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Faversham to Chatham

Michael's adventure nears its end on the north Kent coast. In Faversham, he gets out onto the water in the last sailing barge to work on the Thames.

Michael Portillo’s railway adventure zig-zagging the coasts of the English Channel and the Thames estuary nears its end on the north Kent coast. The pretty and historic town of Faversham is Michael’s first stop and an opportunity to get out on to the water in the last sailing barge to work on the Thames.

Michael spends the night in a cosy cabin on the 3,300-acre Elmley Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey. At Queenborough, Michael visits one of the island’s three prisons, HMP Standford Hill, to hear about its emphasis on rehabilitation.

The historic town of Chatham on the Medway River is Michael’s next stop. In its dockyard, warships were built to battle the Armada, HMS Victory was constructed and, during the 20th century, submarines such as HMS Ocelot were launched.

29 minutes

Credits

RoleContributor
PresenterMichael Portillo
DirectorCelestino Ingrao
Series EditorAlison Kreps
Executive ProducerJohn Comerford
Production CompanyFremantle

Broadcasts

  • Fri 26 Apr 202418:30
  • Thu 1 Aug 202406:30
  • Sat 20 Sep 202518:00
  • Sun 21 Sep 202517:40

Steam railway programmes on BBC iPlayer

Steam railway programmes on BBC iPlayer

A collection of programmes from the BBC archives on the beauty of steam locomotives.