Ferry Stripdown: Drydock of PRIDE OF BRUGES: TV Documentary....

[Captain Kong]

I saw on TV last night a Dutchman had built an ARK from the same dimensions as the real one, it is around 450 feet in length, built of timber. He was going to sail it up the Thames to London for the Olympics but was prevented from doing so.
It even had lifesize animals on board and is open to the Public.
Brian

[denniswalker]

I watched this programme and actually enjoyed it.I totally agree with most of you guys that the two presenters were terrible.

[happy daze john in oz]

It even had lifesize animals on board and is open to the Public.
Brian[/QUOTE]

Brain they already have one of those on the Thames, you may know it as the houses of Parliament

[Keith at Tregenna]

Pride of Bruges:

Late last night I ended up watching watching Engineering Giants on BBC : the TV programme reveals the secrets ot the world's bigest machines:

This prog was about a massive North Sea Ferry as it undergoes the biggest overhaul of it's life.

LINK: to BBC I Player. (May not be compatable out side of the UK). BBC iPlayer - Engineering Giants: Ferry Strip-Down

I personally found the programme on the Pride of Bruges: Really interesting.

I can imagine for many on site it would not be what they expected, but it was intended for a general public rather than for experts.

RE: ‘Inside the Machine’

Director Chris Mitchell said, “It’s a series of three one-hour long programmes looking at machines and how they work by getting inside them and taking them apart.

“We’re featuring a British Airways jumbo jet, a P&O ferry and an oil and gas rig.(Annual refit at A&P Tyne ship repair yard in the UK).

As said I was interested in the refit of the 180m long Pride of Bruges shown in a repeat of the TV series. I was flicking through the TV channels before retiring for the night.

A crew from Lion TV, which produces Horrible Histories, was allowed into the yard to shoot the large scale maintenance work needed each winter to enable the North Sea and Channel ferries to safely transport cars, freight and passengers overseas.

Director Chris Mitchell said: “Most people have been on a ferry, most people have been on a plane but they don’t know what makes them work, they take them for granted. We’re talking about engineering and technology in a way the public can understand.

P&O spokesman Brian Rees added, “The filming gives a great opportunity to show what is it is easy to take for granted, the technical skill and experience that is vital for companies like A&P and P&O.

“There isn’t much glamour in a shipyard or ship’s engine room and it isn’t easy to convey the intricacies of some of what is going on to people with no technical background.”

Director Chris Mitchell said, “It’s a series of three one-hour long programmes looking at machines and how they work by getting inside them and taking them apart.

“We’re featuring a British Airways jumbo jet, a P&O ferry and an oil and gas rig.

For those that have no or little knowledge of the ‘Insides Machines’ I found the explanations etc helpful.

Apparently in all three episodes our intrepid Presenters: Engineer turned comedian Tom Wrigglesworth and Rob Bell, rising star of mechanical engineering got into nooks and crannies that, frankly, no normal person would even try to get into. From changing the toilet bowls on the 747 and finding out how a vacuum flush really works, to climbing inside the ballast tanks of the ferry, no space was too cramped for the intrepid Rob Bell and Tom Wrigglesworth.

The programmes have now transmitted on BBC 2 and have received outstanding feedback with an audience appreciation index of 87/100, which is very high (and means the audience felt it was worth the licence fee!). In the meantime we will bask in the glow of satsfaction of work that was bloody hard, but which paid off in the end.

“Really interesting programme, need more like this on television”

“Excellent content with some good camera work. Entertaining, informative and very well presented.”

“A great insight as to how they breakdown and dispose of old equipement. In this case an old ferry. GREAT !”

“Fascinating, educational, inspiring.”

Guess as ever you cannot please everyone, but this did explain much in an interesting way to the masses, whom seem to have both taken all in, learned much and above all enjoyed it.

Basic trainer skills in much, expect that you treat all as with no or little knowledge and to teach at a pace that does not go over the head of the slowest learner: I believe that the programme covered the topic well and has helped in the understanding of what occurs etc in an interesting way. But can see how it may not impress those that have been there, done it all before, wrote the book, bought the T. Shirt etc.

K.

[Gulliver]

Guess as ever you cannot please everyone, but this did explain much in an interesting way to the masses, whom seem to have both taken all in, learned much and above all enjoyed it.

Basic trainer skills in much, expect that you treat all as with no or little knowledge and to teach at a pace that does not go over the head of the slowest learner: I believe that the programme covered the topic well and has help in the understanding of what occurs etc in an interesting way. But can see how it may not impress those that have been there, wrote the book, bought the T. Shirt etc.


That is exactly what I meant in my earlier post in this thread in response to criticism(their prerogative of course!) that it was very amateurish.
To me it struck the right balance ,and would have been understandable to the non-seafarer,who would probably have been fascinated by it. Let's face it these days,anything that enlightens the non-seafarer to the mysteries of the sea should be welcomed.And if we old salts wanted a real meaty documentary lecture we could always log onto an Open University Naval Architecture lecture,but I know which I'd prefer!

[Tony Wilding]

I never saw the program, but from the comments posted i dont suppose i missed much, many interesting programs are spoiled by incompetant commentators, as in the Jubilee Celebrations, they should get there facts right befor they state them publicly, its lack of fact finding, so easy now on the net, but i expect to non seagoing viewers they would find it interesting, opens there eyes.

[Keith at Tregenna]

................We lament here often enough that the MN is the forgotten service,so let's not criticize too harshly any welcome attempt to document or publicise programmes about the MN.

Well said:

K.

[Keith at Tregenna]

I never saw the program, but from the comments posted i dont suppose i missed much, many interesting programs are spoiled by incompetant commentators, as in the Jubilee Celebrations, they should get there facts right befor they state them publicly, its lack of fact finding, so easy now on the net, but i expect to non seagoing viewers they would find it interesting, opens there eyes.

You should be able to watch it here online ? LINK:BBC iPlayer - Engineering Giants: Ferry Strip-Down

K.

[Gulliver]

[QUOTE=Tony Wilding;97597]I never saw the program, but from the comments posted i dont suppose i missed much, many interesting programs are spoiled by incompetant commentators, as in the Jubilee Celebrations, they should get there facts right befor they state them publicly, its lack of fact finding, so easy now on the net, but i expect to non seagoing viewers they would find it interesting, opens there eyes.[/QUOTE]


Tony,with respect,I don’t see how you can make that comment without having seen the programme.??!


Suggest you do what what Keith recommends and watch it HERE

For the record, we are not rating the presenters abilities,( they were average in my opinion) but rating the actual content of the programme. As ex Merchant Navy I thought the subject material was covered quite well within the time limit of this documentary and was very interesting.

Best Regards
Gulliver

[Tony Wilding]

Well thanks for the link, i watched it and was pleasantly suprised, a bit scary in those confined space, was interesting. and glad i have seen it, retract my comments,