Great British Railway Journeys
Great British Railway Journeys is a TV show on BBC4. All aboard! Michael Portillo explores the UK the railways made. Uncover hidden gems and fascinating communities from across the nation. The program has been available since 2024. A total of 286 episodes have been broadcast, most recently in June 2025.
Last episode
25:00
25:00Great British Railway Journeys
Michael Portillo conducts important research in an historic York tea room, discovers Leeds' textile heritage, and investigates Bradford's musical heritage.
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25:00Michael Portillo embarks on the first leg of a journey from East Yorkshire to Caernarfon, beginning by travelling from Hull to Malton.
35:00Travelling from Plymouth to the Lizard, Michael Portillo investigates the first radio signal to be sent across the Atlantic.
25:00Michael Portillo travels between Taunton and Newton Abbot, joining in with a fertility dance in Stogumber, and visiting a celebrated garden at Hestercombe.
25:00Michael Portillo arrives in Newport, where he learns about the heroism of a young boy who was awarded the Albert Medal.
25:00Michael Portillo travels from Pontyclun to Ebbw Vale in Wales, visiting the Royal Mint in Llantrisant and Cardiff Arms Park.
35:00
Michael Portillo embarks on the first leg of a journey from the coalfields of South Wales to the southernmost tip of Cornwall.
25:00In Dorset, Michael Portillo visits Brownsea Island, where Robert Baden Powell began the scout movement in the early 20th century.
25:00Michael Portillo visits places of interest in West Sussex and Hampshire, including Southsea's King's Theatre.
25:00Michael Portillo travels from Croydon to Shoreham-by-Sea, hearing the story of a once-celebrated composer and visiting the oldest licensed airport in the UK.
35:00Michael Portillo explores Edwardian utopia in Letchworth, where he meets a fourth generation citizen who introduces him to the town's community spirit.
25:00Michael Portillo embarks on train journeys through Edwardian Britain, exploring the grand estates of Norfolk and a bivouac on Brownsea Island on the way.
Series 16
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.
Series 8 25:00
25:00On the last leg of Michael Portillo's long journey from Wexford to Westport, a fashionable Victorian seaweed bath is followed by a steamy scene in Ballina.
25:00Michael Portillo continues his Irish journey from Dromod to Sligo. Along the way he discovers how the landscape inspired WB Yeats and learns to make a potato pancake.
35:00Michael Portillo continues his journey across Ireland, travelling from Navan to Mullingar, where he uncovers a controversial Victorian dig at the sacred Hill of Tara.
25:00At Trinity College, Dublin, Michael Portillo discovers one of Ireland's greatest treasures, and also explores the house and gardens of Powerscourt in County Wicklow.
25:00Series 9, Episode 15 - Criccieth to Caernarfon
Expected on
In Snowdonia, Michael Portillo braves the fastest zip line in the world - 1,500 feet across a quarry - as he begins the last leg of his journey to Caernarfon. 35:00Series 9, Episode 14 - Liverpool to Dolgarrog
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Michael Portillo travels between Liverpool and Wales, finding a miniature tank engine made by Frank Hornby and visiting the ruins of Gwrych Castle. 25:00Series 9, Episode 13 - Sheffield to Nantwich
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Michael Portillo travels to the steel city of Sheffield where he discovers an early 20th century steam engine, before heading to Nantwich.