Great British Railway Journeys

  
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Great British Railway JourneysHessle to York: Michael Portillo travels from Hessle in East Yorkshire to York, along the way learning about the technology that made the Humber Bridge possible. [S]Sat, Aug 30, 2:00 amU&Yesterday25 mins
Great British Railway JourneysMiddlesbrough to Hexham: Michael Portillo travels from Middlesbrough to Hexham, learning about eighth-century monk the Venerable Bede at St Paul's monastery in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear. [S]Sat, Aug 30, 2:25 amU&Yesterday35 mins
Great British Railway JourneysSwansea to Hereford: Michael Portillo begins in the ruinous gardens at Aberglasney House near Llandeilo and finishes this leg of his journey at a traditional cider house in Hereford. [S]Sun, Aug 31, 1:00 amU&Yesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysAbergavenny to Hanborough: Michael Portillo visits Big Pit coal mine in Blaenavon and learns about 19th-century developments in angling. [S]Sun, Aug 31, 1:30 amU&Yesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysOxford to Luton: Michael Portillo visits Oxford University's Bodleian library to see Victorian treasures including Mary Shelley's Frankenstein manuscript. [S]Sun, Aug 31, 2:00 amU&Yesterday25 mins
Great British Railway JourneysOakham to Cambridge: Michael Portillo travels from Oakham to Cambridge, finding out why Stamford is a popular location for period dramas and examining Charles Darwin's student days. [S]Sun, Aug 31, 2:25 amU&Yesterday35 mins
Great British Railway Journeys13/20. Michael Portillo boards a barge on the Dudley Canal, discovers an ancient seabed and explores racial tension in 1960s Smethwick. Also in HD. [S,AD,SL]Mon, Sept 1, 3:00 amBBC TWO30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysGuildford to Aldershot: Michael Portillo resumes his tour of the Home Counties in the historic town of Guildford. Eventually he crosses into Hampshire to reach Aldershot. [S]Mon, Sept 1, 6:10 amU&Yesterday25 mins
Great British Railway JourneysFarnborough to Winchester: Michael Portillo heads for Farnborough, Hampshire, famous today for its airshow and home to what was then the Royal Aircraft Establishment. [S]Mon, Sept 1, 6:35 amU&Yesterday35 mins

Snapshots

Great British Railway JourneysPotters Bar to Cardington: Michael Portillo's travels resume in leafy Hertfordshire, where he attempts a canoe slalom course, and visits the estate of author Barbara Cartland. [S]Wed, Jul 17, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysColchester to Chadwell Heath: Michael Portillo continues through East Anglia, where he discovers the Essex origins of the BBC and joins the Women's Land Army to pick damsons at Tiptree. [S]Wed, Jul 17, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysSaxmundham to Dedham: Michael Portillo explores East Anglia between the wars, beginning at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, where archaeologists discovered a 27-metre-long Anglo-Saxon ship in 1939. [S]Tue, Jul 16, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysFarnborough to Winchester: Michael Portillo heads for Farnborough, Hampshire, famous today for its airshow and home to what was then the Royal Aircraft Establishment. [S]Tue, Jul 16, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysNewhaven to Worthing: Michael Portillo travels from Newhaven to Worthing, examining the nation's hidden defences and finding a novel way to pick tomatoes. [S]Sun, Jul 14, 2:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysPembroke Dock to Swansea: Michael Portillo begins the first leg of a journey from south-west Wales to Cambridge, visiting an inn in Carmarthen where Horatio Nelson once met Emma Hamilton. [S]Sun, Jul 14, 2:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysNewcastle to Lindisfarne: Michael Portillo travels from Newcastle to Lindisfarne, exploring the lime kilns, and learns how Christianity spread across northern England in the 7th century. [S]Sun, Jul 14, 1:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysMiddlesbrough to Hexham: Michael Portillo travels from Middlesbrough to Hexham, learning about eighth-century monk the Venerable Bede at St Paul's monastery in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear. [S]Sun, Jul 14, 1:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysHessle to York: Michael Portillo travels from Hessle in East Yorkshire to York, along the way learning about the technology that made the Humber Bridge possible. [S]Sun, Jul 14, 12:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysBoston to Hensall: Michael Portillo travels from the south Lincolnshire town of Boston to Hensall, North Yorkshire, discovering the origins of a favourite Victorian apple along the way. [S]Sun, Jul 14, 12:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysGuildford to Aldershot: Michael Portillo resumes his tour of the Home Counties in the historic town of Guildford. Eventually he crosses into Hampshire to reach Aldershot. [S]Sat, Jul 13, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysWest Ruislip to Windsor: Michael Portillo travels to leafy Hatch End in north-west London, where he meets the great-nephew of the famous illustrator William Heath Robinson. [S]Sat, Jul 13, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysStoke Mandeville to Beaconsfield: Michael Portillo continues his travels through England's Home Counties at Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire, before making his way to Beaconsfield. [S]Fri, Jul 12, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysOxford to Abingdon: Michael Portillo sets out on another railway adventure as he explores Britain between the world wars, beginning a tour of the Home Counties and beyond in Oxford. [S]Fri, Jul 12, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysAttleborough to Skegness: Michael Portillo begins the last leg of his rail journey through 1930s Britain in Norfolk at the headquarters of an international horse welfare organisation. [S]Thu, Jul 11, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysSaxmundham to Norwich: Michael Portillo's journey takes him to the Snape Maltings music and arts venue, the Norfolk seaside resort of Great Yarmouth and the city of Norwich. [S]Thu, Jul 11, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysWitham to Felixstowe: Michael Portillo's railway journey from Canterbury to Skegness reaches Witham in Essex. He visits the factory of the world's oldest supplier of metal-framed windows. [S]Wed, Jul 10, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysLimehouse to Rochford: Michael Portillo explores the east of England en route to Lincolnshire. He learns how the Crossrail project is helping to conserve birds. [S]Wed, Jul 10, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysCanterbury to Alexandra Palace: Michael Portillo explores the east of England in the inter-war period, his journey beginning in Canterbury and ending at Alexandra Palace in London. [S]Tue, Jul 9, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysTaunton to Salisbury Plain: In Bath, Michael visits the ex-home of a refugee emperor, whose country was invaded by the Italian dictator Mussolini. [S]Tue, Jul 9, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysCanterbury to Alexandra Palace: Michael Portillo explores the east of England in the inter-war period, his journey beginning in Canterbury and ending at Alexandra Palace in London. [S]Mon, Jul 8, 12:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysTaunton to Salisbury Plain: In Bath, Michael visits the ex-home of a refugee emperor, whose country was invaded by the Italian dictator Mussolini. [S]Mon, Jul 8, 12:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysDerby to Grantham: Michael Portillo begins a journey from Derby to Lindisfarne, learning about a high-street chemist's origins and visiting a former grocer's shop in Grantham. [S]Sun, Jul 7, 2:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysHigh Street Kensington to London Bridge: Michael Portillo embarks on his final journey in London, learning about the darker side of Vauxhall's flower market in the Victorian era. [S]Sun, Jul 7, 2:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysLondon's West End: Michael Portillo heads to the West End as he explores 19th-century engineering used in theatres and learns how diseases were rife in Victorian London on a visit to Soho. [S]Sun, Jul 7, 1:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysStratford to London Victoria: Michael Portillo explores the legacy of the Olympic Park in Stratford, and learns about the big makeover currently under way at Victoria underground station. [S]Sun, Jul 7, 1:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysDeptford to West Silvertown: Michael Portillo travels on London's first railway and admires the brick viaduct on which it was built, before visiting the tea clipper Cutty Sark in Greenwich. [S]Sun, Jul 7, 12:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysAmersham to Regent's Park: Michael Portillo embarks on the first leg of a series of journeys through London and its environs, discovering the foundations of modern-day suburbia. [S]Sun, Jul 7, 12:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysPaignton to Tiverton: Michael Portillo arrives in Paignton, where the Dartmouth Steam Railway takes him to the home of Agatha Christie, in the company of her great-grandson. [S]Sat, Jul 6, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysBodmin to Totnes: Michael Portillo reaches Bodmin en route to Totnes, as he explores the West Country from St Ives to Salisbury Plain, learning more about Daphne du Maurier on the way. [S]Sat, Jul 6, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysPaignton to Tiverton: Michael Portillo arrives in Paignton, where the Dartmouth Steam Railway takes him to the home of Agatha Christie, in the company of her great-grandson. [S]Fri, Jul 5, 12:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysBodmin to Totnes: Michael Portillo reaches Bodmin en route to Totnes, as he explores the West Country from St Ives to Salisbury Plain, learning more about Daphne du Maurier on the way. [S]Fri, Jul 5, 12:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysTruro to St Mawgan: Michael Portillo visits Cornwall's county town, Truro, heading to the historic estate of Trewithen, whose gardens were stocked from China by plant hunters. [S]Fri, Jul 5, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysSt Ives to St Day: Michael Portillo explores the West Country between the wars, setting off from the Cornish seaside resort of St Ives and ending in the former mining village of St Day. [S]Fri, Jul 5, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysTruro to St Mawgan: Michael Portillo visits Cornwall's county town, Truro, heading to the historic estate of Trewithen, whose gardens were stocked from China by plant hunters. [S]Thu, Jul 4, 12:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysSt Ives to St Day: Michael Portillo explores the West Country between the wars, setting off from the Cornish seaside resort of St Ives and ending in the former mining village of St Day. [S]Thu, Jul 4, 12:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysElgin to Loch Ness: Michael Portillo visits Lossiemouth and Inverness. His journey ends at Loch Ness, where he joins a Deep Scan research team searching for the elusive monster. [S]Thu, Jul 4, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysDundee to Aberdeen: Michael Portillo travels from Dundee to Aberdeen, stopping off at Glamis Castle, where the Queen Mother grew up, and making an excursion into the Eastern Highlands. [S]Thu, Jul 4, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysElgin to Loch Ness: Michael Portillo visits Lossiemouth and Inverness. His journey ends at Loch Ness, where he joins a Deep Scan research team searching for the elusive monster. [S]Wed, Jul 3, 12:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysDundee to Aberdeen: Michael Portillo travels from Dundee to Aberdeen, stopping off at Glamis Castle, where the Queen Mother grew up, and making an excursion into the Eastern Highlands. [S]Wed, Jul 3, 12:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysFalkirk to Dundee: Michael Portillo reaches the Westerglen Transmitting Station in Falkirk, before visiting Gleneagles and Berry Town on route to the city of Dundee. [S]Wed, Jul 3, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysKielder Forest to Edinburgh: Michael Portillo is in Northumbria, discovering what lay behind a national initiative to plant one of the largest manmade woodlands in Europe. [S]Wed, Jul 3, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysFalkirk to Dundee: Michael Portillo reaches the Westerglen Transmitting Station in Falkirk, before visiting Gleneagles and Berry Town on route to the city of Dundee. [S]Tue, Jul 2, 12:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysKielder Forest to Edinburgh: Michael Portillo is in Northumbria, discovering what lay behind a national initiative to plant one of the largest manmade woodlands in Europe. [S]Tue, Jul 2, 12:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysNewcastle to County Durham: Beginning in Jarrow, Michael uncovers the desperation which led 200 men to march 300miles to Westminster in order to petition the Government for work. [S]Tue, Jul 2, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysEast Malling to Rye: Michael Portillo travels from Warwick to Rye in East Sussex. En route he discovers how the Edwardians' attitude towards cultivation bears fruit even now. [S]Tue, Jul 2, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysNewcastle to County Durham: Beginning in Jarrow, Michael uncovers the desperation which led 200 men to march 300miles to Westminster in order to petition the Government for work. [S]Mon, Jul 1, 12:30 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysEast Malling to Rye: Michael Portillo travels from Warwick to Rye in East Sussex. En route he discovers how the Edwardians' attitude towards cultivation bears fruit even now. [S]Mon, Jul 1, 12:00 pmYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysPiccadilly Circus to Gravesend: Michael Portillo journeys from Piccadilly Circus to Gravesend, visiting an exotic West End store that was popular among Victorian women. [S]Sat, Jun 29, 12:30 amYesterday30 mins
Great British Railway JourneysEaling Broadway to South Kensington: Michael Portillo reaches the capital on his rail journey. In Ealing, he is transformed for the silver screen by expert hair and make-up. [S]Sat, Jun 29, 12:00 amYesterday30 mins