Tom Richardson
Director
Great British Railway Journeys (2010)
Series 16
Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train.
Released Jan. 4, 2010
Episode 29 min
2+
Genres: Documentary
Keywords: tmdb.railroad, imdb.disgraced-politician, imdb.conservative-politician, imdb.trains, imdb.infrastructure, imdb.rail-network, imdb.british-railway + 3 more, imdb.train-ride, imdb.railtrack, imdb.four-word-title
Watch Providers: Tubi TV, BritBox, Britbox Apple TV Channel , BBC Select Apple Tv channel
Production Companies: Talkback Thames, Fremantle UK
Network: BBC Two
Country: United Kingdom
Languages:
English
S16E1 - Paddock Wood to Frant
Michael Portillo takes to the rails to explore one of Britain’s oldest surviving landscapes, the woods and pasture of the Weald in south east England.
April 7, 2025, midnight
S16E2 - Hildenborough to Robertsbridge
Michael Portillo’s rail exploration of the historic wooded region of south east England, known as the Weald, continues from Tonbridge, at the heart of the area's rail network.
April 8, 2025, midnight
S16E3 - Dorking to Lingfield
Michael Portillo’s railway tour of the Weald reaches the spectacular Surrey countryside, where he finds a surprising connection to the darker reaches of the universe.
April 9, 2025, midnight
S16E4 - Gatwick Airport to Royal Tunbridge Wells
Michael Portillo’s rail exploration of the spectacular countryside of the Weald in Surrey, Sussex and Kent continues - this time, aboard the Gatwick Express train.
April 10, 2025, midnight
S16E5 - Chichester to Amberley
Michael Portillo’s railway tour of the green and pleasant landscape between the North and South Downs, known as the Weald, nears its conclusion.
April 11, 2025, midnight
S16E6 - Windermere to Sellafield
Michael Portillo begins a railway tour of the spectacular border counties of Cumbria and Dumfriesshire, starting in the stunning Lake District National Park.
April 14, 2025, midnight
S16E7 - St Bees to Grange-over-Sands
Michael Portillo’s railway tour continues as he travels along the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line. He visits an iron ore mine turned into an arts centre and discovers the cradle of Quakerism.
April 15, 2025, midnight
S16E8 - Maryport to Penrith
Michael Portillo’s railway journey through Cumbria and Dumfriesshire heads to the hills as he follows in the footsteps of the Lakeland poets.
April 16, 2025, midnight
S16E9 - Aspatria to Carlisle
Michael Portillo’s railway journey through Cumbria and Dumfriesshire takes him to the rolling countryside around Aspatria to meet a couple who swapped their old life for organic dairy farming.
April 17, 2025, midnight
S16E10 - Dumfries to Auchinleck
Michael concludes his journey from Cumbria to Dumfriesshire by crossing the Solway Firth into Scotland, where he visits the beautifully preserved last home of Scotland’s greatest poet, Robert Burns.
April 18, 2025, midnight
S16E11 - Shrewsbury to Telford
Michael Portillo re-enacts the Battle of Shrewsbury and explores the town's beautiful gothic cathedral, while also riding the Telford Steam Railway’s flagship locomotive.
April 21, 2025, midnight
S16E12 - Ironbridge to Coseley
Michael Portillo is in Ironbridge Gorge on the River Severn, a hotbed of 18th-century innovation which features the world's first coke blast iron furnace.
April 22, 2025, midnight
S16E13 - Dudley to West Bromwich
Michael Portillo boards a barge on the Dudley Canal, discovers an ancient seabed and explores racial tension in 1960s Smethwick.
April 23, 2025, midnight
S16E14 - Birmingham New Street to Wednesbury
Arriving in Birmingham, Michael Portillo heads to Curzon Street for a tour of the HS2 terminus still under construction. In the Newtown area, he visits the oldest private manufacturing firm in the UK.
April 24, 2025, midnight
S16E15 - Solihull to Birmingham International
On the final leg of his Midlands tour, Michael Portillo travels to Solihull, the home of iconic British brand Land Rover. Later, he visits the childhood neighbourhood of JRR Tolkien.
April 25, 2025, midnight
S16E16 - Loughton to Audley End
Michael Portillo embarks on a journey across Essex. He heads to the ancient woodland of Epping Forest and learns of Audley End House's role as a secret wartime military school.
April 28, 2025, midnight
S16E17 - Romford to the Blackwater Estuary
Michael’s exploration of Essex continues in Romford, where he visits a state-of-the-art rail operating centre. On the River Blackwater, he visits the Ross Revenge, home of Radio Caroline.
April 29, 2025, midnight
S16E18 - Chelmsford to Tollesbury
Michael’s exploration of Essex reaches Chelmsford, where the city's bishop relates her story of escape from Iran after the Islamic revolution of 1979.
April 30, 2025, midnight
S16E19 - Witham to Saffron Walden
Arriving in the Essex market town of Witham, Michael heads into the countryside to visit one of the county’s great country houses, Terling Place.
May 1, 2025, midnight
S16E20 - Colchester to Chappel and Wakes Colne
Michael's exploration of Essex is drawing to a close. He visits Colchester, which was first mentioned in AD77 and proudly claims to be Britain’s oldest recorded town.
May 2, 2025, midnight
BBC Two
29 min/ep
8624 min
Jan. 4, 2010
May 2, 2025, midnight
Returning Series
NR / 2+
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