RAILDATE 2023.07.14

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The Weekly Poser: Where is this?

The 13:04 to XXXXXXXX was photographed today at this fine station with its huge Station Hotel behind. Where is it? Bonus question: Where is "XXXXXXXX"?

Last week's Where is this?

This loco was already approaching its centenary when photographed by A Wells on a plinth in 1952. It was subsequently restored to steam, but was retired in 1975. Please identify the loco and its location (then). [RCTS Photo Archive]

Answer: Loco: No.5 "Jane" of the Wantage Tramway Co.. Congratulations are due to the following for their correct answers: Andrew Treves, Richard Maund, Dave Goodyear, Dave Winter, George Spink, Richard Lingard, Simon Wass, Richard Lingard, Paul Hopper, Peter Tisdale, Gordon Sutton

It was later named "Shannon" - as shown here - after the GWR took the tramway over. It was plinthed at Wantage Road 1946-1965 and is now at Didcot as part of the National Collection. No.6 (shown below) was a very different beast.

The Wantage Tramway largely followed the side of the A338 from the Great Western mainline at Wantage Road station, crossing the Wilts & Berks canal at Grove. The line survived until 1945, but with passenger service withdrawn in 1925. Shannon (built 1857) arrived second-hand in 1878 soon after steam had taken over from horses, and lasted to the end. It was steamed in 1975 for the Stockton & Darlington parade but then retired to Didcot.

Wantage Road station closed in 1964. The town of Wantage has grown dramatically since then; Grove is fairly new, and more development is taking place NE of the town. Reports going back to 2009 support a new station - "Wantage and Grove" - between Didcot and Swindon, but the delays continue. Here's the latest attempt from Oxfordshire County Council.

Wantage was the birthplace of King Alfred the Great in 849. It's a lively town, with a huge second-hand bookshop, and the local Vale & Downland Museum is outstanding. Williams' F1 factory is located by Wantage Road. A bus every 20 minutes to Oxford at £2 a ride would be stiff competition for any station.

TELEVISION

UK television listings with a transport theme for the next eight days

Click me to open/close [Online only, not in the weekly email]

3:10 to Yuma (1957) -:- A farmer in need of money agrees to guard a notorious outlaw until the train arrives to transport him to jail. Meanwhile, the pair are holed up in a hotel, where his prisoner plays mind games with him - and the villain's cohorts are waiting outside ready to engineer an escape. Western adapted from a novel by Elmore Leonard, with Van Heflin, Glenn Ford, Felicia Farr and Leora Dana

Abandoned Engineering -:- An eerie, empty country village which hides a sad secret, a mysterious tower battered by the elements and a disused railway deep beneath the streets of a city

Abandoned Engineering -:- The world's most impressive disused railway bridges, including the biggest wooden trestle bridge in the world, which was closed down due to hurricane damage

Aces 'N' Eights (2008) -:- The people of a sleepy Texas frontier settlement are menaced by gunmen hired by a railroad company to drive them off their land. In the absence of a sheriff, the task of defending the townsfolk falls to two unlikely heroes - an elderly rancher and a retired gunslinger. Western, with Casper Van Dien, Ernest Borgnine, Bruce Boxleitner and Jeff Kobner

All the King's Men (1949) -:- A small-town senator wins popular support by railing against the corruption of the political establishment and vowing to defend the interests of ordinary working people. However, once in office, he succumbs to greed as readily as those he once so virulently condemned. Political drama, starring Broderick Crawford, Joanne Dru, John Ireland and Mercedes McCambridge

Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks -:- When Alvin sees every celebrity with their own personal bodyguard, he decides to train Theodore for the job

Amazing Railway Adventures with Nick Knowles -:- The presenter embarks on a railway journey across the extraordinary landscapes of Peru to magical Machu Picchu. Starting at Puno on Lake Titicaca, Nick's journey takes him to the highest point on this railway line (and the fourth highest train station in the world) at La Reya

Arctic Ice Railroad -:- Conductor Jay and engineer Mike are tasked with transporting fuel to a remote community. Can they overcome intense blizzards to deliver this vital cargo?

Arctic Ice Railroad -:- Conductor Jay and engineer Mike embark on a crucial cargo run from Hearst to Cochrane. Along the way, they must pick up a 2,500-tonne load of newsprint

Arctic Ice Railroad -:- Conductor JR and trainee Trevor must transport a massive load of timber from Calstock to Cochrane, navigating extreme weather to get the job done

Arctic Ice Railroad -:- The extreme conditions threaten to derail precious cargo. The dedicated and skilled team control the massive freight train, but they face plenty of disruption

Arctic Ice Railroad -:- The Polar Bear Express battles extreme weather to reach the town of Moosonee. Among its passengers is a blind American Cocker Spaniel named Maggie

Arctic Ice Railroad -:- The Polar Bear Express is often the only way to reach the frozen town of Moosonee. A group of explorers board this train for its hazardous journey

Armageddon (1998) -:- Nasa discovers an asteroid the size of Texas is on a collision course with Earth, so a drilling expert is recruited to train a team of misfits to transport a nuclear device into outer space to destroy it - but having had no experience of space travel, the reluctant astronauts find themselves seriously out of their depth. Sci-fi thriller, with Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Michael Clarke Duncan, Billy Bob Thornton and Steve Buscemi

Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild -:- Ben meets a scientist in Siberia, who gave up his urban life to work in the Russian Arctic on finding ways to reduce the impact of climate change on the permafrost. His project makes use of steam machines and monster trucks, but away from his environmental work, he is working on the idea of bringing the woolly mammoth back from extinction

Britain's Most Expensive Houses -:- Sales broker Diana tries to convince property developer Kam that she's the right person to sell his £30million mega-home in Mayfair which boasts a swimming pool, a gym, a steam room and a glass lift. Christine enlists the help of fellow sales brokers Tessa and Amy to help close a deal on a Grade I listed Georgian townhouse in Bath and a modern country home just outside Henley. In London, Aoife has secured the listing for a new development of 15 apartments in Bayswater with a combined potential sales value of £65million and Natalie thinks she might have found the first sale

Buster (1988) -:- Fact-based crime drama about the life of Buster Edwards, a member of the gang responsible for the Great Train Robbery. Going on the run after the notorious heist, he flees to Mexico with his family. However, his homesick wife struggles to adapt to her new life, leaving the outlaw with a difficult choice. Starring Phil Collins, Julie Walters, Sheila Hancock, Larry Lamb and Ralph Brown

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid -:- Documentary about the 1890s Wild West duo who robbed trains and banks and soon became national news, focusing on who Robert Leroy Parker and Harry Alonzo Longabaugh actually were

Caught Red Handed -:- Dominic Littlewood looks at filmed evidence used by the police, businesses and the public to catch criminals. Featuring a man on a train who steals bags from above victims' heads and armed men in white chemical suits as they steal jewellery worth a quarter of a million pounds from a family business

Caught Red Handed -:- Dominic Littlewood presents more examples of filmed evidence that have helped to bring criminals to book. Football violence kicks off at a railway station, prompting a 5ft 2 woman to step in and try to calm down the brawling supporters. Plus, footage of an armed robber who may be carrying a gun but still says 'please'

Chloe's Closet -:- Chloe, Lovely, Jet and Danny come to the rescue when a train struggles to get up a steep hill by splitting its load in two

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- Chris sets out on a mission to cross three former Soviet republics entirely by rail in just one week, travelling through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and uncovering amazing stories and dark secrets from the region's past. He begins in Narva, Estonia, before heading to the capital Tallinn on the country's oldest railway, built by German nobles to connect the Russian imperial capital St Petersburg with Estonia's ports, then travelling through Latvia and Lithuania and heading to the Russian border on a revolutionary new line

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- Chris Tarrant explores five countries that were part of Yugoslavia, which had an extensive state-run railway network before its break-up in the 1990s and the Balkan Wars of Independence that followed. From Slovenia, Chris heads east along an old Austro-Hungarian railway that was once used by the Orient Express, pays a visit to a very unusual railway-related battlefield in Bosnia and rides on one of the world's great mountain railways on his way to the Serbian capital Belgrade before finishing his journey in Montenegro

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- Chris travels through the Middle East to explore what remains of the colonial railways, which were built there more than 100 years ago. In the Wadi Rum valley, Chris boards a steam train along one of the few bits of the Hejaz railway that remains in working use, following the route through Jordan, before crossing the border into Israel as he heads for Jerusalem, which is sacred to more than half of the world's population. Along the way, Chris visits the ancient city of Petra, as well as Haifa and Tel Aviva

Criminals: Caught on Camera -:- Journalist Nick Wallis joins police forces around the nation to discover how CCTV is helping to bring criminals using weapons to justice. A CCTV operator's instincts lead him to keep an eye on a man acting suspiciously on a train station platform and who then takes a knife out of his pocket and threatens a woman coming towards him. There is also footage of a raid on a west London jewellery shop, with the gang spraying bleach in the eyes of security guards and smashing down the doors with pickaxes while the terrified staff cower inside

Criminals: Caught on Camera -:- Met Police helicopter India 99 is called to help rescue a woman who jumped into the Thames near the Palace of Westminster, as well as her two daughters, who leapt in after her. Elsewhere, the helicopter team coordinates a risky game of cat-and-mouse as police chase a group of graffiti artists across live train tracks in a patch of industrial wasteland in Battersea. The episode also looks at the case of the Hounslow Slasher, a man who in 2012 randomly attacked lone women while they were travelling home at night. Nick Wallis presents

Deadliest Catch -:- Saga and Cornelia Marie battle colossal waves of the supermoon storm. Plus, on the Summer Bay, a deckhand goes over the rail into the icy Bering Sea

Doctor Thorne -:- Julian Fellowes' three-part adaptation of Anthony Trollope's historical novel, starring Tom Hollander as a doctor who is forced to tell his niece the secrets of her past when she is barred from attending her best friend's wedding. The truth threatens her own plans to marry the heir to a country estate, and the mother of her intended plots to push her son in the direction of an American heiress. Meanwhile, the doctor also advises a railway tycoon who is drinking himself into an early grave. With Alison Brie, Ian McShane and Rebecca Front

Doctor Thorne -:- Sir Roger falls seriously ill. Dr Thorne does his best to ease the old man's pain, but feels certain that he will die soon. The railway entrepreneur's son Louis comes to see him in his last days, and to the doctor's horror, takes an immediate liking to Mary. Meanwhile, Miss Dunstable urges Frank to follow his heart despite increasing pressure from Lady Arabella to put his family's future ahead of his feelings in matters of marriage. Adaptation of Anthony Trollope's novel, starring Tom Hollander and Ian McShane

Dredd (2012) -:- An uncompromising law enforcer in a post-apocalyptic city is assigned to train a psychic new recruit. A report of three murders leads them to a tower block dominated by a ruthless drug lord, only for the gangster to seal off the building, forcing them to fight their way out. Sci-fi thriller based on the 2000AD comic-strip, starring Karl Urban, Lena Headey and Olivia Thirlby

Drunk History -:- Emma Bunton and Blake Harrison forge a unique bond in Kerry Howard's tale of Beatrix Potter, while Joe Lycett's take on the Great Train Robbery stars Simon Bird and Joel Fry

Exploring India's Treasures with Bettany Hughes -:- Part two of two. Bettany travels to Thanjavur, also known at Tanjore, which was once the capital of the Chola empire, one of the longest ruling dynasties in world history. She explores the 10th-century Brihadeeswarar Temple, before taking the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, an outstanding example of an innovative transportation system built through uneven and challenging terrain. Bettany's adventure in the Malabar Coast finishes aboard one of Kerala's famous houseboats

Father Brown -:- Lady Felicia and Mrs McCarthy are taken hostage when a midnight train robbery goes awry. Crime drama based on the stories by GK Chesterton, starring Sorcha Cusack and Nancy Carroll

Gino's Italian Escape -:- Gino D'Acampo begins this week in the Italian food capital of Bologna, where he picks up a snack for his journey - the Bolognese classic panino with mortadella. He then boards the train and heads towards the rice growing region of Mantova, where he helps out in the paddies and makes a chocolate rice pudding. He then visits Verona, home of one of the country's oldest art schools. Here he models for the students in their life-drawing class before serving up meatballs in tomato sauce for the young artists

Gino's Italian Escape -:- Gino D'Acampo visits the jewel of the Italian Riviera - the Cinque Terre - five towns that are only accessible by boat or train. He begins in the smallest town, Corniglia, where he meets an opera-singing florist, before hopping on the train to Manarola and the dry-stone wallers responsible for keeping the towns from crumbling into the sea. As he heads toward the end, he also heading to Vernazza, Gino meets wine producers who scale 1,000m above sea level to tend to their vines

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Continuing his trek from Philadelphia to Jamestown, Michael Portillo arrives in the nation's capital, Washington, DC, centre of political power in the world's most powerful country. Steered by his Appleton's Guide of 1879, he admires its fine public buildings, including the largest library in the world, and discovers how the capital was built from scratch after a political compromise between north and south. After this, he travels on to Mount Vernon, exploring a former slave market and visiting an archaeological dig along the way

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo arrives at a milestone on his American journey as he reaches the boundary between the northern and southern states, known as the Mason-Dixon line. Beginning in Wilmington, North Carolina, he uncovers the history of gunpowder production in Delaware, before heading to Baltimore, where he discovers how the first American steam engine owed a lot to British technology. On the city's east coast, Michael visits the star-shaped Fort McHenry, and learns how the Star-Spangled Banner national anthem was born

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo arrives in Manassas, Virginia, scene of two crucial battles during the American Civil War. In Fredericksburg, he tries bottling bourbon corn whiskey and learns how it became the nation's spirit. In Richmond, the ex-politician enjoys a tour of the Virginia state Capitol building, where he hears of the dilemma faced by one of its most famous sons, General Robert E Lee, before donning his dancing shoes for a Cotillion ball. Michael ends his journey in Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his American rail journey west to Jefferson City, Missouri, following the tracks of European settlers in the 19th century. In St Louis he ascends America's monument to the Wild West, the Gateway Arch, the tallest free-standing monument in the US. On the banks of the Missouri River, the political commentator is invited aboard a replica of the original keel boat used for an historic expedition. In Washington, Missouri, Michael tries to craft a corn cob pipe, and in Jefferson City he finds an huge fortified building that served as the gaol for the entire Wild West

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his journey westwards across the United States, discovering the hidden pleasures of 19th-century railroad workers in Sedalia and learning more about the birthplace of ragtime. He then travels to Paola, Kansas, where he auctions livestock and dines on spare ribs, before reaching his destination in St Joseph, Missouri

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo makes his way from Chicago to Champaign, Illinois. On his travels he discovers the origins of the Sanitary and Ship Canal, joins the head chef at Palmer House Hotel to recreate the original chocolate brownie, and visits the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house that changed the face of American architecture

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo's journey through California takes him to San Francisco, where he travels through the city's streets by cable car, before heading across the bay to Sausalito

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo stops at Mattoon, Illinois, where he gets a taste of the early life that shaped President Abraham Lincoln, though struggles to split one rail compared with Lincoln's estimated 700 a day. The political pundit then heads to Kentucky, where a bloody conflict proved decisive in victory for Lincoln's Union. Aboard a paddle steamer on the lower Mississippi, Michael hears about the life of former river boat captain Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, and in Memphis, Tennessee, uncovers the story of a devastating epidemic. In the home of the Blues, Michael joins some Elvis fans at Graceland

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels across New York state, discovering how General Electric also leads the way in rail technology and examining the story behind George Eastman's Kodak company. He then visits Buffalo and discovers the history behind its grain industry, followed by a trip to witness the awesome power and drama of Niagara Falls

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Reno, Nevada to California's Napa County, taking to the skies over the Sierra Nevada mountain range and trying his hand at cowboy dressage

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels through Milwaukee, a city on the shore of Lake Michigan, where he learns about the history of the iconic American Harley Davidson motorcycle. When Michael reaches the city of Illinois, he discovers how the modern day skyline of Chicago has replaced a largely wooden city which was destroyed by a great fire many years ago

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels through Philadelphia, and pays tribute to its fictional son, Rocky Balboa. He finishes the latest leg of his journey in Gettysburg, the most famous battlefield of the American Civil War, where President Abraham Lincoln made a momentous speech in 1863

Great American Railroad Journeys -:- Michael Portillo visits Yosemite National Park in California, beholding its towering granite cliffs, giant sequoia trees and cascading waterfalls. He then heads to the University of California's seismology department to hear about the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which claimed the lives of approximately 3,000 people and destroyed more than 80 per cent of the city

Great British Railway Journeys -:- 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

Great British Railway Journeys -:- In the final leg of his journey from Ayr to Skye, Michael Portillo discovers how the railways provided Second World War commandos with the means to travel to the isolated landscape of Lochailort, where they were able to train without attracting the attention of German spies. He also learns why langoustines have replaced herring as the best catch in the fishing port of Mallaig, and explores the history of Highland crofters

Great British Railway Journeys -:- In Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Michael Portillo visits the National Coal Mining Museum for England at Caphouse Colliery. In Leeds, he heads for the Chapeltown area to investigate the origins of the Leeds West Indian carnival in 1967 and tries his hand on the steel drums

Great British Railway Journeys -:- 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 -:- Michael Portillo continues his journey along the Great Eastern Line, which ventures from the edge of England to the heart of London. In this leg, he examines the Victorians' fascination with the Suffolk village of Dunwich, Britain's answer to Atlantis, and discovers how nearby Felixstowe became home to the UK's biggest container port

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his journey from Ayr to Skye and investigates the parallel 'roads' etched in the side of Glen Roy - one of the geological mysteries of the 19th century. He also finds out how the Victorians put a weather observatory on the top of Ben Nevis, and crosses the Glenfinnan viaduct by steam train

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his journey through Kent. He starts in Canterbury, where he finds out how the city's cathedral was saved from the Second World War air raids, then goes whelk fishing in Whitstable and explores the origins of a seaside swim in Margate

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his journey up the west coast of Scotland and discovers how trains helped spread the reputation of Oban whisky. He also learns about the efforts to build a railway through the desolate Rannoch Moor and visits Corrour, a favourite shooting estate of the political elite in Victorian times

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues his post-war exploration of northwest England in Bradford, Shipley and Hebden Bridge. In Bradford's Centenary Square, he encounters local literary giant, JB Priestley. At Shipley station, Michael discovers a nature reserve in the middle of the car park. Finally the Calder Valley Line delivers the presenter to the photogenic station at Hebden Bridge

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on a journey from Ayr to Skye. He begins by visiting the home town of poet Robert Burns and finds out how to make haggis. He then discovers the way in which the railway transformed the game of golf in Prestwick, and uncovers the story of the great Victorian tartan hoax in Paisley

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the next leg of his journey from London Bridge to Hastings, exploring the lives of Victorian hop-pickers along the way. He also examines the history of Maidstone's paper industry, and discovers the role railways played in transforming cricket into a national sport

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the next stage of his journey in which he travels from the naval hub of Portsmouth to Grimsby docks. On the first leg, he helps feed the crew of Britain's newest battleship, discovers how the Victorians planned to repel a possible French invasion and learns there is a well-established industry in an unlikely location

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on the second leg of his journey along the west coast of Scotland from Ayr to Skye, stopping off to explore the Dumbarton shipyards that were responsible for the construction of the famous Cutty Sark. He also goes hunting for gold in the mountains, and visits Loch Lomond, one of Queen Victoria's favourite haunts

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo learns more about the country's railways, beginning with the Great Eastern Line, which runs along the edge of England and into central London. On his travels, the former politician discovers the grave-robbing history of Great Yarmouth and tries his hand at working a Victorian swing bridge in Reedham, Norfolk. He also takes to the air to reveal how a rail guidebook helped aviators during the Second World War

Great British Railway Journeys -:- 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 -:- 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

Great British Railway Journeys -:- 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 -:- Michael Portillo travels along England's south coast from Hythe to Hastings. Along the way, he discovers a hardy breed of sheep on Romney Marsh, explores Kent's sparkling-wine industry and learns why the Victorians became obsessed with ferns

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels by tram to the former cotton town of Oldham on the edge of the Peak District. Here he visits Oldham Coliseum, the town's Victorian repertory theatre, and hears about the lifting of censorship by the Lord Chamberlain's Office in the late 1960s. He then goes hiking before a visit to Sheffield, where he attends a knife-making workshop. He ends this part of his journey admiring the striking post-war sculptures of Barbara Hepworth at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Dudley in the West Midlands to Bridgnorth, Shropshire. He learns how Victorian blacksmithing was not for the faint-hearted, rides on one of Britain's most modern trains and traverses the Victoria Bridge at Bewdley in Worcestershire

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from London's King's Cross to Peterborough and discovers how a derelict part of the capital is being rejuvenated. He also puts in a shift at a Cambridgeshire brick factory and meets members of an immigrant community linked to it

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Sandwich to Folkestone, exploring a secret port that helped ferry troops and vital supplies to France in the First World War. He also visits Walmer Castle, once home to hero of Waterloo the Duke of Wellington, and discovers how the Victorians initiated the building of the Channel Tunnel

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Spalding to Grimsby, along the way learning about how Lincolnshire farmers utilised the railway to improve their harvests, visiting the impressive cathedral in Lincoln and looking to the future of rail freight

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Stoke-on-Trent to Winsford, Cheshire, finding out about one of the greatest locomotive factories in railway history along the way. He also discovers the dark side of the Industrial Revolution and learns how Victorian potteries brought their products to the masses

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Victoria station to Abbey Wood in south-east London. Along the way he learns how volunteer Victorian firefighters liked a tipple, discovers that 19th-century sewage pumps were a marvel of design and puts in a shift at the oldest fish market in Britain

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Welshpool, Powys, to Aberystwyth in Ceredigion. He experiences Victorian entertainment in one of Wales's best-loved resorts, hears how the railways took the country's textiles into the most exclusive households and unleashes the power of a 19th-century engineering triumph

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo travels from Woking in Surrey to Clapham Junction in south London. Along the way he gets close to some precious Victorian botany at Kew Gardens, tries his hand at croquet and discovers a very surprising 19th-century place of worship

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo visits the sites of Victorian freak shows, rides one of the world's first electric railways in Southend and encounters the preserved head of a medieval politician as he continues his journey along the route of the Great Eastern Line

Great Coastal Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo joins the hunt for dark matter in the deepest mine in Britain in Boulby, North Yorkshire, then visits Middlesbrough's Transporter Bridge, which offers high views over the Tees estuary and the Cleveland Hills. At Saltholme, Michael joins the RSPB in a hide to observe a visiting bird of prey

Great Indian Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo's Bradshaw's 1913 Handbook of Indian, Foreign and Colonial Travel leads him on railway journey through the modern south Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. He travels from the former princely state of Mysuru, aka Mysore, to the first stronghold of the East India Company in Chennai, formerly Madras

Gwdihw -:- Find out how the police train their dogs and see a sick rabbit get help

Heir Hunters -:- The probate researchers look for the relatives of a possible spy who encountered some remarkable people in his life, and an heir to the estate of a woman whose family earned a living working on the railways. Plus, details of more cases in which beneficiaries still need to be found

Homes Under the Hammer -:- A house with a stream close to a railway line in Handsacre in Staffordshire and a large three-storey property in Plymouth are sold under the hammer

How Do They Do It? -:- How do they make an almost invisible hearing aid that connects wirelessly to your phone? And, how do they build the carriages for London's new underground railway?

How It's Made -:- Investigating how rock crushers, fabric lampshades, cake sprinkles and steam irons are made

How It's Made -:- The development processed behind the creation of carbon fibre, railcar movers and hood ornaments. Plus, the techniques used in antique frame restoration

How It's Made -:- The manufacture of garden steam locomotives, hovercraft and folding bicycles, and the craftsmanship behind miniature furniture

How It's Made -:- The manufacture of train rails, desalinated water, racing wheelchairs and parquet flooring

Ian Hislop's Trains That Changed the World -:- Cameras explore the Great Western Railway to experience a journey of a bygone age. The magnificent Pullman service continues to offer passengers a Silver service restaurant menu as it whisks passengers to coastal resorts that were established in the Victorian era. Queen Victoria was a driving force behind the mass appeal of rail travel that developed in the 19th century. There's a look around Victoria's royal train, which has been preserved in all its finery

Ian Hislop's Trains That Changed the World -:- How four iconic British-built trains revolutionised rail travel and inspired incredible railway projects the world over. The Flying Scotsman was the first train to break the 100mph barrier. Travelling aboard this iconic steam locomotive, cameras reveal the engineering brilliance behind its design, and there's also a look into the new era of high-speed rail, including the opening of the Eurostar

Ian Hislop's Trains That Changed the World -:- The Industrial Revolution was the single most important event in the development of the modern railway and one train from that era came to symbolise the new age of steam, Stephenson's Rocket. Cameras reveal the revolutionary design of the Rocket, and how it transformed Britain's economy, from localised rural industries to the global networks we recognise today

Ian Hislop's Trains That Changed the World -:- The London Underground - first operating in 1863 - changed the way people get around cities forever, driving travellers deep underground to clear congested streets. Ingenious technology, from electrified tracks to tunnels under the River Thames, has gone on to influence railways worldwide. This edition reveals how the filthy and crowded streets of London were transformed by the rapid expansion of the Underground

Inside the Steam Train Museum -:- The volunteers get to work clearing up damage after a winter storm, and the vintage fire engine has its engine removed and overhauled, restoring it to full working order. A visiting traction engine is put to work sawing wood and winching out a dead tree

Japan Railway Journal -:- Discover the secrets of Japan's railways, from the newest technologies and systems in use to travel tips and must-see places.

Japan Railway Journal -:- In 2022, JR West announced the income and expenditure for local lines with particularly low ridership - see how the local government and community are working to promote the use of these lines.

Kicking and Screaming (2005) -:- An easy-going vitamin salesman volunteers to coach his son's failing little league football team in a bid to prove himself to his own competitive father, who trains a rival squad. But when bullying tactics and caffeine-fuelled aggression start to take over, he realises he shares the old man's ruthless qualities. Comedy, with Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Kate Walsh and Mike Ditka

Kung Fu Panda -:- Po believes the ghost of a kung fu master has returned to train him, but the spectre's advice causes all sorts of problems

Last Passenger (2013) -:- A widowed doctor travelling by train with his son realises that the mysterious driver has cut the brakes and they are speeding toward a fatal collision. With the aid of four of his fellow passengers, they try to find a way to avert the disaster. Thriller, starring Dougray Scott, Kara Tointon and Lindsay Duncan

Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding -:- In a live television first, Clare Balding rallies the support of the great British public to help reunite lost dogs with their owners, tracking down a selection of dogs that have been separated from their heartbroken families for weeks, months, and, in some cases, years. She also showcases several stray dogs that have been handed into rescue centres across the UK, and whose owners cannot be located. Tonight, reporter Storm Huntley also visits the Isle of Wight to meet a family who spent six years looking for their beloved stolen spaniel Fern, and JB Gill heads to Cornwall to train with sniffer dogs who are experts in tracking other dogs that are lost

Lloyd of the Flies -:- An animated series about a young fly with a lot to prove. Having written a book on the subject, Gena agrees to train Lloyd in how to survive outdoors, but Lloyd is disappointed to discover that all the training is to take place indoors.

M*A*S*H -:- Hawkeye's desperate quest to get replacement boots sets in motion a train of deals, favours and backhanders all dependent on Klinger being sectioned and sent home - which Frank will not allow. Comedy, starring Alan Alda and Jamie Farr

Medical Detectives -:- A train crash in 1993 on Alabama's Bayou Canot bridge, which killed 47 people

My Strange Addiction -:- Featuring a woman who regularly eats detergent, and a man who is so obsessed with strongman competitions that he trains for up to six hours a day

Nate Is Late -:- Nate and Malika meet Jin, a ninja who offers to train them. In order to become a master, he needs to prove he has students. Curious to see a real secret dojo, the kids agree.

Nazi Megastructures -:- How the Nazis' extensive rail network was put to its most dreadful purpose - transporting prisoners to the concentration camps for execution in vast numbers

Nazi Megastructures -:- The construction of a 258 mile railway through the jungle in Burma, built by prisoners of war held by the Japanese army, half of whom did not survive the gruelling workload

Nazi Megastructures -:- The rail network of Nazi Germany, examining Hitler's personal train and how the railways were used as a weapon of war across Europe

Not Going Out -:- It is Lucy's birthday and to celebrate Geoffrey and Wendy take her Lee, Toby and Anna for a trip on a vintage steam train. However, Lee's decision to play Poirot when a stranger turns up unannounced in their carriage risks Lucy's special day being ruined. Comedy, starring Lee Mack, Sally Bretton, Geoffrey Whitehead and Deborah Grant

Oli Wyn -:- The crew prepares the train for its next trip

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs -:- The comedian tries to train three enormous puppies that spent the first five months of their lives being raised by a homeless man in a garage, but things take a worrying turn when two of them are struck down by a virus. Paul also sets out to reunite a lost Jack Russell with its owner and find a new home for two inseparable Staffies

Railroad Alaska -:- A train hauling the biggest load ever moved on the Alaska Railroad suffers a communication shutdown, which leaves the locomotive hurtling towards a 'dead zone'

Railroad Alaska -:- Tempers flare as a train encounters brake problems, and a derailment leaves maintenance teams stranded. Off grid, homesteaders manage to avert a fire, but are left without heat

Railroad Alaska -:- The arrival of the spring thaw puts railroad staff on high alert, and crossing the Hurricane Gulch causes a freight train to stall on the line's highest bridge

Railroad Australia -:- A re-tooled grain train springs some leaks, Bernie's Streamliner festival faces disaster and the Pichi Richi Explorer takes part in a crazy race in South Australia

Railroad Australia -:- Bernie puts together the first-ever Streamliners festival - though unprecedented levels of flooding in New South Wales threatens to end his dream. Jeff races time to haul a huge ore train across the Outback.

Railroad Australia -:- Bernie's coal truck odyssey goes horribly wrong. Two veteran locomotives risk destruction in a race for glory, and a mega-train faces the steepest grades in Australia. Documentary shedding light on the work of railway staff responsible for transporting train passengers through the blistering heat of the vast Australian wilderness

Railroad Australia -:- Bernie struggles home in five streamliner locos pulling 90 old coal wagons. Plus, after 20 years renovating an abandoned diesel locomotive, James wants to finally drive it

Railroad Australia -:- Cracks appear in a multi-billion-dollar iron ore railroad. Plus, learner driver James must survive the punishing Cockatoo run and the ire of instructor Dave Boyd

Railroad Australia -:- One man and a huge train take on the unforgiving Pilbara. In Sydney, four extreme train enthusiasts tackle its rail network in the All Stations Challenge

Robbery (1967) -:- A criminal hatches a plot to rob the overnight mail train from Glasgow, assembling a gang of thieves and breaking a currency expert out of jail. Although the gang gets away with millions, a simple mistake while dividing up the loot puts the police on their trail. Drama, inspired by the Great Train Robbery, starring Stanley Baker, Frank Finlay and James Booth

Salvage Dawgs -:- Hosts Mike and Robert salvage conductor chairs from a train caboose. The whole crew then picks through the Old Cold Storage warehouse in Arrington, Virginia

Salvage Hunters -:- Drew Pritchard barters with a baronet and is given a run for his money by a seasoned scavenger. He also seeks a way to profit from a collection of late 19th-century balconet rails he has acquired

Salvage Hunters -:- Drew Pritchard buy quirky items in Dorset. Twin sisters show their late father's legacy - vintage cars and steam train memorabilia. Plus, a visit to Luton's oldest hat makers

Salvage Hunters: The Restorers -:- Master blacksmith Neville Morris works on a piece of railing that was once a Victorian club fender. Meanwhile, Martin restores a Second World War RAF hero's bomber jacket

Salvage Hunters: The Restorers -:- Upholster Craig and sculptor Nick team up to restore some iconic Arne Jacobsen chairs. Plus, mechanic Bo uncovers a hidden past in a giant railway station clock

Scrap Kings -:- A giant brick tower is toppled next to a railway line. Meanwhile, one of Britain's veteran scrap kings ploughs his profits into racing cars

Secrets of the Zoo: Tampa -:- As spring blooms, penguin chicks dive into penguin pre-school, a sloth prepares for a big debut, and a caretaker trains to be a venomous snake handler

Send in the Dogs -:- The work of British Transport Police's canine units, which help monitor the safety of commuters on thousands of miles of railway and underground track. The programme follows a spaniel trained to search for drugs, as well as police dogs that help their human handlers control the crowds at football matches. Ken Stott narrates

Tata and Kuma -:- Madcap animated comedy. Pobi goes on a trip to a vampire meeting held every 1000 years and decides to train a successor to take care of his tomatoes when he's not home - the candidates are Tata and Kuma, regardless of what they want to do. After a brief training session with Pobi, the duo settle into their duties.

The Bidding Room -:- Five dealers compete to buy items including a collection of printing plates, a retro Olivetti typewriter and a toy steam engine. Presented by Nigel Havers

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) -:- A British colonel in a Japanese PoW camp is ordered to build a railway bridge over a river, forging a vital communications link. At first he refuses to obey, but eventually agrees to take the project on - and becomes so obsessed with the task that he creates a dilemma for an American soldier sent to destroy the structure. David Lean's Oscar-winning Second World War drama, starring Alec Guinness, William Holden and Jack Hawkins

The Dales -:- Adrian Edmondson revisits the Wildman family's farm in Kirkby Malham for the opening of the charcuterie, and follows the Dales tradition of the Burning of the Bartle in West Witton, where an effigy of a sheep stealer is paraded through the streets and set alight. He also finds out about the fundraising plans of Wensleydale Railway general manager Nigel Park

The Flash -:- Barry continues to train Jesse and when new metahuman Mirror Master appears on the scene, he lets her tag along. Superhero adventure, starring Grant Gustin

The Graham Norton Show -:- Graham presents his traditional end-of-year show, joined by guests Michael Sheen, appearing in Sky Cinema's Last Train to Christmas, Oscar-nominated Jessica Chastain, the star and producer of female spy film The 355. British actor Claire Foy talks about quirky biopic The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage chats about playing Cyrano de Bergerac in Joe Wright's new adaptation Cyrano, while The Good Fight's Cush Jumbo reflects on her role in Harlan Coben drama Stay Close. Top comic Joe Lycett lightens the mood, promoting his UK tour More, More, More. Plus, the Divine Comedy perform their classic Something for the Weekend and there are some final stories from the Big Red Chair to round off the year

The Larkins -:- News reaches Pop that the train station is to close. With the help of reluctant Miss Chand and villagers, Pop seizes the opportunity to save the railway - and make money along the way. Mariette fights with Pauline, and Charley makes a big decision. Bradley Walsh and Joanna Scanlan star as Pop and Ma Larkin in Simon Nye's adaptation of HE Bates's novel The Darling Buds of May

The Middle -:- The Hecks learn that Aunt Edie has passed away and board a train with the body to take her to her final resting place. Meanwhile, Axl starts to believe that he was responsible for her death. American comedy, starring Charlie McDermott

The Old Grey Whistle Test -:- The first of two concerts recorded at The New London Theatre, featuring some of the group's early hits - The Way We Were, Come Back and Finish What You Started and Midnight Train to Georgia

The Repair Shop -:- Among the items coming into the barn for a spruce-up include an iconic but dilapidated Chopper bike which once lit up Christmas morning for two brothers. A much-loved but threadbare teddy bear in need of a stitch in time provides another challenge, along with a broken-down clockwork train set and a treasured harmonium that has been silent for decades. Jay Blades presents

The Restoration Man -:- George Clarke meets a man in Northumberland who bought a Victorian railway station, with the intention of converting it into a family home. He has managed to keep his budget down by doing all the building work single-handed at weekends, but the project has been threatened by planning restrictions. George also looks into the history of the station, and finds out why it never fulfilled its potential as part of the area's rail network

The Train at Platform 5 -:- The social history of Kings Cross rail workers with stories from coal-shovelling firemen on 1950s steam trains to Wilston Jackson, the UK's first Black train driver

The Wrecking Crew (1968) -:- A secret agent sets out to recover gold bullion stolen from a hijacked train being taken across America by cunning thieves. Fourth and final film in the Matt Helm comedy spy series, with Dean Martin, Sharon Tate, Elke Sommer, Nancy Kwan and Tina Louise

The Yorkshire Auction House -:- Angus helps to clear a warehouse filled with collectables to fund a luxury holiday. Plus, a pensioner sells his huge model railway

The Yorkshire Dales and the Lakes -:- In the Dales, train fireman Martyn Soames prepares for one of the most scenic railway journeys in England, from Settle in Yorkshire to the Cumbrian capital of Carlisle. Farmers John and William Dawson are fighting to save the Dalesbred sheep from decline. In the Lakes, Debbie and Andy North are taking on one of Alfred Wainwright's hill walks - the assent to the top of Barrow

Top Gear -:- Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May compete in a 1950s-style race from London to Edinburgh. On the footplate of the A1 Tornado steam train, Jeremy has to feed the boiler with a constant supply of coal, while Richard braves the saddle of a Vincent Black Shadow motorbike and James drives an old Jaguar XK120 as the trio discover what Top Gear might have been like 60 years ago. Michael Schumacher drives the Reasonably Priced Car

Top Gear -:- Jeremy Clarkson tries to prove the Nissan GT-R is faster than the celebrated Bullet Train in a race across Japan with Richard Hammond and James May. Toyota's idea of personal transport for the future is tested out and additional glamour is provided by the Alfa Romeo 8C, which takes to the Top Gear track. Newsreaders Fiona Bruce and Kate Silverton are the Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car

Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records -:- Matt Edmondson narrates another selection of records, including the heaviest train pulled with a beard, the furthest distance as a human arrow and the smallest man's suit

UFC: The Ultimate Fighter -:- Coached by Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler, this documentary series follows MMA fighters as they train and compete against each other for a contract with the UFC

UFC: The Ultimate Fighter -:- This documentary series follows MMA fighters as they train and compete against each other for a contract with the UFC

Walks Around Britain -:- Series featuring inspirational walks between from around Britain. Andrew White walks on a disused railway in the Peak District and alongside the Caledonian Canal

War Factories -:- The remarkable story of how Stalin's massive war factories were dismantled and moved east on one and half million railway trucks, to avoid being lost to the Nazis

Wild West Chronicles -:- Butch and Sundance are gone, so Bat Masterson asks Sundance's girlfriend to relive the events from one of the West's greatest train robberies

World's Greatest Train Journeys from Above -:- Norway's Bergen line, running from Bergen to Oslo, is filmed from the air as it passes along the fjords of Western Norway, rises to the snowy Hardanger Plateau, and descends through deep forests. Along the way, we learn how a dedicated team of people keep the line open in a challenging environment: clearing snow and ice, deterring wildlife, and repairing damaged trains

World's Greatest Train Journeys from Above -:- The Ghan, Australia's most luxurious train, crosses an entire continent from Adelaide on the southern coast to the tropical landscape of Darwin in the north. On its two-day journey, it faces intense heat, the risk of collisions with wild animals and the threat of increasingly extreme weather events. An army of engineers must work around the clock to maintain The Ghan and its 3,000 km of track

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- In Norway, camera follow a train journey that begins in the capital Oslo and heads all the way to Bodo inside the Arctic Circle. The first leg is the Dovre line, running from to the remote northern wonderland of Trondheim. Along the way it passes through the vast Gudbrandsdal valley and across the awe-inspiring Dovrefjell mountain plateau. The route stops at the picturesque mountain village of Dombas, before changing to the Rauma railway, which features dramatic fjords opening out along the Rauma river, dotted with some of the country's most famous landmarks. Narrated by Bill Nighy

World's Top 5 -:- Five of the world's most impressive trains are pitted against one another in a variety of key categories

Yorkshire Walks -:- Artist Shanaz Gulzar seeks inspiration as she explores Wensleydale, setting out from Leyburn on a walk to Bolton Castle, where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1568. Along the way, Shanaz discovers evidence of an industrial past and talks to a volunteer worker on the heritage railway line, while also stopping to sketch and reflect

Young Sheldon -:- The youngster gets a summer job at the local train museum. Missy embarks on a new stage of womanhood and Georgie discovers Mary's guilty pleasure. Iain Armitage stars

Yr Ysgol -:- The gang from Llanrug and Sant Curig play with all sorts of vehicles, and Emily goes on a steam train

SMALL PRINT

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