This 23 disc set features all 115 episodes from the first five series of Great British Railway Journeys in one complete box set. Join Michael Portillo as he retraces the journeys that were first documented in the monthly railway guide, Bradshaw's Handbook.
Michael explores the secret ammunition factory at Gretna, sails the last steam boat on Lake Windermere, learns to talk 'scouse in Liverpool, takes a dip in Bath Spa, cooks a traditional curry in Birmingham, tries his hand at oyster fishing in Cornwall and meets survivors of the Coventry Blitz.
Michael samples some classic Cromer crab, gets a rare chance to drive a heritage diesel and gets up close and personal with a pedigree Hereford bull. He also discovers a secret World War II chemical weapons plant at Rhydmwyn, takes a steam train across the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors, attempts to make an authentic Melton Mowbray pork pie, discovers how the railways turned cricket into a national sport and hunts for gold in Scotland's mountains.
Michael follows the route of the Great Eastern Line, goes in the footsteps of Queen Victoria, travels west, from Oxford in the heart of England, through the Malvern Hills and into Wales. On his fourth journey, he goes through some of the North's most dramatic scenery to end on the beautiful and unique Isle of Man with his final journey of the series taking him across the Irish sea.
Michael follows the track that helped fuel the Industrial Revolution and then travels between two historic docks - Portsmouth & Grimsby. He explores the awe-inspiring scenery of rural and coastal Scotland and retraces the footsteps of the master engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Finally he goes to the Republic of Ireland.
Michael goes from Manchester, where Bradshaw was born, to Chesterfield , the burial place of George Stephenson, the father of the railway. He's guided by his Bradshaw's from London's Euston to Leeds and then travels from Southampton to Wolverhampton where he hears Queen Victoria made an emotional visit. Then he goes from Norwich to Chichester and a taste of life in the fast lane at Goodwood.