Series

Watch Railwatch (1989) Online

1989Returning SeriesDocumentaryOfficial site

Synopsis

For five days in February 1989 the BBC Railwatch camera team followed British Rail staff in a live to air broadcast on the occasion of the electrification of the Eastern Coast Main Line from London to York.

Episodes

Season 1

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1. Day 1Now viewing1989-02-1346mAll year round, 24 hours a day, British Rail is part of the nation's life blood. It is used, abused, tolerated, criticised, appreciated and even sometimes praised by all of us at some time or other. With a turnover exceeding £2,000 million a year, and more than 130,000 staff, it is one of the country's major industries. Railwatch is live from York, historic railway city and headquarters of BR's Eastern Region, the midpoint of the prestigious East Coast main line that links London with the north of England and Edinburgh. Every day this week, the programme goes behind the scenes to find out by whom and how the network is run.
2. Day 21989-02-1446mEdinburgh Inter-City 125 heads north, behind the scenes its progress is monitored and controlled by many an unseen hand. From signalling centres, operations centres and Eastern Region Control in York, Railwatch reports on the men who do run the railway.
3. Day 31989-02-1546mTwenty-four hours a day, the 'merry-go-rounds' - coal trains that never stop - run from colliery to power station. Elsewhere on the railway other commodities are being moved, often in whole train loads. And in the small hours of the morning, the passenger train-sets are being prepared for another day's work. Railwatch reports on the railway the public never sees.
4. Day 41989-02-1646mThey used to be passengers; now they're called customers: a constant stream of people across the concourse, onto the platforms and away by train. With them goes their luggage, parcels and post, to destinations near and far assuming all goes well. On a typical weekday, Railwatch looks behind the scenes at a big city station in Leeds.
5. Day 51989-02-1746mBritish Rail's East Coast main line is a railway in the throes of change. From London to Edinburgh the overhead wires are going up, and the new high-speed electric trains are being tested. Today's Railwatch looks ahead to the evolving railway, and talks to the people who are working on tomorrow's technology.

Cast

Top Billed Cast

Mike Smith
Presenter

Availability

Where To Watch Legally

No legal streaming, rental or purchase options for Railwatch were reported for this region.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Railwatch available to watch online?

Vidbox does not currently have a legal streaming, rental or purchase option on record for Railwatch in this region.

How many seasons does Railwatch have?

Railwatch has 1 season and 5 episodes.

When did Railwatch first air?

Railwatch first aired in 1989.

Is Railwatch still running?

Yes, Railwatch is an ongoing series.

What genre is Railwatch?

Railwatch is classified as Documentary.