RAILDATE 2023.04.07

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Credits

Thank you to this week's contributors.

The Weekly Poser: Where is this?

The northern terminus of a great train ride in the USA. Where is it?

Please email your answers to raildate.co.uk@gmail.com.

Last week's Where is this?

I am here, now! (31st March 2023). Where is it?

Answer: National Railway Museum, York. Congratulations are due to the following for their correct answers: David Goddard, Alan Oliver, Richard Maund, Dave Mant, Paul Wright, George Spink, Brian Billing, Peter Davies, Blair Robinson, Simon Wass, Mike Rogers, John Grimley, David Bromley, John Czyrko, Simon Moppett, Gérard van Teeffelen, Bob Joshua, John Gilby, Ken Holway, Peter Tisdale, David Sharp, and Paul Hopper.

It was a very easy question for a lot of people - but had to be used because I was there at the time.

Two of us spent three days at the National Railway Museum, scanning timetables for the Timetable World project which I lead. We stayed at an Airbnb nearby, from where last week's Raildate was published.

Here I am hard at work - with 92220 Evening Star as suitable background. Photo by my colleague Ivybridge. We captured 11,639 scans in the 18 hours that we had access, which is not too shabby.

This is the smallest timetable I've come across, stored along with an item we were scanning. Has anyone seen smaller?

TELEVISION

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

Click me to open/close [Online only, not in the weekly email]

24 Hours in A&E -:- A 56-year-old woman is rushed to St George's with an open ankle fracture after falling in her garden, and a man suffering chest pains looks back on his career on the railway, which was cut short by a leg amputation. An 84-year-old man collapses at home following a bout of dizziness, and his children reflect on the challenges of watching his health decline in recent years

24 Hours in A&E -:- Aaron, 31, is rushed to St George's after overturning his car onto metal railings during a high-speed collision. He has a serious laceration to his face where a spiked railing narrowly missed his eye socket. Cameras also follow Fiona, 65, who is rushed to the hospital after falling over in a restaurant and cutting her knee during her friend Evelyn's 70th birthday party

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

A Bullet for the General (1966) -:- An American traveller finds himself drawn into all manner of violent adventures when he ill-advisedly heads for Mexico. His train is held up by bandits who are collecting weapons and money for revolutionary activities, and he ends up joining them - but a dark secret looks set to place him in serious danger. Spaghetti Western, starring Klaus Kinski, Gian Maria Volonte and Lou Castel. In Italian

Air Crash Investigation -:- Investigators make a shocking discovery that threatens Russia's aviation system when a plane crashes onto the trans-Siberian railway, leaving all 88 people on board dead

Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks -:- When Alvin sees every celebrity with their own personal bodyguard, he decides to train Theodore for the job

Amazing Railway Adventures with Nick Knowles -:- The presenter's Alaskan journey begins at dawn in snowy Anchorage, and takes him due north to the USA's coldest city, Fairbanks. Nick takes in the mighty Matanuska Glacier on the way, and also visits the largest year-round ice museum in the world at Chena Hot Springs

Around the World by Train with Tony Robinson -:- The actor enjoys a 10,000km journey along the Trans-Siberian Railway, a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East. In Khabarovsk, Tony is met by the extraordinary sight of the River Amur, frozen solid. He's invited to warm up over dinner with a group of locals who offer him a taste of their home-brewed vodka. Tony then re-joins the rails, learning about how Russia has changed since the days of communism. Further stops on his tour are Yekaterinburg, in the foothills of the Ural Mountains and Red Square in Moscow, before he heads west towards Finland's capital city, Helsinki

Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild -:- Ben meets a 40-year-old British woman who gave up her old life as a communications manager to train huskies inside the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden. He joins Gaynor Leeper and her new husband Milos in their hand-built cabin, which has neither electricity nor running water, and also meets the couple's 40 Alaskan huskies. The trio then embark on a tough trek driving dogs through the icy wilderness, with Ben learning how to sled and to manage both himself and the animals in temperatures as low as -30C

Big Rich Texas -:- Leslie trains Grace, Maddie and Kalyn for an upcoming pageant. However, Maddie's enthusiasm wanes, puts her commitment in question and causes a rift between Leslie and Melissa

Blazing Saddles (1974) -:- A crooked railway tycoon whose men are terrorising a frontier town arranges for a black sheriff to be appointed, hoping the racist residents will reject him. The lawman proves more cunning than expected, and with the help of a drunken gunslinger, runs rings around the businessman. Mel Brooks' Western spoof, in which he co-stars alongside Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder and Madeline Kahn

Britain's Most Luxurious Train Journeys -:- A guide to luxury train rides across Britain, beginning with the steam-hauled Saphos train on the Devonshire coast. Train manager Sandra and her hospitality team help a passenger surprise his wife of 40 years with a special anniversary present, while executive chef Nick creates a sumptuous five-course meal and learner steam train driver Ian clocks up more training hours passing alongside the red rock coast

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) -:- Two notorious outlaws' routine of bank and train robberies is cut short when a seemingly unstoppable posse is formed to catch them. The pair plan to flee America and start a new life in Bolivia, with the Sundance Kid's schoolmistress lover in tow - but staying ahead of the law is not so easy. Western, starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Katharine Ross

Caught Red Handed -:- How a pickpocket prowling railway stations preying on women carrying backpacks and bags was hunted down. Plus, the thieves thwarted from taking a parcel from someone's doorstep

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- Chris embarks on an epic journey through Scandinavia, starting out on the south-west coast of Norway and travelling to the capital Oslo via a blizzard-prone mountain region that doubled as the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. He then heads to Stockholm, where he tours the Swedish city on its newly restored tram system, before crossing into Finland to visit Rovaniemi, known as Santa's home town. Chris also spends a chilly night in an ice hotel and boards a giant iron-ore train bound for Narvik, the final destination of his journey through darkness, ice and snow

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- Chris travels 1,500 miles in a journey from Cape Town in South Africa to the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, following a hugely ambitious railway pioneered by 19th-century British colonial politician Cecil Rhodes. He starts his trip in luxury on the Blue Train, a five-star hotel on rails that takes him to the mining town of Kimberley, where he explores the diamond mine where Rhodes made his fortune

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- Chris travels along the route of the Soviet-era Trans-Caucasus Railway, beginning in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku. He then heads into Georgia, exploring Tbilisi's vintage metro system and funicular railway, before travelling to the holiday resort of Borjomi, where world-class engineering is on display in a mountain rail bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel

Cywion Bach -:- The Cywion Bach love trains and their friends are having fun seeing a train, playing with trains and also painting one too

Derelict Rescue -:- From crumbling railway stations to abandoned RAF bases, enthusiastic families across the UK are turning neglected relics into a unique place to live

Destroyed in Seconds -:- Heavy rains flood Utah and destroy neighbourhoods and an eight storey building collapses in the Filipino capital Manila. Plus, trains crash at a dangerous intersection and a stealth bomber interrupts a picnic

Digging for Britain -:- Alice Roberts visits the north of Britain to look at the most fascinating archaeology uncovered in the region over the course of 2021. In North Yorkshire, a team of community volunteers are digging down beneath Richmond Castle. On the northern tip of the Orkney Islands, the dig diary cameras are present to witness archaeologists racing to unearth rare discoveries from an endangered Neolithic tomb before it erodes into the sea. And 10 miles east of Edinburgh, volunteers are hunting for evidence of Scotland's oldest railway

Dragonfly Squadron (1954) -:- Major Matthew Brady is assigned to train South Korean troops in preparation for combat, but the appearance of an American woman who he was once close to marrying proves to be a distraction. Drama, starring John Hodiak, Barbara Britton and Bruce Bennett

Dredd (2012) -:- An uncompromising law enforcer in a post-apocalyptic city is assigned to train a psychic new recruit. A report of three murders leads them to a tower block dominated by a ruthless drug lord, only for the gangster to seal off the building, forcing them to fight their way out. Sci-fi thriller based on the 2000AD comic-strip, starring Karl Urban, Lena Headey and Olivia Thirlby

Dylan McGrath's Secret Service -:- The renowned chef acts as mentor to five chefs-in-the-making, who train with him in his restaurant Fade Street Social over a four-week period. His task is to prepare them to produce a fine dining event to raise funds for the charities that support them

Easter Parade (1948) -:- A dancer abandoned by his usual partner trains a chorus girl as a replacement. The new pairing is a great success but, although he strives to keep their relationship strictly professional, he begins to fall head over heels in love with her. Musical, with Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Peter Lawford and Ann Miller. Songs include A Couple of Swells, Stepping Out with My Baby and Shaking the Blues Away

Eddie the Eagle (2016) -:- Biopic of British sporting underdog Eddie Edwards. Determined to fulfil his dreams of becoming an Olympic athlete, Edwards trains as a ski jumper - a field in which Britain had no other competitors. He secures a place in the 1988 Winter Olympics, where his can-do attitude makes him a media sensation in the face of a losing streak. Starring Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman and Christopher Walken

Father Brown -:- Lady Felicia is horrified to find an injured man stuck in a tree on her estate, apparently thrown there from a passing train on an overhead viaduct. When Sid is implicated as the guilty party, Father Brown is left to clear his name - but only if he is truly innocent. Mystery drama, starring Mark Williams

Father Brown -:- The sleuth must stop a much-loved institution from going off the rails when the local stationmaster is murdered. Mark Williams stars

Find It, Fix It, Flog It -:- Henry Cole and Simon O'Brien head to a private railway, where Simon converts a lantern to a stylish table and Henry turns a fire extinguisher into a steampunk lamp

Forged in Fire -:- Four bladesmiths must forge not just one, but three knives from railroad spikes in only three hours. Time management is essential for hammering out three functional knives that can withstand a brutal round of testing. After two smiths' knives go off the rails, the remaining two competitors return to recreate the iconic Medieval Arming Sword

Fort Yuma (1955) -:- When an Apache chief is killed in a fight with a settler, his son goes on the warpath, launching an attack on a supply train headed for Fort Yuma. The only survivors - an embittered officer, a scout and a female missionary - realise the war party plan to kill everyone at the fort, and face a tortuous journey to raise the alarm. Western, starring Peter Graves and Joan Vohs

Four in a Bed -:- The contestants head to Lynton in north Devon, where they stay at Alistair and Emma Mundell's four-star Castle Hill Guesthouse. The pair only opened the B&B three months prior to the competition, and hope to impress with their recently renovated rooms, but Brigitte Tee proves hard to win over. Two of their guests are also forced to overcome their fears during a trip on a Victorian cliff railway

Four in a Bed -:- The week kicks off at Railway Hotel Apartments in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, where guests spend an afternoon out at Westonbirt Arboretum and experience some heating issues

George Clarke's Amazing Spaces -:- Architect George Clarke recalls the impressive works of engineering people have achieved with their vehicles - from the scrap Learjet turned into a luxury garden studio to the restoration of the only surviving British mobile cinema truck. Plus, the 1950s railway carriage that was converted into a three-bedroom home and an incredibly stylish custom-designed jeep transformed into a cocktail bar

Gino's Italian Escape -:- Chef Gino D'Acampo returns to explore more of his native country, this time heading off the beaten track to meet people keeping age-old traditions alive, as well as showcasing the scenery and culture of these lesser-known parts of Italy. He begins in the central state of Abruzzo, learning about chitarra pasta, before heading along the historic Trabocchi coastline to meet a fisherman whose family use a traditional wooden machine for their livelihoods and then travelling into the mountains to meet Mauro, a farmer who also trains the local breed of sheepdog

Grand Designs -:- Kevin McCloud meets master carpenter Olaf, who is facing the biggest challenge of his career - creating an oasis for himself and partner Fritha on a small slice of land in West Sussex, which happens to be surrounded by a mainline railway and a busy A-road. Not only that, but half of the plot can't even be built on due an underground mains sewer. All they're left with is a very small triangle on which to build their future life together. With £190,000 in the bank, Olaf and Fritha must use all the ingenuity they can muster to make their triangular three-bedroom house come to life

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo examines the history of the American rail network, using Appleton's General Guide to the United States and Canada of 1879 to plot his course. He begins on Manhattan Island and travels from Grand Central Terminal to the site of Ground Zero

Great Asian Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his exploration of Thailand, finding out about the lifesaving work of Bangkok's Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute and ending in the resort of Hua Hin

Great Asian Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo tours the imperial city of Hue, crosses the former demilitarized zone, which once separated North from South Vietnam, and takes a boat ride on the Red River Delta

Great Asian Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels around South-east Asia, guided by his 1913 Bradshaw's Handbook on a 2,500-mile railway adventure across six countries. In the Annamite Mountains west of Da Nang, Michael joins modern Vietnamese on holiday in a quirky facsimile of a medieval French village. Later, in the tailoring capital of Hoi An, Michael sees how Cham weavers make their distinctive brocade

Great Asian Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Ho Chi Minh City to Halong Bay, and uncovers the traumatic 20th-century history of Vietnam, a country that went from a French colony to a socialist republic. Along the way, he braves the city streets on a motorcycle, samples French-Vietnamese fusion food, and tries his hand at the national sport

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo begins this leg of his journey in Stirling, where he visits the scene of the Battle of Bannockburn before travelling north to Crieff in Perth and Kinross to take in a Victorian spa. In Perth, he finds out how to make a sporran and catches the Highland Main Line to Pitlochry and one of Queen Victoria's favourite haunts, then finishes with a dram in Scotland's smallest distillery

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his journey through southern Scotland, with this leg beginning in the industrial town of Greenock, from where he sets sail in the world's last sea-going paddle steamer. He then sees the devastating effects of a fire at the Glasgow School of Art, heads to Blantyre to find out about the humble beginnings of a famous missionary and explorer and learns to make sourdough in a bakery in Strathaven before finishing his trip in Larkhall

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the final leg of his journey across southern Scotland from west to east, beginning by paying homage to the birthplace of golf at St Andrews. In Dunfermline, he learns about the humble origins of a remarkable philanthropist who worked on the railroads before making his fortune in steel, and then crosses the Forth Bridge to end his trip in Edinburgh, where he treads the boards in an unconventional adaptation of a play by Oscar Wilde at the Festival Fringe

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the first leg of a series of journeys through London and its environs, beginning in the Buckinghamshire market town of Amersham, where he discovers the foundations of modern-day suburbia. In Pinner, he finds out about a Victorian domestic goddess, investigates the terraced catacombs of Highgate cemetery and ends with a trip to London Zoo in Regent's Park

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the next stage of his journey in which he travels from the naval hub of Portsmouth to Grimsby docks. On the first leg, he helps feed the crew of Britain's newest battleship, discovers how the Victorians planned to repel a possible French invasion and learns there is a well-established industry in an unlikely location

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo explores the scenery of rural and coastal Scotland as he travels from Stirling to John O'Groats. On the first leg of his journey, he learns about a Scottish hero, visits a Highland Games and discovers how an impressive piece of Victorian engineering ended in tragedy

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo is in Brighton as he starts the final leg of his journey from Norwich to Chichester, learning about the history of the Royal Pavilion. At Bramber, he discovers that Victorian tourists flocked to the town in huge numbers to visit a museum of taxidermy, before heading into the South Downs for a taste of life in the fast lane at Goodwood

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo is in Northumbria en route to the Highlands, heading to Kielder Forest to discover what lay behind a national initiative to plant one of the largest manmade woodlands in Europe. Crossing the border to Scotland, Michael arrives in the weaving town of Hawick to visit Lovat Mill, where, in the 1930s, tweed was big business, and also goes to the movies, sitting in the front stalls at the Dominion cinema in Morningside

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo journeys from Dufftown to Aviemore, learning how Victorian whisky trains were raided by robbers. He also travels along one of Scotland's most impressive viaducts and discovers that life is not always sweet on a shortbread production line

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo sets off from Ayr as he embarks on the first leg of a journey through southern Scotland from west to east, admiring the granite island of Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde before getting to grips with the sport of curling, with a little help from a Scottish world champion. The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers invites Michael to take part in a competition, at Barassie he rides the footplate of a freight train hauling coal on Scotland's oldest railway line as he heads on towards Stewarton

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo sets off from Motherwell as he continues his journey through southern Scotland, celebrating the Victorian iron and steel industry and admires one of its crowning achievements - the Forth Rail Bridge. He then visits the Falls of Clyde, which inspired Wordsworth and Coleridge, heads to Cumbernauld to learn about the origins of one of Scotland's best-selling soft drinks, and in Linlithgow he marvels at the ingenuity of the engineers who built the Union Canal

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo starts off in Invergordon on the final leg of his journey to John O'Groats. Along the way, he learns how one man's vision helped bring train travel to the Highlands, discovers how farming has changed since Bradshaw's day and hears the remarkable tale of Scotland's Victorian gold rush

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo starts the next leg of his journey to Chichester in Faversham, Kent, where he visits Shepherd Neame, which is one of the oldest breweries in Britain. He then heads to Dover to explore a sunken fortress known as the Western Heights, before crossing into Surrey where he blow-dries a hen in Dorking

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo takes the high-speed line to Stratford in east London to explore the legacy of the Olympic Park and explores Spitalfields, an area of the city that has been home to many immigrants through the centuries. He ends this leg of his journey at Victoria underground station, where he finds out about the massive makeover currently under way

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Dudley in the West Midlands to Bridgnorth, Shropshire. He learns how Victorian blacksmithing was not for the faint-hearted, rides on one of Britain's most modern trains and traverses the Victoria Bridge at Bewdley in Worcestershire

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Ipswich to Chelmsford, starting at an agricultural implements works with its own railway sidings. Continuing his journey south-west into Essex, Michael dredges for oysters off Mersea Island before taking the train to Witham, where he discovers a model farming establishment at Tiptree. His final destination is Chelmsford, home to the world's first purpose-built radio equipment factory, established by Guglielmo Marconi

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from London's King's Cross to Peterborough and discovers how a derelict part of the capital is being rejuvenated. He also puts in a shift at a Cambridgeshire brick factory and meets members of an immigrant community linked to it

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Spalding to Grimsby, along the way learning about how Lincolnshire farmers utilised the railway to improve their harvests, visiting the impressive cathedral in Lincoln and looking to the future of rail freight

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Victoria station to Abbey Wood in south-east London. Along the way he learns how volunteer Victorian firefighters liked a tipple, discovers that 19th-century sewage pumps were a marvel of design and puts in a shift at the oldest fish market in Britain

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Welshpool, Powys, to Aberystwyth in Ceredigion. He experiences Victorian entertainment in one of Wales's best-loved resorts, hears how the railways took the country's textiles into the most exclusive households and unleashes the power of a 19th-century engineering triumph

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Woking in Surrey to Clapham Junction in south London. Along the way he gets close to some precious Victorian botany at Kew Gardens, tries his hand at croquet and discovers a very surprising 19th-century place of worship

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels on London's first railway and admires the remarkable brick viaduct on which it was built, before taking a tour underneath its arches with a Victorian map showing the poverty of those who once lived there. The Docklands Light Railway takes him to Greenwich, home to the tea clipper Cutty Sark, before he ends this leg of his journey in West Silvertown

Great British Railway Journeys -:- On the next leg of his journey, Michael Portillo heads along the Essex bank of the Thames before crossing the river into Kent. He begins in Barkingside, where Victorian philanthropist Thomas Barnardo made it his mission to transform the lives of destitute children. The former politician then tries his hand at loading a container onto a pocket wagon at Tilbury docks, and ends his trip in Rochester, where he encounters a host of familiar characters and explores a town that was an inspiration for many of Charles Dickens' works

Great British Railway Journeys -:- On the penultimate leg of his journey from Stirling to John O'Groats, Michael Portillo travels from Inverness to Plockton. Along the way he rides on one of the country's most picturesque railways, visits Scotland's smallest station and learns what a spa break in the Victorian era comprised

Great British Railway Journeys -:- On the second leg of his journey from Stirling to John O'Groats, Michael Portillo travels from Dundee to Aberdeen. Along the way he learns how Queen Victoria used to hide from her subjects and discovers why some factory workers went deaf

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo braves the freezing temperatures of the Baltic Sea and finds peace paddling a canoe on the Lakes of Finland. On his journey from the Latvian capital Riga to Tampere in Finland, he encounters medieval knights in Tallinn, grills sausages in Helsinki and samples cloudberry liqueur in a hot tub. He later arrives in Estonia, where in the setting of a ruined 13th-century cathedral he learns how the Baltic countries demonstrated their desire for independence from the Soviet Union with a 'singing revolution'

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo concludes his journey in the Netherlands, where he travels from Rotterdam to Utrecht, including a visit to the world's largest flower auction in Haarlem, a trip to Delft to learn how the city came to specialise in pottery and an exploration of the government buildings in The Hague

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

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo takes in Georgia and Azerbaijan as he journeys through the former Russian empire. He begins in the port of Batumi, discovers a surprise 19th-century tea plantation in the West Georgian countryside, visits a private museum dedicated to Joseph Stalin - the most infamous Georgian of all - and discovers that a Briton was the first to conquer the highest mountain in the Caucasus range. Arriving in Azerbaijan, he learns about its role in the 19th-century oil industry

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from the Italian Riviera to the Austrian Alps, starting in Genoa, where he learns how an Edwardian Briton introduced football to the port. He takes the train as it clings to the cliffs along the Riviera Di Levanti to reach the picturesque and remote villages of the Cinque Terre, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before ending his journey in the famous Brenner Pass, the scene of a ground-breaking engineering project to build one of the world's longest rail tunnels

How Do They Do It? -:- A look at how one of the fastest bikes in the world was created, how pilots train to perform death-defying acrobatics, and how oil and gas is brought up from the bottom of the sea

How Do They Do It? -:- How formation skydivers train in a wind tunnel, and the lowdown on a bullet-proof vest that can stop a dozen rounds at point-blank range

How It's Made -:- Developments in the manufacture of turntables, steam engines, playground equipment and non-stick pans

How It's Made -:- The manufacture of steel shipping drums, police whistles, miniature train cars and glass blocks, and how technology has led to improvements in their production

Howl (2015) -:- A train leaves London on a dark and stormy night, only to come to a sudden halt in the middle of a forest when it collides with something on the tracks. The passengers must band together to survive the night when they discover a strange creature is lurking in the woods and is on the hunt for human prey. Horror, starring Ed Speleers and Holly Weston

How the West Was Won (1962) -:- Three generations of a pioneering family experience many ordeals and adventures in their endeavour to build a new life for themselves on the American frontier in the 19th century. Over the years, the family experiences the key events of the nation's history, including the gold rush, the Civil War, and the building of the railroads. Western, starring James Stewart, John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda, Debbie Reynolds, Lee J Cobb and Richard Widmark

Japan Railway Journal -:- Discover the secrets of Japan's railways, from the newest technologies and systems in use to travel tips and must-see places.

Japan Railway Journal -:- On September 23, JR Kyushu's Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen opened for business along with a new tourist train. See the shinkansen in action and the redevelopment project along the line to attract visitors.

Kicking and Screaming (2005) -:- An easy-going vitamin salesman volunteers to coach his son's failing little league football team in a bid to prove himself to his own competitive father, who trains a rival squad. But when bullying tactics and caffeine-fuelled aggression start to take over, he realises he shares the old man's ruthless qualities. Comedy, with Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Kate Walsh and Mike Ditka

Lloyd of the Flies -:- An animated series about a young fly with a lot to prove. Having written a book on the subject, Gena agrees to train Lloyd in how to survive outdoors, but Lloyd is disappointed to discover that all the training is to take place indoors.

Look at Life -:- The replacement of old trains and buses

MacGyver -:- Angus must get a sabotaged train back on track if he is to protect a whistleblower who has proof her boss is selling weapons to America's enemies

Mahon's Way -:- Joe Mahon heads to the Deele Valley to check on the health of its rivers, and also learns about the history of its railway and discusses the works of a very unusual poet

Martin Clunes: My Travels and Other Animals -:- Martin's labrador puppy Arthur goes to dog training, but he does not see Martin as the pack leader. In Malibu Hills, he meets one of the most famous dog families, that of Lassie, then travels to the Arabian desert to ride with Bedouin horseman Ali Al Ameri, who trains the world's oldest man-made horses - the Arabian - for TV shows. Martin then spends time with Josef Svoboda, a logging superstar from the Czech Republic who uses heavy horses in his work

Massacre Canyon (1954) -:- A group of soldiers undertake the treacherous mission of escorting a wagon train carrying rifles through dangerous Apache territory. Western, starring Philip Carey and Audrey Totter

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?

Mega Shippers -:- In Texas, the process of unloading a 726-tonne column requires everyone's attention, while in London, a rail worker sends 22 train carriages of cement across the city

Michael Palin: The Art of Travel -:- Michael takes an imaginary train journey to Blackpool via the LMS posters of the 1920s and 1930s. From 1989

Murder, She Said (1961) -:- Elderly sleuth Miss Marple is travelling by rail when she witnesses a murder on a passing train. The police dismiss her claims, so she launches a private investigation and goes to work as a servant in the stately home where she believes the body is hidden. Agatha Christie mystery, starring Margaret Rutherford, Arthur Kennedy, Muriel Pavlow and James Robertson Justice

My Unique B&B -:- Master craftsman Simon Parfett and his team head to Shropshire to help Bethan and John turn a 1940s railway goods carriage into a B&B located in their back garden

Nazi Megastructures -:- How the Nazis' extensive rail network was put to its most dreadful purpose - transporting prisoners to the concentration camps for execution in vast numbers

Nazi Megastructures -:- The rail network of Nazi Germany, examining Hitler's personal train and how the railways were used as a weapon of war across Europe

Night Mail (1936) -:- Harry Watt and Basil Wright's documentary following the mail train to Scotland from London, accompanied by Pat Jackson reading WH Auden's rhyming verse and a score composed by Benjamin Britten

Night Train to Lisbon (2013) -:- An academic impulsively pursues a woman he met by chance, leading to him abandoning his job to follow her to Lisbon. On the journey, he reads a book belonging to her, and is inspired by the philosopher who wrote it. He sets out to track down everyone who knew the author to discover the story of his life. Drama based on Pascal Mercier's novel, starring Jeremy Irons and Melanie Laurent

Oli Wyn -:- How the funicular railway in Aberystwyth works

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs - India -:- The comedian helps more of the sick and abandoned dogs in Delhi. He meets a pup whose ears are infected and tries to train a boisterous labrador that cannot be rehomed because of its behavioural problems. He also goes out and about helping to treat some of the 400,000 waifs and strays on the city's streets

Poppy Cat -:- The friends go on a camping adventure by train to the Blue Rock Mountains to see stars, but Zuzu confesses to Poppy that he has never been camping because he is afraid of the dark

Poppy Cat -:- The gang discovers a giant spotted egg which Owl identifies as that of a Bumblebird, so they set off on the train for the snowy mountains

Race Across the World -:- The teams set off for checkpoint four - the remote outpost of Churchill that is only accessible by a twice-weekly train and where polar bears can outnumber people. One team make their first major mistake of the race trying to get to Calgary - they'll need to make a race-changing decision to get to the train in time. Another pair encounter a family of missionaries who make them question their reasons for running the race. And one contestant gets more than they bargained for when a bear blocks their path to the train, putting their race in jeopardy

Railroaded (1947) -:- A gangster connives with his girlfriend to rob his boss's illegal gambling operation, which is run out of her beauty parlour. The plan goes wrong, but the crook gets away, leaving an innocent bystander to take the blame. However, a detective on the case is not convinced and tries to get to the truth. Thriller, starring John Ireland, Sheila Ryan and Hugh Beaumont

Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter -:- The actor is joined by advanced technical diver Emily Turton in north Devon, as he prepares to dive down on the wreck of a sunken steam ship. Iona II was heading to America in the early 1860s, when it went down with a mystery cargo on board that the owners went to extensive efforts to recover in secret. The pair embark on a night dive with the hope it will reveal what the owners so desperately tried to covertly retrieve. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Ross also meets with a maritime historian who has uncovered Iona II's shocking purpose. Ross and maritime archaeologist Mallory Haas head to Plymouth to dive on a newly discovered wreck, and to uncover a staggering artefact that links the site to one of the most controversial and censored periods in British history - the transatlantic slave trade

Runaway Railway (1966) -:- A group of youngsters trying to save a railway line from closure are tricked by crooks planning a robbery. Children's adventure, starring John Moulder-Brown and Kevin Bennett

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

Salvage Hunters -:- Drew Pritchard searches the UK for valuable scrap items. He tries to make a profit on a collection of 19th-century balconet rails, finds himself bartering with a baronet at one of Scotland's grandest estates and is given a run for his money by a seasoned salvager

Salvage Hunters -:- In Monmouthshire at the UK's largest stockist of antique railwayana, modern day treasure hunter Drew Pritchard spots some amazing wagon signage. In Gloucestershire he finds a stunning Victorian card table

Secrets of the Zoo: Tampa -:- Penguin mates prepare to become surrogate parents, a treasured white rhino trains for her next adventure, and a moray eel visits the vet

Shipwrecks: When History Resurfaces -:- Kevin Sempé recalls the events of 1992, when a deadly cloud of steam and ash churned through plantations and villages, flattening the grand city of St Pierre, in Martinique. It then thundered into the bay where it sank 18 ships and hundreds of smaller craft. Within a minute or two, nearly 32,000 people died

Susan Calman's Grand Day Out -:- The comedian explores the historic city of Oxford and the Chilterns, an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. She gets her bearings at one of the best preserved 17th-century windmills in the world at Brill, and from there, the scholarly streets of Oxford beckon. Susan has always loved a model village and discovers that the Chilterns has the oldest in the world, complete with working model railway

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 Architecture the Railways Built -:- Tim Dunn discovers how two competing Victorian railway companies shaped the city of Lincoln

The Architecture the Railways Built -:- Tim Dunn explores railway ingenuity at Goole swing bridge in Yorkshire and takes in Edinburgh Waverley from roof to underground vaults

The Bidding Room -:- Nigel Havers presents as five more sellers bring their items to the Bidding Room. Sophie brings in a rugby shirt from the film Chariots of Fire and James hopes to sell a truck door. Next up, John and Nicky present a coin operated ride on train and car to the dealers and George brings in a 20th century card table with a secret drawer. Plus, Barry comes in with some stained-glass panels

The Bidding Room -:- Nigel Havers presents as five more sellers bring their items to the Bidding Room. Sophie brings in a rugby shirt from the film Chariots of Fire and James hopes to sell a truck door. Next up, John and Nicky present a coin operated ride-on train and car to the dealers and George brings in a 20th century card table with a secret drawer. Plus, Barry comes in with some stained-glass panels

The Bounty Hunter (1954) -:- A professional manhunter searches for three murderous train robbers who have taken cover in a backwoods town, but is unable to identify the killers among the community's residents. Meanwhile, the fugitives are aware of his arrival, and tensions begin to rise. Western, starring Randolph Scott, Dolores Dorn and Ernest Borgnine

The Dales -:- Adrian Edmondson revisits the Wildman family's farm in Kirkby Malham for the opening of the charcuterie, and follows the Dales tradition of the Burning of the Bartle in West Witton, where an effigy of a sheep stealer is paraded through the streets and set alight. He also finds out about the fundraising plans of Wensleydale Railway general manager Nigel Park

The Dales -:- Wensleydale Railway general manager Nigel Park and his team of volunteers put on an event to raise money to open up the old line between Leeming Bar and Northallerton, which would connect the Dales to the East Coast mainline. Adrian Edmondson spends a day with vet Amy Swales on her rounds in the Swaledale area, while the Wensleydale Young Farmers are given a lesson in the art of auctioneering by expert Maurice Scott

The First World War -:- The penultimate episode explores Germany's bid to end the conflict by launching a massive offensive on the Western Fron tin March 1918, masterminded by General Erich Ludendorff. Within days the British Fifth Army was in retreat, Paris was under shellfire and defeat seemed inevitable. However, the plan ran out of steam as supplies and strategic options dried up and German troops became war-weary, hungry and demoralised

The Middle -:- When Brick demonstrates his talent in a school spelling bee, Mike decides to train him for a regional competition. However, as the family members prepare to embark on a road trip to Chicago for the event, they realise they have forgotten Sue's birthday

The Onedin Line -:- James sets up a public company when he sees the potential in steam ships, while his only clipper struggles through troubled waters

The Railways That Built Britain with Chris Tarrant -:- Chris Tarrant examines how trains transformed the nation and shaped modern Britain, beginning with the invention of the steam locomotive and the work of the navvies who dug the tunnels and laid the tracks. Chris then explores the role of the railways during the two world wars and looks at the devastating impact of the Beeching report in the 1960s

The Repair Shop -:- Jay Blades and the team restore a wooden desk, a scrapbook charting the fantastic story of the owner's grandmother, and a wind-up train that has not run in decades

This Country -:- It's the most important day of the year for Kerry - the annual steam fair. This year it falls on her birthday and Kurtan has organised her a surprise present. However, the gift involves some walking, and so the cousins embark on a cross-country trek. This affords them the time to share some local village myths with the crew, such as the legend of the 'Fox Twins'

Train Cruise -:- Travel through western Kyushu, where Japan-Europe trade began 500 years ago; we track down customs and crafts that evolved over centuries in a region that was once at the forefront of Japan's culture.

Train Truckers -:- A legendary diesel locomotive, that's undergone over half a million pounds worth of repairs must be hauled over 40 miles ready for a diesel gala

Train Truckers -:- The A4 LNER Pacific Locomotive, Sir Nigel Gresley, must be hauled 46 miles at 30mph from Crewe to Bridgnorth

Train Truckers -:- The Royal Highland Fuslier, a 100-ton Deltic diesel engine, must be hauled from Leicestershire to Wirksworth in Cheshire

Train Truckers -:- The Train Truckers are on the clock this week as they attempt to move a 100-ton diesel engine to a gala extravaganza, as well as a 175-ton rail crane destined for Egypt

Unstoppable (2010) -:- A driverless train carrying a deadly cargo of toxic chemicals goes out of control. A veteran train operator and his rookie colleague set off in pursuit in their own locomotive, intending to bring it to a halt before it crashes and causes a major disaster. Action thriller, the final film from director Tony Scott, starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson

Vera -:- The detective investigates the death of a pensioner found stabbed on a train at the height of rush hour. The case has a huge impact on Joe's home life when his daughter is named as a key witness, and he struggles to maintain a professional distance. The trail leads the team to a quiet Northumberland coastal town where clues appear to lead to one particular street - but why are the residents so reluctant to talk? Starring Brenda Blethyn, with David Leon, Sonya Cassidy, Jon Morrison and Eva Birthistle

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell explores more abandoned rail routes, beginning with one that cut an outrageous path through the dramatic hills and gorges of the Peak District - part of the 1860s express route between London and Manchester. From Matlock to the spa town splendour of Buxton, Rob unearths a tale of Victorian ambition, as he travels along a route filled with great engineering, which is now a beloved part of the Peak District National Park

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell explores the Waverley Route, which ran south from Edinburgh for 100 miles through the Scottish Borders to Carlisle, connecting with what is now known as the West Coast Main Line. After years of campaigning, the first stage of Rob's journey is aboard the new Borders Railway, the longest railway to open in over a century. It follows part of the old Waverley Route, making fine use of the 170-year-old, 23-arch Newbattle Viaduct. Rob also pays a visit to one of Hawick's surviving cashmere factories and discovers a First World War prisoner of war camp served by the railway

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell heads to Norfolk to follow a lost railway through some of the quietest - yet wealthiest - parts of the country. This railway was a curious latecomer when it was built in the 1880s and it threatened to rudely thrust the region into the industrial age. Rob explores an entire engineering town built from scratch, learns how Norfolk's agriculture was super-charged, and sees for himself where thousands of holidaying Midlanders arrived to sail the Norfolk Broads. The line put Norfolk on the frontline of the war so Rob takes to the skies to spot dozens of hastily constructed airfields

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell heads to the industrial heartlands of north-east England, beginning on Wearside, where he learns about the world's first railway designed for steam locomotives. Rob also visits the 'living' museum at Beamish and rides a railway from George Stephenson's day, following an old line into Hartlepool, where a medieval port was turned into a mega-centre of coal, rail and shipping in just one generation

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell travels to Bangor in north Wales, where he explores a lost line that was built in 1801 to transport Welsh slate from the local quarry, which once was the largest in the world, and now provides the backdrop for the world's fastest zip line. He also follows the Victorian railway inland to Llanberis, where tourists still flock to ride a special train to the summit of Snowdon, and discovers why the heirs to the throne have been styled 'Prince of Wales' for seven centuries

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Until it closed in 1966 the Deeside Railway followed the River Dee upstream from Aberdeen into what is now the Cairngorms National Park. As luck would have it, Queen Victoria purchased Balmoral just as the line was set to open, giving the route prestige. Rob Bell retraces the route, visiting a shooting estate, tossing a caber and finding an unmistakable Highland 'brand' that all owe their existence to this royal railway age. He also explores a quiet valley of cattle farming and timber sawmills, and, in truth, a simple railway that struggled for decades to justify its own existence, despite its royal veneer

Walks Around Britain -:- Series featuring inspirational walks between from around Britain. Andrew White walks on a disused railway in the Peak District and alongside the Caledonian Canal

When Big Things Go Wrong -:- This episode explores a catastrophic high-speed train crash in Spain. Plus, an out of control cruise liner in Venice, a military air crash in Afghanistan, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Whispering Smith (1948) -:- A government agent working on the railroad investigates a string of train robberies, and is stunned to discover one of the culprits is an old friend. The situation is complicated by the detective's feelings for the bandit's wife. Detective Western, starring Alan Ladd, Robert Preston and Brenda Marshall

Wild West Chronicles -:- Butch and Sundance are gone, so Bat Masterson asks Sundance's girlfriend to relive the events from one of the West's greatest train robberies

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- A 600-mile journey through Finland - from Helsinki in the south to Kemijarvi in Finnish Lapland. The line whisks passengers through the thickest of forests, past vast frozen lakes 63 times the size of Lake Windermere and to station stops where time has stood still. As the train enters the Arctic Circle, it calls at Rovaniemi, a place destroyed by German soldiers at the end of the Second World War. Now the town has been re-built, famously in the shape of a reindeer, serving as the official home of Santa Claus. Narrated by Bill Nighy

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- Beginning in the mountaintop town of Creel, the Chihuahua Pacifico Express - or El Chepe for short - winds its way through the Tarahumara Mountains, home to the reclusive Raramuri people. Divisadero, Mexico's most panoramic station, offers the first glimpse of Copper Canyon. Created by six separate yet conjoined gorges, it is four times the size of the Grand Canyon. The train continues on to the Urique Canyon, which at 6,200ft deep it is the deepest in North America. The final leg crosses the state of Sinaloa, Mexico's breadbasket, before reaching Los Mochis and the gateway to the Pacific Ocean. Narrated by Bill Nighy

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- Bill Nighy narrates a train journey across Sri Lanka along one of the world's best-preserved Victorian railways. The trip begins in the coastal city of Colombo and moves on to the country's cultural and spiritual heart in Kandy. The journey continues through a a very English town that produces some of the world's finest teas, coming to a stop at a hill station surrounded by tropical forests close to one of the world's most spectacular viaducts - the Nine Arch Bridge

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- New Zealand's Northern Explorer, the longest-running passenger service in the country. The train travels 423 miles along the historic North Island Main Trunk Line on a 12-hour voyage and the journey takes travellers through some of the most astonishing landscapes of the southern hemisphere from volcanoes to coast and from lava fields to unspoilt islands. Historians explain the history of the railway and tell the tale of the terrible tragedy at Tangiwai, when over 150 people were killed by a volcanic mudflow that hit the train. Narrated by Bill Nighy

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- The 200-mile Ligne de Cévennes, which travels northwards through the Massif Central to France's volcanic heart - Clermont Ferrand and the spectacular Puy De Dome. The route takes travellers across three incredible historic viaducts, plunges deep underground to explore the area's hidden wildlife and traverses through several impressive valleys. The route winds through one of the world's most spectacular national parks, before reaching its final destination, a collection of 80 dormant volcanoes. Narrated by Bill Nighy

SMALL PRINT

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