Five Go on the Great Western Railway

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Moonraker
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Moonraker »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:
The Great Western Railway trains are the nicest I've been on in Britain - they have an old-fashioned sheen and feel spacious and luxurious.
That's because they are old-fashioned! They entered service 41 years ago, by British Rail, not the First Group who own Great Western Railway, and due to their colouring, were known as flying bananas. I must agree with you, Anita, they are lovely trains - comfortable and having windows that are married up to the seat formation. However, think yourself lucky you didn't have to travel on their even older stock, class 150s regularly trundle between Cardiff and Portsmouth when the failing 158s fail to materialise.
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Courtenay »

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DAWLISH — "Home of the Black Swan"?!?! :shock: :shock: :shock: My Western Australian relatives and friends in particular (the black swan is the emblem of WA) would have something to say about that... :twisted:
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Rob Houghton »

Looking it up online, it says - "The black swans in Dawlish have been a major tourist attraction for decades and are used as the town's emblem. They were introduced to the town from New Zealand at the start of the 20th Century, by a former Dawlish resident who emigrated. The black swan is native to Australia."

:D
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Eddie Muir »

I must admit that the only place I've seen black swans is Dawlish. It's interesting to learn that the black swan is the emblem of Western Australia, Courtenay. Come to think of it, I recall having Australian postage stamps with black swans on them in my stamp collection in the 1950s.
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Courtenay »

Well, black swans are found all over Australia, but the Western Australians have a special attachment to them for some reason. Back in Melbourne some years ago, I had a friend who came from Perth and was convinced that black swans were found exclusively in WA and the rest of Australia had white swans. He was astounded when I set him straight on that one... :P (You very occasionally see introduced white swans as ornamental birds in Australia and I think there are or have been a few feral populations, but they're not at all common.)

On that note, I found this article from a few years ago... normally I would have huge sympathy for any case of an introduced species threatening native populations. But in this instance — coming from a country where rabbits, foxes, feral cats etc. have been causing major environmental damage ever since the colonial Brits decided they needed to make this place "more like home" — I must admit I'm tempted to call it poetic justice. :twisted: :wink: :wink: :wink:
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by sixret »

A brilliant advert and I agree with Anita. And better if an animation film was made! :D

Thank you, Nigel.
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Eddie Muir »

Thanks for the link to an interesting and informative article, Courtenay. :D
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Moonraker »

Here is the story behind the campaign. Make of it what you will!

Click here
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Eddie Muir »

Very interesting. Thanks for the link, Nigel. :D
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Rob Houghton »

Thanks Nigel!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Daisy »

I enjoyed that... thanks Nigel. :)
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Moonraker »

Moonraker wrote:
Julie wrote:There is an arch along that route, Courtenay, but it's not as big as the cartoon one. Hubby thinks it's called Horse Shoe Rock.
I know the location well. I have always thought it was referred to as The Parson's Nose ...
Searching through some slides taken in the 60s, I came across a photo I took from the train. Is this the same location we're talking about? If it is, I am pretty certain it is called The Parson's Nose.

Image
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Rob Houghton »

Yes - that's the one. I believe Julie called it The parson's Nose. There aren't many good photos of it online - yours is one of the best I've seen.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

It's a good photo but the arch we were talking about earlier was Langstone Rock.
Moonraker wrote:Here is the story behind the campaign. Make of it what you will!

Click here
Very interesting, Nigel. I like idea of GWR being marketed as "a gateway to adventures" and the Famous Five being viewed as the embodiment of adventures.

I hadn't known that GWR worked with the National Schools Partnership to promote literacy in schools and that GWR had approached Hachette UK to ask if they could use the Famous Five in their resources for primary school classrooms (from around 2.22 in the video clip I recognise Alex Antscherl and Georgia Monroe from Hachette). As Alex says, the books are about "freedom and adventure" and I think the advert captures that spirit perfectly.
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Re: Five Go on the Great Western Railway

Post by Rob Houghton »

maybe it was on another thread...I'm sure it was Julie who mentioned a parson! :? can't find it now though. :-)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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