The Biggest Little Railway in the World.

The Biggest Little Railway in the World.

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Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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On this evening at 8 o'clock Channel 4:

1/5. Dick Strawbridge leads a team of enthusiasts attempting to build the longest model railway in history, stretching 71 miles from Scotland's east coast to west coast.

jet_noise

5,631 posts

181 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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Recorder set - pub quiz tonight!
As well as the ever-entertaining Strawbridge Salvage Squad's Claire Barratt is involved too.

I'm not sure how they're going to make five 1hr programmes maintain interest.
It could be like watching a Nick Parks film in real time!

Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
quotequote all
jet_noise said:
I'm not sure how they're going to make five 1hr programmes maintain interest.
It could be like watching a Nick Parks film in real time!
Well, 71 miles at walking pace should suffice. biggrin But yes, hopefully interesting segments betwixt the run - fingers crossed.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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So, James May's Toy Stories but a bit bigger?

Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
quotequote all
Crossflow Kid said:
So, James May's Toy Stories but a bit bigger?
Yep, a shame James isn't racing the train with a remote controlled WXR. biggrin

Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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A wide bodied carriage with a narrow axle will not aid with the stability of such!

Le Vette

4,496 posts

233 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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B o r i n g.

Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
quotequote all
Le Vette said:
B o r i n g.
I think Dick must need the money for the chateau.

jet_noise

5,631 posts

181 months

Tuesday 9th January 2018
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Laurel Green said:
I think Dick must need the money for the chateau wife.
FTFY

meb90

355 posts

92 months

Tuesday 9th January 2018
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I caught up with this last night.

I enjoyed the episode overall, but I couldn't help feeling there was a lot of fakeness about it. Not what they are doing, but 'will they get it done in time' type jeopardy. I'm also not quite sure why they used narrow gauge as you'd think it would be more unstable!

Also, looking at the preview of next week at the end of the episode, what are did they think would happen with a small remote controlled boat, carrying their train. Its almost as if they wanted it to fall into the water!

Next episode could be interesting.

AppleJuice

2,154 posts

84 months

Tuesday 9th January 2018
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Felt like the programme could have been condensed in to 30 minutes or that they could have travelled further in the hour.

The teams seem to be a little disorganised and bicker quite a bit, but I suppose when you're used to being the only person in charge of laying track on your own layout, maybe it's not so much of a surprise? God knows how they work with colleagues at work!

The track they were using I presume was chosen for ease of construction, durability and reliability in all weathers.

Enjoy it, but James May's smaller feat was more engaging (BBC post-production v Channel 4 Televison post-production?).

Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 14th January 2018
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"I need a stick" very high-tech am sure. biggrin

bobbo89

5,151 posts

144 months

Sunday 14th January 2018
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Setting aside all the ass burgers and PPE, that young 18 year old lad into his steam engines was brilliant! He was like the bd child of Fred Dibnah and Guy Martin. Channel 4 should keep their eye on him as he was great with the camera too!

Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 14th January 2018
quotequote all
bobbo89 said:
Setting aside all the ass burgers and PPE, that young 18 year old lad into his steam engines was brilliant! He was like the bd child of Fred Dibnah and Guy Martin. Channel 4 should keep their eye on him as he was great with the camera too!
Yeah, he could go far with the right contacts me thinks.

The look on Dick's mates face when encountering the 'elf n safety bot' concerning the expansion slots was priceless. hehe

Not having much luck with the quad-bikes either - failing to check the oil levels and running them dry - bonkers!

louiechevy

644 posts

192 months

Sunday 14th January 2018
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Laurel Green said:
Yeah, he could go far with the right contacts me thinks.

The look on Dick's mates face when encountering the 'elf n safety bot' concerning the expansion slots was priceless. hehe

Not having much luck with the quad-bikes either - failing to check the oil levels and running them dry - bonkers!
Mind you they did manage to run one of the quads very wet, um probably not a pluss though!

Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 14th January 2018
quotequote all
louiechevy said:
Mind you they did manage to run one of the quads very wet, um probably not a plus though!
I didn't quite catch what the reason for the, er, wetting was; sounded like it was stuck on full throttle in reverse? Glad the chap wasn't too banged up by the experience though.

fiatpower

3,006 posts

170 months

Sunday 14th January 2018
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Laurel Green said:
The look on Dick's mates face when encountering the 'elf n safety bot' concerning the expansion slots was priceless. hehe
I hope his employers aren’t watching this. Considering his job is project management he isn’t managing his team very well at all!

Get the feeling that he really grates on dick’s mate with every conversation they have.

jet_noise

5,631 posts

181 months

Monday 15th January 2018
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Nice description of the traction engine restorer, bobbo89,

Sticking with this although Mrs Noise has baled. I don't think she's the target audience(!) but I thought she'd be fascinated by the, er, personal interactions.
I know the geeks who're going to be interested in this are going to be a bit odd but, like Celebrity Brother Bake Ice Dancing in the Jungle I'm Off to the Pub, were they chosen by suitability or because they'd make "good TV"?

Dick is getting a bit frustrated. He reminds of the Fast Show's Carl Hooper at times.
A stick is low tech but given the seriousness of the situation and the people available better the higher the fool-resistance the better!

The people-skill-challenged BR project manager really, really needs to consider a career change.

Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 21st January 2018
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The young girl with the 'not the shared interest but, makes up for it in other ways' scratchchin

Laurel Green

Original Poster:

30,770 posts

231 months

Sunday 21st January 2018
quotequote all
From 'tother thread:

ewolg said:
Why aren’t they using the bridge in shot - seems strange they want to build an A frame bridge going in to a load of bushes!
I was wondering that one too. Perhaps it's just to make the programme more interesting?