Great Coastal Railway Journeys - Season 1
Season 1
Episodes
Dunbar to Edinburgh
Michael Portillo begins a series of coastal railway journeys around the British Isles, starting in Siccar Point, the site of an extraordinary 18th-century discovery, and finishing at Holyrood House.
Leith to Culross
Michael Portillo continues his journey at the iconic Forth Bridge, before heading to tour the Royal Yacht Britannia and encountering a pair of vast steel sculptures.
Stirling to East Neuk
Michael Portillo travels from the medieval city of Stirling through Perth, the historic crowning place of Scottish monarchs, and into Kirkcaldy, where he revisits some fond family memories.
St Andrews to Stonehaven
Michael Portillo visits St Andrews, home to Scotland's oldest university, in eastern Fife, before heading to the vibrant city of Dundee and the harbour town of Stonehaven.
Forvie to Peterhead
Michael Portillo's Scottish railway journey reaches Aberdeen, from which he heads to the wild and beautiful Forvie National Nature Reserve and Scotland's most easterly town, Peterhead.
Inverness to the Cairngorms
Michael arrives bright and early in Inverness, from which he heads out on a scenic adventure to the Orkney archipelago and explores the battlefield at Culloden, overlooking the Moray Firth.
Cullen to Cawdor
The stunning scenery of Scotland's east coast continues to delight Michael Portillo as he travels by train around the Moray Firth.
Invergordon to Tain
Michael Portillo's Scottish coastal railway journey reaches Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth, the third great inlet on the northeast coast of the Highlands.
Lairg to Caithness
Michael Portillo's coastal railway journey takes him past lochs and castles on the Far North Line to Britain's northernmost railway station at Thurso.
Thurso to Orkney
Michael crosses over to the Orkney Islands, visiting the former naval base at Scapa Flow and learning about the islands' extensive Norwegian connections.
Tynemouth to Bardon Mill
Michael starts a new railway journey in Newcastle, heading north to Berwick-upon-Tweed. His route takes in the River Tyne, Hadrian's Wall, a former mining village and the fishing port of Amble.
Newcastle to Lynemouth
Michael heads north from Newcastle to the former mining town of Lynemouth. Along the way, he visits a work of landform art made from the spoil of a coal mine and learns sea shanties in Blyth.
Morpeth to Amble
Michael finds a historic collection of Northumbrian bagpipes in Morpeth, before heading up the East Coast Main Line to the fishing port of Amble.
Alnmouth to Bamburgh
Michael travels from Alnmouth to Bamburgh Castle, an icon of Northumberland. Along the way, he takes to the waves in a traditional skiff and discover a fascinating map which charts shipwrecks.
Farne Islands to Berwick-upon-Tweed
Michael's journey along the coast of Northumberland continues towards the Farne Islands, takes in the holy island of Lindisfarne, and finishes in England's northernmost town, Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Fairlie to Port Glasgow
Michael Portillo explores the magnificent western coast of Scotland by rail and ferry, starting at the Hunterston B nuclear power plant and finishing along the deep waters of the Clyde.
Helensburgh to Connel
From the 250-year-old 'new town' of Helensburgh on the north bank of the Clyde, Michael Portillo takes his favourite West Highland Line across to the waters of Loch Etive.
Oban to Staffa
From the fishing port of Oban, Michael heads out to the Hebrides. He helps to harvest seaweed, visits the cradle of Christianity in Scotland, and sees a cave that inspired Felix Mendelssohn's music.
Fort William to Glenfinnan
Michael heads aboard the Jacobite Express to cross the awe-inspiring Glenfinnan Viaduct, before visiting the immense Grampian Mountains and learning about the notorious Massacre of Glencoe.
Mallaig to Isle of Lewis and Harris
Michael follows in the footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie as he travels over the sea to Skye, an island renowned for its wildlife, and then on to Lewis and Harris, home to the famous Harris Tweed.
Avonmouth to Six Bells
Michael Portillo begins a new railway journey along the south coast of Wales. He visits a largely intact Roman amphitheatre and learns about the regeneration efforts in the mining town of Six Bells.
Barry Island to Pyle
Michael Portillo continues his south Wales coastal railway journey in Barry Island, where he investigates the busy docks. He then heads to the Jurassic shoreline and the seaside resort of Porthcawl.
Port Talbot to Pembrey Burry Port
Michael Portillo's rail adventure along the south coast of Wales reaches the town of Port Talbot, known across the world for its steel production.
Carmarthen to Pembroke
Michael Portillo travels the breathtaking rural coastline of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, visiting a bee garden with a quarter of a million honeybees, and Pembroke's magnificent Norman castle.
Milford Haven to Fishguard
Michael Portillo reaches the most westerly station in Wales, Milford Haven, the biggest energy port in the United Kingdom. He then heads north, visiting Britain's smallest city and its cathedral.
Recently Updated Shows
Protection
Based on the first-hand experiences of a long serving witness protection officer, Protection is about what happens when the system breaks down. It's about a police officer, Detective Inspector Liz Nyles, who finds herself at the heart of such a breach; personally compromised by an affair with a colleague, but determined to fight back, and uncover the true source of corruption within her unit. To redeem herself, the reputation of her lover, and to keep her witnesses safe. Even if they don't always deserve it.
Navigating the morally-grey, clandestine world of witness protection, Liz's mission to find the truth will take her deep into the heart of the criminal underbelly and beyond as she becomes more and more torn between caring for her family, her loyalty to her lover and her duty as a police officer.
Black Doves
Helen Webb, politician's wife, doting mother, and professional spy, has been passing on her husband's secrets to the Black Doves, the shadowy organization for whom she works. But when her lover Jason is assassinated, Helen's life is turned upside down, and only her old friend Sam Young can keep her safe. But Sam, a suave, champagne-drinking assassin, also has problems of his own. Out of the game, since his last job went wrong, he soon realizes his past is coming back to haunt him. Together, they set off on a mission that will lead them to uncover a vast, interconnected conspiracy. One that links the murky underworld of London to a looming geopolitical crisis — and leads them to question the cost of the moral choices they've made.
Reacher
Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a veteran military police investigator who has just recently entered civilian life. Reacher is a drifter, carrying no phone and the barest of essentials as he travels the country and explores the nation he once served. When Reacher arrives in the small town of Margrave, Georgia, he finds a community grappling with its first homicide in 20 years. The cops immediately arrest him and eyewitnesses claim to place Reacher at the scene of the crime. While he works to prove his innocence, a deep-seated conspiracy begins to emerge, one that will require Reacher's keen mind and hard-hitting fists to deal with. One thing above all is for sure: They picked the wrong guy to take the fall.
Allegiance
Allegiance follows on identity and belonging, policing and politics, and finding truth within the heart of a flawed justice system. Sabrina Sohal is a star rookie police officer who must grapple with the limits of the justice system as she fights to exonerate her politician father Ajeet Sohal. Sohal serves her diverse hometown of Surrey alongside Vince Brambilla, a veteran training officer who sees her potential but doesn't always agree with her forward-thinking methods. Allegiance is the story of a young woman caught between her allegiance to her flag, to her badge, and to her family.