The 14th series of Michael Portillo’s popular documentary series Great British Railway Journeys recently began on BBC 2 – and drops into the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.
Featuring idyllic scenery, railway history, fascinating locations and interesting people, in this series Michael is taking a personal journey by exploring the Britain of his youth. He is a ‘boomer’, born in the decade after the end of the Second World War, and recalls the optimism of rebuilding a nation exhausted by conflict. He relives the agony and ecstasy of British Rail, its modernisation and transition from steam to diesel, and how Britain was shaped by the new society and culture emerging in postwar Britain. He also explores the eras of Beeching and Barbara Castle and their influence on Britain’s transport infrastructure.
In one episode, he visits the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway and takes a trip from Broadway to Cheltenham behind resident Class 47 diesel No. 47105. This episode is scheduled to be broadcast on Thursday, July 20 at 6.30pm.
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