RAILDATE 2023.07.28

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Less news than normal because of summer holidays.

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Credits

Thank you to this week's contributors.

The Weekly Poser: Where is this?

Trams and trolleys abound at this open-air museum, visited earlier this week. Where is it?

Last week's Where is this?

This town was well served by railways in this 1950s map. Where is it? [The map text is not longer blanked out]

Answer: Tavistock. Congratulations are due to the following for their correct answers: Richard Maund, Paul Hopper, Jenny Sutton

Tavistock had two stations - Tavistock North (on the L&SW's mainline to Plymouth) and Tavistock South on the GWR's branch to Launceston. Now it has none. Tavistock South closed first (1962), followed by Tavistock North (1968), but only North has survived as a building.

The Plymouth end of the former-Southern route survives as the Tamar Valley line to Gunnislake, largely because the road alternatives are very limited.

Reconnecting Tavistock with the rail network presents no major technical challenges but, as often happens with major towns that would have benefited from keeping their rail links (Ripon, Haverhill, Witney, Wantage, Coalville etc), a high-frequency bus service has developed instead. You can compare and contrast:

The train was slightly quicker. The fastest, the Atlantic Coast Express, would take 33 minutes, today's bus 63 minutes, but most stopping trains were around 50 minutes on both routes.

In the final year of Tavistock South. Cl 4575 No. 5544 5th May 1962.

Jack Faithfull photo courtesy of the RCTS Photo Archive

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]

999: Critical Condition -:- When Duncan is admitted to Royal Stoke emergency department after falling down a full flight of stairs onto concrete, trauma team leader Richard Hall fears the worst. Elsewhere, a woman with a life-threatening brain tumour undergoes surgery to have it carefully removed, and a 21-year-old is treated after falling from a window and landing on metal railings

Abandoned Engineering -:- An abandoned railway station near a town in Spain that is home to just 500 people and a record-breaking Arctic facility that goes deep below the surface

Adults Only -:- Sex doll manufacturers, husband and wife team, Jade and Elliot launch a new custom dildo product line, while Dominatrix mistress Sofia trains a new apprentice in spanking, and 19-year-old escort Ellie leaves her home town of Nottingham in search of richer pickings from clients with deeper pockets

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 and Eleanor train to be lifeguards, Theodore is passed over but later manages to save the day.

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

Ambulance: Code Red -:- An HGV crashes into a railway bridge on the M6 motorway, and a 67-year-old is stabbed multiple times while in his own home, before escaping his attacker

Bakugan Legends -:- As the Awesome Brawlers train for the Battle Judgement, they learn of a new Core - the Nova Core! Dan and Drago use its mysterious new powers against an unexpected opponent.

Brief Encounter (1945) -:- A suburban housewife meets a married doctor by chance in a railway station waiting room. Later, their paths cross many times until the pair become friends and their meetings a fixed arrangement. But as their feelings for each other transform from friendship into passion, both come to realise the affair is doomed to fail. David Lean's romantic drama, starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard

Britain and the Sea -:- David Dimbleby investigates the importance of the sea to trade and to the individual livelihoods of coastal communities. He sails along the west coast of Scotland, starting at Craobh Haven and along the Crinan Canal, a waterway designed by East Lothian engineer John Rennie to take 120 miles off the journey from the west coast to Glasgow and safely avoid the turbulent waters around the Mull of Kintyre. He also climbs aboard the last working sea-going Clyde puffer, where he earns his keep shovelling coal in the steam room, and reflects on the role played by the river in both trade and shipbuilding

Britain's Most Evil Killers -:- A profile of John Duffy and David Mulcahy, who terrorised the south of England in the 1980s with a string of attacks on women and children near railway stations

Building Giants -:- Following the 2,200-strong team of designers, mechanics and engineers in Germany building 19 high-speed passenger trains to revolutionise Turkey's ageing railway system

Canal Boat Diaries -:- Narrowboater Robbie Cumming begins a fresh set of adventures along the waterways of the north of England and the Midlands. He is forced to make a running repair to his narrowboat the Naughty Lass while on the Tinsley lock flight in South Yorkshire. He then cruises beneath Conisbrough's magnificent viaduct and must wait for an unusual sliding railway bridge to open on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal

Channel Tunnel: Life On The Inside -:- With up to 400 trains a day on its 62 miles of track, the channel tunnel is the busiest railway system in the world - and doing things at the double is key to its success

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- Chris sets out on a mission to cross three former Soviet republics entirely by rail in just one week, travelling through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and uncovering amazing stories and dark secrets from the region's past. He begins in Narva, Estonia, before heading to the capital Tallinn on the country's oldest railway, built by German nobles to connect the Russian imperial capital St Petersburg with Estonia's ports, then travelling through Latvia and Lithuania and heading to the Russian border on a revolutionary new line

Criminals: Caught on Camera -:- Met Police helicopter India 99 is called to help rescue a woman who jumped into the Thames near the Palace of Westminster, as well as her two daughters, who leapt in after her. Elsewhere, the helicopter team coordinates a risky game of cat-and-mouse as police chase a group of graffiti artists across live train tracks in a patch of industrial wasteland in Battersea. The episode also looks at the case of the Hounslow Slasher, a man who in 2012 randomly attacked lone women while they were travelling home at night. Nick Wallis presents

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

Dad's Army -:- A land mine cuts off all power and communications services in Walmington-on-Sea, but Captain Mainwaring rises to the challenge by declaring martial law - while Pike gets stuck on some iron railings. Vintage comedy first broadcast in 1974, starring Arthur Lowe and Ian Lavender

Dark Land: Hunting the Killers -:- The team members try to solve the eight-decade-old murder of Joyce Cox. After the four-year-old disappeared in 1939, her body was found on a railway line just a few hundred yards from her home in Whitchurch - though her killer was never caught. Despite the passage of time, new evidence comes to light that might help the team finally solve the case as the last person to see Joyce alive talks for the first time about that day

Deadliest Catch -:- Saga and Cornelia Marie battle colossal waves of the supermoon storm. Plus, on the Summer Bay, a deckhand goes over the rail into the icy Bering Sea

Digbi Draig -:- Cochyn is ejected from the Train Club by Conyn, and finds an unlikely ally in Glenys

Doctor Thorne -:- Julian Fellowes' three-part adaptation of Anthony Trollope's historical novel, starring Tom Hollander as a doctor who is forced to tell his niece the secrets of her past when she is barred from attending her best friend's wedding. The truth threatens her own plans to marry the heir to a country estate, and the mother of her intended plots to push her son in the direction of an American heiress. Meanwhile, the doctor also advises a railway tycoon who is drinking himself into an early grave. With Alison Brie, Ian McShane and Rebecca Front

Doctor Thorne -:- Sir Roger falls seriously ill. Dr Thorne does his best to ease the old man's pain, but feels certain that he will die soon. The railway entrepreneur's son Louis comes to see him in his last days, and to the doctor's horror, takes an immediate liking to Mary. Meanwhile, Miss Dunstable urges Frank to follow his heart despite increasing pressure from Lady Arabella to put his family's future ahead of his feelings in matters of marriage. Adaptation of Anthony Trollope's novel, starring Tom Hollander and Ian McShane

Dr Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet -:- Dr Jeff and Petra train new vets at a wildlife sanctuary in Mexico. While there, they spay an endangered jaguar, and help an injured osprey

Eric Clapton: Planes, Trains and Eric -:- Documentary film following the guitarist on the Far and Middle Eastern legs of his 2014 world tour, featuring interviews, backstage footage and concert performances

Escape to the Country -:- Jules Hudson helps a family with two children to find a home in Devon with a large garden, and discovers an approach to woodcraft that uses steam to sculpt interior design pieces

Euphoria -:- The first of two feature-length specials of the provocative coming-of-age drama. As Rue deals with the aftermath of being left by Jules at the train station and relapsing, she prepares to celebrate Christmas. Starring Zendaya and Hunter Schafer

Four in a Bed -:- The first of this week's destinations is The View in Tynemouth, where guests take a a picturesque steam train journey, but are less than happy to be sharing a bathroom

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

Gino's Italian Escape -:- For the final leg of his journey, Gino D'Acampo takes a railway adventure to picturesque Lake Iseo, a hidden gem often overshadowed by its big sisters Garda and Como. He starts out angling for sardines, then takes his catch and prepares a dish of grilled fish for the passengers of Treno dei Sapore - a tourist train that takes guests along the lakeside and into the Franciacorta region. While they enjoy the views they also get a seven-course meal - with today's starter cooked by Gino

Gino's Italian Escape -:- Gino D'Acampo's latest leg begins in the Italian fashion capital of Milan, where he visits an elegant cocktail bar who were the first to introduce the idea of the aperitivo in the city. Its train station is one of the busiest in Europe and it's from here he travels on to the town of Treviglio, the home of Bianchi bikes - the first mass-manufactured bicycle in the world. Gino gets a tour of the factory before test riding one of their latest electric bikes alongside a group of local cyclists. Moving on, he visits the medieval town of Bergamo, where he meets ice-cream maker Niccolo, and visits a co-operative restaurant

Great Alaskan Railroad Journeys -:- Traversing British Columbia, Michael Portillo arrives in Skagway by seaplane from railwayless Juneau. He then heads further north for Dyea and the Chilkoot trail, which the first gold prospectors hiked a century ago to the Klondike. Among them was author Jack London, whose stories of sled dogs captured the spirit of the gold rush. After continuing his journey by rail along Lake Bennett to Carcross, Michael explores the art of the First Nations and helps to carve a totem pole. Then he's invited to shake his tail feathers in a 'grouse' dance

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- In Lawrence, Kansas, Michael Portillo joins the Jayhawks basketball team in the famous Allen Field house stadium with energetic encouragement from their cheerleaders, before travelling through Tornado Alley to Topeka to meet one of the first storm chasers in America. Driving out on the Great Plains, Michael learns about the Tallgrass Prairie and comes face to face with a herd of wild buffalo

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- In Montreal, Michael Portillo discovers how French and British colonial roots have influenced the city's construction, cuisine and culture. Undaunted by his guidebook's description of the treacherous Lachine Rapids, the one-time MP gets a thorough soaking on a white-knuckle boat ride down the St. Lawrence River. In the Canadian capital, Ottawa, Michael visits the country's parliament to hear about the birth of the new nation after Confederation in 1867. And at Ottawa's historic Central Experimental Farm, Michael hears of the pioneering discoveries, which launched a Canadian wheat boom

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues to explore Alaska, from the remote former goldrush settlement of Talkeetna to the railwayless state capital, Juneau. Along the way, he helps a homesteader fell a tree to clear land for a log cabin, discovers how 100 years ago photographers captured the beauty of the Alaskan landscape and meets scientists studying the Northern Lights

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo explores British Columbia, discovering how two superpowers nearly came to war over a pig and joining the Royal Canadian Navy to firefight on board the frigate HMCS Regina. He also explores the rich British heritage and colonial past of Victoria - the provincial capital of British Columbia - discovers the origins of the Hudson's Bay Company, helps to carve a 36- foot totem pole and learns how to head off a charging bear

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo leaves the tracks for a nautical pilgrimage through the Thousand Islands, visiting Fort Henry in the port city of Kingston, Ontario, and learning about the antics of 19th-century high-wire walker the Great Farini in Port Hope. He then heads to Oshawa to look around the home of the McLaughlin family, who helped build a new economy for Canada, before his journey across Canada concludes in Toronto

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo makes his way from Chicago to Champaign, Illinois. On his travels he discovers the origins of the Sanitary and Ship Canal, joins the head chef at Palmer House Hotel to recreate the original chocolate brownie, and visits the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house that changed the face of American architecture

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo reaches Colorado, where he follows in the footsteps of 19th-century east coast men who came to experience the cowboy life. At Bent's Old Fort, he is transported back to the Mexican American War of 1848 and finds himself inspecting the troops, before heading out into the spectacular gorge of the Arkansas River aboard the historic narrow gauge Royal Gorge Railroad

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo returns to explore more of the US rail network, embarking on the first leg of a journey across Alaska. He begins his journey amid the snow-capped mountains of the Kenal Peninsula, where he discovers that 150 years ago, Alaska was a Russian colony. Moving on, in Seward he feeds a rescued sea otter with a fearsome bite and in Anchorage he joins the US Arctic Warriors for parachute training

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo's journey through California takes him to San Francisco, where he travels through the city's streets by cable car, before heading across the bay to Sausalito

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo stops at Mattoon, Illinois, where he gets a taste of the early life that shaped President Abraham Lincoln, though struggles to split one rail compared with Lincoln's estimated 700 a day. The political pundit then heads to Kentucky, where a bloody conflict proved decisive in victory for Lincoln's Union. Aboard a paddle steamer on the lower Mississippi, Michael hears about the life of former river boat captain Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, and in Memphis, Tennessee, uncovers the story of a devastating epidemic. In the home of the Blues, Michael joins some Elvis fans at Graceland

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

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels through Milwaukee, a city on the shore of Lake Michigan, where he learns about the history of the iconic American Harley Davidson motorcycle. When Michael reaches the city of Illinois, he discovers how the modern day skyline of Chicago has replaced a largely wooden city which was destroyed by a great fire many years ago

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo visits Yosemite National Park in California, beholding its towering granite cliffs, giant sequoia trees and cascading waterfalls. He then heads to the University of California's seismology department to hear about the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which claimed the lives of approximately 3,000 people and destroyed more than 80 per cent of the city

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- The next leg of Michael Portillo's journey begins in Skagway, Alaska, where he learns about writer Jack London, one of the gold prospectors who hiked to the Klondike 100 years ago. He then crosses into Canada on the White Pass and Yukon railway. Along the way he is invited to shake his tail feathers in a grouse dance, heads for the home of the Vancouver Giants, tries his hand at ice hockey and visits the Canadian Motion Picture Park

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Armed with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, Michael Portillo embarks on another journey around the country to discover how the railways have affected people and communities, and the legacy they have left behind. He begins in Manchester, where he finds out how the world's first industrialised city produced a revolutionary political movement, and learns about the railway workers who founded one of the most successful football clubs of all time. Along the way, the presenter does the washing in Port Sunlight - a model village on the Wirral - and hears stories about the aptly named George Francis Train's time in Birkenhead, Merseyside

Great British Railway Journeys -:- At RAF Lakenheath, Michael Portillo discovers a slice of America dropped into the British countryside. In the market town of Brandon on the border between Norfolk and Suffolk, he visits Quorn Foods to find how a seemingly modern meat substitute emerged out of a post-war food crisis. Michael ends his journey in Cambridge, where he studied during the 1970s

Great British Railway Journeys -:- From Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, Michael Portillo heads to the castle of Eastnor at the foot of the Malvern Hills. He also visits Coleford in the Forest of Dean, Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, and Bristol Temple Meads. From there he heads to Filton to investigate the centre of Britain's post-war aviation industry

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 begins the latest leg on the seafront at Felixstowe, where in January 1953 the town was engulfed in the worst flooding to hit England in the 20th century. In Norwich, he admires the Norman Cathedral, then traces the history of the postcode

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 a railway journey through the Republic of Ireland from Co Kerry to the city of Galway. On the first leg, he travels from Killarney to Cobh, sampling 19th-century delicacies and exploring a stunning landscape that achieved fame due to rails and royals

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the final leg of his journey through the Republic of Ireland, travelling from Athlone to Galway. Along the way he examines historic jewellery with royal connections, encounters a people's king and meets up with a traditional Irish singing group

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 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 explores the Victorians' fascination with antiquity as he continues his tour of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. He visits the cromlech stones of Dundalk, Co Louth, and an observatory in Co Armagh, and travels on the steam railway in Downpatrick, Co Down

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 starts off in Exmouth on the final leg of his journey to Newton Abbot. Along the way, he goes out to sea with an RNLI lifeboat crew, visits a stormy coastal railway and has an encounter with his boyhood hero

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Charleville, Co Cork, to the city of Waterford, along the way finding out about the ancient art of making butter, attempting to learn the basics of Ireland's oldest game, and riding on the Duke of Devonshire's Victorian railway

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Newbridge in Co Kildare to Roscrea, North Tipperary, visiting the Irish National Stud in Tully, discovering how harsh life was for the Irish poor and investigating an astronomical feat of Victorian engineering

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from the Co Meath town of Enfield to the east coast port of Drogheda in Co Louth. He explores the railway network within the Bog of Allen, learns about the Victorian secrets of the Boyne Viaduct, and ventures into underground zinc mines

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 the next leg of his journey from Co Kerry to Galway, Michael Portillo travels from the city of Kilkenny to Athy in Co Kildare. Along the way he tries his hand at cutting marble in the Victorian style, uncovers 19th-century Ireland's surprising industrial heritage and learns how the railways helped bring motorsport to the masses

Great British Railway Journeys -:- On the penultimate leg of his journey Michael Portillo travels from Lynton to Exeter. He gets up close to a piece of natural history, visits a garden used as a viewing platform for public hangings and examines a timepiece like no other

Great Coastal Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his journey in the East Yorkshire resort of Hornsea, famous for its distinctive pottery. In Hull, he discovers how one of Hull FC's star players made history as Britain's first black rugby captain. From Hull, Michael hitches a ride on a fine-looking barge heading to Goole on a network of canals. At Spurn Point, Michael hears how along this coast an ingenious 19th-century RNLI invention saved many lives

Great Coastal Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo crosses the Culloden Viaduct aboard the Caledonian Sleeper to arrive bright and early in Inverness, from where he heads north on a magnificent scenic adventure to the Orkney archipelago. On boggy moorland overlooking the Moray Firth near Inverness, Michael explores the battlefield at Culloden, where Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army fought British Government troops in 1746

Great Coastal Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo is in the North Yorkshire seaside resort of Scarborough to explore one of the greatest royal fortresses in England

Great Coastal Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo's Scottish coastal railway journey reaches Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth, the third great inlet on the northeast coast of the Highlands. He arrives on Britain's northernmost railway, the Far North Line, and heads straight onto the water to explore a former oil drilling rig now moored in the firth

Great Coastal Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo's Scottish railway journey reaches Aberdeen. From the granite city, Michael heads out to Forvie National Nature Reserve, which is 1,000 hectares of protected coastal habitat dominated by grassy dunes

Great Coastal Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels by train north from Inverness to the Orkney Islands. Beginning on the Moray Firth, Michael admires the Cullen Viaduct then enjoys a bowl of Cullen skink at a family-run fishmonger of 150 years' standing. In the factory smokery, he learns from the owner how the famous soup acquires its distinctive taste

Griff's Great Australian Adventure -:- Comedian, actor and travel enthusiast Griff Rhys Jones boards the trains of Australia to explore Down Under, covering thousands of miles from surfers' beaches to dusty outback. On the first leg he journeys from Perth to Kalgoorlie on board the Indian Pacific, discovering Western Australia's riches, and asking - what is a sandgroper?

Gwdihw -:- Find out how the police train their dogs and see a sick rabbit get help

Hitler's Bodyguard -:- Investigating the Nazi leader's armoured train, which was able to bring German railways to a halt

How Do They Do It? -:- How do they make an almost invisible hearing aid that connects wirelessly to your phone? And, how do they build the carriages for London's new underground railway?

How I Met Your Mother -:- Ted is persuaded to accompany Barney on a mission to pick up drunk women on a late-night train from Manhattan to Long Island, but realises something is amiss with his friend. Meanwhile, Marshall, Lily, Robin and Kevin embark on a couples' weekend away. With Becki Newton (Ugly Betty)

How It's Made -:- Examining the manufacture of airstream trailers, horseradish sauce, industrial steam boilers and deodorant

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) -:- A clumsy Viking boy longs to become a mighty dragon slayer and protect his village from the fearsome flying lizards, but his father thinks he is not up to the task. However, when he sets out to prove his worth, he ends up befriending a dragon, and realises his people may have misjudged the creatures. Animated fantasy, with the voices of Jay Baruchel and Gerard Butler

How Trains Changed the World -:- A look at how trains transformed the battlefield - from huge railway guns and hospital trains to those used to take victims to death camps

How Trains Changed the World -:- How trains have seemingly changed the way people see the world - and each other, examining what it is that makes them so special

How Trains Changed the World -:- The world's 10 busiest metro systems carry more than 22 billion passengers every year. This programme examines the ways the train commute has shaped cities and changed the world

Japan Railway Journal -:- Japan's railway news, covered by NHK from January to June 2023. Join us as we see the introduction of new trains, test runs of an automatic Shinkansen operation, seasonal tourist trains and more

Japan Railway Journal -:- Tobu Railway has been restoring a steam locomotive to enhance the operation of their popular tourist train - see all the work that was done over three years to restore the old iron horse.

Kentucky Rifle (1956) -:- A wagon train carrying a shipment of rifles must make a perilous journey through hostile territory occupied by the Comanche Indians, who have their eyes on the guns. Western, starring Chill Wills and Lance Fuller

Killer in My Village -:- When a teenager disappears without trace at a Kent train station, painstaking forensic evidence is used to unmask her killer

Look at Life -:- DIY in the home and on a narrow gauge railway in Wales

Medical Detectives -:- A train crash in 1993 on Alabama's Bayou Canot bridge, which killed 47 people

Mega Shippers -:- Kieran struggles to get a 26-tonne train rolling for the first time in 60 years. Plus, Colin has 48 hours to load ten valuable racing yachts

My Family -:- With Christmas approaching, the Harpers spend a day shopping and getting into the festive spirit, but their joy proves short-lived when their tube train suddenly grinds to a halt and they face the prospect of spending the holiday on the Underground. Christmas special of the sitcom from 2003, with a guest appearance by Richard Whiteley

My Strange Addiction -:- Featuring a woman who regularly eats detergent, and a man who is so obsessed with strongman competitions that he trains for up to six hours a day

Nazi Megastructures -:- Extended episode exploring the use of trains in the Nazi regime, including Hitler's personal train, an unprecedented railway network, and concentration camp prisoner transports

New Signing -:- Following British Sign Language users Damaris Cooke and Rolf Choutan as they train with BT Sport this season, working towards presenting on BT Sport broadcast events.

Oli Wyn -:- The crew prepares the train for its next trip

Once Upon a Texas Train (1987) -:- Ageing outlaw Willie Nelson plunges straight back into a life of crime just hours after being released from prison - and uses the proceeds to reunite his equally long-in-the-tooth cohorts for an ambitious robbery. However, old enemy Richard Widmark is determined to stop the wrinkly renegades, leading them into a tense final showdown. Entertaining light-hearted Western, written and directed by cowboy movie veteran Burt Kennedy. Angie Dickinson, Stuart Whitman and Shaun Cassidy co-star

Our Lives -:- Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa, is the most popular mountain in Britain, attracting three-quarters of a million visitors each year - and it only getting busier. This documentary follows the work that goes in to keeping the tourists happy, including the maintenance of the five-mile mountain railway, which not only carries visitors but also supplies to the shop and cafe and even water and waste to and from the toilets. Meanwhile, wardens patrol the mountain to ensure the safety of walkers, and volunteers spends their weekends collecting tons of discarded rubbish

Pablo -:- The old steam engines are a bit sad until Pablo takes them out for a ride on his special tracks

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs -:- The comedian meets a neglected six-month-old boxer that was found chained to a tree in a London park, and the Battersea staff go back to basics to train an abandoned and mistreated puppy before rehoming can be considered. Meanwhile, a man brings his two-month-old lurcher to the home, having realised he has taken on too much

Paw Patrol -:- When the Dizzy Dust Express appears with no one aboard, the Paw Patrol must stop the runaway train and find the missing passengers

Peppa Pig -:- Grandpa Pig builds a train called Gertrude and takes George and Peppa for a ride

Railroad Australia -:- John Mackie takes on a hellish loco restoration job, Wilmar Sugar race to repair cyclone-destroyed tracks, and an upstart freight company takes on Broken Hill's mineral riches

Railroad Australia -:- The sugar train is desperate to hit its deadline for the first cane harvest of the year. Plus, the Gemco team tackle a problematic N-Class locomotive to get it back in service

Rat Race (2001) -:- A casino magnate approaches a group of no-hopers with the offer of $2million to whoever retrieves the sum from a locker in a train station in New Mexico, prompting a madcap cross-continent dash. Meanwhile, the casino owner's high-rolling gambler friends place bets on which of the bumbling contestants will win. Comedy, with Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Bates, Seth Green and Cuba Gooding Jr

Ridiculousness -:- Rob, Chanel, and Steelo get haunted by 'spooky moves', try to train 'dumb wolves' and get surprised 'out of nowhere'

Rocky V (1990) -:- The heavyweight champion is forced into retirement due to brain damage inflicted in the ring, and finds his fortune has been lost on the stock market by his accountant. Returning to his working-class roots, he trains an up-and-coming fighter, only to see his protege turn against him. Drama sequel, starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire and real-life boxer Tommy Morrison

Salvage Hunters -:- In Sussex, modern-day treasure hunter Drew Pritchard has some incredible luck when he is offered first pick of a shop packed full of French items. Then in Kent, he's invited behind the scenes of a historic railway

Salvage Hunters: The Restorers -:- Metal worker Ted is challenged to repurpose a rusty railway signal light. Alex restores a headless carousel animal, while Craig fixes up a lounge chair.

Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? -:- When Scooby and the Gang are in Sicily they're chasing a fire monster! But they are surprised to meet up with none other than famous actor Steve Buscemi. His ancestors are from this area and he has a lot of cousins in town and was just visiting. But he's being plagued by fire monster attacks. Our gang teams up with Mr. Buscemi to get to the bottom of this fiery mystery. Let's hope Mr. Buscemi can train our gang to be proper fire fighters and mystery solvers before they all get burned.

Secrets of the London Underground -:- Siddy Holloway and Tim Dunn visit West Ashfield, a fully fitted fake Underground station found on the third floor of a Kensington office block and used to train new employees

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

See No Evil -:- James Enright is stabbed to death outside a train station. Despite cell phone footage of the attack, police struggle to identify his killer, until they uncover CCTV footage

Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators -:- An energy tycoon hires Frank and Lu to keep an eye on his daughters, one of whom is going off the rails and the other is about to get married - but things quickly get out of hand

Susan Calman's Grand Week by the Sea -:- In Bournemouth, Susan takes a ride on the land train along the seven-mile stretch of sandy beach. She then heads to the lower gardens joining other holidaymakers to listen to the band playing in the historic Pine Walk Bandstand. Along the coast, she boards the ferry to Mudeford which boasts some of the best beach huts in the region. She also meets Gareth Malone for a game of Jenga

The Big Bang Theory -:- Leonard and Howard attempt to distract Sheldon with a trip to a historic railway when he slows the progress of their work on the Air Force guidance system. Raj and Stuart look after baby Halley, while Penny and Amy take Bernadette out

The Black Shield of Falworth (1954) -:- The son of a disgraced medieval nobleman is raised in poverty. With the support of a kindly earl, he gains the chance to train as a knight and reclaim his birthright, proving his worth by fighting to foil a plot to overthrow the king. Swashbuckling adventure, starring Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, David Farrar and Barbara Rush

The Gilded Age -:- An unfortunate development finds George's new rail station under threat, and Marian continues to see Mr Raikes despite Agnes' warnings

The Hive -:- Barnabee acquires a fire helmet and becomes inspired to train to be a real firefighter. However, every 'emergency' turns out to be a false alarm. Barnabee despairs of ever being a real firefighter until it's explained to him that firefighters help in lots of other ways

The Real Housewives of Atlanta -:- Tyrone makes a proclamation to Shereé, Porsha blows off some steam with a friend, Kandi worries about the fallout from dropping NeNe from her tour and Kenya one-ups the haters

The Repair Shop -:- Among the items coming into the barn for a spruce-up include an iconic but dilapidated Chopper bike which once lit up Christmas morning for two brothers. A much-loved but threadbare teddy bear in need of a stitch in time provides another challenge, along with a broken-down clockwork train set and a treasured harmonium that has been silent for decades. Jay Blades presents

The Royal -:- A train crash claims the life of an infant making Jill more determined than ever to support Carnegie's plans for a premature baby unit at the hospital. Meanwhile, local farmer Sam Benson (guest star Jack Deam) causes concern with his erratic behaviour, and Stella's rapist requires life-saving surgery after being attacked by the father of another victim

The Royal -:- The train on which Marian is travelling crashes, trapping her in the wreckage. Although she cannot escape, she's free to move around the carriage to help those injured, assisted by fellow passenger Dr Nick Burnett - who turns out to be the Royal's new locum. Back at the hospital, a shortage of staff puts the casualty department under pressure when the crash victims begin to arrive. Damian O'Hare joins the cast, and Gerard Horan guest stars

The Sound Collector -:- The Sound Collector tries to teach Mole a new trick - how to 'stay' when he blows a whistle. But when a steam train blows its whistle, the Sound Collector has to investigate right away. At the train station, the Sound Collector listens to all the wonderful sounds around him - the hiss of steam, the slamming of doors and the squealing of wheels - before the train chugs away into the distance.

The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) -:- Criminals hijack a crowded New York subway train and threaten to start shooting the passengers unless a $10million ransom is paid in one hour. However, the transport supervisor they issue their demands to begins to suspect the plot is part of an even grander scheme. Tony Scott's thriller remake, with Denzel Washington and John Travolta

The Train at Platform 5 -:- The social history of Kings Cross rail workers with stories from coal-shovelling firemen on 1950s steam trains to Wilston Jackson, the UK's first Black train driver

This Country -:- Kerry and Kurtan visit the local train station to welcome Reverend Seaton home from a trip to Bristol. In the vicar's absence, the cousins have been handling lots of village administration for him, with Kerry mucking in by looking after the parish chickens and Kurtan manning the phone as the point of contact in case of emergencies. Bafta-winning spoof documentary exploring modern life in a Cotswold village, written by and starring siblings Daisy May and Charlie Cooper, with Paul Chahidi

Tomos a'i Ffrindau -:- When the trains must deliver in pairs, Thomas is disappointed to be paired with Diesel instead of his best friend Percy

Top Gear -:- Jeremy Clarkson tries to prove the Nissan GT-R is faster than the celebrated Bullet Train in a race across Japan with Richard Hammond and James May. Toyota's idea of personal transport for the future is tested out and additional glamour is provided by the Alfa Romeo 8C, which takes to the Top Gear track. Newsreaders Fiona Bruce and Kate Silverton are the Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car

Train Cruise -:- Train rides provide panoramas of landscapes and lifestyles, with opportunities to hop off and meet the people. The tracks run to well-known and less-explored parts of Japan.

UFC: The Ultimate Fighter -:- This documentary series follows MMA fighters as they train and compete against each other for a contract with the UFC

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

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 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 Victorian Britain -:- Onyeka Nubia ventures through London, where so much of what can be seen - from its masses of railways to its famous landmarks - has its origins in Victorian Britain

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

Whale Rider (2002) -:- A Maori girl abandoned by her father after her mother's death is raised by her grandfather Koro, the tribal chief. The departure of his own son leaves Koro without a male heir, so he begins to train the local boys to determine who will be worthy of the honour - but his grand-daughter is determined to prove she can take up the reins of power. Drama, with Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene and Vicky Haughton

Why Him? (2016) -:- A protective dad is far from thrilled when his daughter begins dating a foul-mouthed playboy millionaire, who has made his fortune with the kind of technology that is driving their own old-fashioned printing company out of business. A holiday gathering threatens to go off the rails when he realises the object of her affections is about to pop the question. Comedy, starring Bryan Cranston, James Franco and Zoey Deutch

World's Greatest Train Journeys from Above -:- Aerial footage of railway journeys, exploring spectacular scenery and engineering, and meeting the people who live and work alongside them. In the opening episode, the Glacier Express is filmed from above, winding along alpine peaks to connect St Moritz and Zermatt. Engineers battle deep snow drifts, harness the latest tech to protect the line from landslides, and set explosives to guard against deadly avalanches

World's Greatest Train Journeys from Above -:- A journey across Manitoba from South to North. The Winnipeg to Churchill train is filmed from above as it winds through snow-covered grasslands, Canada's Boreal Forest and into the frozen barren lands, just below the Arctic Circle. It's a constant struggle to keep on track as engineers battle with snow and ice in temperatures that reach as low as minus 45

World's Greatest Train Journeys from Above -:- Norway's Bergen line, running from Bergen to Oslo, is filmed from the air as it passes along the fjords of Western Norway, rises to the snowy Hardanger Plateau, and descends through deep forests. Along the way, we learn how a dedicated team of people keep the line open in a challenging environment: clearing snow and ice, deterring wildlife, and repairing damaged trains

World's Greatest Train Journeys from Above -:- The Ghan, Australia's most luxurious train, crosses an entire continent from Adelaide on the southern coast to the tropical landscape of Darwin in the north. On its two-day journey, it faces intense heat, the risk of collisions with wild animals and the threat of increasingly extreme weather events. An army of engineers must work around the clock to maintain The Ghan and its 3,000 km of track

World's Greatest Train Journeys from Above -:- This episode follows the luxury El Chepe train from above and on the ground. The route is a wonder of Mexican engineering that took 100 years to build and winds through the world's largest canyon region, Copper Canyon

World's Most Evil Killers -:- The crimes of Angel Maturino Resendiz, known to some as the Railroad Killer, who is thought to have taken the lives of more than 23 victims before his execution in 2006

You Have Been Warned -:- Turns the spotlight on inventors who build astonishing creations in their homes - including a precision drone-catcher that transforms into a vacuum-powered railway

SMALL PRINT

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