Season 2
8 episodes · Jan 4, 2020
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- S2E1
The Railway Revolution
Jan 4, 2020Michael Buerk returns with more stories of how Britain was transformed during the Victorian era, beginning by looking at the development of the railway network during the era. Michael hops on board an original Victorian locomotive at Tanfield Railway and discovers the role this former coal track played in the development of the national railway. He also learns about Isambard Kingdom Brunel's bid to secure Bristol's future, and his creation of the fastest engine in the world.
- S2E2
Britannia Rules the Waves
Jan 11, 2020Michael Buerk learns how the Victorians built the biggest, fastest, most technologically advanced ships in the world, which helped the nation to dominate the high seas. In Portsmouth, he boards Queen Victoria's flagship HMS Warrior to reveal surprising construction secrets and the ways the ship kept the peace in international waters, before following in Brunel's footsteps aboard his luxury steamer SS Great Britain.
- S2E3
Bridging The Nation
Jan 18, 2020Michael Buerk looks at the building of bridges around the nation during the era, visiting Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol to reveal the secret construction masterpiece that lay hidden in the structure's core for more than a century. He also discovers how the Tay Bridge disaster led to huge leaps in technology and how a new metal emerged as the bridge maker's building block of choice.
- S2E4
The Great British Holiday
Jan 25, 2020Michael Buerk discovers how the Victorians spent their leisure time, heading to Blackpool to learn how the seaside mini-break was transformed from a perk of the wealthy to a British institution. He steps onto one of the town's famous piers to learn how, thanks to architect and civil engineer Eugenius Birch, these humble loading aids became entertainment hubs. Michael also hears how a rivalry between two show business giants resulted in some of the area's most glorious architecture and how the advent of electricity fuelled the town's tourist industry, via its world-famous illuminations.
- S2E5
How Britain Healed The World
Aug 31, 2020Michael Buerk discovers how bold Victorian experiments and Cathedrals of Medicine built Britain and revolutionised the medical world.
- S2E6
The Birth Of Law And Order
Sep 7, 2020Michael Buerk discovers how the Victorians instituted a revolution in law and order, created the first modern police force and built the prisons Britain still relies on to house criminals today.
- S2E7
The Great Stink
Sep 14, 2020Michael discovers how Britain's first Super Sewer cleaned up the capital and inspired a fresh water revolution that would change the lives of millions of Victorians.
- S2E8
The Culture Revolution
Sep 21, 2020Michael Buerk discovers how the Victorians took on the world of exploration and adventure, and brought it home to Britain for everyone to share.