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The Day That Changed the World

Michael Portillo's 200 Years of the RailwaysSeries 1
Episode 1 of 2

Railway enthusiast Michael Portillo leads a landmark journey through 200 years of rail, marking the moment Britain’s modern railway was born.

Railway enthusiast Michael Portillo follows the route of the pioneering Stockton and Darlington Railway in north east England - the world’s first public railway to carry fee-paying passengers using steam locomotives. He learns how the Stockton and Darlington proved that railways could work - sparking a transport revolution across Britain and beyond.

He visits key locations in the story of this pioneering railway, including the town of Shildon, from where the train hauled by Locomotion No.1 set off in 1825; Bishop Auckland, where he joins thousands at a spectacular outdoor show to launch the 200th anniversary and drives a replica of the original train; and the Tyne and Wear Metro, where he discovers a new fleet transforming travel in north east England.

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58 minutes

Last on

Fri 3 Oct 202508:00
BBC Two

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How the Railways Changed BritainSeries 1

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Credits

PresenterMichael Portillo
DirectorAnthony Holland
Executive ProducerJohn Comerford
Executive ProducerAlison Kreps
Production CompanyFremantle

Broadcasts

  • Tue 16 Sep 202520:00
    BBC Two
  • Sat 20 Sep 202518:30
    BBC Two except Northern Ireland & Northern Ireland HD
  • Fri 3 Oct 202508:00
    BBC Two

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