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Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 1:26 AM

NittanyLion

Growing up in Pittsburgh, it was always a bit odd to have to reconcile Mr Rogers being a national thing and not just "ours."

 

Same here. I still remember when I was in Boy Scouts one of the things we did was take a tour of the WQED studios in Shady Side and we saw the set for the Neighborhood of Make Believe. I think nowdays the living room set and the Neighborhood of Make Believe are on display in the Heinz History Center. Pittsburgh Dad did an episode a year or two ago showing them along with some other stuff on his youtube show.

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, March 5, 2018 7:44 AM

 Yes, very long running show. Format seems to have changed a bit in more recent years as well - still has music but there are more interviews with non-music celebrities now. Somewhere there was a clip of one with Benedict Cumberbatch which was absolutely hilarious. A lot of good bands have passed his stage over the years. Still looking for a clip of the recent opening - got to be one out there somewhere the Beeb hasn't taken down.

                                    --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by wjstix on Sunday, March 4, 2018 10:43 PM

Yes I searched on "Jools Holland" and found exactly the same things you did. I just spelled it wrong when doing the post in a hurry before shutting down my computer. From I could find, he's only had the trains in the opening in the more recent seasons, the shows been on in the UK for a very long time. 

BTW "Jools" isn't his name of course, it's Julian. "Jools" is a nickname. 

Stix
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Posted by rrinker on Friday, March 2, 2018 9:22 PM

wjstix

"Later with Jules Holland" music program (programme?) on BBC America starts with a journey on a model railway - which apparently is his own layout. Couldn't find any clips online for it however.

 

I found a few different vintage show intros, none of them have any trains on them though. Search worls better if you spell his name right, it's Jools. Bunch of episodes are on Youtube, but many of them just start with a jam by all the guests for that particular show. There's an older one where he parks his car out front of the BBC studios and wanders through the building to the studio where his show is filmed (I can tell it's al older version because he looks significantly younger than he does playing on Mark Knopfler's Night in London DVD).

 However, Jools is definitely a model railroader. I found this article about a huge exhibition center from a couple of years ago:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/roger-daltrey-and-cliff-parsons-help-launch-world-s-largest-model-railway-exhibition-centre-a6942096.html

The 'big attraction' is Roger Daltry of The Who, but the story also mentions an unknown benefactor from the Royal Family, as well as Jools Holland, Rod Stewart (who we know is a model railroader - I have tickets to see him later this summer and I REALLY ought to wear a "Model Railroading is Fun" cap - and Phil Collins. Oh, the donation from the unknown member of the ROyal Family came in the form of a layout. Hmm, Harry and William outgrew it? Of Philip just can;t do it any more (Charles seems FAR to stuffy to ever "play with trains")

                                  --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by NittanyLion on Friday, March 2, 2018 7:34 PM

Growing up in Pittsburgh, it was always a bit odd to have to reconcile Mr Rogers being a national thing and not just "ours."

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Posted by wjstix on Friday, March 2, 2018 12:37 PM

"Later with Jules Holland" music program (programme?) on BBC America starts with a journey on a model railway - which apparently is his own layout. Couldn't find any clips online for it however.

Stix
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Posted by JoeinPA on Thursday, March 1, 2018 2:28 PM

philo426

I have also heard that the trolley wasnt even powered,it was pulled by a string.Is that true??

 

Yes it was pulled with string. It gave an easy, smooth short trip. The show was somewhat low budget but very successful.

Joe

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Posted by chutton01 on Thursday, March 1, 2018 12:53 PM

From those video links above, I see at least 2 modified Tyco "Ramsey Journal" buildings (actually Tyco reused the wall molds for other kits, but the Mr Rogers one have the towers), and a few bachman ranch houses.

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Posted by Lone Wolf and Santa Fe on Thursday, March 1, 2018 12:22 PM

I just see two that I can positively identify, the split level house and the two stall engine house that has been repurposed.

A driver heads to his truck

I always liked the beginning of the show because they would show the layout but after that I would stop watching.

Modeling a fictional version of California set in the 1990s Lone Wolf and Santa Fe Railroad
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Posted by philo426 on Thursday, March 1, 2018 11:13 AM

I have also heard that the trolley wasnt even powered,it was pulled by a string.Is that true??

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Posted by rrinker on Thursday, March 1, 2018 10:20 AM

 ANd he didn't originally have the trolley in the town, that came later. Thee was an article in MR by the guy who made it.Back in the 80's I think. (the article)

                          --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, March 1, 2018 6:53 AM

marksrailroad
Yes. Mr.Rogers had a pretty cool looking neighborhood but the only thing missing was that he didn't have any trains.

Trolley was a critical part of the show.

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, March 1, 2018 6:42 AM

ahh, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

.................................

Won't you be my neighbor?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by marksrailroad on Thursday, March 1, 2018 6:28 AM

Funny you should mention this. I almost started a thread the other day about this very same subject...

Yes. Mr.Rogers had a pretty cool looking neighborhood but the only thing missing was that he didn't have any trains. Oh well. You can't have it all I guess.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 8:29 PM

I believe Mr. Rogers house itself is the Bachmann Cape Cod House.

.

I had a lot of those structures back in the day.

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

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Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Posted by chatanuga on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 7:36 PM

How many of the buildings do you all recognize from structure kits back in the day?  Four, possibly five, were on my old layout at my parents' house built straight from the box.

Kevin

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