Great British Railway Journeys

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

Railway Adventures Across Australia

Railway adventures across Australia follows the exploits of Scott McGregor on his quest to find the famous, unusual and unique trains and stories at the end of the line.

EKIBEN JAPAN

"Ekiben" are lunch boxes sold at train stations enjoyed during train journeys which are filled with the charm of each region of Japan! Let's embark on a journey to encounter a selection of lunch boxes from all over Japan!

The World's Most Beautiful Railway

Scotland's rail network crosses a landscape voted the best in the world. This series follows the staff and enthusiasts safeguarding these iconic routes.

La passion des trains

The Railway: Keeping Britain On Track

Documentary series revealing the inner workings of Britain's railways, introducing the track-workers, train guards, drivers, police officers and management teams determined to keep the country moving.

Great Continental Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide.

Secrets of the Railways

These are the Secrets of the Railways, railroads constructed during turbulent periods and associated with mankind's ugliest deeds.

Railways of the Great War with Michael Portillo

Michael Portillo examines the role of the railways in World War I and travels through Britain and Europe uncovering stories from the Great War.

On the Rails of the Double Headed Eagle

The railway age in the Austrian Empire began with the construction of the horse-drawn railway from Linz to Budweis. Plans soon followed to connect the imperial capital of Vienna with the iron and coal deposits in northern Moravia and with the port city of Trieste. In 1837 the Kaiser Ferdinands Nordbahn was opened, in 1857 the Semmeringbahn planned by Karl Ritter von Ghega, overcoming one of the most difficult obstacles on the way to the Adriatic. The crossing of the Alps by train, such as over the Arlberg or the Brenner, is still considered a unique engineering masterpiece. The expansion of the railway network brought epochal changes. Goods and people circulated on an unprecedented scale – life accelerated. It had succeeded in connecting the northern crown lands such as Silesia or Bohemia and Moravia with Carinthia, Tyrol or the coastal region.

Amazing Train Journeys

Railroad Alaska

Following an elite crew of workers-- brakemen, engineers, construction crews, mechanics and train drivers – Railroad Alaska illustrates the battle against ferocious weather and treacherous terrain to keep the State of Alaska’s critical 500-mile long railroad rolling to deliver life sustaining supplies. From controlled avalanches to prevent catastrophe, to fascinating characters, like Jim James, the one-handed handy man, learn what it takes to keep this train on track.

Jonathan Phang's Gourmet Trains

The mere mention of the Orient Express brings to mind evocative images of opulent carriages, stylish passengers and thrilling destinations all wrapped up in the romance of train travel. Jonathan Phang, a self-confessed bon viveur with a passion for gastronomy, feels the allure of old world glamour and sets off on a gourmet journey crossing continents aboard some of the world’s most elegant trains. Along the way he stops off in extraordinary culinary destinations, such as Venice, Paris and Istanbul to explore some modern fine dining. However, it is aboard the fabulous trains that Jonathan truly tests the old adage that sometimes it can be better to travel than to arrive.

Des trains pas comme les autres

Great Railway Adventures with Dan Cruickshank

Climb up on the footplate and join historian and host Dan Cruickshank for a railway adventure like no other as he investigates how trains helped shape modern Britain. This three-part series resurrects an exhilarating age and kicks off by focusing on the railways' role in defeating Hitler, before unearthing the incredible engineering achievements of Isambard Brunel and embarking on a trip on the earliest steam engines.

Gulag, the Story

A major political, historical, human and economic fact of the 20th century, the Gulag, the extremely punitive Soviet concentration camp system, remains largely unknown.

Ian Hislop's Trains That Changed the World

How four iconic British-built trains revolutionised rail travel and inspired incredible railway projects the world over.

David Jason: Planes, Trains and Automobiles

In this five-part series, comedy legend Sir David Jason hits the West Coast of the USA. He’s on a revealing and entertaining journey of a lifetime by planes, trains and automobiles, discovering the machines that made America and changed the world.

Griff's Great Australian Rail Trip

British comedian and travel enthusiast Griff Rhys Jones hops on some of Australia's most impressive long distance trains, travelling across the expansive outback and along spectacular coastlines.

InterCity 125: The Train That Saved Britain's Railways

Intercity 125 – Britain's own original high-speed train – rules the rails today, but this national icon is set to give way to hi-tech imports. It's time to celebrate the heroic story of a design classic that saved Britain's railways from terminal decline.