is for me.

Yep, I just voted "Other" and its John Betjeman for me!

 

[Karl]

Victoria Wood is my vote for 'Other'

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Not going to state any preference because I think it depends very much on your expectations of such programmes. I would guess that members of this forum would quite like a relatively high "geek factor" to be evident whereas the producers, realising that they have to provide something which appeals to a wider audience, will tend to tone down the geekiness. Julie Walters' shows were almost geek-free whereas Palin and Tarrant were very much more enthusiast friendly. I would strongly advise anyone voting here to conduct a reality check by asking family members or friends for their opinions...

 

[SS4]

As Shaw says, it depends what you want out of it. I enjoy small, frequent updates and don't care that much for the surrounding areas or interviews and enjoy technical fact.

It should be no surprise that Geoff and Vicki got my preference

 

[yorksrob]

Absolutely agree....I'm ashamed that Betjeman wasn't the first name that sprung to mind when I first saw this Should the poll be amended to include the great man then I shall certainly change my vote!

Edit: wakey wakey....just noticed the 'Other' option and now amended, John Betjeman it is for me.

Yes, he did a short one on the Settle Carlisle including the fifteen guinea special which I enjoyed.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Yes, he did a short one on the Settle Carlisle including the fifteen guinea special which I enjoyed.

I've never seen that one so must look out for it, more familiar with the likes of Metro-land and the stuff he did relating to the Withered Arm, former S&D and GW lines etc.

 

[edwin_m]

Sticking to current presenters I've voted for "other" as Rob Bell, because his programmes seem have more technical details about the railway rather than just using it as an excuse for a travelogue.

 

[IanD]

Michael Palin gets my vote too, although Dick Strawbridge after his wonderful performances live on Doncaster station and similar the other year comes a close second

"Let's go to Dick spotting in Doncaster."

I'd go for all of the the presenters in the original Great Railway Journeys of the World back in 1980 with special mention to Michael Palin who got me in to travelling around the rails of Great Britain.

Worst of all, I think, was Victoria Wood in Great Railway Journeys (1996) - such a negative view with lots of poor attempts at cheap laughs.

 

[IanD]

I have to add that I've enjoyed the series of all the nominees (even Geoff and Vicky although I couldn't be bothered to watch them all!).

Plus the old John Betjeman stuff too.

 

[Ash Bridge]

"Let's go to Dick spotting in Doncaster."

I'd go for all of the the presenters in the original Great Railway Journeys of the World back in 1980 with special mention to Michael Palin who got me in to travelling around the rails of Great Britain.

Worst of all, I think, was Victoria Wood in Great Railway Journeys (1996) - such a negative view with lots of poor attempts at cheap laughs.

If it wasn't for Betjeman then Palin was the cert for me, oh and I have to totally agree about Victoria Wood, I know lots will disagree here but I never even rated her before that abysmal episode of Great Railway Journeys that you mentioned.

 

[yorksrob]

I have to say I've enjoyed all of the nominated presenters programmes (and Victoria Wood - even though her melancholic take on the railway was probably the direct opposite of Julie Walters enthusiasm).

I'd never really watched anything by Chris Tarrant before, so it was a nice surprise to see he was pretty good on the subject.

 

[shredder1]

An ardent Betjeman fan, love Palin too, but have to go for Portillo

 

[SwindonBert]

I voted for Tarrant as his shows are about the trains, whereas others are more about the use of trains, e.g. Portillo does a show about a guide book which uses a train to get to places [not to say I've not got it on series link]

 

[nlogax]

What, no Mike Smith or Rob Curling?

 

[Mikey C]

Hard to choose between the options as they all take a different slant on "televised" rail journeys.

Plumped for Portillo as the success of his programmes has led to a glut of similar travelogues (e.g. the Tarrant and Walters ones, Richard Wilson driving around, a canal one with Prunella Scales etc)

I've loved Palin's travels, but they've been on all forms of transport. He did a couple of good Great Railway Journeys, but then Portillo also did a very good and personal one in Spain, the first time I'd seen him talking about trains and being proud of his Spanish roots

 

[SquireBev]

For me, and although he only narrated it rather than presenting, it has to be John Peel with Channel 4's Classic Trains.

More a nostalgia thing than anything.

 

[yorksrob]

What, no Mike Smith or Rob Curling?

That was a very good programme. I suppose it doesn't quite fit with the others, not being a 'personal travelogue' type of format.

I would put it up there with the one narrated by Kevin Whateley (Aka Sargent Lewis) a couple of years ago for factual rail documentaries.

 

[Bwlch y Groes]

Bob Symes brought a bit of the eccentric as well as his enthusiasm and knowledge. Mary-Jean Hasler was great working alongside him on Making Tracks for the BBC and the other videos they did after

I'd also add Ringo Starr

 

[DanNCL]

In my opinion All The Stations was very good, so it gets my vote on here, though I also quite liked the series Julie Walters did that was on TV a few months ago (I think I might be in the minority on that one though...)

 

[centraltrains]

Tim Dunn

 

[Spartacus]

'Back in the day' I'd have to go for Palin, however I think he's lost his edge so I'd go for Chris Tarrant now, who has a very similar style to Palin at his best.

 

[John Luxton]

Portillo is good but what about John Betjamen?
Some of his stuff lurks on the depths of BBC iPlayer

John

 

[whhistle]

For me, and although he only narrated it rather than presenting, it has to be John Peel with Channel 4's Classic Trains.

It's a shame the YouTube versions aren't great

It's difficult to compare as the three I've seen are all fairly different.

Great British Railway Journeys is great for getting to know a bit of history about the areas the railway goes to.

Coastal Railways with Julie Walters was fairly specific to certain railways and the coast, but was on the same lines as GBRJ.

Classic Trains was really good for technical info and more about the trains themselves, split really nicely into different sections. Watched it when it was broadcast but haven't found it in decent quality since.