Mark Williams On The Rails
The year 2004 saw two hundred years of railways in Great Britain and to celebrate this historic landmark year, dedicated train enthusiast Mark Williams traveled the length and breadth of Britain in an exciting new TV series. Travelling the length and breadth of Britain, Mark tracks down the nation's fascinating railway heritage and gets to grips with locos such as the magnificent 160 ton Duchess of Sutherland. From the earliest designs of Richard Trevithick and George and Robert Stephenson to the advent of Class 31s, and from the development of London's Underground to the evolution of railway coaches, he reveals how our railways have changed over 200 years of history.
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Seasons & Episodes
1. Cornish Steam Giant
Mark Williams celebrates two hundred years of trains, charting the development of the first locomotive by Richard Trevithick in 1804.
2. Rocket Men
Mark Williams celebrates two hundred years of trains, tracking the creation of railways in the North East by George Stephenson and son.
3. Brunel
The creation of the Great Western Railway under the control of a single engineer I.K. Brunel
4. Moving Mountains
Mark Williams discovers how a curious engine used to transport slate down the Welsh mountains inspired an amazing railway through the Rocky Mountains.
5. Carriage Kings
Mark Williams explores how the introduction of railways affected society. He rides in an old third-class carriage before travelling in style on the Orient Express
6. Death on the Tracks
In this edition, Mark Williams learns how, during the early days of train travel, death on the tracks was tragically common.
7. Big Country
Mark Williams rides the American railroad to explore how the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad linked the east and west coasts of America.
8. Speed and Power
Mark Williams explains how the race for speed during the 1920s and 1930s led to locomotives setting records that are still a match for modern rail travel.
9. Going Underground
Mark Williams gets to grips with the oldest subterranean train network in the world, London's Underground, and travels through an early tunnel under the Thames.
10. Diesel Generation
Mark Williams explores the introduction of diesel electric systems in 1953 and drives a Class 31 complete with hot plate, windscreen wiper and ashtrays.
