Great British Railway Journeys

Michael finds out about Brighton's Victorian aquarium

2/25. Michael explores the changing fortunes of London's docks.

Michael Portillo visits the Government Arms Factory at Enfield, the largest machine shop in Europe in George Bradshaw's day; discovers how the trains transformed Newmarket's races and finds out why Cambridge could be considered the birthplace of modern football.

Michael goes fishing with the last eel trapper on the Fens at Ely.

Michael gets the rare chance to drive a heritage diesel train.

Michael visits the world's first iron-framed building in Shrewsbury.

Michael explores historic Chirk castle and has a go at making traditional Cheshire cheese.

Michael visits Chester's Roman remains and goes mussel fishing on the Conwy estuary.

Michael visits the Victorian slate capital of Blaenau Ffestiniog in the Conwy valley.

Michael takes the train to the top of Wales's highest peak, Mount Snowdon.

Michael Portillo visits the first locomotive factory in the world.

Michael Portillo visits the historic Durham Cathedral and takes a Dracula tour in Whitby.

Michael Portillo takes a Turkish bath in the famous spa town of Harrogate.

Michael Portillo finds out about shoddy, a successful 19th-century recycling industry.

Michael finds out how trains transformed the traditional British sport of fox hunting.

Michael visits the Royal Observatory at Greenwich to see how the railways standardised time, takes a walk through the world's first underwater tunnel at Rotherhithe and explores the historic Dockyards at Chatham

Michael explores the life of Victorian hop pickers, finds out about Maidstone's revolutionary paper industry and discovers how the railways turned cricket into a national sport

Michael finds out how Canterbury Cathedral was saved during the Baedecker raids of World War II, goes whelk fishing in Whitstable and explores the origins of a seaside swim in Margate.

Michael explores a secret port that ran the first train ferries to France carrying vital supplies during World War I, visits Walmer castle, the home of the Duke of Wellington and discovers how the Victorians initiated the building of the Channel tunnel

Michael discovers a hardy breed of sheep on the atmospheric Romney Marsh, explores Kent's new sparkling wine industry and finds out why the Victorians went mad for ferns in Hastings

Michael visits the hometown of Robbie Burns and finds out how to make haggis, discovers how the railways transformed the game of golf in Prestwick, and uncovers the story of the great Victorian tartan hoax in Paisley

Michael explores the historic Dumbarton shipyards that built the Cutty Sark, visits one of Queen Victoria's favourite haunts, Loch Lomond, and goes hunting for gold in Scotland's mountains

Michael discovers how trains spread the word about Oban whisky, hears about the heroic struggle to build a railway across the desolate Rannoch Moor, and visits Corrour, one of the favourite shooting estates of the Victorian political elite

Michael investigates one of the great geological mysteries of the 19th Century, the parallel roads of Glenroy. Plus, he finds out how the Victorians put a weather observatory on the top of Ben Nevis and takes a steam train across one of the most spectacular viaducts in Britain at Glenfinnan

Michael discovers how the railways helped train the first generation of commandos at Lochailort in World War II, finds out why langoustines have replaced herrings as the top catch in the fishing port of Mallaig, and sails across the sea to Skye to explore the history of the highland crofters