BBC2 Program...

i forgot it was on and only saw the last 10 mins.

Ian gearing

I watched that too. I particularly enjoyed all the old Woodhead footage. I nearly started building a layout there and then...

The bit about the only women who worked on the railways being typists was a bit of an insult to the hundreds of thousands who kept the railways going through the wars though.

Pete

Hi Ian,

Plenty to see at their Website, most of the things mentioned in the program are covered, and there are many of the video 'clips' that were shown too!

David.

Interesting web page, but a number of factual errors and at least a couple of errant apostrophes. Shame, BBC!

Unfortunately, Rob, I couldn't view it from where I am, so I can only go by the web page. I wish I could have seen it.

Some great clips - it reminds one how much work used to be done by hand.

Lots of nice clips.

Strange to hear once again the voice of Johnny Morris.

Anyone besides me remember the Hot Chestnut Man?

Yepp, Grandad was a real "hard man" and scared the hell out of me when I was a youngster! Mainly because his work with the Engines had made him partially deaf, so he shouted a lot!

Add that to an almost square-framed man with big shoulders and a Sailor's swaying walk - then you get the idea?

He had a heart of Gold though, and would help anyone out if he could!

Great memories....

David.

I didn't see the programme but I hope it was better than the website. What a load of rubbish.

For example: "Great Northern Railways brought its engineering plant to Doncaster in the 1950s."

When all they have done is trawl through other previously published work you would have hoped they could at least have copied the stuff down correctly. There is absolutely no excuse for the howler quoted above, which was on the first page I read. I haven't bothered reading any more.

Simon.

The message from Barry contains these words:

You must be nearly as old as me! Me Gran thought the Hot Chestnut Man was wonderful...

At roughly 17/09/2003 2:12 pm, the person described as Simon Harding stated:

I recorded the programme and was also fairly dissappointed with it, particularly as it seemed quite vague and inaccurate with some of the facts. Backing up parts of history with the testimonial of just one witness at a time made the programme seem a bit half-hearted.

I think the problem was that they could have made an documentary _series_ about this period in railway history, with full 50min episodes, rather than this one half-hour thingy. (Next weeks subject is not railways, apparently)

I agree with most comments about the archive footage, though. Some great stuff!

Jim

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Pester me, why not: whokid at flywheelnetwork .co .uk

The series is supposed to be about British Engineering and Industry, not just Railway History. That's why this was just 30 minutes long. It was never meant to be 'in-depth', more of a social history outline.

As for the Archive 'clips' - agree, very good!

David.

Anyone see the ITV programme 'Everything Must Go' last week when they had 6'x3' N-gauge scenic layout for sale? I think it was based on a village in the peak district as the rolling stock included a Midland Mainline HST and a Class 31 'skinhead' (in BR Green!). There were lots of hills and tunnels and even a miniature replica of a 1970's style gardening centre.

The so-called 'expert' valued the complete layout at £100-£150. (He called it a 'train set'). A young mother offered £100 which she thought was a reasonable price. It eventually went to auction for £110. (General auction not specialist auction).

I nearly wept.

kim