Tag: Great British Railway Journeys

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 15/07/2023

Rylan on Saturday (BBC Radio 2 | 2:00pm to 4:00pm | Saturday 15th July 2023) ** LISTEN OF THE WEEK **

Music and guests. Features include Dance Floor Diaries, White Lies, Winning at Life, Celebrate Good Times and the Couch Potatoes quiz. Plus, a catch-up with Mummy Linda to see what she’s stolen from his house over the past month. And Rylan gives out boarding passes to Rybiza.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 17th July 2023)

Derby to Hinckley. Series 14, episode 11. Michael Portillo begins a journey from the Midlands to the West Country, beginning in Derby, where he visits the city’s famous 19th-century railway works. In Leicester he looks back to the early 1970s, when around 10,000 Asians arrived in the city after being expelled from Uganda by the dictator Idi Amin. He also hears how meat rationing during the Second World War led to the birth of Walkers crisps, still produced in the city.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 18th July 2023)

Coventry to Leamington Spa. Series 14, episode 12. Michael Portillo’s railway journey through the Midlands and West Country takes him to Coventry, where he recalls the destruction by the German Luftwaffe of the city’s gothic cathedral in November 1940. He visits the factory of the London Electric Vehicle Company, manufacturers of the iconic London taxi, and then heads south to Royal Leamington Spa and the national centre for the Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Secrets of the London Underground (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 18th July 2023) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

Green Park. Series 3, episode 3. Tim Dunn and Siddy Holloway are heading to a stunning station you won’t find on modern-day tube maps – Dover Street, now known as Green Park.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 19th July 2023)

Long Itchington to Moseley. Series 14, episode 13. Michael Portillo reaches Warwickshire, where he gets a glimpse of the work being done for the new HS2 railway infrastructure. In Stratford-upon-Avon he learns about the founding of the Royal Shakespeare Company, before a visit to Birmingham, where he recalls the redevelopment of the city centre during the 1960s and the arrival of black and Asian communities.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 20th July 2023)

Wolverhampton to Cheltenham. Series 14, episode 14. Michael Portillo stops in Wolverhampton, where he finds out about the impact of Enoch Powell’s 1968 speech. He also visits Kingsford Country Park on the outskirts of Kidderminster, investigates pigeon-racing in Worcester, and eventually looks into Cheltenham’s jazz festival.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 21st July 2023)

Tewkesbury to Filton. Series 14, episode 15. From Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, Michael Portillo heads to the castle of Eastnor at the foot of the Malvern Hills. He also visits Coleford in the Forest of Dean, Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, and Bristol Temple Meads. From there he heads to Filton to investigate the centre of Britain’s post-war aviation industry.

Inside Greggs: 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 21st July 2023)

Part two of two. Grace Dent is given access to Greggs’ secret innovation centre at their HQ in Newcastle, getting a sneak preview of their new product ranges. She is also let loose on some muffin making which has the potential to go horribly wrong when Grace takes charge of piping the jam.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 21st July 2023)

Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker are joined by guests Tim Minchin and Judi Love for a comic review of the significant moments of the past seven days. As usual, the hashtag #isitok paves the way for the gang to round up, examine and explain the leading and most entertaining news stories of the week.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 22/05/2021

Call the Midwife (BBC1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 23rd May 2021) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

Trixie stirs up controversy in the community when she speaks out on behalf of a patient who is pregnant with her fifth child, but whose personal life is far from stable. Dr Turner and Sister Frances try to help a woman who is refusing medical treatment through the last weeks of her pregnancy, and Nancy reveals a secret about her background that could threaten her relationship with Nonnatus House.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 24th May 2021)

Chislehurst to Kennington. Series 13, episode 6.
Michael Portillo continues his travels in Greater London, beginning on its south-eastern fringe in the village of Chislehurst and ending up in Kennington to learn about the childhood of Charlie Chaplin.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 25th May 2021)

Michael Portillo continues his travels through the capital in the heart of London’s East End. First, Michael explores Hackney Wick, where he hears about The Daily Worker newspaper’s origins, before heading to London’s West End to hunt down London’s oldest surviving Indian restaurant, Veeraswamy. Here, he tries his hand at making chapatis, under the watchful eye of the restaurant’s master chef.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 26th May 2021)

Michael Portillo continues his travels through London in Hampstead, where he learns more about the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, who fled the Austrian capital of Vienna during the Second World War and made his way London. Then, Michael pays a visit to the famous Abbey Road Studios, before making his way to Finsbury and touring the innovative and sculptural housing development, Bevin Court.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 27th May 2021)

Michael tracks the River Thames from east to west. Starting in Dagenham, he finishes this leg of his tour at one of London’s most iconic buildings, Battersea Power Station, built during the 1930s by Giles Gilbert Scott.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 15/05/2021

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 16th May 2021) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

Sister Julienne is concerned when a toddler displays troubling symptoms, while an overly protective mother struggles to cope with her daughter’s teenage pregnancy and is insistent on keeping it low key, much to the frustration of new Pupil Midwife Nancy.

Titanic: Into the Heart of the Wreck (Channel 4/HD | 7:30pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 16th May 2021)

Capturing the underwater odyssey of the greatest Titanic expeditions and the evolution of the most scrutinised shipwreck in the world. From the epic discovery of the wreck by a French-American team in 1985 to the exploratory missions led by James Cameron, who managed to light the wreck scene like a Hollywood film set and venture inside the ship thanks to remote-controlled robots, this documentary captures the unequalled thrill of those extreme dives.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 17th May 2021)

Michael Portillo takes a trip in a Second World War Spitfire above Biggin Hill aerodrome, and takes the train to East Grinstead on the trail of Winnie the Pooh. He also visits Plaw Hatch Farm, 200 acres of community-owned farmland that operates biodynamically according to principles first laid out in the 1920s.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 18th May 2021)

Michael Portillo arrives in Hassocks and makes his way to the beautiful Sussex village of Ditchling, where a Roman Catholic community of artists once made their home. Next, he visits the seaside town of Bexhill-on-Sea, before the Kent and East Sussex heritage railway conveys Michael from Bodiam Castle through the scenic Rother Valley to Tenterden, and finally arrives in the village of Benenden.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 19th May 2021)

Michael Portillo follows his 1930s Bradshaw’s guide to the unspoilt East Sussex port of Rye, where he learns about the loss of a generation of lifeboatmen in 1928. On the beaches at Rye, Michael explores one of 28,000 pillboxes constructed around the British coastline during the Second World War, before boarding the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway to Dungeness.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 20th May 2021)

From the Kent Cinque Port of Deal, Michael Portillo heads to Walmer Castle, home during the 1920s to Lord Beauchamp, whose openly homosexual lifestyle led to his exile from the country. And in Margate, Michael discovers the connection to TS Eliot.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 21st May 2021)

Michael Portillo reaches the Kent seaside resort of Herne Bay, where he learns about a pioneering aviatrix who began her working life as a typist in Hull. In the seaside town of Whitstable, he tucks into its famous staple, oysters. Michael later crosses the North Downs to Lenham, and visits Leeds Castle.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 08/05/2021

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 9th May 2021) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

The nation is in the grip of World Cup fever in 1966, and Fred has placed a risky accumulator bet on the outcome of the final which he starts to regret as the big match draws near. Nonnatus House awaits the arrival of four new pupil midwives, Dr Turner and Nurse Crane discover a 17-year-old boy is harbouring a desperate secret, and Cyril and Lucille’s relationship continues to blossom.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 10th May 2021)

Michael Portillo visits Crewe, a town steeped in railway history, to investigate the making of cinema classic The Night Mail during the 1930s. He then heads to Chester to discover the interwar origins of Britain’s most popular zoo, then goes across the border to the Welsh village of Gresford, scene of one of Britain’s worst mining disasters.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 11th May 2021)

Michael Portillo’s 1930s Bradshaw’s-inspired railway tour continues in north Wales. In Colwyn Bay, Michael hears how an army of civil servants from the Ministries of Food and Agriculture in London invaded the quiet seaside town, before visiting an amusement park in the holiday resort of Rhyl. Crossing the Menai Strait by the Britannia Bridge, Michael arrives on Anglesey and the elegant seat of the Marquesses of the island.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 12th May 2021)

Michael Portillo continues his 1936 Bradshaw’s-inspired railway tour of north Wales. He begins in the coastal city of Bangor, where he hears how, when war broke out in September 1939, 2,000 children from the cities of northern England were evacuated by train to north Wales. Heading inland alongside the River Conwy, Michael reaches Tal y Cafn, before investigating the worst dam disaster in Welsh history in Dolgarrog. Finally in Betws y Coed, he attempts to climb one of Snowdonia’s lesser peaks.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 13th May 2021)

In the Welsh mountains of Snowdonia, Michael Portillo reaches an abandoned mine with an art-related history. He also explores the harbour town of Porthmadog, and the fantasy village Portmeirion, crafted by architect Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis, and made famous by The Prisoner TV series.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC2 /HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 14th May 2021)

In the elegant coastal town of Aberystwyth, Michael Portillo visits the National Library of Wales, set high on a hill with views over Cardigan Bay. His tour of North Wales draws to a close in style at the birthplace of the nation’s first classical music festival, Gregynog Hall, near Newtown.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 11/01/2020

Silent Witness - 13-01-2020 - YouView appHow the Victorians Built Britain (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Saturday 11th January 2020)

Michael Buerk learns how the Victorians built the biggest, fastest, most technologically advanced ships in the world, which helped the nation to dominate the high seas. In Portsmouth, he boards Queen Victoria’s flagship HMS Warrior to reveal surprising construction secrets and the ways the ship kept the peace in international waters, before following in Brunel’s footsteps aboard his luxury steamer SS Great Britain.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 12th January 2020)

A woman is caught stealing milk from Nonnatus House, but she pleads for mercy from sisters Julienne and Monica Joan, explaining that she has been stealing milk as she is pregnant. As Sister Julienne learns more about her, she is convinced that this woman needs help becoming the mother she wants to be. Meanwhile, Dr Turner puzzles over a mysterious string of symptoms, and the blossoming romance between Miss Higgins and Sgt Woolf is thrown into jeopardy. Starring Jenny Agutter and Stephen McGann.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 13th January 2020)

Michael Portillo explores the West Country between the wars, setting off from the Cornish seaside resort of St Ives and ending his first in the former mining village of St Day.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 13th January 2020)

Part one of two. When a body is found in a field near the village of Hartford, Nikki and the Lyell team confirm it is that of missing teenager Jason Forbes. Working to the theory that most killers strike close to home, ambitious DCI Claire Ashby is committed to proving the guilt of her main suspect and sets her sights firmly on local locksmith Malcolm Wilde. Forensic crime drama, starring Emilia Fox, Richard Lintern, David Caves and Liz Carr, with Sophia Di Martino, Robert Pugh and Phil Davis.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 14th January 2020)

Michael Portillo visits Cornwall’s county town, Truro, heading to the historic estate of Trewithen, whose gardens were stocked from China by professional plant hunters commissioned by its owner. The Atlantic Coast branch line carries Michael north to Newquay, where he discovers a pioneering surfer and braves the waves on a belly board. In the nearby village of St Mawgan, Michael is introduced to the ancient Cornish sport of `wrassling”, which surged in popularity between the wars as part of a Cornish Celtic revival.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 15th January 2020)

Michael Portillo reaches Bodmin en route to Totnes, as he explores the West Country from St Ives to Salisbury Plain. Out on the rugged moor, Michael hears how the celebrated author Daphne du Maurier captivated readers between the wars with her tales of smuggling at the Jamaica Inn. In Devon, Michael takes the plunge at Plymouth’s beautiful art deco Tinside Lido, while at Ivybridge, he boards a vehicle like no other to cross the causeway to Burgh Island, where a 1930s playboy built a splendid art deco party palace.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 15th January 2020)

Part two of two. Investigating the murder of missing teenager Jason Forbes, Nikki and the Lyell team are forced to question police methods, as DCI Claire Ashby seems more concerned with building the case against her main suspect. With pressure building on the police to secure a conviction, the team must fight to ensure that inconvenient truths are not overlooked.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 16th January 2020)

Michael Portillo arrives in Paignton, south Devon, where the Dartmouth Steam Railway takes him to the home of Agatha Christie, in the company of her great-grandson James Prichard.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 16th January 2020)

DI Jack Mooney and the team are called to a workshop where acclaimed artist Donna Harman has been found dead. Suspicion immediately falls on the three people closest to the crime scene, but with no one entering the workshop between the time the victim returned to start on her next painting and being found dead, the scene paints a tricky picture. Only a solitary drink can seems to hold the answer, but matters are complicated when Donna’s art dealer and an art collector enter the fray. Meanwhile, Jack is confused by his blossoming feelings for Anna. Whodunit, starring Ardal O’Hanlon, with Nina Wadia, Barbara Flynn, Louise Brealey and Vivienne Acheampong.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 17th January 2020)

Michael Portillo crosses the county line from Devon into Somerset, seeing first-hand how willow farmers sought to overcome the challenge from the production of synthetic plastics during the 1930s and hearing how tourism has spread across the region, especially amongst the young. In Bath, Michael visits the former home of a refugee emperor, whose country was invaded by the Italian dictator Mussolini, and in whose name a religious movement began that now flourishes worldwide. Travelling east into Wiltshire, he reaches the largest training area of the British Army, Salisbury Plain.

Secret Scotland (Channel 5/HD 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 17th January 2020)

Susan explores the city of Glasgow, and in its oldest building, Glasgow Cathedral, she discovers a seat fit for only a Queen. The comedian learns how centuries of craftsmen left their mark on the building. Donning her hard hat and climbing to the top, she is also given the opportunity to leave her own. Then it’s onto the home of Scottish football to meet the only Scot ever to have won a football world cup, before taking on the pros to score a goal herself at Hampden Park.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 04/01/2020

How the Victorians Built Britain (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Saturday 4th January 2020)

Michael Buerk returns with more stories of how Britain was transformed during the Victorian era, beginning by looking at the development of the railway network during the era. Michael hops on board an original Victorian locomotive at Tanfield Railway and discovers the role this former coal track played in the development of the national railway. He also learns about Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s bid to secure Bristol’s future, and his creation of the fastest engine in the world.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 5th January 2020)

The return of the period drama about midwives and nurses in London’s East End, picking up the story in January 1965. After dealing with a power cut at the maternity home, Fred follows an unusual sound and finds a newborn baby abandoned in a dustbin. Meanwhile, Dr Turner and Nurse Crane must deal with an alarming outbreak of diphtheria, and Sister Julienne receives news of an ambitious redevelopment programme that potentially threatens Nonnatus House. Starring Jenny Agutter and Stephen McGann.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 6th January 2020)

Armed with an interwar Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo explores the Britain of the 1930s as he sets out on another adventure. Beginning just outside Newcastle in Jarrow, Michael uncovers the desperation that led 200 men to march 300 miles to Westminster in order to petition the government for work. The first leg of his journey ends Spennymoor, Co Durham, where he meets the son of a miner who became one of the most famous 20th-century artists of the region.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 7th January 2020)

Michael Portillo is in Northumbria en route to the Highlands, heading to Kielder Forest to discover what lay behind a national initiative to plant one of the largest manmade woodlands in Europe. Crossing the border to Scotland, Michael arrives in the weaving town of Hawick to visit Lovat Mill, where, in the 1930s, tweed was big business, and also goes to the movies, sitting in the front stalls at the Dominion cinema in Morningside.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 7th January 2020)

Part one of two. Nikki is called in when a private jet crashes in a forest outside London, and finds herself forced to be the bearer of bad news when she learns that the casualties include a former US ambassador who is also an old friend of Matt’s. Meanwhile, Thomas investigates the suspicious suicide of a successful businessman, and uncovers an unexpected connection to the plane crash – which suggests the two cases are linked, and that the plane may have been deliberately sabotaged as part of a coordinated attack.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 8th January 2020)

Michael Portillo reaches the Westerglen Transmitting Station in Falkirk, before visiting Gleneagles and Berry Town on route to his final stop on this leg, the city of Dundee.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 8th January 2020)

Part two of two. Nikki and the Lyell team continue to investigate the plane crash, ruling out an explosion and engine failure. The investigation takes a turn when they discover a connection to a sinister online forum. Meanwhile, Nikki’s partner Matt is grieving following the death of his close friend, putting their relationship under strain. Starring Emilia Fox, David Caves and Richard Lintern.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 9th January 2020)

Michael Portillo travels from Dundee to Aberdeen, stopping off at Glamis Castle, where the Queen Mother grew up, and making an excursion into the Eastern Highlands.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 9th January 2020)

The return of the whodunit set on the Caribbean island of Saint Marie, where the sun shines all day and it seems half the residents are killers-in-waiting. And so it appears this week as the locals set out to celebrate the New Year – only for the festivities to be cut short when a masked man stabs a woman in her own home, providing Detective Inspector Jack Mooney and his team with yet another murder to solve. Ardal O’Hanlon stars as the Irish detective – although as has been widely reported, he will soon be leaving the lead role – with guest appearances by Adrian Edmondson, Nina Wadia and Samuel West.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 10th January 2020)

Michael Portillo is at Elgin’s port, the coastal town of Lossiemouth, where the Labour Party’s first prime minister James Ramsay MacDonald was born. Nearby, Michael finds a remote boarding school established in the 1930s and famous today both for its unusual ideas and its royal former pupils. His penultimate stop is Inverness, where he uncovers the work of female photographer MEM Donaldson, who documented a Highland way of life that was rapidly disappearing. Michael’s journey ends at Loch Ness, where he joins a Deep Scan research team scouring the deep for signs of the elusive monster.

Secret Scotland (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 10th January 2020)

The comedian traverses the North Coast 500, a 500-mile trip around the northernmost parts of mainland Britain. Beginning in the village of Golspie, Susan travels round the coast to Dunrobin Castle. There, she sees the 189-room property’s clock tower inspired by Big Ben, as well as its very own private train station. Further up the coast, Susan visits the Whaligoe steps, stunningly carved into the dramatic landscape, before getting a taste of the work of a real-life `herring girl”. After stopping off at John O’ Groats, the presenter heads to Dunnet Head for a spot of puffin-watching.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 13/01/2018

The Coronation (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 14th January 2018)

Marking the 65th anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen’s coronation, the Queen shares her memories of the ceremony, as well as that of her father, King George VI, in 1937. Viewing rarely seen film footage and looking at some of the priceless Crown Jewels themselves, Her Majesty the Queen recalls the day when the weight of both the St Edward’s Crown, and the hopes of a nation recovering from war, were placed on her shoulders, as the nation looked to their 27-year-old Queen to lead them into a new era. Exploring the role and symbolic meaning of the Crown Jewels in the centuries-old coronation ceremony, this programme shows these objects of astonishing beauty as they’ve never been seen before. Using the Crown Jewels and the Queen’s recollections as its touchstones, The Coronation tells the inside story of this glittering ceremony.

The Biggest Little Railway in the World (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 14th January 2018)

Dick Strawbridge and a team of model railway enthusiasts attempt to build the longest model railway in the world, 71 miles across Scotland, from Fort William to Inverness. As the little train starts the first part of its epic journey, it becomes clear exactly how difficult the challenge will be. The team’s attempt to use the miniature train ferry that they’ve built doesn’t go well, with the train drifting towards a wall of water… Meanwhile, the track teams are battling in rainy and midge-infested conditions to lay more track. And the build team have to work out how to span a 60-metre viaduct by Aberchalder Bridge. It could flood at any point, so they decide to build another viaduct, but the sheer length of it makes it very challenging. And the train is making slow progress, with much more rugged terrain still to come.

Village of the Year (Channel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Monday 15th January 2018)

In the first of a brand new series, Penelope Keith along with village judges – archaeologist Alex Langlands, garden designer Juliet Sargeant and craft expert Patrick Grant – weighs up four contenders vying for the title of ‘Village of the Year’. This week we are in the western zone made up of some stunning seaside and rural idylls. Penelope is by the seaside in Charmouth, Dorset. In Redbrook, in the Wye Valley Patrick bridges the divide between Wales and England. Juliet uncovers her inner Viking in Lydford, Devon, and Alex learns to thatch on the coast in Aberdaron, Wales.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 15th January 2018)

Michael Portillo embarks on a journey through Britain steered by his Edwardian railway handbook. He begins in the East Yorkshire port of Hull, where he heads for the docks through which millions of migrants passed at the turn of the 20th century and which are today getting a second wind.

The Forest (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Monday 15th January 2018)

Mark Bonnar narrates a series revealing the hidden world of Galloway Forest, the country’s largest afforested area. In this episode, James Jones sawmill in Lockerbie powers through 20,000 logs a day. But when a six-tonne machine called a crosscut stacker breaks down, a dedicated engineering team must save the day. A decline in salmon numbers in the River Cree near Newton Stewart has led to a tireless effort to restock the river by the Cree Hatchery and Habitat Trust. Archie McNeillie and John Coughtrie from the Forestry Commission’s Recreation Department deal with a rat infestation in a public area caused by an overzealous bird feeder. And at Balloch O’Dee campsite, owner James gets ready to stage a comedy night.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 15th January 2018)

Forensic crime drama series. Nikki and Jack continue to deal with their feelings post-Mexico in their own very different ways. Jack is boxing with his sparring partner Naomi Silva when he is called to a crime scene. Nikki examines the body of a young woman, while Jack is surprised to find the SIO on the case turns out to be DCI Naomi Silva. The forensic evidence takes them to a cosmetic clinic where a pregnant Karen had been receiving various treatments seemingly for free. Nikki and Silva are frustrated by the CEO of Hamilton Ashe hospital when he blocks access to Karen’s medical records. However, when a second body is found, he is forced to help the team.

Village of the Year (Channel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Tuesday 16th January 2018)

Penelope Keith and the Village of the Year team of judges travel the British Isles to report on four villages hoping to be crowned Village of the Year. In Devon, the Lympstone Brass Band puts on a performance for Penelope; Alex Langlands investigates an alien invasion in Llwyngwril, North Wales; Patrick Grant learns about the peculiar art of swede racing in Colwinston, South Wales; and Juliet Sargeant helps spruce up the idyllic village of Porlock.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 16th January 2018)

Armed with his Edwardian Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo conducts important research in an historic tea room, built by an Edwardian immigrant to the city of York.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 16th January 2018)

Forensic crime drama series. The team wonder if the hack is the only danger as they come under threat. Jack has to decide how to get closure from his experience in Mexico.

Village of the Year (Channel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Wednesday 17th January 2018)

Penelope Keith and the Village of the Year panel of judges visit four villages going head-to-head in their bid to be crowned Village of the Year. Penelope meets an army of volunteers on the Dorset coast in Burton Bradstock; surf’s up for historian Alex Langlands at the world’s first surfing lake in Dolgarrog; anything goes for Patrick Grant in Llangwm’s museum of everything; and Juliet Sargeant has a real taste of the sea in Mousehole, Cornwall.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 17th January 2018)

With his Edwardian railway guidebook tucked under his arm, Michael Portillo is in the steel city of Sheffield, where he discovers an enormous and beautifully preserved early 20th-century steam engine. At 400 tonnes and packing 12,000 horsepower, it produced armour plate for the most feared warship of the Royal Navy.

Village of the Year with Penelope Keith (Channel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Thursday 18th January 2018)

Travelling the length and breadth of the British Isles, Penelope Keith and her team of judges are looking for the UK’s Village of the Year. In Betws-y-Coed in the heart of Snowdonia, Alex Langlands gets adventurous; Penelope is horsing around in Charlton Horethorne; Juliet Sargeant reels in the catch of the day in Polperro, Cornwall; and on the Gower Peninsula, Patrick Grant is digging for cockles in Penclawdd. Which village woos the judges to become a semi-finalist?

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 18th January 2018)

Michael Portillo’s Edwardian railway guide takes him to the city of Liverpool, where King Edward VII had recently laid the foundation stone for a grand Anglican cathedral at the top of St James’s Mount. The young winner of a competition to design the building was a Roman Catholic from a family of architects. His name was Giles Gilbert Scott. Michael takes a trip down his own memory lane in Maghull on the outskirts of Liverpool, where he discovers a childhood favourite – a miniature tank engine with three carriages in dark red – made by Frank Hornby.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 18th January 2018)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. When famous thriller author Frank O’Toole is found stabbed through the heart in the middle of the ocean, Jack and his team are baffled. But as the spotlight turns on Frank’s closest friends and family and secrets are exposed, Jack uncovers a murder plot worthy of one of his novels…

Walks with My Dog (more4 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 18th January 2018)

In the second programme of the new series, actor Angela Griffin is in the Cotswolds, TV presenter and explorer Ben Fogle wanders across Morecambe Bay and chef James Martin explores The New Forest. Angela and her Cavapoo Smith walk from the village of Broadway in the Cotswolds – taking in the romantic folly of Broadway Tower and playing cricket in the village where JM Barrie and a team of legendary literary luminaries once came to face the locals. Ben Fogle and his black Labrador Storm visit a very different landscape – the wide open expanse of Morecambe Bay. Here they dabble in art and meet a man who guides people to safety across the treacherous sands, by Royal Appointment. James Martin is with Cooper, his working cocker spaniel, on a jaunt through the New Forest. They discover the area’s shipbuilding history, learn about its status as an ancient woodland and go for a spin in a vintage car.

Village of the Year with Penelope Keith (Channel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Friday 19th January 2018)

Penelope Keith and her panel of expert judges investigate four more villages competing to win the title of ‘Village of the Year’. On the Jurassic coast Penelope’s all at sea with Beer’s historic fishing fleet, and Patrick Grant is ‘boule-d’ over in Sherston, Wiltshire. In Devon, Juliet Sargeant meets the Clovelly donkeys, and Alex Langlands goes native in the Welsh village of Llanllyfni.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 19th January 2018)

With his Edwardian Bradshaw’s railway guide tucked under his arm, Michael Portillo begins the last leg of his journey from Hull to Caernarfon. In picturesque Snowdonia, he braves the fastest zip line in the world – stretching 1,500 feet across a vast slate quarry. He uncovers a bitter industrial dispute between quarrymen and the owner of the pit, Lord Penrhyn, which divided the community at the beginning of the 20th century.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 06/01/2018

Attenborough and the Sea Dragon (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 7th January 2018)

Documentary following David Attenborough as he attempts to animate the life of the ichthyosaur whose 200-million-year-old fossil remains were found on Britain’s Jurassic coast. Using state-of-the-art imaging technology and CGI, the team reconstruct the skeleton and create the most detailed animation of an ichthyosaur ever made. Along the way, they stumble into a 200-million-year-old murder mystery – and only painstaking forensic investigation can unravel the story of this extraordinary creature’s fate.

The Biggest Little Railway in the World (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 7th January 2018)

Engineer Dick Strawbridge leads a team of model railway enthusiasts as they attempt to build the longest model railway in the world, 71 miles across Scotland, from Fort William on the west coast to Inverness on the east coast. It’s a route the Victorians never managed, so building this miniature railway will be an epic challenge. Dick briefs the nervous but excited volunteers and selects four team leaders – debt collector Lawrence Robbins, science fiction writer Jenny Kirk, school caretaker Charlie Fox-Wilson and apprentice project manager Paul Burkitt-Gray. He also selects two teams who will build especially challenging constructions such as bridges and viaducts. The volunteers get stuck in straight away.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 8th January 2018)

Michael Portillo embarks on an adventure from the coalfields of south Wales to the southernmost tip of Cornwall. His first stop is Whitland in Carmarthenshire, where in the early 20th century, thrill-seekers gathered on Pendine Sands to indulge their need for speed. In Llanelli, Michael retraces the fateful events of a national rail strike in 1911 and is stirred by the sound of a male voice choir as they sing the town’s unofficial anthem. At Loughor, he discovers a passionate preacher, who led a religious revival which gripped Edwardian Wales and had profound implications for the nation’s established church. In a suburban semi-detached house in the ‘sprawling, crawling town of Swansea’, Michael discovers the restored home of the poet Dylan Thomas, and the tiny bedroom in which he wrote two thirds of his published work.

The Forest (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | Monday 8th January 2018)

Mark Bonnar narrates a new series revealing the hidden world of Galloway Forest, the country’s largest afforested area. In this episode, the Forestry Commission’s recreation team is tasked with rebuilding steps on a well-worn pathway at Fairy Knowe, but the steps are up a 330-foot hill. Getting hunks of granite rock to the remote hill is one problem and digging them in by hand is another. A team of specialist contractors from Wales arrive in Galloway Forest to harvest timber from the most inaccessible areas using a massive system of cables and winches called the skyline. Deep in the forest, conservationists Bill and Christine breed and hand rear hyacinth macaws, the world’s largest flying parrot. And on a remote peatbog the size of 32 football pitches, Graeme Little operates his own customised mulching machine.

Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 8th January 2018)

Julia Bradbury chooses some of her favourite and most accessible family treks from across the UK. In this episode, she sets off on her favourite coastal walk to one of the most famous landmarks on the Jurassic Coast: Old Harry Rocks. Taking in miles of golden sandy beaches and the dramatic history of the bay, Julia’s walk offers a fantastic example of the British coastline at its best.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 8th January 2018)

Forensic crime drama series. As the team investigate the death of a man found in a remote reservoir, Nikki and Jack must deal with the aftermath of their Mexico ordeal.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 9th January 2018)

Armed with his Edwardian Bradshaw’s guide, Michael strikes gold at the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, where after much frisking, he gains access to the inner vaults. At Cardiff Arms Park, Michael revisits the scene of a triumphant Welsh victory over the fearsome All Blacks and hears from Welsh international Gerald Davies. In Cardiff Bay, Michael discovers the departure point for one of the Edwardian era’s most famous expeditions – Scott’s ill-fated voyage to the Antarctic. Aboard the racing yacht Challenge Wales, Michael meets young sailors training for a Tall Ships Race.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 9th January 2018)

Forensic crime drama series. Nikki’s suspicions about David Cannon are aroused further when she discovers blood in the boot of his car. With Thomas’s support, she takes samples to process – does it belong to Sally Vaughn? The uncovering of a family murder from the past shines the spotlight on three people who went to the same school.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 10th January 2018)

Michael Portillo discovers the birthplace of British aviation in Bristol and prepares an Airbus 380 for a smooth landing at Filton. In Newport, he uncovers the heroism of a young boy who rescued a workman from a dock disaster, in which many died. Michael discovers the home of a forward-thinking Edwardian family at Eagle House in Batheaston. Frieda Roberts remembers the suffragettes who campaigned for votes for women in the early 20th century and found refuge at the house after their release from prison. And in Clevedon, Michael goes to the movies in a perfectly preserved cinema dating from 1912 and hears about the first film to be shown there.

The Storm That Saved a City (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 10th January 2018)

Documentary about the consequences of the devastating 1968 storm that tore through the central belt, which caused a rethink in the redesigning of Glasgow. In the wake of the storm on January 15, which killed 20 people, a group of young architects and some strong-willed residents came together to save their city, bringing forward the transformation of Glasgow – from Britain’s biggest slum to the cultural capital of Europe.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 11th January 2018)

With purple, green and yellow ribbons flying, and sporting ankle bells, Michael Portillo is led a merry dance in Stogumber – all in the name of fertility. He visits a celebrated Edwardian garden at Hestercombe to discover the fruits of an unusual partnership and learns how to deadhead the roses. There is a trip aboard the longest heritage line in England and the chance to ring in the new era at Exeter Cathedral before dining out in style on King Edward VII’s coronation gala dinner at Bovey Castle.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 11th January 2018)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. DI Mooney and the team enter the high-stakes world of poker when a finalist is poisoned during the Caribbean Poker Masters tournament. The only suspects are sat round the table. When even a twitch of an eye can reveal a player’s hand, just how did the killer commit murder?

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 12th January 2018)

Steered by his early 20th-century Bradshaw’s railway guide, Michael Portillo boldly goes to the moon by way of the Cornish Riviera Express. On the trail of an historic achievement made at the dawn of the Edwardian era, he investigates the first radio signal to be sent across the Atlantic. In Plymouth, Michael uncovers what happened to surviving crew members of the most famous ocean liner in history, the Titanic. And at Fowey, he rediscovers a lost literary figure known as Q, who immortalised the town in his novels.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

Great British Railway Journeys : Series 9

Just to remind everyone, that the 9 series of Great British Railway Journeys starts tomorrow (Monday 1st January 2018) on BBC 2 at 6:30pm!

On his first journey follows in the footsteps of the new monarch for the new century, King Edward VII, from the grand estates of Norfolk to a bivouac on Brownsea Island. In this first episode, Michael takes a pot shot at the sport of kings at a country estate, where the king dallied with his mistress. He learns the ropes aboard an Edwardian wherry on the Norfolk Broads and joins variety performers to tap dance on Cromer Pier. In Cambridge, he investigates the student days of the young Prince of Wales and the novelist EM Forster, author of Howard’s End.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 30/12/2017

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 1st January 2018)

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. His first journey follows in the footsteps of the new monarch for the new century, King Edward VII, from the grand estates of Norfolk to a bivouac on Brownsea Island. Michael takes a pot shot at the sport of kings at a country estate, where the king dallied with his mistress. He learns the ropes aboard an Edwardian wherry on the Norfolk Broads and joins variety performers to tap dance on Cromer Pier. In Cambridge, he investigates the student days of the young Prince of Wales and the novelist EM Forster.

Grandpa’s Great Escape (BBC 1/HD | 6:55pm 8:00pm | Monday 1st January 2018)

Heartwarming comedy drama about a former WWII flying ace with Alzheimer’s who is admitted to an old people’s home when his family are

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 2nd January 2018)

Armed with his early 20th-century Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo explores an Edwardian utopia with a radical plan at its heart. 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.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 3rd January 2018)

Steered by his Edwardian Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo arrives in west Croydon, where he uncovers a once-celebrated, now forgotten, mixed-race composer with an uncannily familiar name. With the modern British rail network now half the size of the Edwardian one, Michael is delighted to discover a railway renaissance in Three Bridges. After inspecting a new depot and its fleet of new Class 700 trains, Michael is accorded the great honour of washing one down. Next stop Lewes, where Michael makes a beeline for Charleston, the beautiful home of the artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, where he finds every surface exquisitely decorated by the inhabitants. At Shoreham-by-Sea, Michael discovers that magnificent Edwardians in flying machines took off from the oldest licensed airport in the country. Michael takes to the skies.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 4th January 2018)

His early 20th-century Bradshaw’s guide in hand, Michael Portillo is in Chichester, West Sussex, where he encounters an Edwardian motoring duo patronised by King Edward VII. After a grand tour of their factory, he is treated to some R&R in one of their finest vehicles. Arriving in the seaside resort of Southsea, Hampshire, Michael heads for the majestic King’s Theatre, built by a renowned theatre designer of the day. He treads the boards with a group of true thespians, in a community production of Lads in the Village. Crossing the Solent with a ticket to Ryde, Michael boards the Island Line to travel along the pier in a 1930s London Underground carriage, then hops on to the Isle of Wight heritage line bound for Wootton.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 4th January 2018)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. DI Mooney and his team are tested when a hotel billionaire’s fiancee falls from a balcony the day before her lavish wedding and everything points to suicide… except for the fact that the victim only painted one fingernail.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 5th January 2018)

Steered by his Edwardian Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo promises to do his best on the island where Robert Baden Powell began the Scout movement in the early 20th century. Joining a group of modern Scouts he learns to build a bivouac and finds out what it is about Scouting that still appeals to boys – and girls – today. In the New Forest, Michael searches out some unsung heroes of the First World War, the ponies who became war horses, and hears their story from a commoner who runs a stable and riding school. Plus, in Bournemouth, he investigates a very British institution: the beach hut.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.