[elfcurry]

I wanted to watch this due to the subject (trains in very foreign places) but was a bit dubious that Chris Tarrant was a suitable presenter.

I was wrong to doubt him - he's very good and it shows him on this dilapidated train in the Congo, warts and all. Brilliant!

Anyone else watching?

[Prince Monalulu]

Read that this was 'surprisingly' good (Ch5+Tarrant) it's a good program though.
Probably too dry for many, as it really is about a railway.
Hooning about on a maintenance train on a 'unsafe' line, shocking story of the tunnel and shocking is not a word I use lightly, 80% losses or something.

Edit only caught the last 25 minutes or so of that, have to catch the rest on their website.

Oooooh Jenny Powell, she's lovely.
Thankfully haven't seen her on Loose women which might change my view of her.

[elfcurry]

I like travel programmes anyway but not mundane holiday shows. Train travel is always more interesting than than just flying somewhere and driving about on good roads.

This was a proper adventure, not sanitised or scripted. He had delays and experienced the unexpected. Excellent!

Edit: catch it on Five +1

[QwertyGirl1771]

I thought this was good too. Looking forward to next weeks show. I've always liked Chris, but not on WWTBAM (I'm not into quiz shows). I'll never complain about the underground again after seeing this now.

[Jimmy Connors]

This was very good I thought. It was the type of warts and all documentary that I enjoy.

Some very nice camera work, and Chris was very good. I am not usually a fan of him, but he was very good in this.

[chestfield]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Connors

This was very good I thought. It was the type of warts and all documentary that I enjoy.

Some very nice camera work, and Chris was very good. I am not usually a fan of him, but he was very good in this.

I agree with all of the above.

I am certainly looking forward to new week's for I'm thinking of travelling on that very train next year

[MeMeMe01]

It's shows with titles like this that make me wish Harry Hill still did TV Burp..

[nanscombe]

Which series is better, Great Continental Railway journeys or Extreme railways? Only one way to find out ....

[snoweyowl]

Excellent programme. I didn't notice it was on and have watched on Demand5 (which works well). Will set PVR for rest of series.

[kjhskj75]

It's on again tonight at 7

[zandar]

Anybody who doubted Chris Tarrant would be any good on such a documentary has surely been proved wrong. He is no fool (as the impression some may have had from the kids shows he did years ago) & actually started working life as a school teacher.

Excellent content and camera work on his journey across the Congo. Just a pity that Channel 5 will not let Freesat & Freeview viewers see their channel in High Definition. (Perhaps now that extra capacity is available via the new Astra 2F satellite, we will see Ch5 HD on Freesat)?

You would think the Congolese would have found available labour to wash the trains. Wonder if they will wash the new one?

I look forward to the rest of the series. Next week - the Australian desert.

If you have liked Great Continental Rail Journeys with MP, you will also like this.

[valkay]

Originally Posted by nanscombe

Which series is better, Great Continental Railway journeys or Extreme railways? Only one way to find out ....

Extreme Railways just concentrated on one line. Tonights Great Continental Railway Journey with Michael Portillo visits Belgium, Holland and France, all in one hour.

[Prince Monalulu]

Originally Posted by kjhskj75

It's on again tonight at 7

Cheers for that, I'll catch the first half hour this time.
I rather liked his guide/fixer, we get to see a fair bit of them in Simon Reeves docs, which is one of the things I like about his docs.

[Jimmy Connors]

Originally Posted by zandar

Anybody who doubted Chris Tarrant would be any good on such a documentary has surely been proved wrong. He is no fool (as the impression some may have had from the kids shows he did years ago) & actually started working life as a school teacher.

I was wrong about him. I thought I'd watch this despite Chris Tarrant, but I found the programme all the better for his involvement.

I judged him before I had seen the show, and I was wrong.

[Prince Monalulu]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Connors

I was wrong about him. I thought I'd watch this despite Chris Tarrant, but I found the programme all the better for his involvement.

I judged him before I had seen the show, and I was wrong.

Well he was in his sarky/grumpy mode 'himself' rather than his zany, always happy, breakfast radio mode.

Didn't find out enough about the freight trade, Copper is the big export IIRC, didn't find out how that connects to the railway.
Nothing really about the construction of new jungle line, maybe something about why those routes were taken would have been nice.

Shame Dennis the historian couldn't have been drafted in from the beginning IMO.

[Jimmy Connors]

Originally Posted by Prince Monalulu

Well he was in his sarky/grumpy mode 'himself' rather than his zany, always happy, breakfast radio mode.

Didn't find out enough about the freight trade, Copper is the big export IIRC, didn't find out how that connects to the railway.
Nothing really about the construction of new jungle line, maybe something about why those routes were taken would have been nice.

Shame Dennis the historian couldn't have been drafted in from the beginning IMO.

I enjoyed Dennis's contribution too.

You may have seen it already, but there is a show called 'African Railway' on BBC4 at 8pm on Sunday.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
African Railway

Film-maker Sean Langan rides along the Tazara railroad in East Africa and learns why this train link, built by the Chinese to carry copper from Zambia to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam, is beset by problems including frequent derailments, engines running out of fuel and mechanical breakdowns. In addition to meeting crews, controllers and maintenance workers, he also tracks down the Chinese advisers to find out why the line is struggling.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

[Jimmy Connors]

The historians name was Daniel.

[Prince Monalulu]

Yeah seen Langan's one 1 1/2 times, at least, I think they use the Token signalling system there too.
Seen it on one of the Indian Railway docs too, Hill Railways or maybe Monsoon Railway.

[Drifter]

I stumbled upon this halfway through and stuck with it, quite riveted. Chris was brilliant and the whole thing was fascinating probably because it felt quite horrific in many senses

I'm either getting old or this was good (or both)

[BluesTrainRadio]

A great programme...something I could sit down and watch with my six year old boy, who loves trains and we could watch together...really interesting...and we can't wait for next weeks Oz show.

[WatlingA5]

Very good show - Chris is an excellent presenter and always seems at ease with whoever he is talking to. Mind you, I was waiting for the moment some fellow passenger looked at him and said: "Ah - Tiswas"

I kind of lost enthusiasm for Portillo's continental series. Half-an-hour at a time is about as much as I can take of Bradshaw being mentioned every minute

[Jonwo]

I enjoyed it and Chris actually was a good presenter for this show. Look forward to the Outback episode next week.

[Stansfield]

Just got round to watching this last night.

Thought it was very good, and Funny too....what with the waiting for the 11am Train.....5 days late.

And Breaking down in the Tunnel...


"If this was safe, there wouldn't be any reason for the New Line"

[Bulletguy1]

Very interesting documentary so i've programmed to record the series.

I think Chris was genuinely physically exhausted after the first train journey and who wouldn't have been?!!

The old Congolese guy who acted as guide in part of it had a very good command of English too for someone obviously not in his youth!

[malcy30]

Thought this was superb, was not expecting Chris Tarrant to be so good, and putting up with what he did.

If you have Sky is one of the limited number of shows saved to your box by Sky they call On Demand Showcase until Monday.