BBC Archive - Steam Trains

[John Ashworth]

The BBC Archive is currently celebrating British steam engines with a collection of TV and radio programmes from the vault available online here. There are over twenty broadcasts available.

In this collection of television and radio programmes we celebrate the craftsmanship inherent in steam trains and the beauty of the British countryside through which these locomotives have passed.

These broadcasts also acknowledge the dedicated enthusiasts who have saved this important part of British heritage for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Diesel engines are machines, steam locomotives are practically human.

It includes "John Noakes on the Flying Scotsman", for those Britons who remember Blue Peter!

[Steve Appleton]

This is a fabulous archive, but regrettably is only available to people who live in the UK. The BBC claims this is because of program rights issues and also because the programs themselves were funded by UK licence-payers, who are the BBC's prime responsibility. Given that this archive is hardly general entertainment with a massive number of international TV networks queuing to buy them, I think the BBC's being really mean, but there it is!

[Derek Walker]

Well, if they want to be iffy about it, head on over to http://www.britishpathe.com/ and see what they have available as low res, jpg etc. Try your hand at White Train, Royal Visit South Africa and steam engine as search terms.

[John Ashworth]

Thanks, Steve. I hadn't noticed that as I didn't try to look at any of the programmes until after I saw your post. I've sent a complaint to BBC. Be interesting to see if they respond and, if so, what bureaucratic nonsense they give me.

[John Ashworth]

Well, to give BBC credit, they answered my complaint the same day and they answered the specific points I made, which is better than some of the generic responses I've had from some institutions. Not that I think much of their argument, but then the average corporation is not really interested in the individual punter, whatever their PR people say.

Dear Mr Ashworth

Thanks for your e-mail regarding the BBC.

I understand you're unhappy because you've been unable to access some of our web content from Kenya.

Certain aspects of our services are unavailable to those outside the UK who don't pay the TV licence fee. Non-UK citizens don't pay the TV licence. However, people from across the world can buy products from our online shop and we have an organisation set up called BBC Worldwide which is the commercial arm of the BBC:

http://www.bbcworldwide.com/

Whilst only UK citizens who pay the TV licence have full access to our services we still consider ourselves to be a global service. BBC Worldwide are currently working on a service that may allow accessibly from outside the UK but at present it's still unavailable.

I appreciate that this is particularly frustrating for you as a British citizen and to that end I'd like to assure you that I've registered your complaint on our audience log. This is the internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily to ensure that your points are circulated and considered across the BBC. The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions within the BBC.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact us.

Regards

Craig Thompson
BBC Complaints
________________________________
www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

---------Original Message-------------

When I tried to access programmes on this website, it told me not available in my area. I am a British citizen who happens to be in Kenya at the moment. I want to know why I personally am not able to access BBC material. I also want to know why BBC has apparently abandoned its commitment to "World Service", and publicising Britain, by making content unavailable to people in Kenya.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/