BBC - Railways of the Great War (2014) Part 2 Railways and Railwaymen Called to Action
Michael Portillo examines the role of the railways in World War I. He finds out how the railways helped to precipitate a mechanised war, shaped how it was fought, conveyed millions to the trenches and bore witness to its end. Michael travels through Britain and northern Europe uncovering railway stories from the Great War.
Part 2: Railways and Railwaymen Called to Action
His journey begins in England's north east where he finds out about the brave railwaymen who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Moving south to Oxfordshire he learns how the manufacturing expertise of the railways turned a crisis into a victory. In Hampshire, Michael meets the proud son of a railwayman who, as a Royal Engineer, taught soldiers to be railwaymen and trained railwaymen to be soldiers. Finally, on the south coast he meets the big guns that turned the tide of war.
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