Great British Railway Journeys

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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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Michael Portillo

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Great British Railway Journeys: Series 11: Newcastle to County Durham

Newcastle to County Durham

Series 11

BBC Two - Great British Railway Journeys, Series 11, Newcastle to County Durham

Michael Portillo begins his journey just outside Newcastle in Jarrow.

Beginning just outside Newcastle in Jarrow, Michael Portillo uncovers the desperation which led 200 men to march 300 miles to Westminster to petition the government for work. 

Michael Portillo begins a new series of railway journeys through 1930s Britain, armed with an interwar Bradshaw's guide. He explores an unmistakably modern era of glamorous locomotives, cinema and dance halls but also a time of high unemployment and widespread poverty, when storm clouds gathered across the Channel.

Beginning just outside Newcastle in Jarrow, Michael uncovers the desperation which led 200 men to march 300 miles to Westminster in order to petition the government for work. 

In Newcastle, Michael admires the city's iconic railway bridge before heading to Byker, where he discovers a new innovation in greyhound racing. Tips for picking a winner lead to a photo finish.

There's a visit to Durham Cathedral to see the bones of the Father of English History and a chance to fire up the fryer at a coal-powered fish and chip shop frozen in time.

In Spennymoor, Michael meets the son of a Durham miner who became one of the most famous 20th-century artists of the North East.

Great British Railway Journeys: Series 11

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Michael Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country by train.

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Great British Railway Journeys

Series 11

Newcastle to County Durham

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