BOXING DAY TV - SHINKANSEN - Japanese Bullet Trains.

[Envoy]

A programme about the Shinkansen Bullet trains is being shown on TV today - Boxing Day 2014. It is on the Japanese English Language channel - NHK under the title 'Japanology Plus' at 12.30 (lunchtime) or you can see it at 18.30.

Freesat 209.
Sky 516.
Virgin 625 but this 'mean' lot will only supply it to those paying for the dearest XL package.

I will now expect all British rail staff to bow to me.

 

[parkender102]

Cheers for the Heads Up.

On my Skybox the NHK HD Channel seems to be Sky Channel 507 (Sky Channel 516 is Sky News). Just double Check if you are recording this programme.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Sky News is 501 on mine.

 

[GodAtum]

fascinating! I like the track engineer's quote "1000s of people's lives depend on us finishing on time". You would never get anyone from NR or a TOC saying that, it'll just be "if we make you late, tough luck".

 

[Envoy]

Excellent programme. I like the idea of flipping the seats around so that you can always face forward. I also think that the crews were dressed smartly - especially the drivers looking like airline pilots with peaked caps with gold crests - something we should adopt? I thought the trains with duck bill looking fronts looked ugly.

Anyway, another train programme for you on the same channel on Sunday.
Just goes to show that it is always wise to check out the channels that you would never think of watching - and in HD too for free on Freesat.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/tv/special/201501.html#pId201501040010

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Excellent programme. I like the idea of flipping the seats around so that you can always face forward. I also think that the crews were dressed smartly - especially the drivers looking like airline pilots with peaked caps with gold crests - something we should adopt? I thought the trains with duck bill looking fronts looked ugly.

Anyway, another train programme for you on the same channel on Sunday.
Just goes to show that it is always wise to check out the channels that you would never think of watching - and in HD too for free on Freesat.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/tv/special/201501.html#pId201501040010

Ugly or not they are amongst the World's fastest trains which is what is important.

 

[455driver]

Sky News is 501 on mine.

As is mine but 516 is Sky news HD, 507 is the NHK HD Channel.

 

[Busaholic]

Excellent programme. I like the idea of flipping the seats around so that you can always face forward. I also think that the crews were dressed smartly - especially the drivers looking like airline pilots with peaked caps with gold crests - something we should adopt? I thought the trains with duck bill looking fronts looked ugly.

Anyway, another train programme for you on the same channel on Sunday.
Just goes to show that it is always wise to check out the channels that you would never think of watching - and in HD too for free on Freesat.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/tv/special/201501.html#pId201501040010

The practice of flipping seats around originated with trams and toastrack railways, but of course required conductors or other non-driving staff to be on hand.

We could try to adopt the clothing style, but would it look good with hi-viz jackets on top?

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

The practice of flipping seats around originated with trams and toastrack railways, but of course required conductors or other non-driving staff to be on hand.

We could try to adopt the clothing style, but would it look good with hi-viz jackets on top?

I remember moving seats on the trams when I lived in Fleetwood when I was 7ish. They weren't comfy as the were wooden. Passenger's soughted the seats out how they wanted.

 

[QJ]

I thought the trains with duck bill looking fronts looked ugly.

The duck bill front is designed to reduce the pressure wave, and resulting noise levels at tunnel exits, created when the trains run in tunnels. So you may have to get used to that design on British trains if HS2 gets built.

(Information gleaned from another programme broadcast by SKY this weekend just gone [28/12])

 

[WatcherZero]

Ive ridden on funiculars with reversible seats, Just a plank backrest that flips between 45 and 135 degrees then locks.

 

[DownSouth]

The duck bill front is designed to reduce the pressure wave, and resulting noise levels at tunnel exits, created when the trains run in tunnels. So you may have to get used to that design on British trains if HS2 gets built.

Similar, though slightly less obvious, aerodynamic features are included on the front end of the new Siemens Velaro which developed at the Toyota Team Europe wind tunnel originally built for the Toyota F1 team in Cologne.

The Japanese definitely exaggerated it on some of the Shinkansen designs, a result of their rather unique flair for design that breaks through their almost Germanic approach to engineering from time to time. I think the rail world is better for it, variety being the spice of life and all.

The recent 800 Series and E7 Series designs have gone away from the duckbill nose in favour a long pointy nose with a more visually restrained approach to the front end aerodynamics, with more focus on the livery to create a visual impression instead.