The Enid Blyton Society

Eddie Muir wrote:I’ve seen it three times here in Brighton.

I think its only being shown in the GWR region.

Courtenay wrote:Just noticed there's another video by GWR that I didn't watch before — I'm not sure if anyone posted the link (sorry if someone did and I missed it).

Thanks for discovering that little gem, Courtenay. really interesting.

Rob wrote:Its a shame we never see the advert on TV...at least, I haven't. I think it must only be being shown regionally.

The GWR network goes as far north as Worcester Shrub Hill/Foregate Street stations, so although relatively close to you in the ITV Midlands region they have probably restricted it to London/Meridian/Westcountry/Wales ITV stations where the GWR network is more prolific.

Rob wrote:I think its only being shown in the GWR region.

There isn't a lot of GWR in the Meridian region, but GWR does run a Cardiff-Portsmouth hourly service and a daily (twice daily?) Bristol to Brighton service.

Watching Meridian Tonight, last night, I was surprised to see the local weather is now sponsored by GWR. It had previously been sponsored by Le Shuttle for many years.

It is down in Cornwall too, Nigel. Our local weather show the clip of the Five. And on our local Pirate radio, before the weather comes on we hear a little tale about the Five going on holiday.

North of Gloucester, the Famous Five might just as well not exist!

Moonraker wrote:Watching Meridian Tonight, last night, I was surprised to see the local weather is now sponsored by GWR. It had previously been sponsored by Le Shuttle for many years.

Do you think the weather might improve if its sponsors gave it a little more money??

Rob Houghton wrote:North of Gloucester, the Famous Five might just as well not exist!

Well, the GWR certainly doesn't go much further - north of Worcester, that is!

Yes, Julie; I'd already said ITV Westcountry and Wales local weather was sponsored by GWR. Mind you, if the weather forecast ran on similar lines (pun intended!) to their railway, you'd expect this announcement:

"Great Western Railway apologises for the delayed arrival of sunshine. This is due to the wrong sort of cloud," and "Great Western Railway apologises that summer has been cancelled. Your ticket is valid on other weather conditions."

Moonraker wrote:Mind you, if the weather forecast ran on similar lines (pun intended!) to their railway, you'd expect this announcement:

"Great Western Railway apologises for the delayed arrival of sunshine. This is due to the wrong sort of cloud," and "Great Western Railway apologises that summer has been cancelled. Your ticket is valid on other weather conditions."

I like it.

Moonraker wrote:

Rob Houghton wrote:North of Gloucester, the Famous Five might just as well not exist!

Well, the GWR certainly doesn't go much further - north of Worcester, that is!

Nigel, didn't the GWR once run through trains to Birkenhead from Paddington?

It certainly did. The real GWR's route map was a little different to that of the current toc!

An interesting map, Nigel. The GWR then could have been described The Great North Western Railway.

That's interesting, Nigel - great old map too! I guess it was still only serving the West of the country, hence its name.

I don't know much about the GWR except from watching 'God's Wonderful Railway' in the 1970's!

This is an interesting list, copied from Wikipedia, and shows all of the companies absorbed into the GWR at the Grouping of 1921:

1921 Railways Act
The following companies were absorbed into the Great Western Railway as a result of the Railways Act 1921; however they were incorporated into the new larger business on the different dates shown.

Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway (1 January 1922) 10.5 miles (17 km)
Barry Railway (1 January 1922) 68 miles (109 km)
Vale of Glamorgan Railway 20.75 miles (33 km) ♠
Cambrian Railways (1 January 1922) 295.25 miles (472 km)
Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast Railway
Llanidloes and Newtown Railway
Mawddwy Light Railway ♠
Mid-Wales Railway
Newtown and Machynlleth Railway
Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway
Oswestry and Newtown Railway
Tanat Valley Light Railway
Vale of Rheidol Railway
Van Railway ♠
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway ♠
Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway ♠
Cardiff Railway (1 January 1922) 11.75 miles (19 km)
Cleobury, Mortimer and Ditton Priors Railway (1 January 1922) 12 miles (19 km)
Port Talbot Railway (1 January 1922) 35 miles (56 km)
South Wales Mineral Railway 13 miles (21 km) ♠
Princetown Railway (1922) 10.5 miles (17 km)
Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway (1 January 1922) 29 miles (46 km)
Rhymney Railway (1 January 1922) 51 miles (82 km)
Taff Vale Railway (1 January 1922) 124.5 miles (199 km)
Penarth Extension Railway 1.75 miles (3 km) ♠
Penarth Harbour, Dock and Railway 9.75 miles (16 km) ♠
West Somerset Railway (1922) 14.5 miles (23 km) ♠
Brecon and Merthyr Railway (1 July 1922) 59.75 miles (97 km)
Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway (1 July 1922) 21 miles (34 km)
Neath and Brecon Railway (1 July 1922)
Gwendraeth Valley Railways (1 January 1923) 3 miles (5 km) ♠
Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway (1 January 1923) 13 miles (21 km)
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (1923) 42.75 miles (68 km) ♠
Midland and South Western Junction Railway (1 July 1923) 63.25 miles (101 km)
Swansea Harbour Trust (1 July 1923)
Powlesland and Mason (railway shunting contractors) (contractors at Swansea Docks) (1 January 1924)
East Gloucestershire Railway 25.5 miles (41 km) ♠
Exeter Railway 8.75 miles (14 km) ♠
Forest of Dean Central Railway 5 miles (8 km) ♠
Lampeter, Aberayron and New Quay Light Railway 12 miles (19 km) ♠
Liskeard and Looe Railway 9 miles (14 km) ♠
Ross and Monmouth Railway 12.5 miles (20 km) ♠
Teign Valley Railway 7.75 miles (12 km) ♠

Full article here.

Very interesting. Thanks, Nigel.

Glad you found it interesting, Eddie. I half-thought it might bore the whatsits off people!