Great Continental Railway Journeys (Bradshaw Continental Guide TV Programme)

[Bungle73]

Finally this is being shown. I'd been wanting to see it ever since I heard about it, since I love the UK version of the show.

The jovial Michael Portillo and his equally jolly wardrobe set off on a grand rail tour of Europe. As the template for his journey Portillo is drawing upon the 1913 edition of Bradshaw’s Continental Railway Guide. In doing so he hopes to paint a picture of a prosperous Europe brimming with hope, unaware of the events about to engulf it.

From London he heads to Monte Carlo, the most popular route for the Edwardian traveller through France. As well as revelling in the delights of Paris he visits the small theatre where the Lumière brothers showed their first films, before losing his bright shirt in a casino.

It’s a winning mix of lightly worn social history and a romanticism of trains, stirred with consummate ease by the charmingly enthusiastic Portillo.
About this programme

1/5. Michael Portillo ventures onto the European rail network to retrace journeys featured in Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide of 1913, beginning with London to Monte Carlo. His first stop is Paris, where he absorbs the atmosphere, before heading south to the Cote d'Azur and ending his journey at Monaco's gaming tables.

http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/s...-journeys--series-1---1-london-to-monte-carlo

Next Thursday at 9pm (I wonder why this gets a prime time slot, but the regular show doesn't :?). Put it in you diary.

 

[SS4]

Already set to record although I had to move Red Dwarf X to later on

 

[Bungle73]

Already set to record although I had to move Red Dwarf X to later on

Thank god for the +1 channels, huh?

 

[SS4]

Thank god for the +1 channels, huh?

Nah, haven't got Dave ja vu on freeview but because it's Dave you can pretty much guarantee it'll be on a few hours later . Generally HD programming takes precedence over non-HD programming anyway

 

[wolfman]

looking forward to seeing this, despise his politics but enjoy his tv programmes.

 

[merlodlliw]

I read in radio times, Portos new five week European series starts on Thursday BBC2 ,hour long programmes this time, sounds interesting,

copy & text from Radio Times
The jovial Michael Portillo and his equally jolly wardrobe set off on a grand rail tour of Europe. As the template for his journey Portillo is drawing upon the 1913 edition of Bradshaw’s Continental Railway Guide. In doing so he hopes to paint a picture of a prosperous Europe brimming with hope, unaware of the events about to engulf it.

From London he heads to Monte Carlo, the most popular route for the Edwardian traveller through France. As well as revelling in the delights of Paris he visits the small theatre where the Lumière brothers showed their first films, before losing his bright shirt in a casino.

It’s a winning mix of lightly worn social history and a romanticism of trains, stirred with consummate ease by the charmingly enthusiastic Portillo.

ABOUT THIS PROGRAMME
1/5. Michael Portillo ventures onto the European rail network to retrace journeys featured in Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide of 1913, beginning with London to Monte Carlo. His first stop is Paris, where he absorbs the atmosphere, before heading south to the Cote d'Azur and ending his journey at Monaco's gaming tables.

if its already been up apologies,

 

[Boothby97]

At first, I thought it was the new Great British Railway Jounrey's but it is actually Great Continental Railway Journeys (plus the extract from Radio Times gives you the idea that it isn't GBRJ)

Thanks for the info, might just tune in

Sam.

 

[merlodlliw]

At first, I thought it was the new Great British Railway Jounrey's but it is actually Great Continental Railway Journeys (plus the extract from Radio Times gives you the idea that it isn't GBRJ)

Thanks for the info, might just tune in

Sam.

I have altered the text,thanks for the tip.
It will be repeated at 11.15pm Wed 14th Nov, Next programme is Hungary to Austria 15th Nov

 

[ainsworth74]

I've merged the threads to keep things together.

 

[leedslad82]

hi all

in case you missed it mentioned on a forum other week tonight at 9 pm on bbc2 "Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide"
today its london to monte carlo, i'm sure it will be great its the first of 5 1 hour specials that he's been mentioning a recent talks he's given such as the one at the ilkley literature festival i attended

further info here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ntzsb

regards

pete

 

[SS4]

Additionally on BBC HD at 9pm.

I've set it to record, looking like a good program tbh. I like the domestic series

edit: Repeated on Wed 14 Nov at 23:20

 

[paul@skegby.org.]

Thanks for that, will record.

 

[theblackwatch]

A final reminder to all - it starts in around 2 minutes!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

My good lady wife both watched and recorded this programme for me whilst I, as usual, was to be found on the Quiz Forum..:roll:

I will watch it on Friday morning.

 

[philjo]

I enjoyed the programme. As the whole journey was done in a single 1 hour episode there seemed to be more emphasis on the places he was visiting rather than the actual train journey but still a good watch.
Still a better format I think than the 5 x 30 min episodes which repeated themselves telling you what was happening the next day/where he went previous day at the start/end of the episode.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I must confess that my wife thought the featuring of the various notable buildings and of their interiors was excellent in the amount of time given to them as the programme tried to capture the feel of "La Belle Epoque" of 1913, very soon prior the outbreak of the Great War. I thought the shots of the flood of Paris in 1910, with the history of that event, was well put together.

My wife enjoyed it even better than I did.

 

[andrew bell]

I have just watched it myself on the iplayer and I really enjoyed it, I did write to BBC between series 1 and 2 of the regular series asking to be extended upto 45 minutes but the hour long programme worked even better.

I wonder if they have given this one a 'primetime' viewing in anticipation of doing the same in January?

 

[wolfman]

very enjoyable programme.

 

[snail]

I think it could have been planned as 2 half hour episodes. Around the 30 minute mark there is recap of where he is going after Paris and the map is shown again.

 

[Crossover]

It was a rather interesting programme.

The only thing that kept annoying me (sorry to be the one to point this out first on here) was pictures of trains coming towards the camera with red lights displayed...quite obviously a few tapes being played backwards.

I suspect the reason for it is that they film the train he arrives on going out, and then play it as if it were his train arriving. Given the nature of the programme, and that there will be less library footage than for the UK based show, I imagine this will be a regular feature of the series (I counted it at least 3 times on Thursday)

 

[Bungle73]

OK, I've succumbed and purchased this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1908402474/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

BTW any news on a second series?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The last programme featuring Amsterdam should have been broadcast earlier in the series, leaving the more exotic Mediterranean locations as the culmination of the series.

 

[Bungle73]

I thought it was excellent. Another great railway journey programme from Mr Portillo and co.

I can't believe there's someone in the Guardian comments (at least I think it was the Guardian) moaning that the book features too heavily in the programme. There's someone making the same point on Amazon, about the original programme. I think they both missed the point.

 

[snail]

I can't believe there's someone in the Guardian comments (at least I think it was the Guardian) moaning that the book features too heavily in the programme. There's someone making the same point on Amazon, about the original programme. I think they both missed the point.

Trainspotters. They will be back complaining about fill in shots of the wrong stock.

 

[Bungle73]

I was correct, it was on the Guardian website. Here's the comment I was referring to:

roughtrade

30 November 2012 10:49 AMLink to this comment
8

You mention Portillo's Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide. Is that the same Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide that he mentions every five minutes? The Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide he carries with him everywhere, the Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide that he quotes from constantly? Even when filmed leaning out of a train window he has his Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide clutched in his hand, when he's eating he has Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide propped against the cruet. A bit more about the trains and a bit less Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide please Michael.

Um, perhaps you missed it but the whole point of the programme is that it is based around the book: what it says in the book about places and what they're like now.

I can't reply to the actual person because comments are closed.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I got special deal on the Bradshaw book btw. I got it from Amazon Warehouse Deals for £13.94 instead of £16. It's just got a few minor imperfections.

 

[starrymarkb]

Trainspotters. They will be back complaining about fill in shots of the wrong stock.

I saw lots of it. But recognised that in reality the budget wouldn't stretch to having the film crew/helicopter wait for the right train. Usually there are only one or two crews on a production like this. If there are two then I suspect while Michael was meeting someone with one crew, the other is out getting shots of the trains/scenery. I believe Michael said that in an ideal world they'd match the shots but they don't have the time/money.

Top Gear is another example of how they manage with just one crew on the races. The crew will take the public transport method with James and Richard. The Stig will take a 4x4 camera car over in his own time. Meanwhile Clarksons car will be fitted with dash/window cams to film him driving during the race. Then after the race The Stig and crew will return with the Car and film all the exterior shots of the car during the race on the way back to the UK, being careful not to show that the driver isn't Clarkson

 

[Bungle73]

My copy of Bradshaw's Continental Guide arrived today.

Unlike the 1863 UK guide reproduction, this comes with all the fold-out maps.

 

[Bungle73]

This is being repeated, in 10 half hour instead of 5 1 hour programmes, from 7pm tonight for anyone that missed it.