Season 1

1. Cornish Steam Giant

Mark Williams celebrates two hundred years of trains, charting the development of the first locomotive by Richard Trevithick in 1804.

2004-04-01 • 23 min

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.

2004-04-08 • 23 min

3. Brunel

The creation of the Great Western Railway under the control of a single engineer I.K. Brunel

2004-04-15 • 23 min

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.

2004-04-22 • 23 min

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

2004-04-29 • 23 min

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.

2004-05-06 • 23 min

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.

2004-05-13 • 23 min

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.

2004-05-20 • 23 min

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.

2004-05-27 • 23 min

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.

2004-06-03 • 23 min