Trailer
Synopsis
Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains.
Episode 25 : Ballymoney to Londonderry
February. 03,2012
Today Michael takes a white knuckle walk over the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, follows in the footsteps of the Victorians to experience the delights of the Giant's Causeway and explores the rich history of Londonderry.
Episode 24 : Belfast to Whitehead
February. 02,2012
Today Michael explores the fascinating history of Belfast's Victorian docks, discovers the Irish spade making traditions untouched for over 150 years and takes a walk on the wild side with Whitehead's Victorian coastal paths.
Episode 23 : Dundalk to Portadown
February. 01,2012
Today Michael explores the Victorians' fascination with antiquity, by visiting the amazing Cromlech stones of Dundalk. He reaches for the stars at the Portadown Observatory and travels in style along the steam railway of Downpatrick.
Episode 22 : Enfield to Drogheda
January. 31,2012
Today Michael explores the extensive railway network within the Bog of Allen, discovers the Victorian secrets behind the amazing Boyne Viaduct, and travels underground, into the vast Irish Zinc mines.
Episode 21 : Bray to Dublin
January. 30,2012
Today Michael observes the amazing engineering feat involved in building the railway along Dublin's treacherous East coast, explores 19th century crime and punishment in a Victorian jail, and finds out how the lions of Dublin Zoo changed the fortunes of the railways.
Episode 20 : Heysham to Snaefell
January. 27,2012
Michael sets sail from Heysham to the Isle of Man, where he discovers the horse trams of Douglas, the 19th century secrets of the giant Laxy Waterwheel, and the Victorian history of the delightful Snaefell mountain railway.
Episode 19 : Kirkby-in-Furness to Lancaster
January. 26,2012
Michael finds out the secrets behind Kirkby's famous blue slate, submerges himself into a secret world of nuclear submarines in Barrow, and sees why the executions at Lancaster castle drew the Victorians in their droves.
Episode 18 : Cockermouth to Eskdale
January. 25,2012
Michael drinks a Victorian brew drawn from the pure waters of Cockermouth, steps inside the hidden world of nuclear reprocessing at Sellafield, and travels into the wonders of a Japanese inspired, 19th century garden.
Episode 17 : Bardon Mill to Wigton
January. 24,2012
Michael gets his hands dirty following the example of Victorian archaeologists at Hadrian's Wall, discovers how the invention of the ticket machine made a big difference to 19th century rail users, and sees how the Victorian railways first fuelled invention in Wigton.
Episode 16 : Berwick-Upon-Tweed to Morpeth
January. 23,2012
Michael discovers the unique cross-border history of Berwick-Upon-Tweed, hears the unique story of the Pitman Painters of Ashington and sees first-hand the perils of working on the rails in Victorian times.
Episode 15 : Port Talbot to Milford Haven
January. 20,2012
Michael explores the Victorian railway legacy behind the steel works of Port Talbot, follows the trail of 19th-century waterfall hunters in Neath, and uncovers the fascinating whaling past of Milford Haven.
Episode 14 : Cardiff to Brecon
January. 19,2012
Michael discovers the Victorian coal heritage that turned Cardiff into the city it is today, explores the 19th-century reason why Barry Island isn't an island, and takes a steam ride through the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park.
Episode 13 : Lydney to Newport
January. 18,2012
Michael discovers Britain's hidden micro-mines within the Forest of Dean, sees why the Victorians fell for the romantic ruins of Tintern Abbey and uncovers the railway engineering behind the industrial icon that is Newport Transporter Bridge.
Episode 12 : Hartlebury to Great Malvern
January. 17,2012
Michael Portillo visits the Worcestershire village of Hartlebury, which was once home to a bishop who captured Queen Victoria's attention, on the second leg of his journey from Oxford to the south Wales coast. He also investigates the secrets of Worcestershire sauce and learns why the Malvern hills were popular with 19th-century health enthusiasts.
Episode 11 : Oxford to Pershore
January. 16,2012
Michael is lead to a special view of the city of Oxford by his 19th century guidebook, samples a Victorian navvies' brew made by steam power, and discovers a unique and colourful crop in the heart of the Cotswolds.
Episode 10 : Wareham to Portland
January. 13,2012
Michael uncovers the amazing oil fields hidden underneath England's quiet seaside resorts, discovers the crucial role Weymouth played in the D-day landings, and heads to the cradle of Victorian Britain's most prestigious building rock, Portland.
Episode 9 : Brockenhurst to Poole
January. 12,2012
On the trail of a Victorian snake catcher, Michael visits the New Forest seeking out venomous adders, uncovers a secret library in Wimborne containing some very rare books, and visits the Poole potteries founded in the 19th century, which are still working today.
Episode 8 : Winchester to Isle of Wight
January. 11,2012
Michael Portillo experiences the magnificent Victorian organ at Winchester Cathedral and visits a 19th-century rail works still running in Eastleigh.
Episode 7 : Reading to Alton
January. 10,2012
Michael Portillo tastes a Victorian superfood in Alton and tries his hand at driving a steam train on the challenging Watercress Line.
Episode 6 : Windsor to Didcot
January. 09,2012
Michael Portillo visits a station fit for royalty in Windsor and views an engineering triumph built by Brunel to span the Thames at Maidenhead.
Episode 5 : Fenchurch to Embankment
January. 06,2012
Michael Portillo takes a ride on a secret miniature railway hidden beneath London's streets, and rings the bells of the famous church of Bow.
Episode 4 : Epping to Hackney
January. 05,2012
Michael Portillo sees how gunpowder made in Waltham Cross fuelled an empire, and heads to Hackney to uncover the gruesome details of the first murder on a train.
Episode 3 : Sudbury to Southend
January. 04,2012
Michael Portillo comes face to face with a medieval politician, takes a rail tour of Victorian freak show hot spots, and rides an early electric railway.
Episode 2 : Darsham to Felixstowe
January. 03,2012
Michael Portillo follows the Victorians' fascination with Britain's own Atlantis to Dunwich and discovers the history of the Port of Felixstowe.
Episode 1 : Great Yarmouth to Beccles
January. 02,2012
Michael Portillo discovers the grave robbing history of Great Yarmouth and tries his hand at working a Victorian swing bridge in Reedham.
Similar titles
Combat Trains
For over a century, locomotives played a vital role in wartime. We explore some of the trains and railways, from the American Civil War through World War II, that turned the tides of battles and changed history. Rarely seen archival footage and accounts from vets who were there highlight these thrilling stories of engineering genius and extraordinary bravery.
Great Asian Railway Journeys
Michael Portillo is in Southeast Asia, armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Handbook. It will lead him on a spectacular 2,500-mile railway adventure across six countries. He explores towering megacities and magnificent mosques.
Great American Railroad Journeys
Michael Portillo crosses the Atlantic to ride the railroads of America, armed with Appleton's General Guide to the United States, published in 1879.
Great Indian Railway Journeys
Guided by a century-old Bradshaw’s Handbook of Indian, Foreign and Colonial Travel, Michael Portillo embarks on a railway adventure across India and takes in the extraordinary variety of the Indian landscape.
Japan Railway Journal
Discover the secrets of Japan's railways, from the newest technologies and systems in use, to travel tips and must-see places.
Full Steam Ahead
With the help of Victorian steam enthusiasts across the country, historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Peter Ginn and Alex Langlands journey back in time to the era of steam which shaped modern Britain.
Paddington Station 24/7
With visitor numbers approaching 70 million every year, Paddington is one of the UK's busiest transport hubs.
Railroad Australia
Discover what it takes to transport ever-growing numbers of passengers and crucial resources across Australia. With unprecedented access we go behind the scenes to meet the train drivers, locomotive servicing crews and track maintenance teams on some of the toughest and most spectacular journeys.
Locomotion: Dan Snow's History of Railways
Dan Snow examines the development of the railways from their beginnings as track-ways for coal carts in the early 18th century to the pivotal technology for modern Britain.
Related
The Sky at Night
Your monthly journey through the fascinating world of space and astronomy with the latest thinking on what's out there in space and what you can see in the night sky.
Eek! The Cat
Eek! The Cat is a Canadian-American animated series, created by Savage Steve Holland and Bill Kopp and produced by Fox Kids and Savage Studios with animation by Nelvana, that ran from 1992 to 1997.
Top Streaming TV Show
#1
Ikaw
November. 12,2021
5.9
#2
Dexter: New Blood
November. 07,2021
8.1
#3
Money Heist
May. 02,2017
8.4
#4
Chicago Fire
October. 10,2012
8
#5
Emily in Paris
October. 02,2020
6.9
#6
The Witcher
December. 20,2019
8
#7
Yellowstone
June. 20,2018
8.7
#8
Squid Game
September. 17,2021
8
#9
The Bachelorette
September. 23,2015
5.3
#10
See
November. 01,2019
7.6