The first four series of the TV show presented by Michael Portillo that traces historic railway journeys across Britain. In the first series Portillo sets out to chart how the nation's love affair with the railways began, travelling from Liverpool to Scarborough, Preston to Kirkcaldy, Swindon to Penzance and Buxton to London, amongst other journeys. The second series sees the former politician take as his guide Bradshaw's Handbook, a pamphlet on the burgeoning British railway system written by 19th century cartographer and publisher George Bradshaw. Portillo travels to destinations including Holyhead, Newcastle, York and Sheffield, stopping to visit historic landmarks and to talk to those whose lives have been changed by the railway system. In the third and fourth series Portillo traces more historic rail journeys across Britain including 'Great Yarmouth to Beccles', 'Darsham to Felixstowe', 'Sudbury to Southend', 'Ballymoney to Derry', 'High Wycombe to Stratford-Upon-Avon', 'Woking to Clapham Junction', 'London Victoria to Abbey Wood' and 'Stirling to Invergowrie'.