Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Episode 3

Episode 3 of 6

Series exploring the expansion of railways in the Victorian era. Ruth Goodman, Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn find out how railways transformed the British diet.

It is full steam ahead for historians Ruth Goodman, Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn as they bring back to life the golden age of steam and explore how the Victorian railways created modern Britain.

This time, the team find out how the railways transformed the British diet, rescuing a nation that was struggling to feed itself.

Putting theory into practice, Alex and Peter load a flock of sheep onto a train, discovering how the mass transportation of livestock by rail transformed the quality and quantity of meat available to Victorian consumers. This new capability gave birth to the traditional British roast.

Ruth follows in the footsteps of Britain's herring girls, revealing how the North Yorkshire Moors Railway revived the fortunes of Whitby, turning it into a thriving fishing town, supplying the country's kippers.

Alex looks at how pioneering farmers attempted to use steam power to increase production, getting to grips with the latest steam-ploughing technology.

Peter discovers how steam-powered engines revolutionised production at Britain's oldest brewery and how the traction engine worked alongside the locomotive to distribute beer across the country.

In Yorkshire, Ruth sees how farmers created a monopoly on rhubarb, growing the crop in dark sheds and transporting it nightly to London on the rhubarb express.

Meanwhile, Alex boards a locomotive on the Watercress Line in Hampshire, discovering how the railway brought the nutritional salad to the masses.

59 minutes

Last on

Sat 6 Feb 2021 19:00

Clip

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Ruth Goodman
Presenter Alex Langlands
Presenter Peter Ginn
Participant John Martin
Participant Glenn Kilpatrick
Participant Barry Brown
Participant Stewart Edward Dark
Participant Mike Bull
Participant Don Tyler
Participant Daniel Dickinson
Participant George Willy
Participant Guy Debes
Participant James Harper
Director Chris Mitchell
Producer Chris Mitchell
Executive Producer Nick Catliff
Production Manager Claire Smith
Producer Emma Randle-Caprez
Producer Georgina Stewart
Production Coordinator Rachael Pagett
Sound Recordist Tim Hodge
Assistant Producer Tom Pilbeam
Editor Steve Brown
Production Company Lion Television
Series Producer Stuart Elliott
Graphic Designer Eddie Gachegua

Broadcasts

Download a free Railways poster from The Open University

Discover how the railways transformed the British Isles during the 19th Century.

Archive Collection: Steam Railways

Programmes from the ±«Óãtv archives celebrating the beauty of steam locomotives