Forgotten Towns

Series 8 Episode 5 - NEWRY (# 960 Visited 18/10/2024)

County Armagh / County Down, Northern Ireland : Population 26,893 (Rank # 397)

Will we reach this, our last hitherto unvisited Northern Irish city, before they pull down the blinds for the night?

MUSIC

I Got Mine - Motörhead

Day Trip To Bangor - Fiddler's Dram

Missing - Everything But The Girl

THANKS

Ulsterbus

Northern Ireland Railways

The staff of The Crispy Cod, Newry

The staff of The Mourne Country Hotel, Newry

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 8 Episode 4 - BANBRIDGE (# 959 Visited 18/10/2024)

County Down, Northern Ireland : Population 16,653 (Rank # 615)

Join us as we ascend Northern Ireland's steepest high street towards one of its more convivial boozers.

MUSIC

Mandrill - Patrick Colby

Day Trip To Bangor - Fiddler's Dram

THANKS

Ulsterbus

The staff and patrons of The Old Tavern & Snug, Lisburn

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 8 Episode 3 - LISBURN (# 958 Visited 18/10/2024)

County Down / County Antrim, Northern Ireland : Population 45,410 (Rank # 227)

We take a train to Northern Ireland's third largest city; split between two counties, but fairly consistently of one tradition.

MUSIC

Mandrill - Patrick Colby

Day Trip To Bangor - Fiddler's Dram

THANKS

Northern Ireland Railways

The staff of Smithfield House, Lisburn

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 8 Episode 2 - NEWTOWNBREDA (# 957 Visited 18/10/2024)

County Down, Northern Ireland : Population 15,005 (Rank # 678)

Catch up on the latest episode, in which our hero gets corrected over county boundaries by an 8 year old and spends quarter of an hour in a shopping centre.

MUSIC

Mandrill - Patrick Colby

Jump In The Pool - Friendly Fires

Day Trip To Bangor - Fiddler's Dram

THANKS

Translink Metro

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 8 Episode 1 - COMBER (# 956 Visited 18/10/2024)

County Down, Northern Ireland : Population 9,078 (Rank # 987)

We touch down in Northern Ireland with a 'bus pass and every intention to put it through its paces.

MUSIC

Day Trip To Bangor - Fiddler's Dram

Mandrill - Patrick Colby

THANKS

EasyJet

Ulsterbus

The staff of The John Hewitt, Belfast

The staff of The First & Last, Comber

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 7 Episode 10 - BEDLINGTON (# 955 Visited 24/08/2024)

Northumberland, England : Population 16,987 (Rank # 605)

A year after we whizzed past on the 'bus, we finally catch up with Bedlington and its eponymous terrier.

MUSIC

Down In Albion - Babyshambles

Two By Two - Chris

THANKS

The staff of Lidl, Bedlington

The staff of The Hoptimist, Bedlington

The Buildings of England (Northumberland) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 7 Episode 9 - SALTASH (# 954 Visited 17/06/2024)

Cornwall, England : Population 15,919 (Rank # 644)

Before waving goodbye to Cornwall we pause on the frontier to explore Saltash and gaze upon its famous bridges.

MUSIC

Floral Dance - Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band

The Great Escape - We Are Scientists

Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan

Way On Down - Elvis Presley

Go West - Village People

Victoria - The Kinks

THANKS

Keith Murray

The staff of The Two Bridges, Saltash

The Buildings of England (Cornwall) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 7 Episode 8 - LISKEARD (# 953 Visited 17/06/2024)

Cornwall, England : Population 9,453 (Rank # 959)

Your host spends his birthday in this ancient stannery town whilst Freddie has a run-in with a gull.

MUSIC

In Da Club - 50 Cent

Happy Birthday - Altered Images

Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan

Way On Down - Elvis Presley

Go West - Village People

Victoria - The Kinks

THANKS

Freddie

C Babbs & R J Vipond

Keith Murray

The staff of The Red Lion, Liskeard

The Buildings of England (Cornwall) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 7 Episode 7 - BODMIN (# 952 Visited 16/06/2024)

Cornwall, England : Population 15,681 (Rank # 649)

We visit Cornwall's old county town to learn about manumission in the name of St Petroc and uncompromising justice in the sight of Keith Murray.

MUSIC

Floral Dance - Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band

Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan

Way On Down - Elvis Presley

Go West - Village People

Victoria - The Kinks

THANKS

Freddie

C Babbs & R J Vipond

Keith Murray

The staff of The Hole In The Wall, Bodmin

The Buildings of England (Cornwall) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 7 Episode 6 - ST BLAZEY (# 951 Visited 16/06/2024)

Cornwall, England : Population 10,397 (Rank # 907)

With monastic roots, transport links and time-travelling literature, there's more to St Blazey than its proximity to famous bio-domes.

MUSIC

Floral Dance - Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band

Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan

Way On Down - Elvis Presley

Go West - Village People

Victoria - The Kinks

THANKS

The staff and patrons of The Packhorse Inn, St Blazey

The Buildings of England (Cornwall) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org