Questions about "Questions"

"It wouldn't have happened on my watch".  A phrase often used in gatherings of former employees in many organisations, it's been out to play this week in watering-holes favoured by the BBC's old gronkers.  Last week's live edition of Any Questions ? on Radio 4 was cancelled, for what the Daily Telegraph believes was the first time in the programme's 62-year history.

It has, of course, come close to the edge before.  Resourceful producers have stood in for delayed presenters; guests have contributed by taxi-cab radio and mobile phone in the event of transport failure.   Scratch editions have been hastily re-cast in London, with or without an audience.

The cancellation was apparently the result of three guests - Tory Chris Grayling, Labour peer Lord Malloch Brown, and Rita Clifton, UK chair of Interbrand - being stuck on the 4pm train out of King's Cross, heading for Darlington and the eventual venue, the National Railway Museum in Shildon.  Host Jonathan Dimbleby and fourth guest, the historian Professor Richard Grayson, were already there.

The train passengers got as far as Grantham, and then it was decided it was even too late to continue by taxi. The East Coast line was halted first by police investigation of a dead body at a level crossing in Biggleswade, and then by signalling problems at Grantham.

The questions.

1: The 4.00 train to Darlington ought to get in at 27 minutes past six. The fastest car journey to the museum is timed at 22 minutes on Google Maps, putting the guests through the door with 71 minutes to air-time.  Not much margin for error in any event, if the Telegraph is right about the timetable.  In the old days, as they say, the panel would arrive with generous time to check-in to a hotel, and perhaps take a light refreshment together before facing the audience.

2:  Grantham Railway Station is 21 minutes from the BBC's studios in Nottingham.   It might have been odd, but guests have been done down the line before, and audiences accept the disruption to the normal sound, for the topicality.

3: The cast list, whilst respectable, was hardly stellar.   Could not the combined contact books of Jonathan Dimbleby and his producer find a comparable Tory, Labour and "business" rep within striking distance of Shildon by 8pm Friday ?