CHANNEL 4 MARKS 200 YEARS OF TRAIN TRAVEL WITH NEW HUGH BONNEVILLE AND NEW DOCUMENTARY SERIES

Narrated by Hugh Bonneville (Paddington, Downton Abbey) the spectacular series uses cutting-edge drones to showcase some of Britain’s most iconic steam train journeys, immersing viewers in an aerial adventure along their routes.

Featured in the four episodes are railways from across in Britain. In Scotland, The Jacobite Railway, better known as the real Hogwarts Express, charges through the Highlands to famous landmarks from both the Harry Potter movies and the Jacobite Rebellion. And in Wales, The Mountain Spirit, travels along The Ffestiniog Railway in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, to reveal a fascinating history of Wales’ industrial revolution. 

In keeping with this year’s Rail 200 celebrations, two episodes of the new series spotlight Britain’s pioneering early railway engineers: George and Robert Stephenson, and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. 

In Yorkshire, the episode takes us through Yorkshire’s iconic moorlands on The North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Whitby to Pickering. Its route was designed by the Stephensons and this episode tells the story not just of this railway, but of Locomotion No. 1, the very first steam-powered passenger railway.  

In an episode featuring the West Somerset Railway, viewers will travel along the rolling hills of the Quantocks and Exmoor National Park, to uncover the secrets of its engineer and one of Britain’s best known: Isambard Kingdom Brunel. 

The series celebrates Britain’s pioneering efforts to transform not just travel, but industry, trade, and communication, with these revolutionary machines. It transports viewers back to the golden age of steam, and revels in the romance and the thrill of train travel. 

Hugh Bonneville: "Narrating Great British Train Journeys From Above has been a great joy, being able to offer a fresh perspective on the remarkable history that shaped this nation, and to enjoy our country's glorious landscapes. This series is a front-row seat to the magic of steam travel, from a few hundred feet in the air."

Series Producer/Director Matt Cottingham: “The thrill of this project was directing in real time, tackling short and unpredictable filming windows to capture the steam locomotives thundering through these landscapes. Working with some of the best drone pilots in the industry, and pushing the boundaries of aerial technology, we set out to choreograph a fresh visual approach to telling historical narratives and immersing the audience in the romance of a steam train journey.”

Transmission details will be announced in due course.