Lancashire will feature in tonight’s episode (January 20) of Great British Railway Journeys, presented by former Tory government minister Michael Portillo.
The documentary series sees Portillo use trains to travel across the country, and tonight, he’ll be in Preston, Rawtenstall and Greater Manchester, at Bury Bolton Street station.
Portillo will “explore the Britain of his youth” and start at Fulwood Barracks in Preston.
According to the Radio Times’ synopsis of the programme, which is a repeat from 2023, “he is called up for National Service but fails to impress the drill sergeant.”
What is Fulwood Barracks in Preston?
Fulwood Barracks “has been the literal and spiritual home” of the “Lancashire Regiment and its successor and predecessor regiments for nearly 150 years”, according to the Lancashire Infantry Museum’s website.
It adds: “Fulwood Barracks was the last and largest of a chain of barracks built in the North West in the wake of the Chartist riots of the 1830′s.
“Not only is it now the sole remaining example, it is today the finest and most complete example of mid-Victorian military architecture left in the country.
“It is also the only one of the seven major barracks built across the country in response to Chartism which is still in use for its original purpose.”
You can visit the museum, located at Fulwood Barracks, to find out more.
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The Radio Times adds: “At Bury Bolton Street station in Greater Manchester, Michael meets the volunteers who operate the East Lancashire Heritage Railway and learns how the Beeching cuts affected rail services in the area”.
The East Lancashire Heritage Railway explains that it’s “a registered charity dedicated to restoring, preserving, and celebrating the long and rich history of the 12-mile heritage railway line running from Heywood to Rawtenstall.”
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The charity hosts events, but visitors can also hop on and off the service to explore each place on the route.
How to watch Great British Railway Journeys
See Michael Portillo’s adventure through Lancashire and Greater Manchester tonight from 7pm on BBC Four. Or you can watch the programme on iPlayer.
Will you be watching? Let us know in the comments.
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