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Newcastle to County Durham

Beginning just outside Newcastle in Jarrow, Michael Portillo uncovers the desperation which led 200 men to march 300 miles to Westminster to petition the government for work.

Michael Portillo begins a new series of railway journeys through 1930s Britain, armed with an interwar Bradshaw's guide. He explores an unmistakably modern era of glamorous locomotives, cinema and dance halls but also a time of high unemployment and widespread poverty, when storm clouds gathered across the Channel.

Beginning just outside Newcastle in Jarrow, Michael uncovers the desperation which led 200 men to march 300 miles to Westminster in order to petition the government for work.

In Newcastle, Michael admires the city's iconic railway bridge before heading to Byker, where he discovers a new innovation in greyhound racing. Tips for picking a winner lead to a photo finish.

There's a visit to Durham Cathedral to see the bones of the Father of English History and a chance to fire up the fryer at a coal-powered fish and chip shop frozen in time.

In Spennymoor, Michael meets the son of a Durham miner who became one of the most famous 20th-century artists of the North East.

28 minutes

Last on

Fri 2 Aug 2024 01:25

Clip

Music Played

  • They Might Be Giants

    Man, It's So Loud In Here

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Michael Portillo
Series Editor Alison Kreps
Director Anthony Holland
Production Company Boundless West

Broadcasts

Steam railway programmes on 麻豆社 iPlayer

A collection of programmes from the 麻豆社 archives on the beauty of steam locomotives.