RAILDATE 2022.11.18

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Credits

Thank you to this week's contributors.

Where am I this week?

Underneath an important railway bridge. Which bridge?

Last week's Where am I?

I spent the whole day here yesterday. Which station is it?

Answer: Leatherhead. Congratulations to David Goddard for his correct answer.

The Grade II-listed former Station Master's house is now home to the Railway Correspondence & Travel Society's archive and library. The Library is open to the public (donations appreciated) and is a splendid resource. Read more about visiting and the calendar of open days. View the Library Catalogue.

The RCTS is hoping to open the Library more frequently in 2023, ultimately building up towards 5-day-a-week access. This is where volunteers are digitising the vast archive of photographs, railways papers etc.

TELEVISION

UK television listings with a transport theme for the next eight days

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Abandoned Engineering -:- An eerie, empty country village which hides a sad secret, a mysterious tower battered by the elements and a disused railway deep beneath the streets of a city

Air Crash: Disasters Uncovered -:- The 1986 case of a freight train that collided with a passenger locomotive in Hinton, Canada, resulting in the deaths of 23 people. Investigators try to find out how the two vehicles ended up on the same track

Around the World by Train with Tony Robinson -:- The actor goes on rail journeys around the globe, jumping on and off trains to find adventure and face challenges, while exploring the history and culture of each place he visits

Around the World by Train with Tony Robinson -:- The actor goes on rail journeys around the globe, jumping on and off trains to find adventure, while exploring the history and culture of each place he visits

Around the World by Train with Tony Robinson -:- The actor travels across Turkey, India and Burma, starting his journey in Istanbul, where he finds himself plunged into the middle of the madness of the spice markets. Then he heads to India, visiting one of Delhi's oldest markets, before taking a ride on the Himalayan Mountain Railway and being taught the proper way to imbibe at the Glenburn Tea Estate. He then crosses the Bay of Bengal into Burma, trying his hand at pottery and learning about toddy palm wine, finishing at the ancient city of Bagan

Combat Trains -:- From the trench to the home-front hospital, a medical historian retraces the train journey made by wounded soldiers during the Second World War. Documentary series exploring the role of trains in the major conflicts of the past 150 years

Gino's Italian Escape -:- For the next leg of his journey, Gino D'Acampo boards an old steam train run by ex-railroad men and volunteers which takes him through the beautiful Tuscan countryside. His first stop is the town of Asciano, where locals try to compete with Siena's famous Palio horse race - only here they ride donkeys. Then it's on to the Chianti region where he visits a vineyard where they don't only make wine, but they also bathe in it too, an ancient tradition dating back to Roman times. After a luxurious wine bath, Gino cooks up a dish fit for any Emperor - farfalle pasta with funghi and spinach

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo begins this leg at the place that triggered the 1848 Gold Rush, finding out how California's mineral treasures and population swell helped fast-track the region's statehood, with significant political consequences for the national slavery battle. Venturing underground, he discovers how the streets of Sacramento were raised following the Great Flood of 1862 and visits the newly constructed $900million dam to improve the city's flood defences

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo leaves the tracks for a nautical pilgrimage through the Thousand Islands. He visits Fort Henry in the port city of Kingston, Ontario, and in Port Hope he learns about the antics of a 19th-century high-wire walker called the Great Farini. This leg of the journey ends in Oshawa at the home of the McLaughlin family, who helped build a new economy for Canada when they switched from manufacturing carriages to motor cars

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo's railway journey across eastern Canada concludes in Toronto, the nation's largest metropolis. He begins his tour at the city's Union Station and is shown the ambitious underground engineering works intended to support a growing number of commuters. In contrast, he enjoys the dizzying heights at the CN Tower and has an extreme 'outdoor experience' at the top of the structure. Michael's final stop is the city's High Park, where he seeks out the origins of a celebrated Canadian song that helped to shape the maple leaf as the country's national symbol

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Reno, Nevada to Colfax in California, taking to the skies over the Sierra Nevada mountain range and trying his hand at cowboy dressage

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo begins his journey in Kirkby-in-Furness, Cumbria, where he learns about the village's famous blue slates. He then heads to Barrow to examine the secret world of nuclear submarines and finishes his trip in Lancaster, where he discovers why executions at the castle drew so many spectators in Victorian times

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo begins his journey to the Isle of Man from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, and examines the cross-border history of the town. Plus, he hears the story of the Pitman Painters of Ashington and learns about the perils of working on the rails in Victorian times

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his journey following George Bradshaw's footsteps, as the third leg of his trip from Preston to Kirkcaldy sees him embarking on a two-day tour of the Lake District. He begins in Windermere, where he travels by steamboat to the north of the lake, and continues to Claife viewing station, where he learns about the water pollution caused by increasing levels of tourism. He spends the night in Grasmere, and the following day reaches Kendal, where he buys local delicacies and meets a farmer who explains the impact of railways on farming practices

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo crosses the Irish Sea to explore the history of Ireland's railways, including the construction of a line along the treacherous east coast near Dublin. Ahead of visiting Northern Ireland later in the week, he also examines 19th-century crime and punishment in a Victorian jail, and discovers how the lions of Dublin Zoo changed the fortunes of the railways

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo discovers micro-mines hidden in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, and finds out why the Victorians were so enamoured with Tintern Abbey in the Wye Valley along the border between England and Wales. Plus, he investigates the railway engineering behind the Newport Transporter Bridge

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo discovers the importance of Cardiff's Victorian coal heritage to the city's development. He also finds out why Barry Island has been attached to the mainland since the 19th century, and takes a steam ride through the Brecon Beacons National Park

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the first leg of a journey to London from Buxton, Derbyshire, where he discovers how railways inspired a building craze and boosted tourism. In the Peak District, he joins a team of volunteers repairing damage done to ancient peat landscapes during the Industrial Revolution, and near the quarries of Stanton Moor he learns how trains transported Derbyshire's famous sandstone all over England

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the second leg of his journey from Berwick-upon-Tweed to the Isle of Man, beginning in the Northumberland village of Bardon Mill. He follows in the footsteps of Victorian archaeologists at Hadrian's Wall, discovers how the introduction of ticket machines transformed 19th-century train travel and learns about the impact of railways on the west Cumbrian town of Wigton

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the second leg of his journey from Buxton to London, stopping at Cromford, Derbyshire, where Bradshaw's railway guide reports Richard Arkwright built his original cotton mill. He also visits Derby to take a walk through Britain's first public park, and heads for Burton-on-Trent for a tour of Burton Bridges Breweries

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the second leg of his journey from Preston to Kirkcaldy, returning to the historic Settle-Carlisle line he helped save from dereliction when he was Minister of State for Transport in the 1980s. Here, engineer Tony Feshini describes what life was like for the people who originally built Ribblehead Viaduct, before Michael visits Dent, Cumbria, home to the highest railway station in England

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the second leg of his journey from Swindon to Penzance. Starting in Yatton, he travels along a line that was once used to transport fresh strawberries across the country, but was closed by Dr Beeching in the 1960s. He also visits the Gough Cave in Cheddar Gorge to view the remains of the 9,000-year-old Cheddar Man - the oldest complete skeleton in Britain

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo ends his journey across northern England by setting sail from Heysham, Lancashire, to visit the Isle of Man, where he learns about the horse-drawn trams of Douglas, reveals the 19th-century secrets of the Laxey Waterwheel and explores the Victorian history of the Snaefell mountain railway

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo ends his journey through the west of England and south Wales by exploring the connection between the Victorian railway and Port Talbot's steelworks. He then follows the trail of 19th-century waterfall hunters in Neath, and reveals Milford Haven's whaling past

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo heads to Cumbria, where he visits the Sellafield site that reprocesses fuel from nuclear reactors, drinks a Victorian brew made from the waters of Cockermouth and explores a Japanese-inspired garden created in the 19th century

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo leaves Glasgow and travels to Carluke in Lanarkshire's Clyde Valley, where he meets Tom Clelland, who is trying to revive his family's fruit-growing business. On his way to Edinburgh, he learns about the vast range of items left on trains, before spending the night in the city's famous Balmoral Hotel. His journey ends in Kirkcaldy, where he explores the paintings donated to the local gallery by his grandfather John Blyth

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo reaches Carlisle, where he meets a descendant of the Border Reivers, a group of ancient lawless clansmen mentioned in Victorian train enthusiast George Bradshaw's book. From there, he travels to Gretna Green to learn about the village's famous marriage trade, explores an old Ministry of Defence munitions site, and visits the centre of Glasgow, which is enjoying a revival in popularity

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo's journey from Buxton to London continues in Walsall, where he visits a leather business that still supplies the Queen with saddlery. He then explores how the centre of Birmingham has changed since Bradshaw's times, and is taught how to cook a curry by the owner of a leading Indian restaurant. Finally, he heads to the village of Bournville, where he learns how the railway transformed the fortunes of the Cadbury brothers

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo spends the night in a converted post office railway carriage before continuing his journey from Swindon to Penzance, heading for Par, where he meets miner Ivor Bowditch to explore the largest clay mine in the world. In Mevagissey he discovers how the methods for pilchard fishing have changed over the years, and on a visit to the Lost Gardens of Heligan, Michael learns about the 1,000-acre estate's history

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels along Brunel's Great Western Railway, learning how mass tourism started in Swindon, before visiting Bath to discover the history of the famous spa baths. His last stop is Bristol, where he tries his hand at blowing blue glass

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo undertakes the last leg of his journey from Swindon to Penzance. He travels to Perran Sands, where he searches for the lost church of St Piran, a place believed to be one of the earliest Christian sites in England. In Redruth, he explores the remains of the Cornish tin industry, before heading to St Ives, where he spends the night in Treganna Castle. The former politician finishes his trip in Penzance, discovering how railways link remote communities to the rest of the country

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo visits the Worcestershire village of Hartlebury, which was once home to a bishop who captured Queen Victoria's attention, on the second leg of his journey from Oxford to the south Wales coast. He also investigates the secrets of Worcestershire sauce and learns why the Malvern Hills were popular with 19th-century health enthusiasts

Great British Railway Journeys -:- On his journey from Swindon to Penzance, Michael Portillo explores Torquay, where he meets meteorologist David Braine to find out whether the town is Britain's warmest spot. He then takes a trip on the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, and spends the night at the Royal Castle Hotel in Dartmouth, where he learns about the town's naval past. After sailing up the River Dart he arrives in Totnes, and discovers the community's efforts to become more environmentally friendly

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo leaves Europe behind to take in the sights, smells and tastes of North Africa as he travels from the Mediterranean port of Tangier to the Berber city of Marrakech. At Asilah, the political commentator lends a hand with the construction of Morocco's new £3billion high-speed railway line to Casablanca, where he calls in to the most famous gin joint in the world

Iarnród Enda -:- Starting in Co Louth, Enda Kenny travels along the railway line that ran along the east coastline from Dundalk to the bustling port of Greenore. He then continues towards the villages of Carlingford and Omeath and crosses the border to end his journey in Newry. Along the way he meets Anne and Brian Larkin, Patsy Duffy, Dónal Murray, Hughie Rafferty, Brendan Mc Sherry and Neville McCann. In Irish

Impossible Railways -:- The drive to make trains faster, from supersonic rocket sleds to engines that seem to fly above their guideways

Impossible Railways -:- Unusual rail networks designed to traverse water, including the Indian Ocean, the earthquake zones of the Bosphorus Strait and the sea cliffs of the Italian Riviera

Japan Railway Journal -:- Eleven years ago, a section of the JR Tadami Line closed due to heavy rain. On October 2022, the line resumed full operation. See how the locals overcame challenges to bring back the Tadami Line.

Japan Railway Journal -:- JR West's Okayama Branch in Okayama Prefecture recently ran one of Japan's largest tourism campaigns. See how the branch utilized its old trains to attract tourists.

Massive Engineering Mistakes -:- Once considered the eighth Wonder of the World, the Kinzua Bridge was the longest railway bridge in the world. But, a freak tornado destroyed it - why did it fall?

Oli Wyn -:- The steam train crew prepares the tracks as the Vale of Rheidol's steam train makes plans to venture out on its first journey following the winter

Rails into Laramie (1954) -:- An army officer tries to keep the construction of a railway running while fighting corruption in a nearby town. Western, with John Payne, Dan Duryea and Lee Van Cleef

Richard Hammond's Big -:- In this edition, Richard ventures beneath the Alps into the world's longest underground railway connection, the Brenner Base Tunnel

Runaway Train: Disaster Revealed -:- How the drivers of a westbound Canadia freight train failed to stop at a signal because they had fallen asleep, going on to meet an eastbound passenger train

Seconds from Disaster -:- An investigation into the causes behind the commuter train crash that killed more than 100 people in Amagasaki, Japan, in April 2005

Secrets of the Underground -:- A legendary train filled with stolen Nazi gold is said to be hidden in Poland. Rob and Stefan explore deep under the earth's surface to uncover the truth

Steam Train Britain -:- At the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highlands Railway, manager Stephen Greig is trying to ensure that all goes to plan ahead of the opening of the new station at Caernarfon

Steam Train Britain -:- Behind the scenes of three preserved steam railway lines - the South Devon Railway heritage line, the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highlands Railway and the Great Central Railway. Sports scientist Megan Smith has a dream of tending the fire of a steam locomotive on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway, and she stokes the bolier of NG143 and sets off along the 25 miles from Caernarfon to Porthmadog

Susan Calman's Grand Day Out -:- The presenter and her campervan Helen are heading back to an old favourite - Yorkshire. However, Susan finds that the dales and moors contain a few spots she hasn't explored - and a few surprises that are a joy to discover. Oakworth Station is one such place - home to a still functioning steam railway, it's the train station where the 1970s classic The Railway Children was filmed

The Railway Children (2000) -:- Simon Nye's feature-length dramatisation of E Nesbit's heart-warming novel about three Edwardian children forced to leave their middle-class London home and move to rural Yorkshire, where they fall on hard times and embark on a series of exciting adventures. The all-star cast includes Jenny Agutter, who played Bobbie in Lionel Jeffries' 1972 film version, Jemima Rooper, Gregor Fisher, Richard Attenborough, Jack Blumenau and Clare Thomas

The Railways That Built Britain with Chris Tarrant -:- Chris examines the devastating impact of the Beeching report, which led to half the country's stations and almost a third of the lines being closed. He also looks at how the railways were reinvented for the modern age, and how a sleek new locomotive not only saved the railway network, but reshaped the country

The Railways That Built Britain with Chris Tarrant -:- The broadcaster examines how trains transformed the nation and shaped modern Britain. He begins in the cab of Puffing Billy, the world's oldest-surviving steam locomotive, which was built in 1813 and designed to move coal along a five-mile stretch of track from a Northumberland mine to the docks. Chris also tells the story of Henry Booth, who not only championed George Stephenson's famous Rocket, but also helped finance it, and talks about the work of the navvies who dug the tunnels and laid the tracks

The Railways That Built Britain with Chris Tarrant -:- The broadcaster examines the role of the railways during the two global conflicts of the 20th century, keeping vital supply lines open and transporting troops to and from the front. In the First World War, railway works were converted into munitions factories and women were employed for these dangerous jobs and their heroic efforts helped win them the vote, while in the Second World War, they were vital in organising the evacuation of a million children and offered underground shelters from air raids

Union Pacific (1939) -:- The overseer of a railway construction falls for a woman who is secretly involved with someone else, leading to tense confrontations and soul searching as the love triangle develops further. Melodrama, starring Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Robert Preston, Akim Tamiroff and Antony Quinn

Von Ryan's Express (1965) -:- A courageous American colonel with a never-say-die attitude is held in a PoW camp. He boldly sets out to lead a group of Allied prisoners in a daring mass escape bid by hijacking a freight train and fleeing through occupied Italy to Switzerland. Second World War action adventure, starring Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard, Brad Dexter and James Brolin

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- Bill Nighy narrates a trip along the Far North Line between Inverness and Wick, a four-hour ride that travels 167 miles along the coast. There is a stop at Beauly for a visit to a renowned tartan tailors and a spot of fly fishing, as well as a look at Dunrobin Castle, the abode of the Duke of Sutherland, who built part of the railway and then fancied himself a castle styled like a French chateau

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- Trips across regions such as Canada, Scandinavia, Europe and New Zealand through the characters who travel, work and live near them. Narrated by Bill Nighy

SMALL PRINT

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©  Matthew Shaw 2022