Great British Railway Journeys Series 9 02of15 Letchworth Garden City to Herne Hill

Michael Portillo fast tracks to the early 20th century to embark on a new series of railway journeys through Edwardian Britain. His ‘new’ guide book, published over a hundred years ago, unlocks Britain’s railways at their zenith, when some 20,000 miles of track reached into every corner of the country. Michael navigates a vibrant and optimistic Britain, at the height of its power and influence in the world, but a nation wrestling with political, social and industrial unrest at home.

Part 2: Letchworth Garden City to Herne Hill
Michael joins a garden party where a fourth-generation citizen of Letchworth introduces him to the city’s community spirit. Heading into the capital, Michael discovers a favoured haunt of King Edward VII and samples the monarch’s favourite tipple, the King’s Ginger, invented to keep him warm in his horseless carriage.

Improvements to the London Underground in the early 20th century gave us a network of electric railways, which shaped our modern capital. Inside London’s newest rail tunnel, Michael meets engineer Jonathan Cooper to discover more about current improvements to London’s oldest deep-level tube line, the Northern line, which is being extended.