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• ‘A colourful insight into Britain over the last 150 years’ – National Geographic Traveller
• ‘The train…has transcended mere utility to become an icon. The history of Britain’s on-off affair with the train is a history of Britain itself' – Lonely Planet Magazine
Product Description
The perfect companion to Bradshaw’s guide book. Showcasing in colour all that is great about Bradshaw’s guide.
Great British Railway Journeys has been a hugely successful TV programme, which is now into its third series on BBC2. Much as Michael Palin built up a dedicated fan base for travel around the globe, so Michael Portillo has done likewise for lovers of trains in his explorations the length and breadth of the United Kingdom from the window of a train seat.
Both charming and insightful, Michael again uses Bradshaw’s guides, and now undertakes five unique journeys that were constructed by the Victorians from 1830-1900. Across 25 episodes he delves into this fascinating and colourful period of our history, and show how the modern British landscape was created from this Victorian legacy. From Windsor to Weymouth, Great Yarmouth to London, Oxford to Milford Haven, Berwick to Barrow, and finally Dublin to Belfast – Michael will go back in time to showcase areas of outstanding Victorian engineering and design across Queen Victoria’s dominions. Key parts of the programme and tie-in book will showcase how the world's very first fixed-track train in Merthyr Tydfil operated; how the world's first electric train service ran in Southend to its famous pier; and he also celebrates the wide variety of lines that opened up trade and mobility to the Victorian classes.
Travelling on a variety of existing, and in some cases restored, Victorian train lines, he meets their passionate supporters who lovingly work on them, and also looks at the modern landscape to tell the story of how each area was shaped by their Victorian forebears. Lavishly produced, this will once again be a 'must have' purchase for all train lovers, as well as those who simply want to find out their heritage and what is now available to view and travel upon in the 21st century to transport them back in time.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I am an avid fan of the BBC series with Michael Portillo - this current third series is a real treat, and I bought the first tie-in book. This sequel is even better. I think the quality of the design and photographs are of a higher quality and it's great to have anecdotal text that relates to the five journeys Michael Portillo is undertaking, it really helps to get a better idea of how each journey came into being, as well as how it was viewed by the Victorians themselves. There are more Bradshaw related maps and some very revealing quotes from his travel guide that I found really insightful and thus saved time from scouring through the many facsimiles that are out there of his original book. I now have all related books to this show, and this new one is a beauty and I'd recommend all lovers of the history of our railways to see what they think too.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is inspired by Bradshaw's 1866 tourist handbook and quotes from it regularly, noting that some places formerly regarded as worth visiting by tourists (such as Gravesend) later slipped off the tourist agenda, while others (such as Cornwall and Bournemouth) that didn't appeal to tourists in 1866 became more appealing. The five main chapters each cover one supposed journey, but within these chapters the contents are mostly about the places along the route - and some places that aren't anywhere near the route. The actual railway content varies from one chapter to another, so this book is likely to appeal more to those who are interested in Victorian England and Ireland (with a bit of Wales) than dedicated railway fans.
The chapter I was most looking forward to most was the one covering the journey from Berwick to the Isle of Man, and while I enjoyed it, the contents were curious given the title of the book. Much space was devoted to early railway developments including the Stockton and Darlington, the Liverpool and Manchester, Thomas Cook's pioneering railway tour packages and London's 1951 exhibition, most of which involved places off the chosen route, and sometimes not anywhere near it. Meanwhile, the book didn't have a lot to say about many of the places served by the route. When I lived in Newcastle, I enjoyed heading northwards into Northumberland, or westwards to see Hexham or the Roman wall. Scant mention is made of Northumberland, and there is nothing about any of the places between Newcastle and Carlisle, not even the Roman wall. Coverage of Berwick and Newcastle is mainly limited to the bridges, which I agree are magnificent. The rest of this particular journey does tend to say more about the places on the route, but as the chapter is supposed to be about a journey from Berwick to the Isle of Man, the contents seem a little strange.
Other chapters tended to stick more closely to the journey's route, though they also offer plenty of surprises in their choice of subjects covered, It seems that the author has a fascination for murders, as she describes the case of Thomas Briggs, the first person murdered on a train, as well as an earlier case in which a murderer escaped on a train but the police were alerted by railway telegraph and were waiting for the train's arrival at the destination. I actually own Mr Briggs' Hat: A Sensational Account of Britain's First Railway Murder, but it's one of many unread books awaiting my attention.
The author also mentions Mrs Beeton, the celebrity cook of the Victorian era. The piece here is very different from the one that I read in The Story of Your Life: A History of "The Sporting Life" Newspaper (1859-1998). Karen Harrington mentions speculation about Mrs Beeton copying recipes rather than creating them, but the other book's author seemed in no doubt that she copied at least some of them. If there isn't a biography of this woman currently in print, there should be as there is obviously plenty of interest in her.
I found the Irish chapter particularly interesting, although it also strays far beyond the basic theme. Is that the Byerley Turk (famous in the horse racing world) in the picture of the cavalry charge at the Battle of the Boyne? Perhaps not, but he took part in it. The potato famine also gets a mention, with the author pointing out that while the railways helped to gave a much-needed boost to Ireland's prosperity, they also made it easy for people to emigrate.
There is so much that this book has to offer, although those who are only interested in the railway aspects will get less out of it than those who enjoy reading about Victorian industrial progress. Being interested in both, I'm not complaining, except perhaps about the title.
The chapter I was most looking forward to most was the one covering the journey from Berwick to the Isle of Man, and while I enjoyed it, the contents were curious given the title of the book. Much space was devoted to early railway developments including the Stockton and Darlington, the Liverpool and Manchester, Thomas Cook's pioneering railway tour packages and London's 1951 exhibition, most of which involved places off the chosen route, and sometimes not anywhere near it. Meanwhile, the book didn't have a lot to say about many of the places served by the route. When I lived in Newcastle, I enjoyed heading northwards into Northumberland, or westwards to see Hexham or the Roman wall. Scant mention is made of Northumberland, and there is nothing about any of the places between Newcastle and Carlisle, not even the Roman wall. Coverage of Berwick and Newcastle is mainly limited to the bridges, which I agree are magnificent. The rest of this particular journey does tend to say more about the places on the route, but as the chapter is supposed to be about a journey from Berwick to the Isle of Man, the contents seem a little strange.
Other chapters tended to stick more closely to the journey's route, though they also offer plenty of surprises in their choice of subjects covered, It seems that the author has a fascination for murders, as she describes the case of Thomas Briggs, the first person murdered on a train, as well as an earlier case in which a murderer escaped on a train but the police were alerted by railway telegraph and were waiting for the train's arrival at the destination. I actually own Mr Briggs' Hat: A Sensational Account of Britain's First Railway Murder, but it's one of many unread books awaiting my attention.
The author also mentions Mrs Beeton, the celebrity cook of the Victorian era. The piece here is very different from the one that I read in The Story of Your Life: A History of "The Sporting Life" Newspaper (1859-1998). Karen Harrington mentions speculation about Mrs Beeton copying recipes rather than creating them, but the other book's author seemed in no doubt that she copied at least some of them. If there isn't a biography of this woman currently in print, there should be as there is obviously plenty of interest in her.
I found the Irish chapter particularly interesting, although it also strays far beyond the basic theme. Is that the Byerley Turk (famous in the horse racing world) in the picture of the cavalry charge at the Battle of the Boyne? Perhaps not, but he took part in it. The potato famine also gets a mention, with the author pointing out that while the railways helped to gave a much-needed boost to Ireland's prosperity, they also made it easy for people to emigrate.
There is so much that this book has to offer, although those who are only interested in the railway aspects will get less out of it than those who enjoy reading about Victorian industrial progress. Being interested in both, I'm not complaining, except perhaps about the title.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Welcome reminder of the glory days of trains. Excellent tie-in to the TV series and makes a great gift. Timely look at how today's landscape was shaped by our Victorian forebears with the papers full of the pros and cons of the HS2 rail link.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Railways yesterday and to 2day
Very much looked forward to receiving this book after the excellent TV Series. Plenty more historic and interesting facts are given. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Gill
Great Victorian Railway Journeys (book)
I am a keen railway enthusiast and have a large collection of UK and Ireland railway books. I work as a signalman so both my work and hobby are interlinked. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ian Grainger
Compendium of unconsidered trifles
I think the title says it all: this is a very personal book , based on Michael's experiences. And they seem uniformly good - understandable, I suppose, when you're swanning round... Read more
Published 3 months ago by D. A. JOHN WASE
Great Victorina railway Journeys
This book was apresent but I understand it was very good. It was delovered in good time for the occasion.
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. A. Knight
superb book, superb value
This book is one of the best books about railways to be published in a long time. I would recommend it to anyone who has the slightest interest in railways
Published 3 months ago by Mr. R. Gill
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