Great Continental Railway Journeys - Series 5

[Greenback]

I've enjoyed the last tow episodes, and not just because there's been no fondue! I knew little about Morocco railways before watching the programme, but it looks like a very interesting country to visit.

As for Italy, he went to some places I've never ventured to, so that was entertaining too.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Yes, also enjoying the recent ones. South Tyrol and Brenner look interesting, as another of those areas where linguistic and national borders are a bit fuzzy.
Pity there doesn't seem to be that much variety among most of the Italian local trains. Or is that just my impression?

 

[AndrewE]

Yes, also enjoying the recent ones. South Tyrol and Brenner look interesting, as another of those areas where linguistic and national borders are a bit fuzzy.
Pity there doesn't seem to be that much variety among most of the Italian local trains. Or is that just my impression?

I thought that it showed the (quite-)wide range of stock on local trains that I saw there about a month ago. Lots of varied older l/h stock with different types of locos and driving trailers, besides the EMUs and proper l/h trains on longer distance services (plus the Frecciarossos, bianco's etc.)

Update: this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_car#Italy
shows pictures of 5 types of driving trailers alone, I don't think any of them are EMU vehicles.

 

[GodAtum]

A bit confused about train classes in Holland. it looks like he swapped between 1st and standard on each journey looking at the pictures here: http://www.amsterdamtips.com/tips/trains-in-netherlands.php

 

[MisterT]

He swapped between 1st and 2nd indeed.

 

[didcotdean]

Even odder as he was shown using an OV-chipkaart at a barrier. Maybe he was always paying a 1st class fare ...

 

[Gordon]

Even odder as he was shown using an OV-chipkaart at a barrier. Maybe he was always paying a 1st class fare ...

We all know that the continuity is rubbish. In the Morocco (and to a extent in the Swiss ) episode there was a hideous mixture of 'library' film taken randomly of trains which Portillo was clearly not travelling on, and clips of Portillo riding on different types of train on the 'same' journey. Indeed the 'library' clips may well be filmed on a completely different visit by the film crew.



.

 

[didcotdean]

They seem to care even less about continuity on the Continental programmes compared with the regular ones.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Content is good - nice and scenic , history etc - however if i had paid for a nice lunch on the tram in the Hague , I don't think that the experience would be enriched by a a camera crew and "Miguel".

He kept mentioning Dutch "tolerance" re cannabis , but failed to investigate ....!!!

 

[WatcherZero]

We all know that the continuity is rubbish. In the Morocco (and to a extent in the Swiss ) episode there was a hideous mixture of 'library' film taken randomly of trains which Portillo was clearly not travelling on, and clips of Portillo riding on different types of train on the 'same' journey. Indeed the 'library' clips may well be filmed on a completely different visit by the film crew.



.

Theyve always been open that a film crew returns later to get establishing shots such as aerial shots and shots of local landmarks. The Portillo segments are all filmed in one go though each stop on a journey will take around half a day.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

He kept mentioning Dutch "tolerance" re cannabis , but failed to investigate ....!!!

It was also a masterclass as to why the Dutch are federalists and do not support any kind of "Brexit" stance with the EU.
There's a view that the Dutch are "just like us" (unlike, say, the French), but in this regard I don't think so.
And just look at all that trade going through Rotterdam that we are doing our best to turn our backs on.
Just my view.

 

[Mikey C]

Just watched the Baltic/Finland episode. Those Finnish Pendolino windows look a bit small, considering the size of the trains! It makes the trains look a bit slab sided

 

[pemma]

The Lativan trains looked a bit like toad coaches running on rail - at least it's not buses running on rail though.
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Theyve always been open that a film crew returns later to get establishing shots such as aerial shots and shots of local landmarks. The Portillo segments are all filmed in one go though each stop on a journey will take around half a day.

Some people observed that for the UK series it was made to look like Portillo changed trains at Chester, when in fact he spent the night in Chester and got the first train to Knutsford the following day