Great Coastal Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo travels around the British Isles by train to learning about the challenges the coastal regions face, beginning at Siccar Point in Berwickshire

Michael Portillo continues his Scottish coastal journey along the Firth of Forth at the railway engineering icon for which it is famous throughout the world, the Forth Bridge

Michael Portillo visits Leuchars, known nowadays on the railways as Leuchars for St Andrews, which is Scotland's oldest university and is located on a beautiful beachfront

Michael Portillo begins this leg of his Scottish railway journey from Dunbar to Peterhead in the medieval city of Stirling

Michael Portillo visits Leuchars, known nowadays on the railways as Leuchars for St Andrews, which is Scotland's oldest university and is located on a beautiful beachfront

Michael Portillo's Scottish railway journey reaches Aberdeen, from where he heads out to Forvie National Nature Reserve, which is 1,000 hectares of protected coastal habitat

Michael Portillo crosses the Culloden Viaduct aboard the Caledonian Sleeper to arrive bright and early in Inverness, from where he heads north to the Orkney archipelago

Michael Portillo's Scottish railway journey reaches Aberdeen, from where he heads out to Forvie National Nature Reserve, which is 1,000 hectares of protected coastal habitat

Michael Portillo travels by train north from Inverness to the Orkney Islands. Beginning on the Moray Firth, Michael admires the Cullen Viaduct then enjoys a bowl of Cullen skink

Michael Portillo's Scottish coastal railway journey reaches Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth, the third great inlet on the northeast coast of the Highlands

Michael Portillo crosses the Culloden Viaduct aboard the Caledonian Sleeper to arrive bright and early in Inverness, from where he heads north to the Orkney archipelago

Michael Portillo travels by train north from Inverness to the Orkney Islands. Beginning on the Moray Firth, Michael admires the Cullen Viaduct then enjoys a bowl of Cullen skink

Michael Portillo's Scottish coastal railway journey reaches Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth, the third great inlet on the northeast coast of the Highlands

The latest stage of Michael Portillo's trek takes him past lochs and castles on the Far North Line to Britain's northernmost railway station at Thurso

From Britain's northernmost station at Thurso in Caithness, Michael Portillo heads for the ferry port of Scrabster to cross the Pentland Firth to the Orkney Islands

Michael Portillo sets off from Tynemouth on the first leg of a trip to Berwick, hearing about a 19th-century tragedy that inspired 140 local men to set up a coastal rescue service

The latest stage of Michael Portillo's trek takes him past lochs and castles on the Far North Line to Britain's northernmost railway station at Thurso

Michael Portillo heads from Newcastle to Lynemouth, and is intrigued to hear of its part in Newcastle's early industrial development

From Britain's northernmost station at Thurso in Caithness, Michael Portillo heads for the ferry port of Scrabster to cross the Pentland Firth to the Orkney Islands

Michael Portillo sets off from Tynemouth on the first leg of a trip to Berwick, hearing about a 19th-century tragedy that inspired 140 local men to set up a coastal rescue service

Michael Portillo heads from Newcastle to Lynemouth, and is intrigued to hear of its part in Newcastle's early industrial development

Michael Portillo explores the wild and rugged coastline of Northumberland by rail, beginning in Morpeth, where he finds an historic collection of Northumbrian bagpipes

Michael Portillo travels the length of the Northumbrian coastline, and visits the mighty Bamburgh Castle

Michael Portillo's rail trek along the coast of Northumberland continues towards the Farne Islands, and finishes in England's northernmost town, Berwick-upon-Tweed

Michael Portillo explores the wild and rugged coastline of Northumberland by rail, beginning in Morpeth, where he finds an historic collection of Northumbrian bagpipes

Michael Portillo sets off on the first leg of a trip from the Firth of Clyde to Lewis and Harris, beginning with a visit to a nuclear power station on the Hunterston Peninsula

Michael Portillo travels the length of the Northumbrian coastline, and visits the mighty Bamburgh Castle

Michael Portillo's rail trek along the coast of Northumberland continues towards the Farne Islands, and finishes in England's northernmost town, Berwick-upon-Tweed

Michael Portillo sets off on the first leg of a trip from the Firth of Clyde to Lewis and Harris, beginning with a visit to a nuclear power station on the Hunterston Peninsula

Michael Portillo continues his exploration of Scotland's spectacular west coast, travelling from the town of Helensburgh on his favourite West Highland Line to Connel Bridge

Onboard the West Highland Line, Michael Portillo explores the stunning scenery of Scotland's west coast and islands as he heads to the Hebridean archipelago

Michael Portillo's adventure reaches the west coast of Scotland where, aboard the Jacobite Express, he crosses the awe-inspiring Glenfinnan Viaduct

Michael Portillo continues his exploration of Scotland's spectacular west coast, travelling from the town of Helensburgh on his favourite West Highland Line to Connel Bridge

Michael reaches the terminus of the West Highland Line at Mallaig, from where he follows in the footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie, over the sea to Skye

Onboard the West Highland Line, Michael Portillo explores the stunning scenery of Scotland's west coast and islands as he heads to the Hebridean archipelago

Michael Portillo's adventure reaches the west coast of Scotland where, aboard the Jacobite Express, he crosses the awe-inspiring Glenfinnan Viaduct

Michael reaches the terminus of the West Highland Line at Mallaig, from where he follows in the footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie, over the sea to Skye

Michael Portillo crosses the Severn to begin a trip along the south coast of Wales, joining maintenance workers on a hair-raising secret railway high above the estuary

Michael Portillo continues his south Wales coastal railway journey in Barry Island, where he joins a Bristol pilot on his way to help guide a feeder container ship into port

Michael Portillo's coastal rail journey along the south coast of Wales reaches the town of Port Talbot, where he investigates how the steel industry is planning to decarbonise

Michael Portillo crosses the Severn to begin a trip along the south coast of Wales, joining maintenance workers on a hair-raising secret railway high above the estuary

Michael Portillo continues his south Wales coastal railway journey in Barry Island, where he joins a Bristol pilot on his way to help guide a feeder container ship into port

Michael Portillo travels the rural coastline of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire in south Wales. From Carmarthen Bay, he tracks up the estuary and River Towy to the town itself

Michael Portillo's coastal rail journey along the south coast of Wales reaches the town of Port Talbot, where he investigates how the steel industry is planning to decarbonise

Michael Portillo travels the rural coastline of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire in south Wales. From Carmarthen Bay, he tracks up the estuary and River Towy to the town itself

Michael Portillo reaches the most westerly station in Wales, on the final leg of his rail journey along its southern coastline

Michael Portillo returns to travel by train to more places around the British Isles, beginning by heading to the Isle of Man - a paradise for rail lovers

Michael Portillo reaches the most westerly station in Wales, on the final leg of his rail journey along its southern coastline

Michael Portillo begins this leg of his journey at Liverpool's historic waterfront, where he visits the International Slavery Museum, before making his way north towards Blackpool

Michael Portillo continues his journey across the vast and beautiful Morecambe Bay, where he joins one of the town's last shrimpers to find out how potted shrimp is made

Michael Portillo returns to travel by train to more places around the British Isles, beginning by heading to the Isle of Man - a paradise for rail lovers

Michael Portillo begins this leg of his journey at Liverpool's historic waterfront, where he visits the International Slavery Museum, before making his way north towards Blackpool

Michael Portillo continues his journey across the vast and beautiful Morecambe Bay, where he joins one of the town's last shrimpers to find out how potted shrimp is made

Michael Portillo travels though Cumbria, setting sail in a small craft on Lake Windermere with a lifelong devotee of Arthur Ransome's children's books Swallows and Amazons

Michael Portillo embarks on the last leg of his railway journey around the north-west coast of England, visiting the childhood home of William Wordsworth in Cockermouth, Cumbria

Michael Portillo joins the hunt for dark matter in the deepest mine in Britain in Boulby, North Yorkshire, then visits Middlesbrough's Transporter Bridge

Michael Portillo travels though Cumbria, setting sail in a small craft on Lake Windermere with a lifelong devotee of Arthur Ransome's children's books Swallows and Amazons

Michael Portillo travels from Whitby, where he explores the port's shipbuilding and seafaring heritage, to Robin Hood's Bay, a former smuggling haven

Michael Portillo embarks on the last leg of his railway journey around the north-west coast of England, visiting the childhood home of William Wordsworth in Cockermouth, Cumbria

Michael Portillo joins the hunt for dark matter in the deepest mine in Britain in Boulby, North Yorkshire, then visits Middlesbrough's Transporter Bridge

Michael Portillo travels from Whitby, where he explores the port's shipbuilding and seafaring heritage, to Robin Hood's Bay, a former smuggling haven

Michael Portillo is in the North Yorkshire seaside resort of Scarborough to explore one of the greatest royal fortresses in England

Michael Portillo travels from the seaside resort of Hornsea, famous for its distinctive pottery, to Spurn Point, where he learns about a life-saving 19th-century invention

Michael Portillo is in the North Yorkshire seaside resort of Scarborough to explore one of the greatest royal fortresses in England

Michael Portillo has reached Lincolnshire, where his coastal railway journey from Middlesbrough ends. In Grimsby Town, he investigates a new stage in the town's history

Michael Portillo heads to Northern Ireland's spectacular Causeway coast to begin a new journey, which takes him along the north and east coasts through Ulster and Leinster

Michael Portillo travels from the seaside resort of Hornsea, famous for its distinctive pottery, to Spurn Point, where he learns about a life-saving 19th-century invention

Michael Portillo has reached Lincolnshire, where his coastal railway journey from Middlesbrough ends. In Grimsby Town, he investigates a new stage in the town's history

Michael Portillo heads to Northern Ireland's spectacular Causeway coast to begin a new journey, which takes him along the north and east coasts through Ulster and Leinster

Michael Portillo visits a museum in Belfast Lough telling the story of Ireland's railway heritage and learns of the important role of Carrickfergus in Ireland's history

Michael Portillo makes his way from Bangor to Belfast, along the way enjoying live music on a boat, visiting the parliament building at Stormont and exploring the Maritime Mile

Michael Portillo continues his railway journey, making his way from the vast beaches of the Carlingford Peninsula to the capital of the Republic of Ireland, Dublin

Michael Portillo visits a museum in Belfast Lough telling the story of Ireland's railway heritage and learns of the important role of Carrickfergus in Ireland's history

Michael Portillo travels from the capital of the Republic of Ireland, Dublin, on the DART suburban railway to the harbour town of Dun Laoghaire

Michael Portillo makes his way from Bangor to Belfast, along the way enjoying live music on a boat, visiting the parliament building at Stormont and exploring the Maritime Mile

Michael Portillo continues his railway journey, making his way from the vast beaches of the Carlingford Peninsula to the capital of the Republic of Ireland, Dublin

Michael Portillo travels from the capital of the Republic of Ireland, Dublin, on the DART suburban railway to the harbour town of Dun Laoghaire

The final leg of Michael Portillo's South Coast adventure begins in Fishbourne. He also visits Brighton, and the South Downs

The final leg of Michael Portillo's South Coast adventure begins in Fishbourne. He also visits Brighton, and the South Downs