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.
Episodes Season Series 16 · 0/20 Series 15 · 0/15 Series 14 · 0/15 Series 13 · 0/10 Series 12 · 0/15 Series 11 · 0/15 Series 10 · 0/15 Series 9 · 0/15 Series 8 · 0/15 Series 7 · 0/20 Series 6 · 0/20 Series 5 · 0/20 Series 4 · 0/25 Series 3 · 0/25 Series 2 · 0/25 Series 1 · 0/20 0/20 watched · 2025
S16E01 Paddock Wood to Frant 2025-04-07 29m
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. more S16E02 Hildenborough to Robertsbridge 2025-04-08 28m
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. more S16E03 Dorking to Lingfield 2025-04-09 28m
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. more S16E04 Gatwick Airport to Royal Tunbridge Wells 2025-04-10 28m
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. more S16E05 Chichester to Amberley 2025-04-11 29m
Michael Portillo’s railway tour of the green and pleasant landscape between the North and South Downs, known as the Weald, nears its conclusion. more S16E06 Windermere to Sellafield 2025-04-14 29m
Michael Portillo begins a railway tour of the spectacular border counties of Cumbria and Dumfriesshire, starting in the stunning Lake District National Park. more S16E07 St Bees to Grange-over-Sands 2025-04-15 28m
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. more S16E08 Maryport to Penrith 2025-04-16 29m
Michael Portillo’s railway journey through Cumbria and Dumfriesshire heads to the hills as he follows in the footsteps of the Lakeland poets. more S16E09 Aspatria to Carlisle 2025-04-17 29m
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. more S16E10 Dumfries to Auchinleck 2025-04-18 29m
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. more S16E11 Shrewsbury to Telford 2025-04-21 28m
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. more S16E12 Ironbridge to Coseley 2025-04-22 28m
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. more S16E13 Dudley to West Bromwich 2025-04-23 29m
Michael Portillo boards a barge on the Dudley Canal, discovers an ancient seabed and explores racial tension in 1960s Smethwick. more S16E14 Birmingham New Street to Wednesbury 2025-04-24 29m
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. more S16E15 Solihull to Birmingham International 2025-04-25 28m
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. more S16E16 Loughton to Audley End 2025-04-28 29m
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. more S16E17 Romford to the Blackwater Estuary 2025-04-29 29m
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. more S16E18 Chelmsford to Tollesbury 2025-04-30 29m
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. more S16E19 Witham to Saffron Walden 2025-05-01 29m
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. more S16E20 Colchester to Chappel and Wakes Colne 2025-05-02 28m
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. more 
