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Great British Railway Journeys

Documentaries

Factual: History

Factual: Travel

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the country by train.

All aboard! Armed with his trusty Bradshaw's guide, Michael Portillo explores the UK the railways made. Uncover hidden gems and fascinating communities from across the nation.

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The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

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Great British Railway Journeys: Series 3

Michael Portillo

Jay Taylor

John Comerford

Great British Railway Journeys: Series 3: Episode 4: Epping to Hackney

Epping to Hackney

Episode 4

Episode 4: Epping to Hackney

Series 3

BBC Two - Great British Railway Journeys, Series 3, Epping to Hackney

Michael Portillo uncovers the gruesome details of the first murder on a train.

Michael Portillo sees how gunpowder made in Waltham Cross fuelled an empire and heads to Hackney to uncover the gruesome details of the first murder on a train.

Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. In a series of five epic journeys, Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what remains of Bradshaw's Britain. 

Following the route of the Great Eastern Line, which ventures from the edge of East Anglia to the centre of the country's financial capital, London, Michael visits Essex to discover why dairy herds travelled there by rail from all over the country in the 19th century. He also visits Waltham Cross to see how the gunpowder made there fuelled the building of an empire and heads to Hackney to uncover the gruesome details of the first murder on a train.

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Series 2

Michael Portillo travels the country to see how the railways changed us

Documentary series in which Michael Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us

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Great British Railway Journeys

Series 3

Episode 4: Epping to Hackney

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