Britain By Steam TV Show Announced.

[bearhugger]

A new TV show by Channel 5 has been announced starring John Sargeant, Peter Davison & Piglet from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway TV show. It's called Britain By Steam and the announcement is linked here.

Britain by Steam TV Announcement
Channel 5 commissions ‘Britain by Steam’ Produced by DSP
5 April, 2023
London 5 April 2023: Channel 5 has commissioned DSP (a Banijay UK company) to produce a four-part series Britain By Steam in which journalist and presenter John Sergeant, actor Peter Davison and Paul ‘Piglet’ Middleton (star of Channel 5’s The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard) will travel from London to Scotland using only the power of steam.

The intrepid trio will use any steam-means possible to get across the country – from paddle boats to barges, steam cars to trains and traction engines.

As they go on their journey, they’ll discover the history and engineering genius of the machines they’re travelling on, as well as how steam engineering changed life in the UK forever. En route they’ll meet the steam enthusiasts who are keeping the steam tradition going, as well as visiting some iconic historic landmarks.

In each episode, viewers will be treated to a huge variety of amazing steam machines, fascinating history, great chat, plenty of laughs and the unique character and charm that can be found in every corner of the UK.

Lucy Willis, Commissioning Editor, Unscripted, Channel 5 and Paramount+ said:

“John, Peter and Piglet take us on an entertaining romp as they make their way from London to Scotland by steam. There’s lots of fun, the odd squabble or two and plenty of beautiful countryside, as the three of them face all sorts of trials and tribulations en route.”
Donna Clark, Managing Director for DSP, commented:

“John, Peter and Piglet are a charming combination whose warm repartee makes this beautiful journey engaging and fun. They’ve loved getting their hands on these incredible steam machines.”
John Sergeant added:

“This was one of the happiest assignments of my career: it was funny, fast and furious – great company and marvellous machines. If the viewers enjoy this programme as much as we did making it, this could be one of the highlights of my career. Letting off steam, with a group of friends, and a real sense of adventure – this was an unforgettable delight.”
Britain By Steam (4×60’) is a DSP (a Banijay UK company) commission for Channel 5. It was commissioned by Lucy Willis, Commissioning Editor. It will be broadcast on Channel 5 this spring.

 

[Maybach]

Oops! I hadn't realised that this series started last night (Tuesday). I'll have to watch Episode #1 on Catch-up. Did anyone see it? Was it any good?

 

[DelW]

Oops! I hadn't realised that this series started last night (Tuesday). I'll have to watch Episode #1 on Catch-up. Did anyone see it? Was it any good?

It was quite easy watching, but as with many such programmes, much of what happened looked to have been pre-scripted, and there were some typical continuity errors.

They started with a voyage from Greenwich to Tower Bridge on a steam tug. Much was made about the incoming tide supposedly pushing them up to the bridge too early, before it was ready to open. Once it did open, the tug was filmed going through, but subsequent shots of it tied-up appeared to be at St Katherine's Dock, which is downstream of Tower Bridge. If so, there'd have been no actual need to go through it at all.

They then travelled by steam car to Kings Cross, but went via Fleet Street and (apparently) Euston Road, hardly a direct route. They seemed to go past St Paul's more than once (or more likely, clips were out of order).

After a four day wait (!) for a steam hauled service, they caught a charter hauled by Duchess of Sutherland as far as Stevenage (the loco changed livery en route), from where they were teleported to the Shuttleworth collection. Finally they drove in one of the museum's steam buses to Peterborough, the end of the first episode.

The banter between the three was gently amusing, and the vehicles they travelled in or on were interesting in their own right - for me, especially the tug, which I hadn't heard of. But I do wish they'd just show things for real and forget the somewhat unconvincing "storyline" with its mock problems.

 

[32475]

Very watchable and as DelW says, try to ignore the continuity errors. Three choice characters with Piglet being the sensible one!

 

[Ediswan]

After a four day wait (!) for a steam hauled service, they caught a charter hauled by Duchess of Sutherland as far as Stevenage (the loco changed livery en route)

Via Perth if I saw what I think I did in insert footage. There are certainly no large hills on the way to Stevenage. The steam tug looked like it could still do useful work. The steam car did seem surprisingly at home in central London.

The tug and bridge masters getting their combined timing wrong seems unlikely.

I will be watching the other episodes.

 

[DaventryRabbit]

I Found the Scenes in the LNER Ticket Office at KX quite cringeworthy. It gave the impression that anyone can just turn up and ask "Can I have a ticket on the next Steam Train please?"
Surely People know that you can't do this and have to book in advance?
I was almost as if they were trying to say that waiting 3 days for a Steam Train out of KX was somehow unacceptable. A cheap bit of 'Rail bashing' maybe?

 

[Birstall John]

a little predictable at times, and very scripted, but it’s an enjoyable watch.

 

[Crun]

A basic error calling Wansford 'Wandsford' several times during travelling on the Nene Valley Railway during the second episode. Secondly, they seemed to suggest you could get from Wansford via the Grand Union Canal to Leicester...

 

[Ediswan]

A basic error calling Wansford 'Wandsford' several times during travelling on the Nene Valley Railway during the second episode. Secondly, they seemed to suggest you could get from Wansford via the Grand Union Canal to Leicester...

You can make that journey by water. They just edited out the initial section along the River Nene and the detour via Northampton.

 

[Maybach]

And where did Peter Davison suddenly get his guitar from?

 

[simonw]

I thought it very poor quality and couldn't even make it through to the end.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Just watched this for the first time tonight. I can’t say it’s wonderful but it’s occasionally entertaining. It’s certainly the John and David show and Piglet only came into his own when on the NYMR.
Is it one of those shows where they claim to make the whole journey on whatever steam traction in use but do most of it off camera in cars? I remember reading about Fred Dibnahs final series where his traction engine was moved on a low loader between daily shoots,the show however gave the impression he done it all on the engine. Yes I know he was terminally ill at the time.