Famous people at heritage railways

David Hockney said ‘Everyone is famous for fifteen minutes’. Well, when do I get my other 14 mins 58.5 secs?

 

David Hockney? You’re getting your 1960s pop cultural icons mixed up ...

Tom

 

I was very young, then...

 

Do I count....

I got interviewed by Portillo on GBRJ (not sure whether it was 5 minutes of fame, took all afternoon to film though, he was wearing a shocking pink shirt!!) and then about 2 years later some random bloke came up to me on the platform at Piccadilly (on my way home from work) and asked me if I was the guy off GBRJ (transpired it had been repeated the night before!)

That makes me famous doesn't it!

 

to misquote David bowie 'Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Robin can't tell them apart at all'


I think you will find David Hockney made a bigger splash.
Taxi? That will be for me.

 

I must admit, whenever I try to understand one of the organisations with which Robin is associated, my mind inevitably goes to Jackson Pollock ...

Tom

 

I expect lots of famous people would like to volunteer on lines but don’t because they would get bothered by all the visitors and then they wouldn’t enjoy it as they’d have to have their photos taken all day and they wouldn’t do any work as they’d be talking all day. If lines could keep them in there sheds and round the back it would work but I don’t think it would. Not many would sign up

 

I was an extra in a couple shot on the Bluebell: the 1994 Black Beauty, and an episode of Poirot.

 

There was an episode of Highway where Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan and Michael Bentine reunited on the RHDR -- Milligan was shown driving the train.

 

Singular or plural?

Robin

 

Front legs or back? ;-)

Robin

 

A few years ago I was interviewed by Ellie Harrison (now of Countryfile fame) whilst on the Watercress Belle. The filming was for Country Tracks on BBC2 if I recall. That was my 15 minutes of fame.
I sat next to Pippa Greenwood and her family on an MHR service once, although the more famous Titchmarsh, A is now our patron, and attended for the Scotsman event a few weeks PC (Pre Covid)

Titchmarsh Touch by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

Lovely Ellie... sorry but any mention of her makes me go a little weak at the knees.

 

My brother can claim two whilst firing on the Bala Lake Railway. Firstly, John Craven travelled on the footplate of Alice for Countryfile, with someone standing on the front of the loco to film whilst moving along!

Then Jenny McAlpine, who plays Fiz in Coronation Street, visited with her family. The crew invited her onto the footplate to run round, as she was getting a bit too much attention from the other passengers and it would give her a break. She later posted on social media about her wonderful day at the BLR. Consequently, the rest of the week they had 6-coach trains rammed full!

 

Well, his style was called "action painting". Sounds dynamic, impressive to watch, but the end result left most people baffled ...

Tom

 

I was rostered on the b1 1264 for the first day of the gwsr gala back in 2019 and the owners reps were husband and wife team, mark and Emma known from the nymr’s tv series. Unfortunately the previous evening the episode showing there wedding went out and I had to feel sorry for them as they did very well in Answering everybodys questions! Lovely couple and a cracking engine.

 

In June 1982, the Queen Mother visited the Kent and East Sussex Railway to inaugurate Petros, the Mk1 BSO adapted for disabled visitors. The Royal Train was hauled by No.25 Northiam, specially turned to face down the bank. I was only an ordinary volunteer so had to stand in the yard opposite the platform to view proceedings.

 

I am proud. this has gone to 100 so quick. It was started as a bit of fun to chat about but wasn’t expecting to take of to be as popular as beecome. I have some more ideas to start some posts so watch this space

 

When GWR 813 was purchased back in 1967, the Funds Admin ,Pat Goss was at Hull University. Various students contributed to the purchase of the Locomotive. One of those students was John Prescott. The Fund has a famous member in Baron Prescott. I have several letters from him on House of Lords headed paper.

 

Ok, as for meeting famous people at my railway, filming wise a couple of nice ones were Renee Zellweger as I was firing on 'Miss Potter', she was very charming and signed the seat of 1638 for our Maintenance Supervisor. I fired on a lot of 'Poirots' in the 90's and I had a nice chat to David Suchet on the footplate, he became a Patron of the railway. It must have been my personality that won him over.
I met Gal Godot on the footplate of 592 in London but was more interested in driving it on the national network.
Portaloo walked past us with hise nose in the air when filming something or other but Todd Carty came round to the works to cadge a Rizla and talked to us all. Great bloke, I told how worried about secondary school 'Grange Hill' made me. We laughed at that.
I have lost count of all the film work (too much to list) and 'clebs' I've met. Some friendly, some not, all doing a job.
Non film, Jo Brand and a chum with offspring came to a 'Thomas' event, she was nice too.
End of name dropping, for now...