I must say - Mike Smith comes across so well 34 years on. Seems so on top of his brief and was an excellent presenter. At the time I don't think we appreciated how good (especially compared to many others) he actually was.
Ar 5:07 is a short comment by James Towler, who was Chairman of the Yorkshire (later North East) Transport Users Consultative Committee 1979-1987, a very important figure is representing rail users in the 1980s and a key opponent of the proposal to close the Settle & Carlisle line. A really great character and well-remembered by railway people and rail supporters of that time.
Between 8:21 and 10:55 is an interview on a commuter train into Leeds with John Rhodes, the Director-General of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, WYPTE, which had the commercial name 'Metro', used in the name caption. WYPTE was very successful in the late 1980s in expanding the local network and train frequencies. The clarity and directness of the PTE - BR relationship - customer and supplier of services - was far better than the confused and bureaucratic set-up that has replaced it today.
Railwatch was a stitch up I think, the BBC trying to make BR look naff ... There’s a classic off camera line after an interview where the catering lady says ‘you never asked one question you were supposed to’ ... lols ;) such a stitch up ...
I don’t agree with this entirely. That line was unfortunate, but on the whole I think Railwatch was very good. It’s amazing to see how much things have changed since 1989. This was filmed when I was 18. In fact the first day was the day after my 18th birthday! 😜
It was actually very balanced - there’s a conversation in one of the episodes where they reflect on how most things work fine but it just happened they were having a bad day on that occasion.
When Mike Smith mentions famous people leaving things on trains. He forgot to mention the famous Archie Andrews the ventriloquist's dummy. He got left on a train not once, but twice. The first time he was left in the rack of a railway carriage at Chatham, but a railway porter sent him back by taxi in time for his show. And the second time, the ventriloquist Peter Brough went for dinner in the dining car, and whilst away the carriage in which he had been sitting was taken off the train and went on to Bradford. Unable to locate the puppet, at the venue Brough went through a revised script without the dummy. A £1000 reward was offered and he was returned. And prior to these two misadventures on a train. Archie was in Peter Brough's car when it was stolen from Lower Regent Street, London, but ne was found two days later in a garden in Paddington.
The trains are dirty .. Must be the cleaners who go through the train throwing litter everywhere. Don't you understand it's the travelling public that make them dirty.
The catering manager lady was fuming at Mike Smith not asking any of the questions they said they would ask, You can hear her complain that "He didn't ask one question they said they would ask" 28:11 It was nice to see the trains on TV but they were so anti BR & trains in their shows & Mike Smith was always a clown!
where's the bbc1 ident before the start of this episode? And where is the REST of this episode? It originally ran for 50 minutes! I mean, what have you got to say for yourself, posting an incomplete documentary like this. If this is the best you can do, I'd hate to see your WORST clips.
Wow, it's like a time machine back to my childhood. Look at those fashions!
RachelShinesThru right?! Get a load of the flat cap/trackie combos on those kids rubbernecking in the background at Leeds station 😁
I must say - Mike Smith comes across so well 34 years on. Seems so on top of his brief and was an excellent presenter. At the time I don't think we appreciated how good (especially compared to many others) he actually was.
I thought it was Aled Jones
Ar 5:07 is a short comment by James Towler, who was Chairman of the Yorkshire (later North East) Transport Users Consultative Committee 1979-1987, a very important figure is representing rail users in the 1980s and a key opponent of the proposal to close the Settle & Carlisle line. A really great character and well-remembered by railway people and rail supporters of that time.
Between 8:21 and 10:55 is an interview on a commuter train into Leeds with John Rhodes, the Director-General of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, WYPTE, which had the commercial name 'Metro', used in the name caption. WYPTE was very successful in the late 1980s in expanding the local network and train frequencies. The clarity and directness of the PTE - BR relationship - customer and supplier of services - was far better than the confused and bureaucratic set-up that has replaced it today.
Use to watch these when I was young. Thanks for uploading.
Railwatch was a stitch up I think, the BBC trying to make BR look naff ... There’s a classic off camera line after an interview where the catering lady says ‘you never asked one question you were supposed to’ ... lols ;) such a stitch up ...
You may be right. Make BR look bad privatisation look like good prospect.
@@vincitveritas3872 They should have privatised the BBC instead. Don't have a TV any more!
@@danielsellers8707 I don't have TV. Had house fire. Didn't miss TV. So didn't bother get another.
I don’t agree with this entirely. That line was unfortunate, but on the whole I think Railwatch was very good. It’s amazing to see how much things have changed since 1989. This was filmed when I was 18. In fact the first day was the day after my 18th birthday! 😜
It was actually very balanced - there’s a conversation in one of the episodes where they reflect on how most things work fine but it just happened they were having a bad day on that occasion.
It appears the assistant station manager Heidi Mottram did rather well in her later career as she is CEO of Northumbria Water!
Trying to download this on you tube grabber but cant get episode 4 for some reason as it always says The video you have requested is unavailable.
do what I do...use clipconverter.com! I've been using that since I got my Walkman two years ago.
Little did they know in 1989 that these awful pacer trains would run for another 30 odd years until they were literally falling apart.😂😂
When Mike Smith mentions famous people leaving things on trains. He forgot to mention the famous Archie Andrews the ventriloquist's dummy. He got left on a train not once, but twice. The first time he was left in the rack of a railway carriage at Chatham, but a railway porter sent him back by taxi in time for his show.
And the second time, the ventriloquist Peter Brough went for dinner in the dining car, and whilst away the carriage in which he had been sitting was taken off the train and went on to Bradford. Unable to locate the puppet, at the venue Brough went through a revised script without the dummy. A £1000 reward was offered and he was returned.
And prior to these two misadventures on a train. Archie was in Peter Brough's car when it was stolen from Lower Regent Street, London, but ne was found two days later in a garden in Paddington.
The trains are dirty .. Must be the cleaners who go through the train throwing litter everywhere. Don't you understand it's the travelling public that make them dirty.
Touch screen in the 1980s🧐😲
How can people forget keys?
The catering manager lady was fuming at Mike Smith not asking any of the questions they said they would ask, You can hear her complain that "He didn't ask one question they said they would ask" 28:11
It was nice to see the trains on TV but they were so anti BR & trains in their shows & Mike Smith was always a clown!
I suspect that the money in the wallets at that lost property office is either taken by the original finder or pilfered by old bow-tie there!! 🤣🤣
7 MINUTES LATE TYPICAL BRITISH RAIL
Still better than privitasation...
The trains are full ... So catch a bus and see how you get on with that one.
NOTHINGS CHANGED HAS IT
Yes it has. Privitisation has worsened.
Why won't this play? So annoying!!!
Yeah, weird how the rest play fine. Wish somebody would re-upload day 4
yes and maybe they'll post the WHOLE 50 minutes...this is just abysmal!
where's the bbc1 ident before the start of this episode? And where is the REST of this episode? It originally ran for 50 minutes! I mean, what have you got to say for yourself, posting an incomplete documentary like this. If this is the best you can do, I'd hate to see your WORST clips.
A right miserable complaining cow aren't you?
Wow - what a response. Thankyou for what you HAVE posted would be a bit more appropriate. Entitled somewhat.
That's why 61016 was invented
The trouble was the series was a bore to the majority of TV viewers