BBC 4 - Flying Scotsman - no commentary

On now 9pm, and no commentary!

Steve (in armchair)

This programme was first shown on 29th December, and so has been discussed already on other forums. The general consensus seems to be boring or very boring (very boring in my case).

Cheers,

Julian

I watched it first time around last week. Very good programme presented by real people, talking only when needed. I wasn't entirely convinced by some of the explanations, but nevertheless lots of interesting information for techie nerds like me. And best of all no 'presenter' wetting their knickers every few minutes saying how super/wonderful/great it all was without actually imparting any useful information whatsoever. The BBC could do to learn from the presentation.

Andrew

We really enjoyed the programme, wonderful to see the engine chuffing along, saw it in the flesh years ago near Newark on the main line. Agree with the comments Andrew noted above.

Chris

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What a shame that David Attenborough had not been an engineer. - We would have an entire nation still wildly enthusiastic about manufacturing ingenious ground breaking items.

Nick

Hi, I watched it on the Friday night and enjoyed it and agree with Andrew about real people presenting it and also had a doubt about one or two explanations, but hey, I've never driven a locomotive. Although I missed the first eight minutes of it this evening I watched it again. It was a chance to see how much I could remember of the stations etc. from when I visited the SVR over twenty years ago. I first saw The Flying Scotsman back in 1994 on the Nene Valley Railway at Wansford, but I've never travelled behind it.

**LINK**

Regards Nick.

Best of all no blasted background music!

I thought it was a good programme,no blonde bimbos like on country file who must pathetically try to get in the action , or music ,plus no dark scenes and inaudible actors which ruin so many plays and programmes, only fault was no really good aerial views of just the loco,sideways on, like those superb shots of the GWR loco running along the Devon coast in the BBC series "Coast"

I thoroughly enjoyed it. What a refreshing change from the usual garbage. I even surfed the Net afterwards, to learn what all the controls were about. That was an education.

And yes, no background music, no dark scenes, and no presenters. What a relief.

As Andrew says, the BBC could learn something from that presentation style.

Steve

How strange!

I watched this on Freesat at 9pm BBC4 on 29th Dec. and again last night, same channel on Freeview.

On the 29th there was a voice-over from the crew expalining what was going on and the relevant safety aspects of the driving/firing/signaling etc. Nicely done and not interupting the flow of the raw footage. No background music or vocal inanity - highly commendable.

Last nights transmission was missing the voice-over, and was lightly edited to be a few (approx 5) minutes shorter. A lot less useful/interesting to the point of boring!

May be the BBC luvvies added their 'creative' input?

Andrew

I cannot understand Julian's opinion, having been on the SVR several times, it was an interesting change to view it from the front. I agree with all the positive views above. Well done.

Edited By KWIL on 02/01/2017 14:25:07

I dont want to get into heated debate about the programme, and here I am talking about the 29th December version with commentary.

This great locomotive was plodding along at 25 mph max on the SVR on a non stop run. Well it wasnt non-stop because there were 2 unexplained stops.

For those of us who have worked on the railways it could have been made far far more interesting. Exactly what is the technique to fire a Gresley Wooton type wide firebox? How does this technique differ when compared to a mainline run?

Why did poor old Roger Norfolk make a complete cock up of the start from Bridgenorth?

What coal was being used?

What percentage of cut off was used throughout and regulator opening?

I have commented elsewhere on some of the unexplained signalling issues (another forum).

All you got was FS trundling along after a set back on starting. Lovely countryside on the SVR which I am very familiar with.

The BBC film of the first run from Kings Cross to York earlier this year was far more exciting! Plus an old mate of mine was on the footplate.

Some have commented elsewhere on the prep and disposal if included in the programme would have added interest. And from a personal point of interest it would have been interesting to see how the coaches were attached and the brake test done and the Guard give the load slip to the crew and then deal with the 'Right Away' procedure.

No one watching the 29th December programme would really have any idea how to drive a Gresley Pacific - an opportunity missed!

One of the interesting aspects of active involvement in the miniature loco strand of our hobby is that I have driven a 7.25"g Flying Scotsman, 3.5"g LNER and LBSCR Atlantics, GWR Kings, and Hunslet Quarry locos, and much else besides. Each can be a challenge and requires different techniques to drive and fire, and adds enormously to the fun of the hobby.

Cheers,

Julian