Great British Railway Journeys
Great British Railway Journeys is a TV show on BBC4. Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train. The program has been available since 2024. A total of 210 episodes have been broadcast, most recently in May 2025.
Last episode
25:00
25:00Great British Railway Journeys
Michael Portillo takes to the tracks in this first-class travelogue. Learn all about Maidstone's paper industry and how cricket became a national sport.
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35:00An epic tour of Britain by rail. Michael Portillo visits the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, walks the Thames Tunnel and explores Chatham Historic Dockyard.
25:00Michael Portillo learns how trains shaped the controversial sport of fox hunting in another journey inspired by Victorian cartographer George Bradshaw.
25:00More tales from a train. Michael Portillo hears about a Victorian recycling industry in Batley and meets a relative of the inspirational George Bradshaw himself.
25:00How did rail travel shape Britain? Michael Portillo takes a Turkish bath in Harrogate, explores the Victorian model village of Saltaire and encounters some alpacas.
35:00Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. A visit to the historic Durham Cathedral and a Dracula tour of Whitby.
25:00Travels by train with the ex-Tory. Host Michael Portillo visits the world's first locomotive factory and searches for the lost pit village of Marsden.
Series 14
30:00
30:00In Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Michael Portillo visits the National Coal Mining Museum for England at Caphouse Colliery.
30:00Michael Portillo visits Oldham's Victorian theatre, attends a knife-making workshop in Sheffield and goes to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield.
Series 2 25:00
25:00Michael Portillo explores Britain by rail. Michael takes the train to the top of Mount Snowdon and discovers how the railways changed the tiny port of Holyhead.
25:00Nostalgic series in which Michael Portillo retraces George Bradshaw's travels by train. Michael combs the Conwy valley and rides a steam train to Porthmadog.
35:00Train travels with the ex-Tory. Michael Portillo explores Chester's Roman remains and discovers a secret World War II chemical weapons plant at Rhydymwyn in Wales.
25:00Fascinating history travelogue. Michael Portillo sees the world's first iron bridge at Coalbrookdale, explores Chirk Castle and has a go at making Cheshire cheese.
25:00Michael Portillo sets out on another trek, following the route of the Irish mail from Ledbury. Michael samples Victorian perry and encounters a Hereford bull.
25:00Informative travels by train. Michael Portillo is in his element as he gets to drive a heritage diesel train. The ex-politician also samples some Cromer crab.
35:00Michael Portillo hits the tracks to see how the railways have shaped Britain. Michael meets the last eel trapper on the Fens at Ely and visits the Denver Sluice.
25:00Travels by train with Michael Portillo, who here visits the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield and discovers how the railways transformed Newmarket's races.
25:00Michael Portillo is a happy man on a train. The ex-Tory MP learns about the changing fortunes of London's docks and a rail service that transported coffins.
25:00Michael Portillo embarks on another epic quest by track, accompanied by George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. Michael visits Brighton's aquarium.
Series 1 35:00
35:00Michael Portillo's epic voyage reaches the buffers as he explores St Pancras, rides the world's first Tube line to Smithfield market and marvels at Big Ben.