Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Downton Abbey
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
28 October, 2013 21:30
I know it's a bit late in the day, but after last week's episode it's clear that next week is going to be one to watch. Anyone up for discussion, speculation, etc? Favourite characters, people you can't stand? What is Thomas up to? Will Daisy ever have a happy love life? Has Michael Gregson been arrested as a spy?
Your thoughts on all things Downton are invited...
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Jammy Dodger
Half jam, half biscuit
# 17872
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Posted
28 October, 2013 22:23
Personally my favourite character is the Dowager Duchess played by Maggie Smith. She gets all the best lines.
We've also been trying to decide if Michael has disappeared because he's a cad or been "disappeared" because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Something bad is bound to happen the Bates' though - TV thrives on jeopardy!
-------------------- Look at my eye twitching - Donkey from Shrek
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justlooking
Shipmate
# 12079
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Posted
29 October, 2013 11:06
And what about Lady Edith? - pregnant and not even knowing where the father of the child is? It'll be interesting see how this is resolved.
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
30 October, 2013 08:25
I just hope they don't send Tom Branson off to America, I think he's the most decent character "upstairs".
-------------------- For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Francophile
Shipmate
# 17838
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Posted
30 October, 2013 08:34
Never watched this (dont have a telly) but it sounds a wee bitty like Upstairs Downstairs from the 1970s which I loved as a teenager. I always identified with the less-than-pretty and rather slow scullery maid Ruby who was constantly bullied by Mrs Bridges. Always hated the dashing cad Captain James from upstairs. Apologies for the tangent. Back to the Abbey.
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
30 October, 2013 10:29
Ina perfect world Tom would end up with Lady Mary - maybe a sparky Irishman would finally inject some life into her because - either because of the way she's written or (more likely) the way she's played, the girl has about as much life as a stuffed trout.
Carson the butler is splendid - and absolutely true-to-life: I knew a retired butler once who absolutely terrified the life out of the younger members of his "family" even in his 80s.
-------------------- Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
30 October, 2013 18:10
I love the dowager and her famous one-liners too, and in my happy little world Tom's arms are definitely waiting for Mary. I found that little scene with the two of them and Isobel Crawley, about how fortunate they had been to know overwhelming love, very touching.
I have no idea what Thomas and Baxter are up to and think I may have missed something. Can anyone tell me what their connection is?
What if, despite the doctor's letter, Edith isn't pregnant? And if she is, who's going to die when the baby's born? As that seems to be the pattern - Downton baby comes into the world, Downton adult leaves it on the same day.
And Joanne Froggatt deserves an Oscar but I find the Bates story almost too painful; love that couple so much.
Nen - liking the comparison of Mary with a stuffed trout. How true.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
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Sir Kevin
Ship's Gaffer
# 3492
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Posted
30 October, 2013 19:09
I'm waiting to see if Dame Kiri Te Kanawa contrives to do an Australian accent in lieu of her natural Kiwi...
Not on here yet or so it seems. We may have missed an episode or two...
-------------------- If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction Dietrich Bonhoeffer Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
30 October, 2013 22:38
You haven't seen the episode with Dame Kiri yet?
Ah.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
31 October, 2013 10:55
I think the Dowager does get some of the best lines, but Carson also gets some superb lines. They both deliver them perfectly.
Maggie Smith does have perfect delivery for her lines. The role is made for her.
Lady Mary is very flat, isn't she. I think, having seen her in something else, it is just her style. But it does get boring.
-------------------- Blog Music for your enjoyment Lord may all my hard times be healing times take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
31 October, 2013 12:00
I assumed it was her frozen-by-grief act - don't remember having seen her act in anything else.
Bates is emerging as a much stronger and darker character these days. Was it ever clearly established whether he did or did not kill his first wife? Either way it looks as if his time in prison may have made him harder so more of a force to be reckoned with.
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
31 October, 2013 12:48
No, it was not definitively established whether he killed his first wife or not. And yes, he is - for whatever reason - a far darker person than he used to be.
-------------------- Blog Music for your enjoyment Lord may all my hard times be healing times take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
31 October, 2013 18:54
quote: Originally posted by Nenya: I have no idea what Thomas and Baxter are up to and think I may have missed something. Can anyone tell me what their connection is?
I don't think there is a connection. I can't make Thomas's motives out at all, beyond total malice towards everyone.
-------------------- For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Jammy Dodger
Half jam, half biscuit
# 17872
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Posted
31 October, 2013 22:46
quote: Originally posted by Sparrow: quote: Originally posted by Nenya: I have no idea what Thomas and Baxter are up to and think I may have missed something. Can anyone tell me what their connection is?
I don't think there is a connection. I can't make Thomas's motives out at all, beyond total malice towards everyone.
Aren't they related in some way I thought she was Thomas' cousin or something....?
-------------------- Look at my eye twitching - Donkey from Shrek
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Anglican't
Shipmate
# 15292
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Posted
31 October, 2013 22:56
quote: Originally posted by Sparrow: I can't make Thomas's motives out at all, beyond total malice towards everyone.
I'd assumed that there was a kind of general hatred of the world because it doesn't accept his homosexuality, but I think there's a big dollop of plain nastiness thrown into the mix too.
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Sir Kevin
Ship's Gaffer
# 3492
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Posted
01 November, 2013 14:26
quote: Originally posted by Nenya: You haven't seen the episode with Dame Kiri yet?
Ah.
Apparently we missed the start of the series! Bloody hell! The DVR is supposed to record all first-run episodes of"Masterpiece Theater" but it seems to have missed the new D A...
-------------------- If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction Dietrich Bonhoeffer Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
06 November, 2013 08:37
One thing that puzzles me slightly, in the 1920s would even the nobility have apparently thought nothing of leaping on the train to go up to London just for the day all the way from Yorkshire? Surely in those days the journey would have taken about 4 hours? Do-able I suppose but the Downtonites seem to do it frequently.
-------------------- For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
06 November, 2013 09:24
Sparrow - I do wonder. I think they would have planned to stay over a lot more - down and back in a day would have been a lot.
Lord Grantham would have stayed at his club overnight if he had to go. The ladies at the sisters place. I don't think they would have taken the rigors of two journeys in a day, even in first class.
I used to do weekly commuting to York, just ten years ago, and that was tough enough, when the journey time is 2 hours London to York.
-------------------- Blog Music for your enjoyment Lord may all my hard times be healing times take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
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Sir Kevin
Ship's Gaffer
# 3492
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Posted
06 November, 2013 10:52
C reminded me we don't get it here until January.
-------------------- If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction Dietrich Bonhoeffer Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.
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Sighthound
Shipmate
# 15185
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Posted
06 November, 2013 11:26
quote: Originally posted by Sparrow: One thing that puzzles me slightly, in the 1920s would even the nobility have apparently thought nothing of leaping on the train to go up to London just for the day all the way from Yorkshire? Surely in those days the journey would have taken about 4 hours? Do-able I suppose but the Downtonites seem to do it frequently.
More concerning to me is that they seem to arrive at St Pancras. Given that they apparently live near Ripon, the East Coast route to Kings Cross would be much more efficient. I can only think they are MR/LMS shareholders.
-------------------- Supporter of Tia Greyhound and Lurcher Rescue.http://tiagreyhounds.org/
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Anglican't
Shipmate
# 15292
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Posted
06 November, 2013 11:49
quote: Originally posted by Sighthound: More concerning to me is that they seem to arrive at St Pancras. Given that they apparently live near Ripon, the East Coast route to Kings Cross would be much more efficient. I can only think they are MR/LMS shareholders.
I'd noticed that. Of course it could be something to do with the fact that King's Cross now has a much more modern façade than St Pancras, and St Pancras' old taxi rank is much quieter now that traffic has been routed around the side of the building...
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
06 November, 2013 17:59
Well, there we go. I thought Lady Violet was about to croak her last. Glad to see it's business as usual, she'd have been a sad loss to the series.
Next week is, I believe, the last in this series. That means it'll end on a cliffhanger. My money's on Bates.
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
06 November, 2013 19:34
Apparently there will be a death next week. I guess the evil valet.
-------------------- For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Jammy Dodger
Half jam, half biscuit
# 17872
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Posted
06 November, 2013 19:50
quote: Originally posted by Sparrow: Apparently there will be a death next week. I guess the evil valet.
I concur.
-------------------- Look at my eye twitching - Donkey from Shrek
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
06 November, 2013 20:00
My money's still on Bates. I'm betting he'll have a fight with the evil valet and unexpectedly have a fatal heart attack.
Either that or William gets run over on the way back to the station. I do think it'll be a "downstairs" one rather than an "upstairs" one.
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Rev per Minute
Shipmate
# 69
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Posted
06 November, 2013 20:06
William died in series 2, after saving the life of Mr Matthew in the trenches. You should remember - he took weeks to die and managed to get Daisy to merry him on his deathbed. Do you mean Alfred, the Michel Roux of the servants' hall?
-------------------- "Allons-y!" "Geronimo!" "Oh, for God's sake!" The Day of the Doctor
At the end of the day, we face our Maker alongside Jesus. RIP ken
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Rev per Minute
Shipmate
# 69
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Posted
06 November, 2013 20:19
Marry, not merry - nothing merry about our Daisy!
-------------------- "Allons-y!" "Geronimo!" "Oh, for God's sake!" The Day of the Doctor
At the end of the day, we face our Maker alongside Jesus. RIP ken
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
06 November, 2013 20:40
Yes, you're quite right, I did mean Alfred, thanks for that. I always get those two mixed up.
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
06 November, 2013 21:00
quote: Originally posted by Rev per Minute: William died in series 2, after saving the life of Mr Matthew in the trenches. You should remember - he took weeks to die and managed to get Daisy to merry him on his deathbed.
So he died with a smile on his face?
-------------------- For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
07 November, 2013 17:34
quote: Originally posted by Sparrow: quote: Originally posted by Rev per Minute: William died in series 2, after saving the life of Mr Matthew in the trenches. You should remember - he took weeks to die and managed to get Daisy to merry him on his deathbed.
So he died with a smile on his face?
That would be using the same gag twice though; remember the man who died in Lady Mary's bed?
I hadn't heard there was to be a death. That'll make watching this week's episode nice and relaxing...
Nen - guessing that the slippers and Horlicks should be taken off Sunday evening's agenda.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
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LutheranChik
Shipmate
# 9826
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Posted
08 November, 2013 21:53
Our dog spends one day a week at a friend's, a boarder/groomer who over the years has collected a pack of nine dogs, most of whom she and her husband adopted over the years from clients who could no longer keep them. The alpha of this motley pack is a Welsh corgi we affectionately refer to as Carson because of his air of authority mixed with weight-of-the-world exasperation as he manages the other dogs.
-------------------- Simul iustus et peccator http://www.lutheranchiklworddiary.blogspot.com
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
11 November, 2013 03:55
Well!
Will Edith get away with it? I've got my doubts - perhaps she'll somehow get news of Michael when she's in Switzerland?
Lady Mary? She still seems so bloodless...
I'm sure Branson could do better than that priggish schoolmarm; I certainly hope so because I'm not sure their shared love of progressive politics will warm the cockles of their hearts AND any bed for long.
Mr Molesley seems to be coming out of his shell but no doubt Thomas will do his best to ensure it all ends in tears.
And did Mr Bates make a sneaky trip to London? I've got my doubts: he had no idea what time Anna and Lady Mary were due back so is unlikely to have risked it. More probable is that he did just what he said he was going to - went to York for the day.
-------------------- Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
11 November, 2013 06:15
So much for this series ending on a cliffhanger. If you didn't watch last night's episode, you missed very little. Distinctly underwhelming.
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
11 November, 2013 07:54
I agree. Pretty boring really.
-------------------- For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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justlooking
Shipmate
# 12079
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Posted
11 November, 2013 12:33
All will be revealed in the Christmas special. At least I hope so. I think Michael Gregson will be found, possibly when Edith and Rosamunde go to Switzerland. He will get his divorce in time and he and Edith will marry quietly and return to Downton with Edith obviously pregnant. Or, possibly, Branson will find out about Edith's plight and will offer marriage.
As for Bates, I think he went to London and made contact with the evil valet, possibly in a pub where he slipped poison into his beer. The effects of this poison then made Green fall under a bus. However, somehow suspicions will be aroused and a post-mortem will reveal the poison. This will be the same poison which killed the first Mrs Bates.
Rose will be presented and have her coming-out ball at Downton. Everyone will be there, including Cora's mother and brother, which will provoke some kind of hiatus.
Downstairs, Daisy's father-in-law will die, leaving everything to Daisy. Alfred will come back and realise Daisy is 'The One' after all. Carson and Mrs Hughes will be facing retirement and will decide to join forces and open a small hotel together, as a married couple. Thomas Barrow will be involved in some dark scheming - perhaps he will find out Bates really went to London instead of York and he will try some blackmail tactic but Bates will kill him as well. Anna will fall apart when she finds out she's married to a serial killer but will recover and be promoted to housekeeper after Mrs Hughes.
The Dowager Lady Grantham will not die, she's far too good to lose. [ 11. November 2013, 11:34: Message edited by: justlooking ]
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
11 November, 2013 12:57
Molesley and Baxter look like developing a possible romance. He'll probably be a good influence on her and get her away from Thomas.
Not sure about Bates. He might well have gone to York, probably to buy a means of dispatching the evil valet or else to look up some of his old mates from prison to get them to do the job for him. I just hope he doesn't decide that Anna is covering up a guilty love affair and she's to blame for leading Green on.
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
11 November, 2013 13:32
quote: Originally posted by justlooking: All will be revealed in the Christmas special ... Or, possibly, Branson will find out about Edith's plight and will offer marriage.
Then Edith will die in childbirth, and after a suitable period of mourning he will marry Lady Mary. Three out of three! [ 11. November 2013, 12:32: Message edited by: Sparrow ]
-------------------- For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Rev per Minute
Shipmate
# 69
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Posted
13 November, 2013 21:18
quote: Originally posted by Sparrow: quote: Originally posted by justlooking: All will be revealed in the Christmas special ... Or, possibly, Branson will find out about Edith's plight and will offer marriage.
Then Edith will die in childbirth, and after a suitable period of mourning he will marry Lady Mary. Three out of three!
But remember the curse of Mary's hoo-ha (if you see what I mean) - that would make Thomas the most likely to croak next. By the way, do we count Patrick as the first victim of the curse, drowned aboard the Titanic while affianced to her Ladyship?
-------------------- "Allons-y!" "Geronimo!" "Oh, for God's sake!" The Day of the Doctor
At the end of the day, we face our Maker alongside Jesus. RIP ken
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Ronald Binge
Shipmate
# 9002
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Posted
13 November, 2013 21:45
quote: Originally posted by L'organist: Well!
Will Edith get away with it? I've got my doubts - perhaps she'll somehow get news of Michael when she's in Switzerland?
Lady Mary? She still seems so bloodless...
I'm sure Branson could do better than that priggish schoolmarm; I certainly hope so because I'm not sure their shared love of progressive politics will warm the cockles of their hearts AND any bed for long.
Mr Molesley seems to be coming out of his shell but no doubt Thomas will do his best to ensure it all ends in tears.
And did Mr Bates make a sneaky trip to London? I've got my doubts: he had no idea what time Anna and Lady Mary were due back so is unlikely to have risked it. More probable is that he did just what he said he was going to - went to York for the day.
Allen Leech on BBC Breakfast this morning made a humourous reference to an online theory that there was a hitherto unknown really fast train from York to London and back that allowed Bates to do the deed
-------------------- Older, bearded (but no wiser)
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Rev per Minute
Shipmate
# 69
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Posted
13 November, 2013 22:07
quote: Originally posted by Ronald Binge: quote: Originally posted by L'organist: And did Mr Bates make a sneaky trip to London? I've got my doubts: he had no idea what time Anna and Lady Mary were due back so is unlikely to have risked it. More probable is that he did just what he said he was going to - went to York for the day.
Allen Leech on BBC Breakfast this morning made a humourous reference to an online theory that there was a hitherto unknown really fast train from York to London and back that allowed Bates to do the deed
Proving that life really was better in the past - you would never be able to rely on a modern train to do that, because of the likelihood of delays, cancellations or a 'bus replacement service' destroying your alibi!
-------------------- "Allons-y!" "Geronimo!" "Oh, for God's sake!" The Day of the Doctor
At the end of the day, we face our Maker alongside Jesus. RIP ken
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justlooking
Shipmate
# 12079
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Posted
13 November, 2013 22:34
It was certainly possible in the 1920's to get from York to London and back in one day. AFAIK other Downton characters have done a day return trip to London. 'The Flying Scotsman' took around 8 hours from Edinburgh to London, stopping at York and a few other places. From York it would take around 4 hours.
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
15 November, 2013 12:57
No, the day trip was out of the question.
1. The Flying Scotsman only came into service in 1923 and I think the perod we're looking at is 1921 or 22?
2. The Flying Scotsman services left their respective "home" stations at the same time of 10am, so the Edinburgh "down" Scotsman wouldn't have reached York until at least 1pm where it made a stop for lunch.
3. There was an agreement between the rail companies operating the West and East coast routes that a minimum time of 8h 15m be the travelling time, so a train leaving Waverley at 10am would arrive at King's Cross at 6.15pm, the same time the "up" service from King's Cross arrived in Edinburgh.
This arrangement continued up to the outbreak of WWII - so no Bates in London, I'm afraid.
-------------------- Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
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justlooking
Shipmate
# 12079
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Posted
15 November, 2013 13:58
I got my information from a forum where someone had asked the question a year ago - i.e was it possible in the 1920's for someone to travel by train from York to London and back in a day. One of those who answered had consulted a railway timetable for 1922 which showed a regular service between York and London with an average of 4 hours and 20 minutes each way. [ 15. November 2013, 12:59: Message edited by: justlooking ]
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justlooking
Shipmate
# 12079
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Posted
15 November, 2013 14:07
Double posting to add this from Wikipedia:
quote: The first Special Scotch Express ran in 1862, with simultaneous departures at 10:00 from the GNR's London King's Cross and North British's Edinburgh Waverley. The original journey took 10½ hours, including a half-hour stop at York for lunch; however, increasing competition and improvements in railway technology saw this time reduced to 8½ hours by the time of the Race to the North in 1888. From 1900, the train was dramatically modernised, introducing such features as corridors between carriages, heating, and dining cars. As passengers could now take luncheon on the train, the York stop was reduced to 15 minutes, but the end-to-end journey time remained 8½ hours.
After WW1 there was a regular commuter timetable between York and London which gave 4 - 5 hours in London. [ 15. November 2013, 13:07: Message edited by: justlooking ]
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Anglican't
Shipmate
# 15292
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Posted
15 November, 2013 14:43
quote: Originally posted by L'organist: 2. The Flying Scotsman services left their respective "home" stations at the same time of 10am, so the Edinburgh "down" Scotsman wouldn't have reached York until at least 1pm where it made a stop for lunch.
That's presumably the 'up' train...
quote: 3. There was an agreement between the rail companies operating the West and East coast routes that a minimum time of 8h 15m be the travelling time, so a train leaving Waverley at 10am would arrive at King's Cross at 6.15pm, the same time the "up" service from King's Cross arrived in Edinburgh.
…and this would be the 'down' train, wouldn't it?
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Enoch
Shipmate
# 14322
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Posted
15 November, 2013 23:39
Nerd alert
I haven't been following this series but not all trains from York to London started in Edinburgh. In 1922, it was possible to leave York at 7.40 am and change into a Leeds train at Doncaster getting into King's Cross at 11.50 am or to catch one from Sunderland at 9.32 am that got to King's Cross at 1.35 pm.
Getting back if he'd caught the 7.40 am, there was an express to Scarborough that left King's Cross at 1.50 pm and got to York at 6.5 pm.
Later than that, there was an express that left King's Cross at 4pm for both Leeds and Newcastle, splitting at Doncaster. The Newcastle portion got to York at 8.47 pm. There was also one at 5.25 pm for Hull and Sunderland. The Sunderland portion reached York at 9.27 pm.
Because the break between companies was at Doncaster, Newcastle expresses often did not stop at York.
It might well not have been possible to get a bus from the village early enough to catch a train at 7.40 am or late enough to get home from a 9.27 pm train. In that era, the bus timetable would have been designed for people going to town for market or business purposes rather than commuting.
During the late thirties, in addition to the streamlined trains to Scotland and Newcastle, which tended not to stop en route, the other trains gradually speeded up a bit, but this didn't really get going until about 1933. From 1923, there was only one company involved and the engines got bigger, but initially that mainly resulted in the trains getting heavier rather than faster.
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justlooking
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# 12079
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Posted
16 November, 2013 00:07
That sounds feasible Enoch. In one recent episode Carlson and Mrs Hughes had seen someone off at a station and then walked back to Downton together. So I'm assuming there's a branch line station within walking distance and Bates set off early to walk to this station and catch a train into York. He would have his tickets as proof that he went to York and returned from there.
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L'organist
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# 17338
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Posted
16 November, 2013 08:20
But we're not talking about the 1930s - Downton at the moment is in the very early 1920s so we're looking 10 years earlier.
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Ariel
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# 58
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Posted
16 November, 2013 08:39
"Dramatic licence", people. Don't take it too seriously, it's only entertainment, and there have been other anachronisms in the series. I suggest chalking this up as one, suitable for the purposes of plot development.
While we're on the subject of realism, I'm not an expert on this but can't say the accents have struck me as particularly Yorkshire, either.
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