The BEST episodes of Great British Railway Journeys season 2
Every episode of Great British Railway Journeys season 2, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Great British Railway Journeys season 2!
Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Railway Guidebook. Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways have changed it, and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains.
#1 - Brighton to Crystal Palace
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/3/2011
Michael finds out about Brighton's Victorian aquarium
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#2 - Dereham to Cromer
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/7/2011
Michael gets the rare chance to drive a heritage diesel train.
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#3 - Oban to Corrour
Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 2/2/2011
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
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#4 - Roybridge to Glenfinnan
Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 2/3/2011
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
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#5 - Dumbarton to Tyndrum
Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired 2/1/2011
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
#6 - Canterbury to Margate
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/26/2011
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.
#7 - Ayr to Paisley
Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 1/31/2011
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
#8 - Sandwich to Folkestone
Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 1/27/2011
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
#9 - Lochailort to Skye
Season 2 - Episode 25 - Aired 2/4/2011
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
#10 - Hythe to Hastings
Season 2 - Episode 20 - Aired 1/28/2011
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
#11 - Telford to Wrexham
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/11/2011
Michael explores historic Chirk castle and has a go at making traditional Cheshire cheese.
#12 - Chester to Conwy
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/12/2011
Michael visits Chester's Roman remains and goes mussel fishing on the Conwy estuary.
#13 - Llanberis to Holyhead
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/14/2011
Michael takes the train to the top of Wales's highest peak, Mount Snowdon.
#14 - York to Saltaire
Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/19/2011
Michael Portillo takes a Turkish bath in the famous spa town of Harrogate.
#15 - Waterloo to Canary Wharf
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/4/2011
2/25. Michael explores the changing fortunes of London's docks.
#16 - Durham to Grosmont
Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/18/2011
Michael Portillo visits the historic Durham Cathedral and takes a Dracula tour in Whitby.
#17 - Ely to King's Lynn
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/6/2011
Michael goes fishing with the last eel trapper on the Fens at Ely.
#18 - Ledbury to Shrewsbury
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/10/2011
Michael visits the world's first iron-framed building in Shrewsbury.
#19 - Llanrwst to Porthmadog
Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/13/2011
Michael visits the Victorian slate capital of Blaenau Ffestiniog in the Conwy valley.
#20 - Batley to Sheffield
Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/20/2011
Michael Portillo finds out about shoddy, a successful 19th-century recycling industry.
#21 - London Bridge to Chatham
Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/24/2011
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
#22 - Aylesford to Tunbridge Wells
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/25/2011
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
#23 - Enfield to Cambridge
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/5/2011
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.
#24 - Langley Mill to Melton Mowbray
Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/21/2011
Michael finds out how trains transformed the traditional British sport of fox hunting.
#25 - Newcastle to Chester-le-Street
Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/17/2011
Michael Portillo visits the first locomotive factory in the world.