BBC - Full Steam Ahead (2016) Part 4

Full Steam Ahead

The Age of Steam was an era of extraordinary change which utterly transformed every aspect of British life – from trade and transportation to health and recreation. This series reveals how the world we live in today was entirely shaped by the railways, charting the glorious evolution of rail transportation and how it left its mark on our lives, landscape and culture. Hop aboard an old-fashioned locomotive and set off down the line to a new part of the country with the established stars of the BBC Two Farm series, Peter Ginn, Alex Langlands and Ruth Goodman who have immersed themselves in the story of how the railways made us what we are today. Our team of experts also get their hands dirty - driving the train, working in the station, manning the signal box and learning how to run every aspect of a 19th and early 20th century railway. This is a trip not to be missed.

Part 4

The historians take a trip on the Flying Scotsman, arguably the most famous locomotive in the world, along its original route connecting London and Edinburgh - the two most important financial capitals of the Empire. Peter Ginn explores how the railways revolutionised the delivery of mail across Britain, he and Alex Langlands learn about the first electronic communication service - more than 100 years before the arrival of email - and Ruth finds out about the role of the wheeltapper. Plus, why do some railway clocks have more than one minute hand?

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