UK TV programmes to watch this week : 20/10/2018

Doctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 6:55pm to 7:45pm | Sunday 21st October 2018)

Montgomery, Alabama. 1955. The Doctor and her friends find themselves in the Deep South of America. As they encounter a seamstress by the name of Rosa Parks, they begin to wonder whether someone is attempting to change history.

Mediterranean with Simon Reeve (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 21st October 2018)

Simon Reeve embarks on the third leg of his epic four-part journey around the Mediterranean. He begins in Libya – a country torn apart by revolution, insurgents from the so-called Islamic State and western air strikes. Travelling west along North Africa’s Mediterranean coast, Simon journeys through Tunisia where he meets a man who is keeping Berber traditions alive by harnessing camel power to make olive oil and excavating rock by hand to build new Berber homes. From Tunisia, Simon boards the overnight ferry to Sicily. Here he meets three inspiring sisters who – despite constant intimidation – are making a defiant stand against the mafia.

Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 22nd October 2018)

Documentary series about one of the UK’s busiest transport hubs and the western rail network it serves. Huge delays occur after a man is hit by a train at Southall, and more chaos occurs when the power out on track is accidentally switched off. Meanwhile, hundreds of train enthusiasts descend on Paddington to get a glimpse of the world-famous Flying Scotsman.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 23rd October 2018)

Documentary following the men and women of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). As storm Ophelia hits the British Isles, on the south east coast of Ireland the Rosslare crew try to rescue a small yacht with three people on board. In Devon, the crew at Appledore race an incoming tide to try and reach a man stuck fast in quicksand, while on the north coast of Cornwall, the crew of St Agnes must battle through huge breaking waves to reach two young boys being swept out to sea in a deadly rip current.

Without Limits: Australia (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 24th October 2018)

Two-part observational documentary following a team of injured British and Australian veterans as they embark on an extraordinary near 1000-mile expedition across Western Australia’s remote Kimberley region. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcome the veterans at the Invictus Games in Sydney after their dramatic expedition across Western Australia.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 24th October 2018)

Professional deep-sea diver Adrian Corrigall is obsessed with concrete. He fell in love with this cold uncompromising material in the skateparks of Scotland. Now he’s convinced his wife Megan to agree to build their new family home in rural East Sussex almost entirely out of the stuff – both inside and out. No cladding, no carpets, no plaster or wallpaper – this will be as pure a concrete building as possible. Construction involves cutting-edge technologies conceived in Switzerland and never used to build a house before. The hope is these new mix recipes will overcome the historic negatives of concrete and keep costs down. However, the perils of being a pioneer soon become evident. With both schedule and budget under strain, Adrian is forced to resume work as a diver, servicing North Sea oil installations and taking him away for a month at a time. With Megan now left juggling the build, all the while looking after three young children, the concrete dream seems a long way off.

Ambulance (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 25th October 2018)

Documentary series focusing on the work of the North West Ambulance Service. Call handler Elly tackles an increasing volume of calls, and there are surprises for paramedics April and Clare.

The Great Model Railway Challenge (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | The Great Model Railway Challenge)

Reality contest as railway modellers compete to create miniature masterpieces against the clock. The Fawley Fliers, The Diesel Dynamos and The Railway Children are the teams competing, and they each have to create a railway layout based on the creatively taxing theme ‘Fire and Ice’.

The Lakes with Paul Rose (BBC 2/HD | 8:30pm to 9:00pm | Friday 26th October 2018)

Four-part series about the Lake District, the National Park that is now a World Heritage Site. In this episode, Paul Rose heads to Coniston, where he enters a retro-cycling event on a penny farthing before joining the mountain bikers of Grizedale Forest. He relives the final moments of Donald Campbell in his attempt to break the world water-speed record on Coniston Water, and ends his trek by climbing Dow Crag, before ascending to one of the area’s best-known hills, The Old Man of Coniston.

Walking Britain’s Lost Railways (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 26th October 2018)

Rob Bell explores the lost landscapes and infrastructure of some of Britain’s former railway lines. Rob unearths the lost line from Ruabon to Barmouth, taking a memorable trip across the ‘Stream in the Sky’ on the breath-taking Pontcysyllte Aquaduct.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

Vlog: October vlog update

I’ve been up to lots since my last vlog. Highlights include going to Scotland for a family holiday, great day out in Dundee. Seeing a good mate and going out cycling with him. Also seeing Geoff and Vicki from All The Stations in London!!

Ride 50 miles for BBC Children in Need – Strava Challenge ✅

That’s me just completed another Strava challenge. This time the “Ride 50 miles for BBC Children in Need“.

Please do check out my profile at www.strava.com/athletes/gsvalentine and better still follow me. Oh and do remember, if it’s not on Strava, it did not happen! FACT!!!!

Middle of October 2018 most popular photos

Below are the top three most looked at photos on this website so far during October 2018.

Number 1 (89 views) : Team KATUSHA ALPECIN 2018
Team KATUSHA ALPECIN 2018

Number 2 (88 views) : Endura Glengoyne Whisky Jersey
Endura Glengoyne Whisky Jersey

Number 3 (73 views) : Nick and myself cycling
Nick and myself cycling

Happy #StationsDay 2018 everyone!

Corrour railway stationHappy #StationsDay 2018 everyone! So how many railway stations have you been to? Well in the UK, I’ve been to…  62 (2.42%), out of 2,560 passenger railway stations on the Network Rail network.

Of the course the big question is which is my favourite in the whole of the UK… Well that’s got to be Corrour, followed by Glasgow Central in second place.

Here is the full list, of the ones that, I’ve used so far…

Happy #NationalAlbumDay

Happy #NationalAlbumDay! It’s the first National Album Day, when people are invited to listen to there all-time favourite album at 3:33pm.

I’ve not really sure, that I have a favourite album of all time! My taste of music changes going by what mood, I am in!

For some reason, I am in Purple Rain by Prince. Sort of mood!

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 13/10/2018

Mediterranean with Simon Reeve (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 14th October 2018)

Simon Reeve embarks on the second leg of his epic four-part journey around the Mediterranean. Setting off from a snowy mountain ski resort in Cyprus, Simon finds an island and a capital city still deeply divided between Turkish Cypriots in the north and Greek Cypriots in the south.

Great Canal Journeys (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 14th October 2018)

Timothy West and Prunella Scales embark on more spectacular canal journeys. This time, Tim and Pru voyage across Italy’s largest lake and along Europe’s oldest working canal, to the historic heart of Milan. Travelling from Lake Maggiore to the Naviglio Grande canal, they navigate a route taken by marble-carrying barges for over five centuries. Their journey includes a visit to the Swiss lakeside town of Locarno; a speed boat; the spectacular gardens of Isola Bella; a traditional Italian barging song; wine; and a visit to Milan’s famous cathedral, the Duomo.

Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 15th October 2018)

Documentary series about one of the UK’s busiest transport hubs and the western rail network it serves. Weekend works at Acton have overrun, a lorry rips the safety barriers off a level crossing as it runs the lights, and ‘the flying banana’ trails the rails for defects.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 17th October 2018)

Identical twins Nik and Jon Daughtry run a graphic design company together. They drive the same car and even own identical dogs. Now these two brothers are building two near identical houses next door to each other in Sheffield. Raised up on steel stilts on the site of an old corn mill, the houses pay tribute to Sheffield’s industrial past. Huge steel frames with exposed blockwork and black steel cladding should create two sleek and modern family homes. But Nik and Jon’s plan is incredibly ambitious. Not only do they want to build the two houses for the price of one, but the materials and finish have to be absolutely perfect. With a tight budget, it’s an almighty stretch from the start. As delays, overages and imperfections hit, it’s clear the twins’ intuitive and incredibly close relationship will be tested like never before.

Ambulance (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pn to 10:00pm | Thursday 18th October 2018)

Documentary series focusing on the work of the North West Ambulance Service. Over a busy weekend in Manchester, paramedics Andrea and Glynn attend an RTC, while Debbie and Shaun try to persuade a homeless man to go to hospital.

The Great Model Railway Challenge (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 19th October 2018)

Reality contest as railway modellers compete to create miniature masterpieces against the clock. Heat three’s theme sees the judges taking in the sights of miniature recreations inspired by locations all around the world.

The Lakes with Paul Rose (BBC 2/HD | 8:30pm to 9:00pm | Friday 19th October 2018)

Four-part series about the Lake District, the National Park that is now a World Heritage Site. In this episode, Paul Rose heads to Windermere, joining the crowds to find out why the early tourists thought the Lakes were one of the most dangerous spots in the country. He plunges into the world of long-distance swimming and helps the staff who run the boats on the lake, before meeting a Holocaust survivor who was airlifted to Windermere in 1945, as part of a mercy mission involving 300 orphans after the Second World War.

Walking Britain’s Lost Railways (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 19th October 2018)

Rob Bell explores the lost landscapes and infrastructure of some of Britain’s former railway lines. This lost line once transformed the fortunes of seaside towns, but it was expensive and difficult to maintain, and the boggy Somerset Levels presented a challenge to laying tracks.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

Matthew Shepard R.I.P. We must NEVER, NEVER forget!!!!

On Tuesday, 6 October 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21 year old student from the University of Wyoming, was brutally beaten and pistol whipped as a result of an anti-gay attack and robbery. Matthew was tied to a fence and left to die, only to be discovered by a bicyclist the next day. On Monday, 12 October, as a result of the injuries from the attack, Matthew passed away.