UK Edition
BBC commissions 'slow TV-like' live trainspotting show
Trainspotting may be the pursuit of a niche demographic, but the BBC is confident a new live programme dedicated to the “most unique of British obsessions” will be a hit.
The newly-commissioned Trainspotting Live on BBC Four will see veteran host Peter Snow and expert friends delight as different trains speed past on major railway lines.
Broadcasting live over the course of three nights, the unlikely programme is expected to capture a variety of trains on camera – from classic steam and diesel locomotives, to high-speed electric and rarer engines.
Mr Snow will host the show from Didcot Heritage Railway Centre, along with mathematician Hannah Fry, while linking to presenter Dick Strawbridge, who will be stationed at specific spots all over the country.
“Even more exciting than watching election results come in is watching glorious trains speed past on a major railway line,” Mr Snow said of the programme, reminiscent of the increasingly popular 'slow TV' trend.
“And if it happens to be a steam engine passing by– what a bonus.”
Ms Fry, a lecturer at UCL, will explain the enormity of the rail network, breaking down the equations that go into keeping the thousands of trains on the network every day.
Cassian Harrison, channel editor at BBC Four, said: “BBC Four has always been the home of singular passions - from James May celebrating the intricate engineering of a lawn mower to George McGavin unpacking the hidden history of a single oak tree.
“I’m delighted that for one week we’re now going to celebrate that most unique of British obsessions - the train - with all the wit, scale and love of detail that is BBC Four’s hallmark.”
Tom McDonald, head of commissioning, specialist factual formats and natural history, added: “I am delighted to be doing a big live show for BBC Four on a subject which is so close to the nation's heart, which will build the most comprehensive picture of Britain’s rail network ever attempted.”
The BBC expects the live broadcast to appeal to the masses – not just die-hard trainspotting enthusiasts such as those who will feature alongside the presenters from various vantage points across the country.
Anyone with a passion for British history, travel and engineering is expected to enjoy the show, and the public will be encouraged to share their own trainspotting footage.
The format could be seen as part of the increasingly popular trend for “slow TV”, which is already favoured in Scandinavia for its relaxing, undemanding qualities.
Last year, a two-hour BBC show featuring nothing more than a journey down a canal proved an unlikely hit with viewers.
All Aboard! The Canal Trip was filmed in real time and contained no commentary, music or presenter and nothing more exciting than passing boats, changing scenery and the occasional passer-by in the distance walking along the towpath.
But half a million viewers were mesmerised by the experiment in slow TV - filmed with a camera strapped to the front of the barge - down one of Britain's historic waterways, the Kennet and Avon Canal.