Great british Railway Journeys

[kevrail]

Series 4 on Tonight BBC2 at 18.30 Goes to Ireland - Killarney to Cobh

 

Michael Portillo takes to the tracks once again using his Bradshaw's 'Handbook for Tourists in Great Britain and Ireland' from the Victorian era. Portillo is on a railway journey through the Republic of Ireland travelling from the rugged beauty of County Kerry, across the rural Irish Midlands to end in the city of Galway on the Atlantic coast. In this episode Michael samples nineteenth century foodie delicacies, explores a stunning landscape shot to fame by rails and royals and risks life and limb for the gift of the gab.

 

Goes to Ireland - Charleville to Waterford Tuesday BBC2 at 18.30

Goes to Ireland - Kilkenny to Athy Wednesday BBC2 at 18.30

Goes to Ireland - Newbridge to Roscrea Thursday BBC2 at 18.30

Goes to Ireland - Athlone to Galway Friday BBC2 at 18.30

 

 

 

For more information http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xgqxy/episodes/guide#b01pw8rt

 

 

 

 

Edited February 4, 2013 by kevrail

[BosKonay]

[Kirley]

That's a repeat from last year but well worth watching it again

[kevrail]

I know it is Kirley but I missed a few episodes. the problem is that he spends too much time away from the railway issues, but still worth a watch

[Eiretrains]

They aren't repeats, it's his new/current series, so worth checking out, you might learn something new

[jhb171achill]

I wonder why they call it great BRITISH railway journeys?? Maybe Portillo wants to reverse 1921 in time for 2021! :-)

[Broithe]

I wonder why they call it great BRITISH railway journeys?? Maybe Portillo wants to reverse 1921 in time for 2021! :-)

 

Ireland is the second largest of the British Isles - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isles - the poor people of the UK are like those of the USA, they only have a word for themselves that accidentally includes those from other countries, too.

[jhb171achill]

We could do one on the Festiniog and the Bluebell Railway and call it "Great landmass-between-Ireland-and-mainland-Europe Railway Journeys". Maybe we'd have to include the West Somerset for that!

[Broithe]

Of course, Wales is only Little Britain, really....

 

http://ga.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Bhreatain_Bheag

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

Were the first railways in Ireland not built by the British government of the time remembering that Dublin was the 2nd city of the British Empire after London back then.

[kevrail]

Juat watched the first programme. killarney to Cobh. Why is it that everytime film makers go to Cork they spend most of the time in the English market. till very little on the actual railway which I would have thought was the original idea

[Broithe]

I've just watched it and, to be fair to Michael Portillo*, it is really a travel programme on a railway theme, rather than specifically a railway programme - not too bad, really.

 

*If you had told me twenty years ago that I would ever write that phrase, then I would have had you certified. It is to his credit that someone who was one of the most obnoxious people in British politics has pretty well redeemed himself over the years.

 

Ballybrophy on Thursday - I may still find him guilty, if he doesn't do that right.

[kevrail]

Agreed Broithe but has Ireland so little to offer in the way of Railway History. On watching other programmes in this series he is reknown for stating the obvious. "With the coming of the railway it has changed the town/city etc." It is really a travel programme on a railway theme but i feel they could spend more time on the railway aspect of the programme especially here in Ireland.

Probably a biased view on my part

[Broithe]

Agreed Broithe but has Ireland so little to offer in the way of Railway History. On watching other programmes in this series he is reknown for stating the obvious. "With the coming of the railway it has changed the town/city etc." It is really a travel programme on a railway theme but i feel they could spend more time on the railway aspect of the programme especially here in Ireland.

Probably a biased view on my part

 

I don't disagree, really - but it is just a telly programme to be watched by people who would just watch something else, if that was on - sad, though that is.

 

It's usually a mistake to watch any television programme that is about something that you actually know about yourself.

[kevrail]

I don't disagree, really - but it is just a telly programme to be watched by people who would just watch something else, if that was on - sad, though that is.

 

It's usually a mistake to watch any television programme that is about something that you actually know about yourself.

 

I had hoped that I would learn a bit more about the Irish Rail network as I don't know a great deal!!

[Barl]

I watched the episode this evening and I enjoyed it. If you're looking for detail about the railways, that is not this shows intention; he is following Bradshaws book of the same title, which isn't a book on railways, but rather a guide on the locations that can be reached by rail and a description of the journeys involved which is what Portillo is doing.

 

As for 'Great British Railway Journeys' being in Ireland, the book was written in the 1860's as far as I know when Ireland was still very much part of the empire and to be fair these Irish shows are titled 'Great British Railway Journeys visits Ireland', to keep everyone happy

[Riversuir226]

Im amazed they didn t spot the Victorian era loco that was in existence in bradshaws day, or the 2 day excursions from Paddington to Killarney. Cork looked quite well in it, IE could have at least gave the cafs a clean for filming. Looking forward to seen the rest of the series.

[Mayner]

Im amazed they didn t spot the Victorian era loco that was in existence in bradshaws day, or the 2 day excursions from Paddington to Killarney. Cork looked quite well in it, IE could have at least gave the cafs a clean for filming. Looking forward to seen the rest of the series.

 

Those pre WW1 excursions from the UK mainland seem to have been big business for the railways, there to have a serious effort to re-gain the buisiness in the 1920s there is a photo of the GSR tourist train with a highly polished 400 Class 4-6-0 with a uniform rake of GSWR/GSR wooden bodied corridor stock.

 

The return leg of one of the Killarney excursions was de-railed at Lombardstown one person died and injured taken by train to Cork. The accident had shades of Buttervant in that the train entered a goods loop at speed and the track disintegrated.

[h gricer]

*If you had told me twenty years ago that I would ever write that phrase, then I would have had you certified. It is to his credit that someone who was one of the most obnoxious people in British politics has pretty well redeemed himself over the years.

 

.

Absolutely agree, you can read my reply here, my opinion hasn't changed http://irnirishrailwaynews.yuku.com/reply/53257/Great-British-Railway-Journeys#reply-53257

Regards

hg

[steventrain]

I watch but only about five minutes of railways in half hour.

[Broithe]

Absolutely agree, you can read my reply here, my opinion hasn't changed http://irnirishrailwaynews.yuku.com/reply/53257/Great-British-Railway-Journeys#reply-53257

Regards

hg

 

And I'll agree back - I particularly liked the quip when struggling with the jockey-trainer at the Stud - "Of course, I have been unseated before"...

[Sulzer201]

I enjoyed the series very much and thought it showed Irish Railways, and the country, in a very good light. Can't be bad for attracting potential British visitors here. The 22ks looked very smart and modern and compared very well with any of the DMU's Michael traveled on in the British part of the series.

[Broithe]

I enjoyed the series very much and thought it showed Irish Railways, and the country, in a very good light. Can't be bad for attracting potential British visitors here. The 22ks looked very smart and modern and compared very well with any of the DMU's Michael traveled on in the British part of the series.

 

Many people that I've made watch it over here have been both surprised at the modernism of the rolling stock and impressed by the lack of unnecessary 'modernisation' of the station buildings...