"Sea City" BBC2 8.30pm 15.2.2012

[Sealion]

If it's not already been mentioned this looks like a very interesting programme starting this Friday for 3 weeks.
It is a documentary mini series looking at the passenger and cargo port of Southampton.
This weeks programme includes behind the scenes coverage of the 2012 175th anniversary event, which was not all plain sailing.

Sealion

[Boris+]

Hi Sealion,

Thanks for that - it's going to be interesting. We always find it very interesting to watch the goings on, especially if we are embarking at Ocean Terminal.

Looking forward to it.

Em

[JohnTheDog]

This was a BBC South programme they are now letting the rest see it!! I was on a couple of weeks ago..

[Romig1]

Excellent.

Not living in the South, we couldn't see it when it was aired before (though I did watch the first episode on i-player). Looking forward to seeing the others.

[towny44]

This was a BBC South programme they are now letting the rest see it!! I was on a couple of weeks ago..

Well OK then John, but was it any good?

[JohnTheDog]

We saw two episodes, the first was mainly about the GE & interesting, the next was mainly about running the port much the same as one of the airport programmes, I thought they were good anyway.

[melsea]

Thanks for the heads up. Just put it on the planner on sky.

[Kendhni]

Thanks sealion, will record this.

[Silver_Shiney]

ditto.......

[qbman1]

It is a very watchable and interesting short series but one episode (I think it was the middle one) spent far too long concentrating on the container dock handlers

[The Invigilator]

Many thanks Sealion have set it up on a series link

[Capt Black]

Thanks for this. Didn't notice it in my usual perusal of what's on the box. Sounds interesting, definitely give it a go.

[Stephen]

'Sea City' 8.30 tonight BBC2

A look at the workings of Southampton docks and when the seven P&O ship were altogether

[Stephen]

Didn't see the OP

[Boris+]

How sad am I - I badly need a Southampton 'fix' and whilst waiting patiently for the next cruise this is going to be it pro tem.

Em

[Quizzical Bob]

How sad am I - I badly need a Southampton 'fix' and whilst waiting patiently for the next cruise this is going to be it pro tem.

Em

Some of us live around here and can go as often as we like.

[Greenie Mike]

Showed the shambles at the Rose Bowl. The main fault there, was the fact that the staff had not been briefed as to what they were supposed to be doing and where everybody was supposed to be going. We were very lucky in that we got there early and the queues to get into the 'system' wasn't too bad. We were some of the first in the large marquee for Aurora so we had a seat and were processed quite quickly and were on the first coach to the ship and were on board not long after 1.00 pm but the queues of those waiting to get in .................... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[melsea]

Enjoyed the programme especially since we have sailed out of there many times, I kept trying to see if I recognised any of the passengers & staff. Certainly knew Alan Carr 'restaurant' manager.

I have got to say if the (p&o) lady who was walking around Rose Bowl thought that the planning of it was 2 years in the making and that it went fairly well then there is something seriously wrong as it was clear that it was not planned well. I remember on the other forum many people complained.

Having seen some of the biggest container ports around the world it was amazing to see the very one that we are never aware of when we sail out from Southampton. It was interesting to see the lady who drives the many makes of cars on and off ships and reminded me of the Singapore port. The area where we have docked always has a huge container ship delivering cars, it's quite a sight as they take them all off and then they drive them all back on. I know this as you them start this process in the morning and then when you get back to the port you see them driving them back on again. There are so many it takes this long. I am thinking this is a customs thing they do there. It is a huge area. No car is out of place. Getting out of the port is a coach ride and takes about 5 to 10 minutes depending on traffic in the port.

Looking forward to the next episode...

[david63]

I have got to say if the (p&o) lady who was walking around Rose Bowl thought that the planning of it was 2 years in the making and that it went fairly well then there is something seriously wrong as it was clear that it was not planned well. I remember on the other forum many people complained.

I think that the comment about two years in the planning related to the whole event, not the Rose Bowl. If you consider that the planning first started with the arrangement of the cruise schedules then would have been at least two years before the event.

As for complaints - yes there were some but on the basis the there were something in the region of 30k people involved the level of complaints was quite small

[melsea]

David

You are quite right and I did rather pick up on that. I suppose the way it was portrayed was not giving the whole picture. The logistics of it all must have been mind boggling. I'd love to have been in the room with the harbour master when they told him what they had planned for that day. I'm thinking he gulped and said that's really funny but what do you really want to do???