BBC admits using 5-month-old footage during 'live' BBC4 Trainspotting show
Trainspotters don’t miss a trick
The BBC has been called up on its mistake after accidentally claiming that five-month-old footage of trains was 'live'.
The error occurred in Monday's episode of Trainspotting Live, the BBC4 programme that literally broadcasts the passing of trains as a nostalgic tribute to the old pastime.
"We’ve just seen one going past," presenter Peter Snow said. "Now there we are, Class 66."
Um, not quite.
Some viewers spotted that the same footage appeared on YouTube in February. A spokesman for the BBC admitted the show had gone slightly off track and made a "simple mistake".
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"It was made clear from the beginning of the programme that rail enthusiasts have been collecting and filming material over the last few weeks." adds a statement from the broadcaster. "The footage of the Class 66 was intended to show viewers what the live trainspotters were looking out for. It was not captioned as live on screen to viewers, but in the excitement of a live broadcast, it was mistakenly suggested that it was a live spot"
Glyn Murray, from rail enthusiast website National Preservation, told The Sun: “One group you cannot con is trainspotters. They notice all the nuance and are passionate about their hobby.”
