Great British Railway Journeys Season 16, Episode 19: Witham to Saffron Walden

1

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.

29 min

2

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.

28 min

3

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.

28 min

4

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.

28 min

5

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.

29 min

6

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.

29 min

7

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.

28 min

8

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.

29 min

9

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.

29 min

10

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.

29 min

11

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.

28 min

12

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.

28 min

13

Dudley to West Bromwich

Michael Portillo boards a barge on the Dudley Canal, discovers an ancient seabed and explores racial tension in 1960s Smethwick.

29 min

14

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.

29 min

15

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.

28 min

16

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.

29 min

17

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.

29 min

18

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.

29 min

19

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.

29 min

20

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.

28 min