What Did We Just Stumble Upon? - Episode 29, Day 47 - Bristol to Trowbridge

[@nightveil4464]

BBC News? This documentary is finally getting the coverage it needs! Keep up all the great work!

[@Jothamvvw]

Does anyone have footage of the BBC's report?

[@james-5560]

It is in the description above

[@AllTheStations]

James X the piece that went out on BBC breakfast is almost 3 mins long, this version on their website is only a minute and a half.

[@nightveil4464]

Because....media reasons

[@kevingage737]

NightVeil CB

[@pauldelcour]

Your energy is unbelievable, keeping it up day after day on trains stations, the odd taxi etc. Truly wonderful! I shall miss my daily ATS soap when you reach your goal...

[@AllTheStations]

thanks Paul! appreciated :-D

[@Cameramankeith]

This series just gets better and better. Geoff and Vicki should have a bright future together presenting on all sorts of media platforms. They are so natural together. Even love the opening few seconds: "Are you ready"..."I'm ready"..."do it"...."All The Stations"

[@k.r.baylor8825]

Yeah, their presenter skills have jumped up several large notches since the opening weeks. They've done a great job with the camera work, on air discussions, and social media skills. Londonist videos have helped, but this is a 3-month long media boot camp for them.

[@arfski]

+Robert Baylor That sort of ignores their many years of (excellent) content production, search for Londonist on KZbin.

[@MargaretUK]

Sad to say they are not together now 😕

[@bender7565]

Thank you Vicki!

[@niklaspilot]

I just noticed the abbreviation for Great Western Railway is just as long as the actual name (5 syllables).

[@davidwhitfield7864]

"You can't just fling the word 'quaint' around, Geoff!"

[@ChrisHamblypopsidelad]

Interesting fact for Pewsey: It is the only station that is served by HST's ONLY in the whole of the UK!

[@danbob2109]

Chris Hambly Interesting :) That makes it one of only a few served soley by Intercity trains, along with Berwick upon Tweed, Diss, Tiverton Parkway (I think) and St Pancras higher level. There are probably more...

[@kimjonguunnn]

Danbob 210 Would SE Highspeed be counted as intercity though?

[@danbob2109]

Well... it connects London and Canterbury, they're both cities. I think it mostly would, but it's hard to know as it was never under BR's sectors.

[@Cactus732]

Tiverton Parkway isn’t Intercity only, they get a few Cardiff-Devon/Cornwall stoppers

[@joesos]

This comment didn’t age well..

[@cephalopod7300]

Good call by BBC man naming York as his favourite station. It's a good one.

[@JohnTalbot-k6xi]

The BBC Package is absolutely dyn-a-mite (!!) Vicki talents and spontaneity as an actor are making production take on an impressive character- captures audience and carries them through. You guys are now generating your own weather. Good Luck on the Show (!!)

[@Bnio]

Yes! Kemble! The only UK station outside of London I have ever spent time at (I'm not British), when the family went to Cirencester back in the 1990s. Saw the source of the Thames and everything.

[@holbroni]

Thanks for another great video, got emotional at the swindon bit. Having a father whom was 53 when i was born means that family roots go a long way back. My grandfather was an apprentice on GWR i guess circa 1890's my great grandfather worked on the p way and my great aunt also worked on the railway as a french polisher my granfather's other siblings where also on the GWR i believe. Seeing those cottages made me wonder if they lived there......Cool project keep up the good work

[@richardclarke5811]

Makes me laugh that Geoff pretty consistently referred to Stonegate, Strood and Kimble rather than Stonehouse, Stroud and Kemble!

[@mrcreator7242]

Richard Clarke Which certainly reminds me of Little Kimble..

[@uktv05]

I just notice KTV videos Stalker 153329 train

[@wilfbm9067]

They never filmed stonegate or the whole hastings Tonbridge line

[@Timsvideochannel1]

It's been a long and boring day at work, I left you guys playing on my computer for most of it, really enjoyed listening to you, even watched it for a while. I look forward to whatever your next adventure happens to be.

[@grahammckay-smith4187]

Notable that the width between the platforms in most these GWR stations is greater due to them being built to accommodate Brunel's original broad gauge tracks. Tell us about broad gauge while you're in Brunel country Geoff and Vicki.

[@jur4x]

And there could've been car shuttles in use. Like "leShuttle" in Channel Tunnel, but across the country.

[@michaelwatson113]

Please. When you go to Bath, sit on the right hand side of the train and as the train slows to round the gentle curve heading to the station, you can film one of the most beautiful approaches to any city. (Going from Reading.)

[@jasperfk]

Norbiton Flyer I get the feeling they're going to dedicate some time to it in the next episode. It's not the sort of city you just ignore! Especially considering the castle/church bent of this series and Bath Abbey being one of the most majestic churches in this country.

[@busesinbathbristol5899]

@@jasperfk i know i am so late but i like watching these videos over and over. did they ever film Bath and if so which video was ut in because i keep trying to find it and im not sure if ive missed it somewhere

[@hannahstronge2348]

I think it was on a day which they didn't film sadly, of course they needed a break though :)

[@martincook9795]

In my youth I occasionally caught or got off trains at Avoncliffe. Only one carriage could open onto the platform.

[@mboothy]

Poor woman trying to open the toilet door at 2:08 but being blocked by Vicki filming out the window 😂

[@WolfGratz]

It looks to me as if the loo is shut, period.

[@QemeH]

Maybe that's just me, but there is something utterly _british_ about not wanting to bother a person who's blocking the toilet door and rather waiting for them to finish looking out the window.

[@DamianSchaller]

I'm sure you were the best news story of the day on BBC!

[@HighlandMike325]

1.48 driver doesn't wave at Geoff. "You have chosen death..."

[@k.r.baylor8825]

And it's Stroud, my second sponsored station! With a taxi tour as well of that nice Cotswold town. Love to go back and visit, glad the two of you liked it.

[@Parlophonic]

The footbridge over the railway at Pewsey was originally the one over the line at Cookham, but was dismantled when the station lost its second platform, parcels office, cattle pens, sidings, coal yard, and one of its waiting rooms. It was quite a substantial bridge, but it is its skeleton which now spans the GWR at Pewsey.

[@maplady572]

Great video! Going to Wiltshire in September so will have to visit and revisit some of these! Not in a rush to go back to Westbury though as it was the scene of a hissy fit for me due to no parking spaces! 😂 Had to park on the charmingly named Slag Lane! So pleased you had a successful day!! 👍

[@thecartologist4992]

Only started watching this series the other week and been waiting for my hometown to come up. Am over the moon you were able to experience and document an authentic experience at Swindon running from platform 4 to platform 2 for the Stroud connection. When I travel from Paddington I always try and book for the direct service even if it means travelling up to an hour later, just to avoid this scenario, unfortunately it can't always be helped.

[@londonismyzipcode4671]

Who the hell disliked the video? HEATHENSSSS!!!! GREAT CONTENT SHALL NOT BE DISLIKED. THIS CRIME!!! Love the videos Geoff and Vicky! Apparently one inconsiderate person thought otherwise.

[@RoulinBrooks]

Dislikes up to two now. Aw, there's always going to be haters and idiots in the world. If there was a video of Vicki just reading aloud a dishwasher instruction manual, I'd give it a thumbs up.

[@maplady572]

RoulinBrooks she should do it and see how many likes she gets! 😂

[@danbob2109]

It was the concept of people going to Swindon of their own free will that made them do it ;)

[@PhilEadie65]

Pewsey came in very handy when I was walking the length of the Kennet and Avon canal over different weekends. Infrequent service made planning particularly important.

[@DonConstance]

Swindon Works, I went there when it was still open (as the repair works not outlet centre) in the late 70s on a trip with the school Railway Club. Real heavy engineering, fascinating to see them fitting the tyres on the wheels. We did Crewe Works as well another time.

[@MercenaryPen]

Swindon works wasn't just for repairs, Swindon built many of the locomotives from the GWR (and later for BR)

[@mattsharman4733]

Built BR's final steam engine, the Evening Star, too

[@graemebrand4740]

Shame you didn't have time to explore Kemble. Maybe an excuse to come back again at some point.

[@Scott757300]

Kemble still has the airfield too, I believe it's also where the test track is, airfield is used for mantienance , storage, scrapping and training, all civil now.

[@villevirtanen00]

Small details, three years on: Geoff's excitement and the lovely gentleman at Pewsey!

[@larshelmin]

That BBC report got me hooked :)

[@jamesbutler6253]

No ticket barriers at all in Sweden on the the rail network and tickets are often bought on the train.

[@AdityaJaokar]

I was thinking to myself where have I heard Westbury before and found out tht it is where Arla makes Anchor butter.

[@IainG81]

Kemble is excellent, River Thames close by as the small stream.

[@XPTV233]

Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire is also like Stroud as the complex is listed, barriers haven't been allowed as the buildings date from the 1880's.

[@Shaunsm]

You are so lucky to pass through Trowbridge without getting robbed or swore at.

[@WelshBathBoy]

Stonehouse is a great place!!! grrrrrrr!! Also, some interesting facts about Stroud, the last remaining woollen mill in the Stroud Valleys produces snooker/pool table and tennis ball cloth, if you watch snooker on the TV, the cloth on the table was probably made in Stroud. Also, the lawn mower was invented in Stroud, the inventor (Edwin Budding, who also invented the adjustable spanner) worked in a cloth mill and devised the lawn mower based on the woollen cloth trimming machines.

[@gavla-82]

And was the last town Rev Awdry the author of Thomas The Tank lived in. My mum used to work in the stationers (James & Owen) and Rev Awdry frequented her shop and he signed a book for me when I was a kid, which I still have. 😊

[@discogareth]

I used to live and work in Bradford On Avon so know that area quite well. Very picturesque.

[@gobears6487]

Vicki does such great history bits, but I *would* like that, wouldn't I?! 🤓 Pewsey interesting, must look that up (couldn't catch what it was called), and a bit sad for you on Kemble which looks/sounds brilliant... then hooray for hitting the nifty Swindon outlet mall-thingie and all its train-related stuff, bonus good food choices! Great episode, as always... Geoff making everyone smile... Happy travels! ccfg

[@Beatlefan67]

Pub at Kemble is very good.

[@jakeytrainspotting1241]

Another random (delayed) fact about Pewsey: since the introduction of the IETs (maybe before I am unsure) there has been one train a day in each direction you can catch between Bedwyn and Pewsey, even though they are next to each other. I don't know of anywhere else in the UK like this.

[@mustapha_transport]

Happy anniversary to the episode 🥳

[@JackJackProductions]

Pewsey now gets a 2-hourly service in each direction off-peak

[@stephenreardon2698]

Geoff. In reference to your comment about your most visited station on the trip, I had been thinking along similar lines, but was wondering which station would feature the most in the released material. My guess, and it is purely a guess based on my personal impression would be Paddington.

[@iReSuRrEcTiiONXD]

I like all the stations

[@markbowman1771]

They built locomotives at Swindon not just repaired them

[@stephenreardon2698]

My Great Great Grandfather worked in the sheds at Swindon. Its now the designer outlet.

[@harrymorris5748]

You should go the Didcot Railway Centre. They have a great collection of GWR stock.

[@GWRailFan]

a normal day on Bristol temple meads, if you ever get the time you should walk from westbury to the white horse its a really nice place and a great walk :)

[@russrh]

I got all excited at 'model railway' village :/ then i realised it was the rail workers housing at Swindon - another great episode team

[@matthewlewis2072]

10:15 see also Port Sunlight, iirc

[@sprklfaz]

So weird seeing stations around my neck of the woods!

[@DavidNodenHooper]

Once did the same journey from pewsey to Bedwyn and onto reading... as i worked in Newbury finished work saw a train on the london bound side and thought great i wont have to wait... jumped on the train and it went the "wrong way" ended up being a trip that should have taken me a hour ended up taking me 4 hours

[@390h8er]

7819 Hinton Manor at 9:19. I remember it in steam at the Severn Valley Railway back in the 90's.

[@davidprice6994]

lived in Swindon between 1979 to 1985 andc remember those Swindon works very well.such a shame that again a great work force finished.

[@notthatcreativewithnames]

For some anime fans, Kemble station was also featured in Kin-iro Mosaic (along with Paddington station) when Shinobu travelled to the UK for the first time.

[@73APhotography]

Ah this is what was in BBC news!!!

[@philtimson5449]

Thank you for making the videos Regarding Swindon works where they built trains, did they also make everything else there i.e everything railway. We live in an old railway property and when talking with a very knowledgeable man one day on the Kidderminster heritage, he told us that everything for our house would have come from there on a type of flatpack! All the stone, windows, doors, taps, staircase, roof tiles, everything! This explains how they get so many buildings the same. We are between Shrewsbury and Chester, have you been on that line? I know you have been to both stations but not sure you have traveled between them. I will keep watching..

[@JacobMartin99]

Feels so odd to see you out and about in my local area of Stonehouse and Stroud. Shame I missed you!

[@callumltfc]

So Many HST's ❤❤

[@ianmcclavin]

They've certainly altered Reading. They installed a bridge/concourse over the platforms near the Waterloo/Gatwick terminating platforms only a few years ago, now that's all been demolished and replaced by another one further to the west. Those escalators are enormous!!

[@jackreevesvlogsandblogs2498]

I get mixed up with Strood and Stroud as well. Stroud is in Gloucestershire and Strood is in Kent, about 30 mins on HS1 from St Pancras. By the way, the source of the Thames is Cricklade. Keep up your excellent work!

[@quwers]

Jack's Piano Nope it's Kemble, Cricklade is the first town on the Thames.

[@TheNails3]

7:14 ah a station without a ticket barrier, heavenly

[@matthewlewis2072]

There's a couple on the Chiltern Line (e.g. Stoke Mandeville)

[@DavidShepheard]

All The BBC - all of them!

[@icetea3647]

great Vlog!!! by the way, if you want to see the worlds largest model railway then you should check out Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany with over 15km of tracks!

[@cephalopod7300]

They have a KZbin channel as well. If I ever go to Hamburg I've got to go there.

[@roseharvey2664]

Geoff's big hand makes it look like a model railway.

[@DuckOfRubber]

As an American its weird when they talk about a station that "only" gets 4 trains in a 7 hours period. Except on the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington DC most stations over here get 2 or 4 trains in a day. (1 or 2 in each direction) Some routes don't even have 4 trains a week though.

[@ianmcclavin]

The Republic of Ireland also gets a very infrequent service on some of their "main lines", and they're considering pruning them down still further in some cases.

[@jonathancook4022]

I agree with the BBC presenter - it really feels like ive known you now so incredibly well (well i suppose ive been watching Geoff's videos for years now), but this series has made Geoff & Vicki part of my daily ablutions, a bit like seeing them in town on a daily basis. The strange bit is that they barely know me except for my victorious and continuous comments!. Sorry!

[@k.r.baylor8825]

Internet relationships are a bit odd, aren't they? I have the same feeling about the two of them, and they wouldn't know me from Adam. Well, it's the 21st Century and we're all exploring together what's next for mass communications. Hopefully it will all turn out well.

[@jonathancook4022]

The sad part is that we can't be ALL successful (I measure this as having 5,000+ subscribers and having a loyal following) KZbin'ers, so as a result Geoff & Vicki are unlikey to watch any of my videos which typically atract 50-1,500 views per video. Its a bit of a one-way relationship. I just hope they feel my enthusiasm, my support, my humbleness, my love

[@BillLeach123]

It's the BBC's fault I am here. Thank you BBC!

[@adamrobinson6934]

Watch out for Nailsea and Backwell, my local station!

[@kidinthedark7931]

I’m new to this series and have gone through and can’t seem to find if they ever visited Newbury Racecourse. Does anyone know if they did or did they miss it?

[@cephalopod7300]

If it has a station on the main network (i e. National Rail) they definitely visited it. But not every station gets covered in the vlogs.

[@colinbarrett5120]

more fun train . where do they pack all their gear while running around? any new videos planned after covid19?

[@slaveneiluk969]

I can see my house from the stonehouse station!

[@oliverbrelsford5472]

9:55 Aww, I thought you said model-railway village, as in a village in miniature...

[@jimlangley840]

Take another trip to Kimble please ! ?

[@User-bl5um]

Hey how was the Strouds golds busses? Did you catch one? There lovely leather seats and wifi. It's great if you miss your train. It's nice and comfy. Also Kemble is not pronounced Kimble you say it kem ball

[@crownjulesgaming542]

“How would you like to end the video?” 🤔 “Bye”

[@bennystrainandtruckspottin3901]

If you stayed in Pewsey, until the next train, WE (me and my friend) COULD'VE MET YOU!

[@michaellee8410]

Also the last ever steam engine 9F Evening Star built at Swindon.

[@SamSitar]

can ticket readers be placed in heritage listed stations? they lack a barrier. just tap on when entering and tap off when exiting.

[@CooksBooks]

Stroud is definitely quainter than Stonehouse (is a nice way of putting it). It's weird living in Stroud I didn't realise until recently that open stations weren't the norm. Shame you didn't have enough time to do more than have a quick gander. It's definitely not pronounced Strood. Stroud is an open station. Until recently (a few years ago) Gloucester station also had no barriers (which is weird because it was quite a simple solution to put them in). I assume it was difficult for similar reasons.

[@k.r.baylor8825]

You're lucky living in the Golden Valley. I was there in 2010 to see the T&S Canal restoration; I'll have to come back someday to Stroud via train instead of driving in from Swindon.

[@CooksBooks]

Yeah the restoration really has made Stroud town center much more vibrant plus it also gives a much nicer walk (although it's not like Stroud has a lack of those). It is such a weirdly diverse town, nice and quiet but then we have large arts events like the Fringe which is the antitheses of quiet. The farmers market is one of the best in the country but the high street leaves much to be desired (although that's hardly the point of Stroud anyway). It's a town / county of opposites and it's a shame not more people know about / have visited it.

[@cephalopod7300]

I think he pronounced it Strood then corrected himself because there is an actual Strood in Kent, which they had visited a few episodes ago.

[@parkerzilla6323]

Hi, at 6.47 Vicki gives the name of a plant which I have noticed is extremely common alongside railway tracks in Sothern England. I have watched the short clip many times to try and make out the name but I cannot make out what name she is saying. Really grateful if anyone could tell me what she is saying or just name the plant anyway. Many thanks Parkerzilla

[@ianmcclavin]

David Parkerzilla They're buddleias, very intrusive plants, if they infest a brick wall, demolition's usually the best answer!!

[@parkerzilla6323]

many thanks for your reply, mystery solved !

[@ajuk1]

There's nothing in Kemble to see apart from a small insignificant stream.

[@AymanTravelTransport]

Reading is the largest station that's not in a city (although it's larger than many cities and should really be a city, I'm sure the Queen might grant it city status next, dunno when that'll be though)

[@raeda99]

Yay. Reading. I know you've been through Tilehurst and over the huge viaduct but is there any footage coming up

[@sgt.eclair]

raeda99 That was ine of the least enthusiastic 'yays' I've ever seen.

[@ucup33]

I watch this video just want to see them both. Cute train couple

[@scottygdaman]

If reading is redding is redding reading ?

[@theowletblog]

what episode did you go to BPW please? its my home station and i cant find the video!!

[@cephalopod7300]

Check their website which tells you which day for each station, but not every station gets covered in the vlogs

[@HatterDave]

Stroud is the closest train station for Forest Green Rovers FC a football team in the village of Nailsworth with a population of under 6,000 people, who will become the smallest and newest team to play in the Football League in August following their promotion #CombiningTrainAndFootballKnowledgeAndWonderingWhyIDontHaveAGirlfriend

[@chrischeltenham]

YAY more local stations :)

[@benclarke4680]

Hate to mention it, but you forgot another 3 stations in the last video, (and this one) Chepstow, Lydney and Bristol Parkway, these might be later on in the series but I have only got this far yet :) Ben

[@AndreiTupolev]

Good job you weren't doing it today "All trains at Bristol temple meads are delayed or cancelled due to a fault with the Signalling System".

[@AllTheStations]

and they cancelled the Pilning train! (which we caught last week)

[@jacksims93]

are you guys going to be doing the merseyrail suburban lines as well?

[@AllTheStations]

yes, they're part of the National Rail network, and are on the map and list of stations shown on our website: allthestations.co.uk/stationlist/

[@maxbuskirk5302]

always...you know...been keen on railways... *HI* WE NEED TO GET TO BEDWYN nice jumpscare after turning up the volume!

[@tervaaku]

There was no swoodilypooping in Swindon.

[@servertoaster]

Good man! He likes York, like me!

[@antifugazi]

WHERE WAS BATH SPA??

[@ogg7976]

Swindon always makes me think about swine.

[@mikemoreno4469]

Vicky looks gorgeous here.

[@gtmc]

Did anyone else catch that horse at 0:54

[@cephalopod7300]

I believe that is en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westbury_White_Horse

[@terrier_productions]

“That’s the BBC spoiling my shot”