Talk:The Biggest Little Railway in the World/Notes

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This workpage really for Working and Reference notes. Please also checkout WP:WORP before using WP:SUBP. Please use in an ordered fashion and use talk for discussions.

Days Table[edit]

Days-Date Mapping Table
Day Date DoW
Day 1 20 June 2017 Tue
Day 2 21 June 2017 Wed
Day 3 22 June 2017 Thu
Day 4 23 June 2017 Fri
Day 5 24 June 2017 Sat
Day 6 25 June 2017 Sun
Day 7 26 June 2017 Mon
Day 8 27 June 2017 Tue
Day 9 28 June 2017 Wed
Day 10 29 June 2017 Thu
Day 11 30 June 2017 Fri
Day 12 01 July 2017 Sat

In latter part of June sunrise in Fort Augustus is about 04:20 and sunset 22:20 ... (Full darkness from just before 11pm until just before 4am?).

Episodes[edit]

Please respect the notes in the are designed to be helpful ... and for cross checking article information against the recording. They may not be totally accurate and need to be checked. Djm-leighpark (talk) 23:29, 14 February 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Episode 1[edit]

BLR Episode 1 - Programme Notes
Time - Duration Description.
1m DS: Is that beautiful or what? .. shows Laggon Loch Tress bridge

Episode 2[edit]

BLR Episode 2 - Programme Notes
Time - Duration Description.
1m DS: Is that beautiful or what? .. shows the Inchnacardoch Canyon. (By end of?) Day 3(?) 13 miles of track laid on ground. Showed Silver Lady on the Aberchalder Viaduct (Was this CGI or Silver Lady II?)
2m Carriage derail. 9 Days to Inverness
3m 34s DS wishes to do 4 miles to Muirshearlich this afternoon. Schedule Point.(EOP?). Gradient profile.
4m->6m Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway part Backstory
6m-7m The Ferry start. Ferry, Derrick & Cradle were built by team B. No Instrucutions were passed how to work the Ferry derrick. The cradle for the ferry Needed extra weighting rocks but Cradle & Ferry worked otherwise.
9m 30s Ferry Launched and had to travel... DS working it via r/c 150m .. slight boat collision with moored boat on the way.
10m Loss of Radio link... DS running is fun! ... (ferry prodded with track by DS).
11m Fishing line use to tether ferry.. after trying a track piece .. DS said not part of plan. Lock starts to fill with water.
12m Aberchalder Spillway .. They mostly did not use term Spillway (AFAIK), used ford/weir (Ford/Weir). ClaireB Called it Called Aberchalder Ford) ClaireB said Even 1cm water too much. Caissons Mentioned and described Spillway as 60m wide. Described Solid Caisons with ballast( but build caisons were not solid????:TBC). Viaduct backstory. Special Build Team mentioned. Risk of wash away recognised if spillway spilled.
14m Described as Longest model train bridge .. longer than hamburg. Claire supervising.
15m Hadrian Spoomer (HS) has go at team 'C' lead wrt Health and Safety (H&S) HS quote on team C: From what I've seen of this team .. they are ... team British Rail. It's as anoraky as it gets. (Probably spiced for Television).
15m Expansion Joints Explained.
15m Story of HS (apparent) incredulity wrt Team C lead continues ... Mad eto (apparently) look stupid for no fishplate. Team 'C' protects teams and insists they have lunch. HS Quote ... I've never met .. anyone like that in my life before. HS Team 'C' No expansion joints. After Lunch. Don't double back. Near Aberchalder Swing bridge(A82). (High probably this was a 'set-up' and 'spiced')
17m Cameron (BS - Traction engine) + wheelbarrow + quad bike (Eagle barge) Done 18m so far (Team A just past ???? Invergarry???)
18m proper job this. (Cameron). Lawrence (the DJ) team 'A' lead laughs.
19m 18 miles laid by (end of) day 2(Surely 5!). Hadrian demos fishplating track.
20m 15s Ferry Crossing. (Had anyone allowed for choppy waters when lock gards openned) A Whirlpool. Ferry Bridge came off deck (it filled with water).
22m Lockkeeper rescues Ferry+SL+Carriage to derrick cradle.
23m Mentioned made one of the (two?) carriages made by a team member.
24m A Team claimed they laid track for first bit of line and also made the start termini station fence(?) Violin Cathedral piped for Cameron. (Was Piper availability a set up?)
26m Weir(Spillyway) Viaduct Construction. With a backstory and construction description.
28m 'Manufacturer Model Railway Support engineer Chris checks (Silver Lady) SL after dunking. SL continues to work. all servos, electrical. Chris leaves SL to let dry for the night.
29m of Day 4. | Start|of Day 5 ... 8 Days to Inverness. 25 miles of coontinuous track laid. Up Neptunes Staircase. Paul|first in non railway line. (1/2) mile,| Team C(??May have that wrong)) finishing at end of point and which Invergarry+FA Rlwy stopped. Then up a little (to Canyon?)
30m About 1/2 gong up Hill. HS enginerering solutions.
31m Dick was 8miles to make up losses. ie 9 miles by COP Day 5. SL Not tested post dunking. DS: Has it been lit, Chris, has it been lit since its been in the water? Chris smiles .. No. ds: NO .. chris smiles. DS: go get your kit you. chris chuckles. DS: I did not realise that .. that should have been done. OK you learn from that.(Setup/spiced or actual?)
31m 45s 'Inch Mountain'(BLR Nickname) (ascent in Invercalder Forest).. To be done in 4 days time! 100m ascent in 1/2 in the Inchnacardoch forest. (LEs:Picture framer/modeller).
32m 12%. quote or max incline by HS.
33m 15s BS: Counterbalanced Railway. Backstory. Turntables. Survey mess. lot of turntables. Turntable: Backstory(5s) 4 ... Turntable off lock @ Neptunes staircase.
35m Pip Survey Team. + + turntable wind up. Team 'C'~? set up.
36m SL restarts.
37m Stated FA is the mid-point. Quad bike no oil and SL slowed by carriage derailed by wind. @2 mile mark? 8 to do ?? Carriage weighted by bolts. They axle box came off. 35 miles to Inverness from (or just north of ??) Fort Augustus(FA).
39m Quad Bike in Canal. Ros Crana(Inverness) barge rescues
40m Down to 1 quad bike from 5. (1 back on the road). oil from community by Molly. Gill(Proj. management assistant) said Cameron cross between Tom Cruise + Fred Dibner. (Would be a nice son to have ... from leading question?). & Molly great.
40m Gill praises Cameron + Molly.
42m Team D moved into C due to issues with Counterbalance build time.
44m Team C had 9 turntalbes .... Hadrian reduced it to Two. Two turntables up inch mountain. We've doe and incredible amount of useless work really. (WWRT Unnecessary turntables). Survey team 'blamed' (??Was seems an episode of designed to make team 'C' look stupid for TV)
44m @Aberchalder Viaduct. All the rainwaters gone in my pants
45m Aberchalder Viaduct. 60m .. scale lenght 1.14km
46m Water under the bridge for the first time (A little tricke went over the spillway) (???????Could have been caused by someone emptying a bucket of water??????)
46m Track up to date at end of Day 5. Only 4.5 miles on Day 5..... ... ie MP 5.5!

Episode 3[edit]

BLR Episode 3 - Programme Notes
Time - Duration Description.
1m DS: Quote: Is that Beautiful of What ? .. on snippet of ascent of Caledonian Helix.
1m 20s- Day 5 into project.
2m 20s Now says on Day 6(25th June). (CMT:Hard to ID shot location on Google Maps.)
2m 26s Mark(PM) filmed at ((Spillway??)/((sluice Bridge))? driving SL at coords 56.908140, -5.004914.. Then DS Says inverness 65miles away (ie 6 done).
2m 47s Route Picture (CMT: Arguably picture lends evidence to Moy Bridge as overnight point) Then DS say aim to reach Aberchalder day after tomorrow over 2 bridges ... the trestle @ Laggan Locks and 7 miles beyond that the Aberchalder Viaduct at Aberchalder FORD.
4m Steep Twisting Forest Road into before Invermorisson by team A. That hill is via Zig-Zags - (Lawrence: Team A Lead).
5m 35s-7m Inch* The trestle (@Inchnacardoch). Design work. Suspension bridge ruled out do to curve. Trestle Backstory. Tresstle good for uneven contours. Intercontected 'A' frames. Uninterrupted view.
7m 30 Gairlochy - Florence Backstory. 'Steep' hill after Gairlochy'... train will be pushing to get up. Backstory: Lickey Incline.
10m (11m) 17degree. Go Backwards. (Gairlochy). Note Point is where Glen Way goes off from road. Done. By day after tomorrow needs to be over Laggan Locks and to Aberchalder Ford .. 17 Miles ((((from current position - Gairlochy Bay)))) DS: Sounds like water shortage in boiler.
11m 14s Diagram of Silver Lady .. Boiler and Gas burner. (Gas Burner at Back of Boiler). Steam drawn thru regulator on top of (back of) boiler. Upways water is forced up through the regulator at the top of the boiler at the back and into the Cylinders ... Flooded cylinders dont turn. In reverse the regular is clear of water for steam to pass.
11m 57 Backstory Snowdon Railway. Then SL reverses sweetly up hill (CMD:Its actually not that long) ... then turned get going forward ... Scene then shows SL turned and hurtling along forward. (NB Wot no turntables).
12m 56 DS states about 150 yd in 20mins. But view great. (CMT: The GGW initially goes NW and then parallel NE with the road for maybe 0.25ml then drops SW to the shore. This accounts for the scenes of shoreline and wood prior to road rejoin just before)
14m The 'D' bridge. (over a small stream) Negiotiated by trainee drive Frorence. (30 miles from Invermorisson).
15m 'A' team slide track down incline (gravity push feed). Lawrence :: happy workforce 15%-20% more productive.
15m 45s 39m Canyon. Drop. Using archimdedes principle over a hose. To get a smooth climb. Bespoke legs. Longer back. Custom A frame lengths.
18m Beside Loch Lochy .. Then at Camp: (Camp loop train tracks). Lawrence 'A' team Lawrence the DJ Backstory and temas getting plastured. @ 20m 23 shows a 'training' loco (1/2) crocodile(CMD:What is it???) + box van
23m Chris's bunk room. Chris about Silver Lady. Boiler loose. Body Grit off. DS: Abercalder Ford by EndOfPlay next Day.
24m DS: 4miles only Yesterday ..(Day 6). Now Day 7 ... ... 13 to Abercalder .. (CMT:Is this 13 to Aberchalder spillway or swingbridge)). 24m 48s show start point on map
26m @Canyon. Will (65kg) tests weight on trestle (then HS: points out 90% bend). HS. tells them (S curve).
30m New trainee drivers. SL: Out of water. 1 mile in 2 hours. . Chris aannoyed ... no water ... if hot boiler filled too quickly .. can rupture. At Achnacarry (CMT:Interchnage) when out of steam. Best ground but slowest. (CMT: This implies start of Day 7 Just prior to Achnacarry. The ground yesterday was rough, but they just been on road).
34m 9 miles behind schedule. (only 4 done yesterday day 6) (map 35m 10) 6am-10pm At 35.39 still indicates next to lock Lochy.
37m 30s Cameron is portrayed as developing High Speed Servicing. (2m)
38m James Mass Produced. (4 day build 23m length).
42m-46m Laggan Locks Truss Bridge 3 days to construct. 12.8m (Hopes to stablise.
46m Night Mail. (45m to inverness). Night into Tunnel. (CMT: Implies they would have night run to Aberchalder Swing Bridge for next day)

Episode 4[edit]

BLR Episode 4 - Programme Notes
Time - Duration Description.
1m DS: Is that beautiful or what quote is over the Laggan Lock truss bridge.
1m 20s 50 milepoint&start of day 9
2m 35s ... some from Day 8 night ... 3.5 days to Inverness .. 00:05 (actually Day 9) :: SL had been running for 16hr .. Did 10 miles. best so far. 8.5 miles behind schedule. (CMT: Shots incl next day confirm finish at NW corner of the Swing Bridge after crossing @ 57.092709, -4.744414 )
3m 30s 20.5miles from FW ... total is 70+ to go
4m 30s SL replaced with Little John for Start of Day 9
5m Route description, 9miles from Inch to foot of (175m ascent of Inch) to Invermoriston using counterbalance. In total 13 Miles. Little John desc by Cameron as Lower CoG.
6m 50s Diesel v steam backstory
7m 30s Moan of a LJ for bridge .. Aberchalder Viaduct Crossing (Little John).
9m 40s Andy Backstory
10m 50s Passed Back to Silver lady (CMT:at about 57.101435, -4.740159 ... 350m north of Cullochy Lock (57.098391, -4.739741) .. note the bench) ... Back with a Bang .... at 11m 18s .. then more on Andy/Simon and how SL quicker than Little John. How experienced folk can 'listen' to the Locomotive ... how the special ops team are organised ... Andy Traction Inspector, Simon Driver, Cameron Fireman. Principles are the same as mainline loco. 2 miles in one hour (to Kytra lock).
13m DS: Track teams 30 miles from the city (CMT: Invernness ? Outskirts) (CMT: @ Drumnadrochit) Charlies lost as well. (@ R. Culture???). Other side is like a 'Lord of the Rings' Forest.
14m 14s ... Back to Train Just after 11am have reached Fort Augustus. Will (15m) quote 'Odd experience all round .. but like a good weird like a British weird .. so its sort of fine'. (CMT:Did he say same elsewhere???)
15m 30s 10 miles before traffic. (ie Invermoriston ... maybe ) .. Lot of up or down.
15m 45s Trestle Description, backstory(16m 30s), 17m Trestle Cross. At about 18m 905" length of bridge. 18m 20s CB likes build. Little Timber used. Hudge strength. Elegant. 18m 35s .. Chris Complements loco drivers.(CMT: Presumbably when was on night maintenance!) Inchnacardoudoch Canyon Stream Trestle Crossing (desc 5m 15s), 16m (905")
18m-(24m) Helix. 5m from path to canal towpath. Curve. incline in short limited space. ep 4. 18m-22m & Reused truss bridge. over laggan locks. train teams quad. Incl Festiniog/Helix BackStory. (19m 45s). 12% on straight->8%on curve. 20m 40 has diagram. 20m 50s has modelled back in camp. Tried backwards ... seems to fall off. more on build until 22m. Approach. First turn right, rest follows. SL Top heavy does like bends. Lady Anne loco at 21m 08s.
23m-to-25m Inch mountain(counterbalance climb) .... 9 miles through pine forest. (or is this Inch Mountain) ((CMT:Where does it say this 175m ... it said it earlier))
25m Team 'C' finished but no Nesslieland force to merge team D as Team Lead Jenny on mobile to medic swollen ankle (CMT: 'beam me up Scotty' job). Team Management Forest above Loch Ness (touch terrain .. .. (ep.4. m25 .... team management). (C & D joined up) Mark assumes project management of 'C' and 'D'. Tough terrain. Mark leading ... staying clear of this hands-on. (CMT: Good CandC example, everyone assuming roles and working together) Team CD. (Track grunt). Long Fishplates
27m 40s DS: on where we are: we are @ Drumnadochit. Past 1/2 way point. Then long motorcar Backstory to past 32m
32m @Helix ... re-using the truss bridge. Showing build in progress.
33m 26s 8 Miles from start (CMT: Aldchalder or the LJ handover past the lock? ambiguous). Then team change over instructions ... Andy said run 45m running then oil & Water top up. But some dont listen. Advice not taken from top link.(CMT: Possibly not listening is over-egged)
34m 20s backstory on skills ... heritage protection. Years gives knowledge. Look after it ... he dont think they will look after it (100 yards and stopped). Potential bomb. Andy told to Clear off. (CMT:Was this a production company set up ... if so ... madness)
36m 30s Team (B?) have taken 2h 20m to do 2.3 miles (CMT:Seemms middling fair track). DS: Saying beginning of 20 miles following N. shore of L. Ness. Various team team members driving with little experience.
m38 09s At distinctive bridge. (CMT:inverack burn bridge or Portclair Burn Bridge) Trains going too fast at speed. (Slow down). so they will switch drivers round. Shows SL going backwards up hill. Relief dirver more steady. About 1 m/hr. More fuel up hill.
m38 52s Still 42 from Inverness. Another long night. (Av 1 mile hour and using a lot o miles on hills
m39 10s Back to trestle. CB happy. Jumping Flanges. (Helix track length also 30m). 9mm ply and batoning. by winch. Long hill in stages. Dakota. At least another hour and half past midnight ... probably 2am. DS: says halfway point is at Invermorrison summit. 4 loops, 5m .. track length nearly 30m.
m41 DS back at encampment. End of Day 9 was to get past Invermorrison.
m41 Climb mount invermorison at night. Had to deploy the winch. Secret weapon winch. 25% gradient. Shows SL going up. Invermorrison.

Episode 5[edit]

BLR Episode 5 - Programme Notes
Time - Duration Description.
0m Start. Day 9 over. Day 10 Begin(29 Jun). Loco just over 1/2 way. 3 days left. Is that beautiful or what (at 1m) is the Laggan locks crossing.
2.5m DS: Want to do 16miles. But slow start bad terrain. 16 Miles to do today (CMT: or 13miles) to Creag Nay, then 15 to inverness (outskirts?). Also shows Gradient profile graph. (Shows 17.6 km milepost). Less than 10 miles (CMT: track)when finished.
4m 5 miles of track to lay. Past Abriachan (map at 4m 20s)
5m Time Chainage diagram.
5m What kind of skills are you looking ... the ability to breathe.
6m Rack and Pinion ... Creag Bay.. (gradients, bends and rough ground).
7m Autistic trait description. Testing with Supplied cog. Bonding serrated plastic strip onto strips of wood. D team specialists.
9m Paul on Time/chainage diagrams.
10m Walk off of Creag Nay, called by security H+S. It is Team D+c on this (CMT:Really dangerous dont blame them and actually called off for H+S). Then a backstory.
11m 45s Track up to MP59.
13m overnight day 10 ( Loco 5m miles late) .. over 5hr+ late into Drumnadochit (Handover to DS+CB+HS at about 22:45 ..on a road .. (CMT:near a lake??)... .. going to 24hr.
14m Friday (30 jun) 02.45 HS Doesn't know the date. (DS just before that said he didnt know where he was (CMT: ? Alongside R.Coiltie, Team Lead B has lost day/date awareness here prioviously, and somcall called woods on other side of Creg Neay like a 'Lord of the Rings' Forest.
14m Friday (30 jun) 04.15 .. Past Drumnadochit.
14m Day 11 (30 Jun).(Fri SOP - 2 days Inverness)
15m CD Team Join Forces 'CD'
16m (Need Supreme team leader and Seedy lot in a mess). Mile 56 is on Creag Nay before R+P. Rack Rail too High as its 2mm too high. as ... (Pull Rack off ... winch up using a drill. (In reverse). Up hill takes 4 hours. (CMT:17m 15sUnderview of SL within pinion proved 0-6-0!)
20m view of inverness by Navvies.
20m Depot is a Silver Estate. Burner extinguishes on big gradient. Emergency repairs .... repair struggle. Not reached MP 56 yet.
22m Little John Resumes... Personality of Little John ... Ronald the Rhino Driving. (5hrs .... to MP64. @ end of Day 11. Runs for 5 hrs.)
24m Final day. Day 12. Inverness is a City. (Out of service 16h). Need to Tackle Roundabouts and River Ness. (Hill is 5.5 Mile to Inverness station.) 7am start. (out for 16 hours). (CMT:Top link team)
29m Verbal House. At 30.23 guy was at Great Glen House
30m 35s Road traffic rules.
31m 47s Tracklaying in Parks. D track supply issues. On critical path. at one mile marker.
32m 40s Goes by Asylum. Road closures in place. Still laying track to Helix ..
34m 13s 2.75 miles to finish on track to Helix .. unidentified spot on path.
36m section C - D faceoff.
39m Helix Traversal. Joe says untested. Fire blew out. (Batteries died in R/C unit). Derail 5m high and 3m from exit. Cameron on Derricks Shoulders.. 2 miles from Helix to Castle. DS: Did not say 'Is that beautiful or what!' at this point.
43m last mile in (piped). - Metaphor for life. Quote.

Distance Related Statements[edit]

Distance Related References
Time - Duration Statement Description/Content
ep3 2m-47s Laggan Lochs to Aberchalder Viaduct 7.5 Miles This seems a slight exageration.
ep5 39m-43m Helix to Castle 2 Miles Statement by Cameron, distance seems correct

Special Builds and Projects[edit]

Distance Related References
Project Time/Duration Segment Description
Inverness Helix ep5 39m-43m SL traverses Helix

Teams[edit]

NB: Suggest use first names as per programme and in general refer only to team leads/train operations and possibly special builds and even then do so minimally or not at all.

Team Leads: A:Lawrence(the DJ): B:Charlie C:Paul D:Jenny

Miscellaneous[edit]

  • NIP: On Ness Island Railway ... which is not on the Island, one of the locomotives on Ness Islands Minatarture is a duff(bo-bo!) ... named Uncle John ... (since 2012). An interesting contrast to the Little John Shunter on the BLR. (They do seem to swap bodyshells though from what can be made of pictures)
  • COMMENT: The Oban times reported on 22 June 2017 warning of delays from Thursday 22nd June to Tuesday 4th July on the A82 due to he project filming. Likely some of the time after 1st July would have been for track and infrastructure clear up.