Full Steam Ahead

Other

BBC Four

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

BBC 4

BBC Scotland

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

A BBC TV channel for Scotland which will broadcast every evening and will show drama, factual, comedy and news programmes made in Scotland

BBC Scotland HD

BBC Four HD

Ruth Goodman

Alex Langlands

Peter Ginn

Stuart Elliot

Nick Catliff

Claire Smith

Emma Randle-Caprez

Georgina Stewart

Rachael Pagett

Tim Hodge

Bill Rudolph

Tom Pilbeam

Steve Brown

Lion Television

Full Steam Ahead: Episode 2

Documentaries

full-steam-ahead_s1_e2_280716_pp.jpg

Episode 2

BBC Two - Full Steam Ahead, Episode 2

A look at how railways began to move people, rather than just goods, around the country.

Series exploring the expansion of railways in the Victorian era. This episode looks at how railways began to move people, rather than just goods, around the country.

Historians Ruth Goodman, Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn visit Beamish in County Durham to examine how railway companies began to develop ways of moving people, rather than just stone, coal and iron, around the country. The comfort of the early passenger wagons is put to the test on one of the earliest steam trains, and Ruth finds out how people were moving further than ever before.

Peter and Alex are put through their paces discovering what life was like for the railway navvies, the people that built thousands of miles of iron roads across the country and in all weather conditions.  They come face to face with the harsh realities faced by countless workmen.

A demand for building railways transcended across other industries, even reviving many. Ruth finds out what impact they had on cottage industries and looks at the role that horsehair played in making the carriages as people-friendly as possible.

With the railways opening up plenty of new job roles, Ruth finds out what the role of the guard would have entailed at the Bluebell Line. The team takes a flying visit to a refreshment room, using the Railway Traveller's Handy Book to guide through the necessary etiquette.

The team also discovers the downside of compartment-only carriages, comes face to face with a cardsharp and finds out what precautions you could take should you go on a long train journey that was yet to include the necessary facilities!

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.

Factual: History

Factual: Travel

Historians Ruth Goodman, Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn explore the golden age of steam.

Historians Ruth Goodman, Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn bring back to life the golden age of steam and explore how Victorian railways created modern Britain.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Full Steam Ahead

Episode 2

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Series

BBC Four

About BBC Four