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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Papyrus on January 06, 2018, 03:05:31 PM

Title: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Papyrus on January 06, 2018, 03:05:31 PM
Can't see that anyone else has flagged this up...

Sunday 7th January, Channel 4, 8pm. First of a series of 5 on an attempt to build the longest model railway in the world - 71 miles from coast to coast in Scotland! Probably the 'wrong' scale, but what the heck, it sounds completely barmy and just up my street.

Cheers,

Chris
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Yet_Another on January 06, 2018, 03:15:40 PM
See also:

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=36670.msg482441#msg482441 (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=36670.msg482441#msg482441)

and

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=39834.0 (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=39834.0)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Papyrus on January 06, 2018, 03:29:25 PM
Damn! Yes, sorry for the duplication, guys. My excuse is that nothing came up when I searched the title, and how was I to know one thread was entitled 'The Great Glen' !!  :doh:

Chris
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Yet_Another on January 06, 2018, 03:52:43 PM
No criticism intended, I just remembered this being mentioned earlier ;)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Newportnobby on January 06, 2018, 03:59:17 PM
There's a write up about it on page 10 of the Daily Fail 'Weekend' supplement
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: MalcolmInN on January 06, 2018, 04:39:03 PM
Quote from: Papyrus on January 06, 2018, 03:05:31 PMSunday 7th January, Channel 4, 8pm.
Thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten that it was due.

I am pleased to be able to report that there is nowt else on the box to clash at that time !
Children have been programmed to remind me and wife as well, also set an alarm on my phone so with a bit of luck , , , :)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Buffin on January 07, 2018, 07:58:33 AM
And it's in The Times (though behind a paywall)

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/model-railway-enthusiasts-build-line-along-the-great-glen-way-w7kdp6tgz (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/model-railway-enthusiasts-build-line-along-the-great-glen-way-w7kdp6tgz)

The paper calls the hobby unfashionable (have they seen our N Gauge Show pictures?) and then adds

QuoteSurveys suggest that building model railways remains the second most popular hobby in Britain, behind angling.
and later

QuoteFor a hobby dismissed as the preserve of old men in their attics, model trains have a rockstar following.

Rod Stewart The 72-year-old has spent years assembling tracks at the top of his house. "Every three years Model Railroader magazine puts me on their cover, which is better than Rolling Stone," he once said.

Roger Daltrey the lead singer of The Who, 73, constructed a 45ft by 25ft display in his attic.

Neil Young The Canadian folk rock singer, 72, recently sold his extensive collection of model trains for $300,000 (£220,000) at auction. Other noted toy train enthusiasts include Eric Clapton and Phil Collins.
:confused1:
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: daveg on January 07, 2018, 08:12:39 AM
'Toy trains'

How dare they!  >:D

:censored:

Dave G
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Calnefoxile on January 07, 2018, 12:04:56 PM

Sky Box duly programmed to record  :D :D

Cheers

Neal.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: first timer on January 07, 2018, 02:24:12 PM
Me to:- going to record all 5 episodes and then watch them all together.

     Les H. :claphappy: :claphappy: :claphappy: :claphappy: :claphappy:
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: MalcolmInN on January 09, 2018, 12:49:58 AM
Does the lack of followup in this topic mean that you were all as underwhelmed as I was ? !

Bring back James May,
at least we would have had a giggle as well, at the upsets, without the interpersonal angst

There is a Scots (lowland) word that sums up my impression of the presentation :- "dour"

There was a sad lack of humour
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: daveg on January 09, 2018, 06:32:41 AM
I agree with the lack of fun (and Mr May) but hoping that the teams get more enjoyment out of the task now they have their 'knees brown' if you get my meaning.

I shall watch the next episode with interest but it does seem there wasn't that much pre-planning of the greater challenges such as the canal crossing.

Still, a bit of something different from the tedious round of quizzes, antique shows and cooking on the TV.

Dave G
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: CliveH on January 09, 2018, 07:30:17 AM
Quote from: MalcolmAL on January 09, 2018, 12:49:58 AM
Does the lack of followup in this topic mean that you were all as underwhelmed as I was ? !
Absolutely!
Short on technical detail - long on fake shambolics and pseudo 'personal journeys'.
I suppose they had to try to avoid comparison with May (difficult considering the subject they'd been given) and of the alternatives available, went for the frothy, substance free presentation style.
It doesn't bode well for the future episodes that by the end of the first one they felt the need to drop a quad bike in a river as an attention seeking device.
Cheers
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: emjaybee on January 09, 2018, 09:01:26 AM
Underwhelmed...

...I'm not sure I found it THAT exciting.

I felt that custom extruded plastic track with a rubber grip strip on top wasn't really in the spirit of building a 'Model railway'. Whilst a number of the volunteers seemed to want to go for a real-life method of getting a train on a boat, I thought it a bit petulant for one of the project leaders to have a minor tantrum and insist on a derek. Did any regular rail service ANYWHERE in the world use a derek to load trains?

As for the single span bridge of the canal? That had fail written all over it from the start, there's a reason rail bridges don't look like that in real life.

I'm really hoping that it improves so the general populous don't look at railway modellers even more like grumpy oddballs.

Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: daffy on January 09, 2018, 09:45:25 AM
Just started to watch this....

Of dear! Why, oh why, oh why do program makers have to persist with showing 'coming up' scenes from an entire series at the start of the first episode?

Do they think we might like to know what happens, in the manner of news on TV these days that use a similar style: "The PM will say later today......" , or "so-and-so will visit such and such and is expected to say.....".

So having seen a little loco on a bridge, steaming here and there through town and country, and assorted folks running alongside (astride?) the loco and whooping and voicing the usual portents of doom, with added jeopardy, is there any point in continuing to watch?

I shall persist, and will probably enjoy it one way or another, but it would be nice to be kept in suspense throughout. After all, if I read a book or see a film I don't expect to read/see a synopsis in the first five pages/five minutes.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: PaulCheffus on January 09, 2018, 09:55:41 AM
Quote from: daffy on January 09, 2018, 09:45:25 AM
Of dear! Why, oh why, oh why do program makers have to persist with showing 'coming up' scenes from an entire series at the start of the first episode?

Hi

I think its part of the general dumbing down of things and they (the producing company) seem to feel that if they don't do this we will loose interest after five minutes.

The Michael Portillo railway journeys waste so much time showing whats going to happen in this episode followed at the end by what will happen in the next episode (this is then repeated at the beginning of the next episode). Complete waste of program time in my opinion.

Cheers

Paul
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Newportnobby on January 09, 2018, 12:28:22 PM
In this first episode if they'd cut out all the dross about various folks' modelling history and worked hard on the 15 minutes left, it might have been half way decent. As far as I can see it can only get better so I'll watch the next one (that's really put the mockers on it now)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: PostModN66 on January 09, 2018, 12:34:20 PM
Considering that there were so many professional engineers about that truss bridge was an awful design.   I got twitchy as I was watching it, like I did when "Mythbusters" were building a model "suspension" bridge, which looked like one but wasn't one!

....why didn't they ask ME  ???  :D

Cheers Jon  :)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: daffy on January 09, 2018, 01:09:05 PM
Eventually finished watching it - it was so easy to get distracted and do other things - and I have to say it moved me to laughter and tears. For all the wrong reasons. And the preview of the next episode did nothing to persuade me to highlight it in the schedules.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Skyline2uk on January 09, 2018, 01:28:59 PM
For better or worse I may end up hiding behind the sofa during the next episode....

I am sure I caught s glimps (during the aforementioned "previews"  >:() of "Silver Lady" sinking upside-down in the canal?

If that does happen (and given the awful idea of it being plonked on a small boat it might well), surely that's the end? If they simply replace the loco it's not at all in the spirit of the task and I will call time on the show.

Skyline2uk
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Newportnobby on January 09, 2018, 01:49:37 PM
You missed the bit where they stated "Silver Lady" was amphibious ;)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Skyline2uk on January 09, 2018, 02:01:22 PM
Quote from: newportnobby on January 09, 2018, 01:49:37 PM
You missed the bit where they stated "Silver Lady" was amphibious ;)

Must have....silly me, that chap from Roundhouse was clearly on a sales pitch....

Actually, saying that, the Roundhouse rep strongly reminded me on that scene in "Apollo 13" when mission control turned to the "Gremlin boys" (Grumman Aircraft who built the lunar module) wondering what the machine would do and they said "we can't make any gaurentees"....

Translation

"You're all nuts and don't blame us if it goes bang"

Skyline2uk 
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: silly moo on January 09, 2018, 03:33:31 PM
I watched the first episode last night, I haven't decided whether I like it or not so I will watch the second episode before I come up with an opinion.

I'm not sure how they will sustain interest through five episodes. The scenery is lovely though.

:NGaugersRule:
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Komata on January 10, 2018, 02:23:51 AM
Umm, doesn't the phrase 'The 'Biggest Little Railway in the World' actually (and properly IMHO) belong to the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch? They have used that phrase as their 'Gimmick' for many years. 

If that is the case, is it feasible that there could be a case for Copyright infringement by its use in this series?

Just wondering.

Thanks.

Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Dorsetmike on January 10, 2018, 10:51:17 AM
For those that missed it you can still see it on channel 4 catch up

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-biggest-little-railway-in-the-world/on-demand/64921-001 (http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-biggest-little-railway-in-the-world/on-demand/64921-001)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Tank on January 10, 2018, 11:31:38 AM
I quite like it, and am looking forward to the next episode.  :)  I do wish that they'd used proper track - although I imagine that the costs would have gone up a lot!
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Graham Walters on January 10, 2018, 07:27:44 PM
Quote from: emjaybee on January 09, 2018, 09:01:26 AM
Underwhelmed...

...I'm not sure I found it THAT exciting.

I felt that custom extruded plastic track with a rubber grip strip on top wasn't really in the spirit of building a 'Model railway'. Whilst a number of the volunteers seemed to want to go for a real-life method of getting a train on a boat, I thought it a bit petulant for one of the project leaders to have a minor tantrum and insist on a derek. Did any regular rail service ANYWHERE in the world use a derek to load trains?

As for the single span bridge of the canal? That had fail written all over it from the start, there's a reason rail bridges don't look like that in real life.

I'm really hoping that it improves so the general populous don't look at railway modellers even more like grumpy oddballs.

Plywood cut to look like a truss, in the pouring rain, yes that was bound to work,especially on a 14mtr span with no central support, I'm no bridge specialist, but I even rubbed my chin thinking about that one.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Graham Walters on January 10, 2018, 07:32:56 PM
Quote from: PostModN66 on January 09, 2018, 12:34:20 PM
Considering that there were so many professional engineers about that truss bridge was an awful design.   I got twitchy as I was watching it, like I did when "Mythbusters" were building a model "suspension" bridge, which looked like one but wasn't one!

....why didn't they ask ME  ???  :D

Cheers Jon  :)

That partw was the best, they put the 'real' engineers together, and then completely forgot they needed to build a bridge, which required real know-how and not modelling know-how, the phrase 'resources and how to use them' comes to mind
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: stevewalker on January 10, 2018, 10:33:52 PM
Quote from: Skyline2uk on January 09, 2018, 01:28:59 PM
For better or worse I may end up hiding behind the sofa during the next episode....

I am sure I caught s glimps (during the aforementioned "previews"  >:() of "Silver Lady" sinking upside-down in the canal?

If that does happen (and given the awful idea of it being plonked on a small boat it might well), surely that's the end? If they simply replace the loco it's not at all in the spirit of the task and I will call time on the show.

Well, if it did go in, they might fish it out, clean it up and carry on running it - that would not only be acceptable, but would mimic real life (Tay bridge and No. 224)!
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Skyline2uk on January 10, 2018, 10:54:05 PM
Quote from: stevewalker on January 10, 2018, 10:33:52 PM
Quote from: Skyline2uk on January 09, 2018, 01:28:59 PM
For better or worse I may end up hiding behind the sofa during the next episode....

I am sure I caught s glimps (during the aforementioned "previews"  >:() of "Silver Lady" sinking upside-down in the canal?

If that does happen (and given the awful idea of it being plonked on a small boat it might well), surely that's the end? If they simply replace the loco it's not at all in the spirit of the task and I will call time on the show.

Well, if it did go in, they might fish it out, clean it up and carry on running it - that would not only be acceptable, but would mimic real life (Tay bridge and No. 224)!

If they did that sir, agreed, a resurrected "Silver Lady" would be quite poetic.

Skyline2uk
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: emjaybee on January 10, 2018, 11:10:46 PM
Quote from: stevewalker on January 10, 2018, 10:33:52 PM
Quote from: Skyline2uk on January 09, 2018, 01:28:59 PM
For better or worse I may end up hiding behind the sofa during the next episode....

I am sure I caught s glimps (during the aforementioned "previews"  >:() of "Silver Lady" sinking upside-down in the canal?

If that does happen (and given the awful idea of it being plonked on a small boat it might well), surely that's the end? If they simply replace the loco it's not at all in the spirit of the task and I will call time on the show.

Well, if it did go in, they might fish it out, clean it up and carry on running it - that would not only be acceptable, but would mimic real life (Tay bridge and No. 224)!

More like The Three Stooges meets The Great Egg Race!
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Graham Walters on January 10, 2018, 11:36:56 PM
Quote from: stevewalker on January 10, 2018, 10:33:52 PM
Quote from: Skyline2uk on January 09, 2018, 01:28:59 PM
For better or worse I may end up hiding behind the sofa during the next episode....

I am sure I caught s glimps (during the aforementioned "previews"  >:() of "Silver Lady" sinking upside-down in the canal?

If that does happen (and given the awful idea of it being plonked on a small boat it might well), surely that's the end? If they simply replace the loco it's not at all in the spirit of the task and I will call time on the show.

Well, if it did go in, they might fish it out, clean it up and carry on running it - that would not only be acceptable, but would mimic real life (Tay bridge and No. 224)!

Didn't hear them mention they had a diver in the team !
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: emjaybee on January 10, 2018, 11:41:29 PM
Quote from: Graham Walters on January 10, 2018, 11:36:56 PM
Quote from: stevewalker on January 10, 2018, 10:33:52 PM
Quote from: Skyline2uk on January 09, 2018, 01:28:59 PM
For better or worse I may end up hiding behind the sofa during the next episode....

I am sure I caught s glimps (during the aforementioned "previews"  >:() of "Silver Lady" sinking upside-down in the canal?

If that does happen (and given the awful idea of it being plonked on a small boat it might well), surely that's the end? If they simply replace the loco it's not at all in the spirit of the task and I will call time on the show.

Well, if it did go in, they might fish it out, clean it up and carry on running it - that would not only be acceptable, but would mimic real life (Tay bridge and No. 224)!

Didn't hear them mention they had a diver in the team !

I noticed all the minions had to wear life jackets because they were in sight of water, whilst the Celebs didn't.

I love the smell of equality in the morning!

:D
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Zogbert Splod on January 11, 2018, 12:50:49 AM
The whole show is so contrived.  The mention of the Great Egg Race above is exactly the right grouping for this.

But more specifically, yeah, that truss bridge was a total farce.  It would have been possible to build a suitable bridge, with much reduced deflection, with the materials and the tools available.  I wonder how much of what we saw was dictated by the director... "You have to make it look like a trussed bridge!"

I'll watch another one to see if it picks up but I'm not holding my breath for that to happen.
It's a manufactured task to build a show around and, so far, doesn't have much to build on.  Shame.....

(I don't have a TV so I'll have to wait for it to appear on the 'catch up' site)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Papyrus on January 11, 2018, 01:57:06 PM
I wasn't able to watch this on Sunday, so set the recorder. I finally sat down to watch it last night... well, it had recorded something for an hour but it was a complete blank, as was the Dave Attenburg programme on BBC1. Disaster! Or so I thought until I read the above reviews. Now I don't know whether to watch it on my laptop or not... Help me out chaps, is it worth it?

Cheers,

Chris
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: emjaybee on January 11, 2018, 02:04:30 PM
Well, on the one hand, if you watch it you'll understand why many are so disappointed.

On the other hand, if you don't watch it...

...no, sorry, I thought I was going somewhere with this but I've lost it.

As you were.

:-[
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: daffy on January 11, 2018, 02:08:23 PM
In a word, no.

I'll be watching paint dry when the next episode is on. :D
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Shropshire Lad on January 11, 2018, 02:30:01 PM
I'll give the next episode a go but only because a colleague of mine is one of the volunteers. It's a shame that the producers don't seem to know what they wanted it to be so it's not really a railway or engineering programme.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Skyline2uk on January 14, 2018, 09:24:10 PM
Just watched the 2nd episode and I thought it got a bit better to be honest.

Apart from the predicted farce with the model boat (did the owner lose bits of his model boat there?!), was more interesting.

Skyline2uk
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: edwin_m on January 14, 2018, 09:45:39 PM
According to my 13-year-old it wasn't a patch on James May.  At least they've now admitted that the real railway got half way through the Great Glen, distinctly contrary to what they implied in the title sequence. 

That viaduct across the weir is going to float away if it rains before the train gets there (which being the Highlands is quite likely).  And I agree the truss bridge looks like Bouch on a bad day.  Haven't they heard of Dexion? 
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Graham Walters on January 14, 2018, 10:25:41 PM
Fell asleep  ???
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: emjaybee on January 14, 2018, 10:43:28 PM
They haven't actually made a succesful crossing of the lock. They may just as well have carried it across the lock gates.

They also seem to have a fixation with ply! It's losing credibility faster than a politician that's just been elected.

I probably won't bother watching the third episode, I only watched bits of this one.

Shame. Good idea, poorly executed.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: javlinfaw7 on January 14, 2018, 10:50:08 PM
I found it disconcerting that the engine or coach seemed to fall off every fifteen minutes
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: MalcolmInN on January 15, 2018, 12:11:59 AM
Much better than the 1st,
apart from the unnecessary bully boy   shouting at  abusing  the volunteer (again!)

Disappointed that we didnt get to see DS in full aqualung gear retrieving a lost Lady :) Instead in good model rail fashion, we had 'the Hand of God' in the form of the lock keeper wading in  :D
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Graham Walters on January 15, 2018, 12:45:30 AM
The young nerd spouting H&S is starting to get on my breasts, I can see him having an 'accident' and walking into a tree before the series finishes
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Chris Morris on January 15, 2018, 06:33:30 AM
I'm enjoying it and finding it quite interesting. Maybe that's because I have a garden railway.

Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Tank on January 15, 2018, 09:31:39 AM
I'm enjoying it still.  Sure I wouldn't do it like they have, but they have a time limit, lack of materials I presume.....they do have great power tools!  From my own experience of building track in the garden it's much harder than it looks, and they haven't had a test run on any of it, they're just going for it.  I'm surprised that they don't use sand or something else to level the ground in places, rather than allowing the loco to keep falling off!  :D
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: pesky badger on January 15, 2018, 11:58:30 AM
I'm also one of the few that seems to enjoy it. It does now appear to be more about the personalities involved than about the model side, but it's still quite fun.  The viaduct looked quite impressive for a bendy plywood structure, and I'm sure someone mentioned about ballasting the base (sandbags?) to keep it in place. I can't believe no-one tried to fire up the boiler (after its swimming lesson) until the following day when it was due to leave (queue failure and need for a strip before it would start).  Just a shame there was no footage of the quad bike reversing into the water  >:D (glad the driver was ok - it was a long way down the bank to the water).
As to next week's episode - from the spoiler for next week i think they are going to have an issue with the little lady crossing the truss bridge (derail halfway across maybe?).  Maybe the elf 'n safety guy will make his team wear ear defenders due to the noise from a passing sparrow, or stop them from working every ten minutes in case they fainted from lack of tea. Maybe it all goes perfectly (yeah right, like that's going to happen!)  :D

Stu
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: edwin_m on January 15, 2018, 12:34:17 PM
The quad bike incident does illustrate that despite this just being a bit of fun really, there is a point to health and safety.  If things had been slightly different the person riding it could have hit his head on a rock and been in the water unconscious. 
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: emjaybee on January 15, 2018, 12:37:19 PM
It's okay, and has a bit of entertainment value, but I kinda feel it was rather over sold.

"We've got engineer's, designer's, surveyor's, experienced model railway people", and all they seem to do is, "No, don't do it like that, do it like this", the volunteers seem quite keen to do it properly, roll-on-roll-off ferry, and they're told "just lift it out". It'd be a great project, but they're under ridiculous time/materials pressure and can't do it justice.

If the loco stayed on the "track" for more than 100yds I'd probably be a bit more impressed. It would have been a better program if they'd gone for a more acheivable distance and spent more time keeping the loco upright.

I'm not sure it's doing much to improve the image of railway modellers.

:(
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: pesky badger on January 15, 2018, 01:24:37 PM
It's a bit like most reality TV, in the sense that anything trivial gets edited to be highly dramatic, and the cynic in me guesses that the production team got the most caricature like personalities to make it more 'interesting'.

I must admit to be a complete ignoramus with regards to loco types, but is Silver Lady narrow gauge? Just wondering, because if she is then surely using a wider gauge would have helped with staying on the track.

Stu
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Plainline. on January 15, 2018, 01:34:41 PM
Silver Lady is a narrow gauge loco. It is dual gauge 32 or 45 mm. If they had of made the "track" 45 mm the loco would have been more stable. Don't know why they don't put strips of ply under the track at regular intervals to stop it twisting and the loco coming off every few minutes. Personally I am unimpressed with the programme, the amount of avoidable mistakes is mind boggling! Unless of course it's done for entertainment, it does not do our hobbies image any good at all.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: MalcolmInN on January 15, 2018, 01:46:55 PM
Quote from: pesky badger on January 15, 2018, 01:24:37 PM
but is Silver Lady narrow gauge?
http://www.roundhouse-eng.com/silverlady.htm (http://www.roundhouse-eng.com/silverlady.htm)
and
http://www.roundhouse-eng.com/ladyanne.htm (http://www.roundhouse-eng.com/ladyanne.htm)

32mm gauge representing approx 2ft NG and/or 45mm representing 3ft

edit :32mm known as SM32, and 45mm is G scale
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: GroupC on January 15, 2018, 04:40:36 PM
I'm enjoying it. It's not perfect but if it was perfect for every one of us there would have to be a version made specially for every one of us.

Good to see something on telly which isn't all bright lights, primary colours, inane clapping along to bad cover versions and celebrities being venerated for doing nothing special.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Newportnobby on January 15, 2018, 08:21:15 PM
Sorry but I find it a bit yawn-making :dighole:
Especially as one of the team leaders gave a big spoiler on BBC Breakfast end of last week.
I wonder how Dick Strawbridge finds his mouth come feeding time amongst all that moustache curtain? :hmmm:
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: voltan on January 15, 2018, 11:13:20 PM
I've only watched the first episode, but I'm still trying to figure out the reason for the curves being two separate pieces when they're making fixed radius curves. Did they say why?
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: MalcolmInN on January 16, 2018, 01:16:30 AM
Quote from: newportnobby on January 15, 2018, 08:21:15 PMhow Dick Strawbridge finds his mouth come feeding time amongst all that moustache curtain?
I think he must be a filter feeder, and wears his baleen externally ?
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: MalcolmInN on January 16, 2018, 02:34:14 AM
Other visions he conjures  up in my fevered brain are :

The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry (various)

or The Last Of The Great Whales (Dubliners)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: tutenkhamunsleeping on January 16, 2018, 08:54:11 AM
A brave attempt to reimagine "Some Mothers Do Ave Em" but the original was a classic - and only needed one Frank Spencer ::)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: GroupC on January 16, 2018, 01:30:05 PM
Apparently Dick Strawbridge's next TV venture is all about rebuilding things to do with castles and stuff from days of yore, to be called "Dick Strawbridge's Stick Drawbridge".
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Newportnobby on January 16, 2018, 02:01:02 PM
Quote from: GroupC on January 16, 2018, 01:30:05 PM
Apparently Dick Strawbridge's next TV venture is all about rebuilding things to do with castles and stuff from days of yore, to be called "Dick Strawbridge's Stick Drawbridge".

:laughabovepost: :smiley-laughing:
(That could have been a whole lot worse, though)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: RailGooner on February 13, 2018, 10:49:50 PM
 :thumbsdown: Meh.

Just finished watching the final episode. Ultimately a waste of 5 hours for me, lord knows how many wasted hours for the participants - I hope they've made some good friendships because I saw little else worthwhile in it. And what's with this "battery-powered diesel loco" rubbish(!)? It's an electric loco, period.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Graham Walters on February 13, 2018, 10:56:47 PM
Quote from: RailGooner on February 13, 2018, 10:49:50 PM
:thumbsdown: Meh.

Just finished watching the final episode. Ultimately a waste of 5 hours for me, lord knows how many wasted hours for the participants - I hope they've made some good friendships because I saw little else worthwhile in it. And what's with this "battery-powered diesel loco" rubbish(!)? It's an electric loco, period.

You deserve a medal for getting through the whole five hours, I only managed just over two episodes before the exasperation and boredom got to me
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: emjaybee on February 13, 2018, 11:16:47 PM
I too, never made it to the end of the second episode.

I half wonder what the end result was, but I can't help thinking I've more important things to worry about...

...hmmm, one of our cats is looking at me funny...

...food? play-time? fuss?...

...dunno what you want Penfold.

What was I doing?

Where's the box of matchmakers....

....
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Snowwolflair on February 13, 2018, 11:24:18 PM
Quote from: GroupC on January 16, 2018, 01:30:05 PM
Apparently Dick Strawbridge's next TV venture is all about rebuilding things to do with castles and stuff from days of yore, to be called "Dick Strawbridge's Stick Drawbridge".

Stick or sick
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Graham Walters on February 13, 2018, 11:27:08 PM
Quote from: emjaybee on February 13, 2018, 11:16:47 PM
I too, never made it to the end of the second episode.

I half wonder what the end result was, but I can't help thinking I've more important things to worry about...

...hmmm, one of our cats is looking at me funny...

...food? play-time? fuss?...

...dunno what you want Penfold.

What was I doing?

Where's the box of matchmakers....

....
From watching one of jenny's Video's the engine did actually make it, .....well with a lot of help from it's friends, and she intimated that not everyone left Scotland the best of friends, time constraints was the biggest complaint, building materials the next.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Zogbert Splod on February 14, 2018, 12:49:30 AM
Another example of so called reality TV.  I watched most of it though - in the hope that it might become interesting.  Really it didn't.  I need to learn!  It's an example of why I don't have a TV.  There is less and less interesting on the 'look back in anger' websites.  Oh, I think they are often called 'catchup' sites or something like that.

TV could be so good - what a waste!  Who was it who said 'Religion is the opiate of the masses'?  He got it wrong.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: javlinfaw7 on February 14, 2018, 01:33:03 AM
I watched it all the way through but wish I had not. How could they claim it was the longest model railway in the world when the lifted the "track" from behind and relaid it in front?
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: NTrain on February 14, 2018, 01:43:36 AM
I am one of those that did watch all episodes.

However, not because it was good, there was soooo much wrong. With so much done to sensationalise the events, a lot of repetition, to help drag it out.

A lot of glaring errors, which considering that there were engineers and experienced modellers. Flimsy plastic track, with no bedding, it was a wonder the poor little train managed to stay on the track at all.

Well done for those who made it, and had to put up with the weather and everything. I certainly hope it was not as bad for them as the programs portrayed.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: Newportnobby on February 14, 2018, 09:06:35 AM
I suspect a more interesting programme could have been "How does Dick Strawbridge get food into his mouth through the facial hair curtains?" ::)
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: emjaybee on February 14, 2018, 09:45:23 AM
I'm going to propose a new project.

I plan to run an N gauge loco continuously on one permanently laid track along the same distance as Straw Dickbridge.

Any volunteers?

I already have an oval of track laid on a 2'x3' board, all I need is a few people to help me carry it, and some others to push a wheelbarrow full of spare batteries, Red Bull (other energy drinks are available), and crisps.

Any takers? Anyone?

:laugh3:
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: tutenkhamunsleeping on February 14, 2018, 09:48:07 AM
I managed 2 episodes myself, mainly for the scenery. Now you can say what you like about the show but I've slept like a log every night since then  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: RailGooner on February 14, 2018, 11:03:39 AM
Quote from: newportnobby on February 14, 2018, 09:06:35 AM
I suspect a more interesting programme could have been "How does Dick Strawbridge get food into his mouth through the facial hair curtains?" ::)

:laughabovepost: :smiley-laughing: :smiley-laughing: :smiley-laughing: One of those rare occasions when I genuinely laughed-out-loud.
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: RailGooner on February 14, 2018, 11:07:26 AM
Quote from: tutenkhamunsleeping on February 14, 2018, 09:48:07 AM
I managed 2 episodes myself, mainly for the scenery. Now you can say what you like about the show but I've slept like a log every night since then  :thumbsup:

Steve, that'll stop if you deselect 'repeat/loop play'! :D
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: emjaybee on February 14, 2018, 11:15:04 AM
Quote from: newportnobby on February 14, 2018, 09:06:35 AM
I suspect a more interesting programme could have been "How does Dick Strawbridge get food into his mouth through the facial hair curtains?" ::)

Many have jested about this, but has anyone realised the unpalatable truth?

Straw Dickbridge is actually quite a skinny bloke. What you think is a beer belly is actually...


...{shudder} excessive body hair!

:sick2:
Title: Re: The Biggest Little Railway in the World
Post by: RailGooner on February 14, 2018, 12:02:31 PM
Quote from: emjaybee on February 14, 2018, 11:15:04 AM
Quote from: newportnobby on February 14, 2018, 09:06:35 AM
I suspect a more interesting programme could have been "How does Dick Strawbridge get food into his mouth through the facial hair curtains?" ::)

Many have jested about this, but has anyone realised the unpalatable truth?

Straw Dickbridge is actually quite a skinny bloke. What you think is a beer belly is actually...


...{shudder} excessive body hair!

:sick2:

:laughabovepost: :smiley-laughing: :smiley-laughing: :smiley-laughing: Twice in one day!