Great British Railway Journeys

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train.
Table of contents

Portillo comes face-to-face with a medieval politician, takes a rail tour of Victorian freak show hotspots, and visits Southend to ride one of the world's first electric railways. Portillo visits Essex to discover why dairy herds travelled there by rail from all over the country in the 19th century. He also visits Waltham Cross to see how the gunpowder made there fuelled the building of an empire and heads to Hackney to uncover the gruesome details of the first murder on a train.

Portillo takes a ride on a secret miniature railway hidden beneath London's streets, rings the bells of the famous church of Bow, and tries his hand at station announcing at Fenchurch Street station. Portillo visits a station fit for royalty in Windsor, views the Maidenhead Railway Bridge an engineering triumph built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel to span the River Thames at Maidenhead , and tries his hand at collecting the mail 'Victorian style' on a steam-powered travelling post office. Portillo tastes a Victorian superfood in Alton, explores the fascinating Whitchurch silk mill, untouched for over years, and tries his hand at driving a steam train on the challenging Watercress Line.

Portillo experiences the magnificent Victorian organ at Winchester Cathedral , goes behind the scenes at a 19th-century rail works still running in Eastleigh today and travels to Queen Victoria's favourite holiday destination, the Isle of Wight. On the trail of a Victorian snake catcher, Portillo 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.

Portillo 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. On the first leg, Portillo is led 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.

Portillo visits the home of Queen Victoria's favourite bishop in Hartlebury, sniffs out the secrets of a famous 19th-century sauce in Worcester and follows in the footsteps of Victorian health fanatics to the Malvern Hills. Portillo 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. Portillo 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.

Portillo 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. Portillo 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.

Portillo 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. Portillo 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.

Portillo learns about the secrets behind Kirkby's famous blue slate, submerges himself into a secret world of nuclear submarines in Barrow-in-Furness , and sees why the executions at Lancaster Castle drew the Victorians in their droves. Portillo sets sail from Heysham to the Isle of Man, where he discovers the horse trams of Douglas , the 19th-century secrets of the giant Laxey Wheel , and the Victorian history of the delightful Snaefell Mountain Railway.

Portillo 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. Portillo 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.

Portillo learns of the Victorian fascination with antiquity by visiting the amazing Cromlech stones of Dundalk. He reaches for the stars at the Armagh Observatory and travels in style along the steam railway of Downpatrick. Portillo explores the fascinating history of Belfast's Victorian docks, discovers the Irish spade-making traditions untouched for over years, and takes a walk on the wild side with Whitehead's Victorian coastal paths.

Portillo 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 Derry. Portillo meets the remarkable craftsmen behind the Victorian furniture trade, discovers how George Bradshaw helped save Britain's canal heritage, and sees Shakespeare through the eyes of a 19th-century railway tourist.


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Portillo travels to the manufacturing centres of the Midlands. He learns how the railways helped to make Birmingham the pen-making capital of the world, hears the chilling tale of one of 19th-century Britain's most notorious murderers and samples the delicacies concocted in a Victorian kitchen at Shugborough Hall. Portillo explores one of the greatest locomotive factories in railway history, discovers the dark side of the industrial revolution and learns how, in Victorian times, the potteries brought their products to the masses. Portillo learns how Victorian blacksmithing was not for the faint-hearted, rides one of Britain's most modern trains and traverses the remarkable Victoria Bridge.

Portillo travels to the Victorian seaside resort of Aberystwyth. He experiences Victorian entertainment, hears how the railways took Welsh textiles into even the most exclusive households and unleashes the power of a 19th-century engineering triumph. Portillo feeds the crew of Britain's newest warship, discovers how the Victorians planned to repel a possible French invasion, and learns that there is well-established industry where one might least expect to find it.

Portillo gets close to some precious Victorian botany at Kew Gardens , tries his hand at croquet, and discovers a very surprising 19th-century place of worship. Portillo learns how volunteer Victorian fire fighters liked a tipple, discovers how even 19th-century sewage pumps were a celebration of design, and puts in a shift at the oldest fish market in Britain. Portillo discovers how derelict Victorian London is being rejuvenated, puts in a shift at a Cambridgeshire brick factory, and meets the immigrant community built from its bricks.

Portillo sees how Lincolnshire farmers utilised rails to improve their harvests, visits Lincoln Cathedral , and looks to the future of rail freight. Portillo learns about a Scottish hero, visits a Highland Games and discovers how an impressive piece of Victorian engineering ended in tragedy. Portillo learns how Queen Victoria used to hide from her subjects, discovers how factory workers went deaf and goes out with a bang in Aberdeenshire.

Portillo learns how Victorian whisky trains were raided by robbers, travels along one of Scotland's most impressive viaducts and discovers that life is not always sweet on a shortbread production line. Portillo rides one of Scotland's most picturesque railways, visits Scotland's smallest station and learns what went into a Victorian-style spa break. Portillo learns how one man's vision helped bring train travel to the Highlands, discovers how farming has changed since Bradshaw's day and hears the remarkable tale of Scotland's Victorian gold rush. Portillo gets to grips with the old grey matter at a Victorian asylum , gives a historic horse a facelift and makes malt the 19th-century way.

Portillo visits a world famous tourist hotspot that's been captivating visitors since the Victorian era, takes to the air in Yeovil and tries his hand at cloth-making the 19th-century way. Portillo explores a church that moves in mysterious ways, finds out just what it takes to run a 19th-century signal box and summons all his strength to move a one-hundred-and-ten-tonne steam locomotive.

Portillo gets up close to a piece of natural history, visits a garden that was used as a viewing platform for public hangings and experiences a timepiece like no other. Portillo takes to the sea with the heroes of the RNLI , visits a stormy coastal railway, and has a close personal encounter with his boyhood hero.

Great British Railway Journeys

Portillo samples 19th-century foodie delicacies, explores a stunning landscape shot to fame by rails and royals, and risks life and limb for the gift of the gab. Portillo learns the ancient art of butter making, attempts to learn the basics of Ireland's oldest game, and rides the Duke of Devonshire's Victorian Irish railway.

Portillo tries his hand at cutting marble Victorian style, uncovers 19th-century Ireland's surprising industrial heritage and learns how the railways helped bring motorsport to the masses. Portillo visits the Irish National Stud , discovers how harsh life was for the Irish poor and uncovers an astronomical feat of Victorian engineering. On the final leg of his Irish journey, Portillo discovers historic jewellery with royal connections in Galway, meets a people's king and finds his voice with a traditional Irish singing group. Portillo begins in Manchester, where he finds out how the world's first industrialised city produced a revolutionary political movement, and learns about the railway workers who founded one of the most successful football clubs of all time.

Along the way, he does the washing in Port Sunlight —a model village on the Wirral—and hears stories about the aptly named George Francis Train's time in Birkenhead, Merseyside. Portillo enjoys the fun of the fair beside the sea in Southport, explores the origins of business in Wigan and of the Industrial Revolution in Bolton, and then visits Leyland where he gets the chance to drive a year-old vehicle. Portillo celebrates Victorian trade with the Preston Guild, and then heads to Rochdale to learn about a pioneering movement to improve the lives of working families.

He also follows in the tracks of many 19th-century industrial employees who made day trips to Hebden Bridge to walk in the Calder Valley. Portillo crosses into West Yorkshire, visiting the Worth Valley and the home of the three Bronte sisters, who were early investors in the railway industry. He then heads to Oakworth to find out how its station and tracks were used in one of the most popular films ever made, and in Bradford he discovers the ways in which 19th-century workers saved to buy a home.

He finishes in Halifax, where he learns how the railways contributed to the town's success. Portillo tunes into the music of the mills and collieries of Victorian England by joining a brass band in Honley, West Yorkshire, before stopping off in Holmfirth to learn about a tragedy that led to a tourist boom in the town. He then crosses into Derbyshire to pay homage to railway engineer George Stephenson at his resting place in Chesterfield, before concluding his journey at Chatsworth House , one of the first stately homes to welcome visitors by rail.

Portillo finds out what happened to the once proud Euston Arch and heads to Camden to see how goods were transported by rail, road and canal. He reflects on the Harrow rail disaster of and visits a country estate in Tring , Hertfordshire , before alighting at Cheddington in Buckinghamshire , which is close to the scene of 's Great Train Robbery. Portillo travels through Buckinghamshire, meeting one of the Second World War's most secret agents at Bletchley.

In Olney , he learns about a poet whose words are still sung today, and explores the first purpose-built railway town at Wolverton.

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His last stop is Newport Pagnell , where he tackles the ancient craft of vellum making. Portillo begins in Northampton , where Victorian methods have been used to make shoes for more than years. He then heads to Warwickshire , learning about the legacy of Dr Thomas Arnold at Rugby School and finding out how Coventry 's craftsmen learned to adapt to survive, before ending this leg of his trip in Nuneaton.

He works his passage on the Great Central Railway from Rothley to Loughborough , where he learns about a family that has been casting bells in the town since Portillo rediscovers a once-famous poet in Nottingham and travels on a railway line resurrected by popular demand after falling victim to Beeching's cuts. He finds out how Doncaster rail workers shaped British political history, before reaching his final destination of Leeds, where he auditions at Britain's oldest continuously working music hall. Portillo is taught to set tables aboard the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth , finds the remains of a military hospital built in the village of Netley by order of Queen Victoria, and learns about a battle in Basingstoke between townspeople and the Salvation Army.

Portillo travels through Hampshire and Berkshire, stopping-off at Stratfield Saye House, the stately home bequeathed by the nation to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, in He then heads to Aldershot Garrison, where he is put through his paces under military instruction. Portillo begins in Wokingham, Berkshire, where he finds out how demand from a growing number of rail commuters fuelled the development of the modern printing press. He then learns about a Tudor businessman who manufactured cloth in enormous volumes in Newbury, and ends this leg of his trip in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, where a local manufacturer describes how his Victorian forebears were the first in Britain to be licensed to vulcanise rubber.

Portillo continues his journey in Chippenham, where at Lacock Abbey he discovers how the world's first photographic negative was made and learns how to make a print. He travels on to Bristol to visit the Victorian Clifton Zoo, where he learns that tigers and polar bears also arrived there by train. Next stop is Severn Tunnel Junction in Wales, where he explores an extraordinary piece of Victorian engineering with its own pump house pumping out millions of gallons a day to keep it dry.

Finally, in Gloucester, he finds out why the station became infamous for lost luggage, and meets a stonemason who invites him to have a go at the city's cathedral. Portillo starts in the elegant spa town of Cheltenham, where he discovers a very early locomotive carriage which ran on the road and is allowed to get behind the wheel.

Next stop is the medieval town of Tewkesbury, scene of a grisly battle during the Wars of the Roses, where he joins a group of re-enactors for a taste of the action.

In Droitwich, he learns of the origins of the local salt industry, and then ends his journey in Wolverhampton, scene of Queen Victoria's first public appearance after the death of Prince Albert. At the city's Norman castle, Portillo uncovers the Victorian public's gory fascination with crime and punishment and finds out how campaigners such as Elizabeth Fry worked to improve conditions for prisoners.

Heading west to Thetford, he explores how the Victorian appetite for rabbits and their fur led to special train services to London, and ends in the Suffolk town of Brandon, where he tries his hand at flint-knapping. Portillo travels from Ipswich to Chelmsford, starting at an agricultural implements works with its own railway sidings. Continuing his journey south-west into Essex, he helps to dredge for oysters off Mersea Island before taking the train to Witham, where he discovers a model farming establishment at Tiptree.

He ends this leg at Chelmsford, home to the world's first purpose-built radio equipment factory, established by Guglielmo Marconi. Portillo heads along the Essex bank of the Thames before crossing the river into Kent. He begins in Barkingside, where Victorian philanthropist Thomas Barnardo made it his mission to transform the lives of destitute children, tries his hand at loading a container onto a pocket wagon at Tilbury docks, and ends his trip in Rochester, where he encounters a host of familiar characters and explores a town that was an inspiration for many of Charles Dickens' works.

Portillo starts in Faversham, Kent, where he visits Shepherd Neame, one of the oldest breweries in Britain. He then heads to Dover to explore a sunken fortress known as the Western Heights, before crossing into Surrey where he blow-dries a hen in Dorking. Portillo discovers the history behind the extraordinary Pavilion at Brighton and learns that Queen Victoria was not an admirer of the Prince Regent's flamboyant taste.

He learns that while the railways brought day-trippers to frolic in fashionable Brighton, Victorian engineers built a magnificent underground network of sewers more than 40 miles long, which is still functioning today. At Bramber, he discovers that at the time of his guide tourists flocked to the town in huge numbers to see a Victorian museum of taxidermy. Portillo's next stop is the impressive castle at Arundel, and he's pleased to find that the Duke of Norfolk was a great supporter of the railways. His rail journey ends in Chichester, from where he heads up into the South Downs for a taste of life in the fast lane at Goodwood.

From Ayr, Portillo admires the granite island of Ailsa Craig before getting to grips with the ancient sport of curling, with help from a Scottish world champion. The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers invites him to take part in the oldest archery competition in the world. At Barassie , he rides the footplate of a freight train hauling coal on Scotland's oldest railway line. He caps off this leg of his journey in Stewarton.


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    5. Portillo begins in the industrial town of Greenock from where he sets sail in the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world. In Glasgow, he investigates 'Mackintosh style' in an iconic city tea room, before seeing the devastating effects of the fire at the Glasgow School of Art. In Blantyre, he discovers the humble beginnings of Britain's most famous missionary and explorer, and learns to bake sour dough in Scotland's oldest bakery in Strathaven.

    Portillo celebrates Victorian iron and steel in Motherwell and admires one of its crowning achievements - the Forth Bridge. He journeys through picturesque countryside to admire the raw power of nature at the magnificent and romantic Clyde Falls , which inspired William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge , and where Victorian ladies swooned.

    In Cumbernauld , he learns of the birth of one of Scotland's best-selling soft drinks. In Linlithgow , he marvels at the ingenuity of the engineers who built the Union Canal and experiences a 21st century technological refinement at Falkirk. Portillo begins this leg in Stirling, where he visits the scene of a bloody battle at Bannockburn.

    Following in the footsteps of Victorian holidaymakers, he travels north to Crieff to experience the popular Crieff Hydro. In the ancient capital of Scotland, Perth , he learns what it takes to make a sporran before catching the Highland Main Line to Pitlochry and one of Queen Victoria 's favourite haunts. He finishes the day with a wee dram in Scotland's smallest distillery.

    On the last leg, Portillo pays homage to the birthplace of golf at St Andrews. He visits a factory where they make traditional hickory-shafted clubs and ventures out on to the green. In Dunfermline , he discovers the poor beginnings of one of the world's wealthiest men, a remarkable philanthropist who worked on the railroads before making his fortune in steel.

    Crossing the Firth of Forth via the legendary red bridge, he arrives in Edinburgh in the middle of the world's largest arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival , where he treads the boards in an unconventional adaptation of a play by Oscar Wilde. Portillo travels on the capital's first underground railway, the Metropolitan line , from Amersham, where first he discovers the foundations for modern day suburbia. In Pinner , he finds out about a Victorian domestic goddess and whips up a pint of her fanciest ice cream.

    In Highgate , he investigates the terraced catacombs of one of London's vast 19th-century cemeteries.

    BBC Two - Great British Railway Journeys - Episode guide

    At Madame Tussauds he comes face to face with Isambard Kingdom Brunel before experiencing hot wax at first hand. He ends with a trip to the London Zoo at Regent's Park. Portillo is invited aboard the construction locomotive for Crossrail to travel under the River Thames and to meet the impressive Mary, vital to the project.

    He then travels on the capital's first railway, and admires the remarkable brick viaduct on which it was built. He takes a tour underneath its arches with a Victorian map showing the poverty of those who once lived there. He hears how an Indian lawyer, who learnt his trade in Victorian London, went on to change the world, and then explores an area of the city which has been home to wave upon wave of immigrants, Spitalfields. He ends this journey at Victoria Underground Station, where he finds out about the massive makeover currently under way.

    Portillo explores London's theatreland and discovers how 19th-century engineering made for spectacular theatricals. At Charing Cross , he learns about the ambitious building programme which saw Trafalgar Square replace streets of slums, and comes almost face to face with George Bradshaw.

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    At one of the busiest stops on the tube, Piccadilly Circus , he indulges in some retail therapy at a perfumery patronised by kings, queens and prime ministers. Portillo explores Albertopolis and reaches dizzying heights inside a Victorian landmark. He meets some of Battersea 's most famous residents and gives one of them a bath! At Vauxhall , he learns about the darker side of London's flower market in Bradshaw's day. He ends this journey at London Bridge , where two stations are becoming one, and a new concourse is being built. Portillo gives an old engine a fresh start in the railway hub of Derby.

    Great British Railway Journeys with Railtrail Tours

    In Nottingham , he discovers the Victorian origins of a well-known high-street chemist He then travels to Newstead Abbey , where he learns about its former owner, the young Lord Byron. A baking lesson in Grantham yields a batch of the oldest commercially traded biscuits in the country, and no visit to Grantham would be complete for him without calling at a historic grocer's shop. Beginning in Boston in the flatlands of Lincolnshire , Portillo explores the connection between the city and its American namesake.

    At Southwell , he discovers the origins of the Bramley apple and learns how to make apple pie. In Menston , he visits an imposing institution built to provide asylum for those suffering from mental illness and learns how volunteers care for its once derelict chapel and graveyard. At Wakefield , he manages to board one of Britain's least frequent services and finds out what led to the birth of the parliamentary train. Along the way, he meets a former locomotive engineer who offers him the chance to drive a steam engine. Portillo begins in Hessle, on the north bank of the River Humber , in the shadow of the Humber Bridge , where he learns about the technology that made it possible.

    In Kingston upon Hull , he meets his friend and sparring partner, local MP Alan Johnson , who tells him about another famous son of his city, William Wilberforce. In Scarborough , Portillo's Bradshaw directs him to the castle, where the founder of the Quaker movement was once imprisoned. His last stop of the day is York, where he learns what made the ancient capital a centre for the sweet-making industry.

    Portillo starts in Middlesbrough, visiting one of the last iron foundries in the town and helping cast a carrot valve for a steam engine. His next stop is Darlington , where he meets the editor of the Northern Echo and finds out about the colourful history of WT Stead, one of his predecessors.

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    Portillo sets off from Newcastle, finding out about the world's earliest swing bridge and its inventor William Armstrong. He then travels by boat from the port of Seahouses to examine the story of lighthouse keeper's daughter Grace Darling , who, along with her father, rescued nine people from tumultuous seas in On the Holy Island of Lindisfarne , Portillo explores the lime kilns and finds out how Christianity spread from here across northern England in the 7th century.

    Portillo begins in Pembroke Dock, where Queen Victoria's royal yachts were built. In the little market town of Narberth , he investigates what caused rebels to dress up as women, later spending the night at an inn in Carmarthen where Horatio Nelson once met Emma Hamilton. Then he pitches in with the volunteers who look after the Gwili Railway and ends his leg in Swansea, where he learns how to pose for a photograph in Victorian style. Portillo begins in the ruinous gardens at Aberglasney House near Llandeilo , before riding shotgun in the driver's cab on one of the most scenic routes in Britain.

    Over the border in Leominster , he steps out onto the dance floor at the Lion Hotel Ballroom, where a grand ball was held to celebrate the opening of the Ludlow to Hereford railway, and finishes this leg of his journey at a traditional cider house in Hereford. Portillo goes underground at Big Pit coal mine in Blaenavon , where he discovers how Victorians toiled night and day to power the Industrial Revolution.

    On the River Usk , he learns about 19th-century developments in angling before heading to Ascott-under-Wychwood - once the scene of a farm labourers' dispute that ended in rioting. He concludes at Blenheim Palace , the birthplace of Winston Churchill. In the heart of academia in Oxford, Portillo visits the Bodleian Library to see some Victorian treasures, including Mary Shelley's Frankenstein manuscript and a pocket-sized edition of Bradshaw's Companion.


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      7. He investigates two new rail projects at Bicester , finds out about Victorian philanthropy in Bedford , and finishes in Luton, where he explores the dark arts of the hat-maker. In Oakham in Rutland , Portillo learns about a noble tradition dating back to the Middle Ages and decides to take part. Heading east to Stamford , he discovers why the town is such an attractive location for period dramas, while a ghoulish scene greets him in Peterborough when he visits a Victorian operating theatre where railwaymen were treated.

      His last stop is Christ's College at Cambridge University , where he finds out about the student days of Charles Darwin. Portillo joins an assembly line in a Carlisle biscuit factory and discovers the popularity of the custard cream in Victorian times. He descends into Honister Slate Mine now the only operational slate mine in England and sees the miniature railway previously used to carry the slate to the surface. In the Lake District , Portillo explores the magical world of Beatrix Potter as author and illustrator of her well-loved stories and learns that she feared the encroachment of the railways.

      He visits the Brantwood home of the Victorian art critic and social thinker John Ruskin. Finally, at Carnforth he plays out a " Brief Encounter ". In Preston , where four mill workers had been shot dead by soldiers during a protest in , Portillo reads the Riot Act. Looking at history and trying 21st century things that changed since before The Great War Michael Portillo makes various railway journeys across the UK, using a year-old Bradshaw's Guide a collection of railway timetables and a guidebook.

      He looks at the history, culture and industry of the towns that he passes through, and the way that things have changed since Bradshaw wrote his Guide. Love to watch him go to places we would like to go to, and like seeing places he goes to that we have been to. He is not a "professional" presenter, and doesn't mind making a fool of himself by joining in local dancing or singing, even if he is tone deaf and has two left feet. Visit Prime Video to explore more titles.

      Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your Watchlist and rate your favorite movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet! Enjoy unlimited streaming on Prime Video. There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.

      Full Cast and Crew. He looks at the history, culture TV Programmes - Plex. Share this Rating Title: Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Learn more More Like This. Great Railway Journeys — A series presenting various railway adventures from around the world. Edit Cast Series cast summary: Edit Storyline Michael Portillo makes various railway journeys across the UK, using a year-old Bradshaw's Guide a collection of railway timetables and a guidebook. Edit Did You Know? Trivia For Series 1, each week's five episodes constituted one journey.