The LNER Encyclopedia

Hello all!

I'm part of the team making a Channel 5 documentary about the Flying Scotsman (both loco and service).

We’re making a 2 part documentary telling the story of one of our most famous locomotives - and the service of the same name. The series will explore the history of the engine from its creation by Sir Nigel Gresley and its heyday in the golden age of steam, right up until its recent revival and restoration. The programmes will be made up of archive film and interviews with experts and those who have played a part in the Flying Scotsman’s story.

I am looking to speak to fans of 4472 who have a story to tell about the loco. This could be anyone from someone who has a family connection to FS, to someone who has worked on the engine, to a super fan who has gone above and beyond in some way to celebrate Flying Scotsman in their own way.

If you have a story to tell, you can reach me on frances.beere@channel5.com. Please feel free to suggest people I should speak to or to pass on this message to anyone who might fit the bill.

Thank you very much for your time.
Frances Beere
Assistant Producer, Channel 5

I may not be alone in hoping that you can prevail upon the eventual script writers, presenters, producers and editors sufficiently to get them to apply and strictly maintain the distinction between;

Flying Scotsman (note, no definite article preceding the name), the LOCOMOTIVE, and...


THE Flying Scotsman, the daily 10am TRAIN service.

If you can manage to police the modern "mashers" of the English language sufficiently to get them to understand that the two varieties of "Flying Scotsman" terminology are not interchangeable you'll be doing well by current dismal broadcasting standards. You might even manage to get them to realise that LOCOMOTIVE and TRAIN have different, non-interchangeable meanings, and that RAILWAY (not train) STATION is the correct term for one of those places in which the public avail themselves of the services of the railway. As a further bonus, you could even try to stop anybody in the team from mis-describing passenger carrying rail vehicles as "wagons" when they are in fact coaches or carriages!

Would it be too much to also hope that the final production will not be broadcast in such a way that ten minutes out of every fifteen are given over to commercials, & might we be spared a lengthy re-explanation of what the documentary is about following each commercial break (wasting three of the remaining five minutes simply to cater for those with no attention span, who constantly channel hop instead of watching complete programmes from the start)?

That last paragraph is a common complaint I've heard of British documentaries in recent years - and not just railway ones. It would seem there's a sizable market for decent documentaries for people who prefer to watch TV rather than having it running in the background?

Hi All,

Being in the States makes it difficult to see any UK television programs so I usually have to wait until they're posted on youtube or available on DVD so, can anyone advise where I can view this program ?

In addition, we have the same problem here regarding proper usage of names & terminology. Part of the problem lies with the latest generation having no regular connection with the topics being covered. They don't even know how much they don't know so, where to start becomes problematic. With access to many individuals in the heritage railway field familiar with the topics being covered, one might think this would be a no-brainer. Being well acquainted with naval history, it drives me batty when I hear someone refer to "The Hood" or "The Warspite". There's no "the" in ship names any more than when misapplied to Flying Scotsman or Mallard. As everyone has noted there was "The Flying Scotsman", a scheduled service & not to be confused with the locomotive.

My brother-in-law usually prescribes "intensive slap therapy" in such cases. Likely not a cure but, surely a palliative for those applying it.

Regards,
Fairway 2746

Hi Fairway
I don't have an issue with 'The Hood' etc. when used in conversation. What always annoys me is 'The HMS Hood' - it doesn't even flow off the tongue in an easy manner.

That recent programme 'Train Spotters' was the pits - no broadcaster can do worse than that!!