Get On The John Peel Train
October 23, 2008 | Music | Tags: JohnPeel, Liverpool, PeelSessions | Add a Comment »
Four years to the day since the shuffler…err…shuffled off this earth.
» Saw the article below via the Beeb (who didn’t do anything for John Peel Day) and for some reason it rang a bell….
Memorial sees Peel try new tracks
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7679157.stm“The late DJ John Peel is to have a train in Merseyside named after him.
Merseytravel, which co-ordinates passenger transport in Peel’s home region, said it was a tribute to “a true broadcasting legend”.
Peel’s widow Sheila Ravenscroft will attend the naming ceremony and be aboard the train’s first journey into Liverpool on Thursday.
Mrs Ravenscroft said: “We are just really delighted that John is being honoured with this train. He would have loved it.”
Peel was Radio 1′s longest-serving DJ at the time of his death, having championed new music for nearly 40 years on his late-night Radio 1 show.
Mark Dowd, chairman of Merseytravel, said: “We are very proud of the man John was and of his connection with Merseyside.
“Naming this train in his honour is our tribute to a true broadcasting legend.”…
Why is it…? I’ve seen this… I’m sure… Didn’t they…?
A quick google confirmed it. This has been done before. There’s already been a train named after him.
In 2005, on the first anniversary of this death they dedicated a train and named that the John Peel:
- Listen to the clip about the naming ceremony on Home Truths. John’s wife was there for that one too and pretty much said the same thing.
But I’ll admit this is different because the 2005 one was for an InterCity train that goes around the country and the latest one is for MerseyRail and will be in and out of Liverpool.
UPDATE: BBC Northwest Tonight video report on the event
(and before any anorak trainspotters comment that the first one was a locomotive and this new one is a passenger carriage… they are both fcuking trains. Period.)
Anyw… the reason and pisspoor excuse for the posting today is because of the footie connections of course (J Peel and Liverpool), but also because of another footie link mentioned later on in that same story:
Favourite song
Ian Prowse, from the group Amsterdam, will perform at the ceremony what was one of Peel’s favourite songs, Does This Train Stop on Merseyside?
Mrs Ravenscroft previously spoke of her husband’s love of the song as part of a Radio 1 tribute evening.
She said: “John just loved the song. He always became emotional when he played it.
“He wasn’t capable of playing it without crying. If he played it on the radio he’d have to put something on straight afterwards because he wouldn’t be able to speak.
On this one Amsterdam sing about the history of Liverpool, about some of the places in the city, some people, past events and the last line…
|
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. » Amsterdam – Does This Train Stop On Merseyside -> McKenzie’s soul lies above the ground in that Easyjet is hanging in the air See the slave ships sailing into port Now there’s a ley line runs down Mathew Street Hey does this train stop Alan Williams in the Marlboro’ Arms Famine boats are anchored in the bay Hey does this train stop Boston babies bouncing on the ground Can’t conceive what those children done Yorkshire policemen chat with folded arms Why don’t you remember? |
Additional »
- Found this vid via MySpace Video in which Ian Prowse, the band’s lead singer, and bass player Paul Hagan take us around Liverpool and show us some of the places which they mention in the song:
Excellent insight there. Nice to discover the meanings and reasons for the lyrics in a song.
Haven’t watched it ? Ah g’wan.
Follow F&M on Twitter
