Great Coastal Railway Journeys S03 E11-E15 (1080p, soft English subtitles)

All aboard! Weaving through charming seaside towns, historic landmarks and natural wonders, Michael Portillo explores the coastal communities the railways made.

E11 Eastbourne to Rye
Michael Portillo sets off on a new railway adventure to explore the twin shores of the English Channel and the estuaries of the Thames and Medway. At Cuckmere Haven, he enjoys astonishing views of the gleaming white Seven Sisters. From Hastings, he takes the train to Battle to set foot on one of the most famous stretches of land in British history. The Marshlink line conveys Michael through a watery world of small rivers and wetlands to Rye, which was once a seaport but now lies a mile inland. Heading east across the border to Kent, Michael reaches a small peninsula jutting out into the Channel and an airfield with an illustrious past: Lydd Airport.

E12 Folkestone to Le Touquet
Michael Portillo travels through the longest undersea tunnel in the world on the Eurotunnel shuttle rail service from Folkestone to Calais. In Calais, Michael is reminded that for 200 years, from the mid-14th century, the city was part of the English realm. Heading south on a new express to Boulogne-sur-Mer, Michael tucks into the local cheese and wine, and up early the next morning, he explores France’s biggest fishing port. In the kitchen at La Matelote, Michael learns to prepare la Gainée, a traditional Boulogne fish stew. Tracing the tracks of an early electric tram, Michael reaches Etaples-Le Touquet on the Paris line to discover the chic resort’s sandy beach, glamorous hotels and casino.

E13 Dover to Margate
Michael Portillo’s railway adventure along the north and south coasts of the English Channel resumes in Dover, where he recalls the biggest evacuation in military history.
On an ancient pilgrim route into Canterbury, Michael learns how the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 prompted a surge in pilgrimage to the cathedral. The pretty seaside town of Broadstairs is Michael’s next stop - one of Charles Dickens’s favourite places, the town draws many fans of the author’s work. In Margate, Michael admires the striking Turner Contemporary art gallery, set on the now- transformed seafront.

E14 Birchington-on-Sea to Whitstable
Michael Portillo’s railway exploration of the Channel coastline and Thames estuary via Calais has reached the Isle of Thanet. Flat and temperate, it is excellent terrain for growing. From Herne Bay, Michael heads for the Reculver Towers, remnants of a Saxon church established in the seventh century. At Blean Woods, Michael explores one of the largest areas of ancient woodland in Britain. The fishing port of Whitstable is Michael’s next stop. Famed for its oysters, the town has become a foodie destination.

E15 Faversham to Chatham
Michael Portillo’s railway adventure zig-zagging the coasts of the English Channel and the Thames estuary nears its end on the north Kent coast. The pretty and historic town of Faversham is Michael’s first stop and an opportunity to get out on to the water in the last sailing barge to work on the Thames. Michael spends the night in a cosy cabin on the 3,300-acre Elmley Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey. At Queenborough, Michael visits one of the island’s three prisons, HMP Standford Hill, to hear about its emphasis on rehabilitation. The historic town of Chatham on the Medway River is Michael’s next stop. In its dockyard, warships were built to battle the Armada, HMS Victory was constructed and, during the 20th century, submarines such as HMS Ocelot were launched.

First broadcast: April 2024  
Duration:  30 minutes per episode    
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