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Buffalo to Niagara Falls

Michael Portillo rides the railroads of America. Michael braves the awesome power and drenching spray of Niagara Falls on the Maid of the Mist.

Michael Portillo braves the awesome power and drenching spray of Niagara Falls on the Maid of the Mist to share what artists, daredevils and millions of tourists have billed as one of the most spectacular experiences on the planet.

Reaching Buffalo, he lunches on the city's famous buffalo wings and discovers it was once the centre of the world's grain trade. Touring Silo City, Michael learns about the invention which propelled the port of Buffalo into its dominant position - the grain elevator - and how the railroads sealed the deal.

Awe-inspiring engineering is revealed at the 12-acre Colonel Ward water-pumping station, the largest construction ever built on the Great Lakes and capable of delivering 30 million gallons of water per day to the city of Buffalo.

29 minutes

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Michael Portillo
Executive Producer John Comerford
Series Producer Alison Kreps
Production Company Boundless Productions

Broadcasts

Steam Railways: Watch programmes from the archive collection

Shows from the 麻豆社 archives celebrating the beauty of locomotives.