The Bus has served Britain well for over a hundred years however its future role is uncertain. We take a look at the its history over many decades at work in both urban and rural settings.
Railways: Then and Now
1996
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How the railways have changed over the years from the days of steam to diesel and electric.
Chapter 1: Great Western Railway
A nostalgic look at the Great Western Railway and a reminder of the brilliant engineers and designers from the company who brought us such wonderful locomotives as King George V and Gloucester Castle.
Chapter 2: Southern Railway
We see evocative footage of the engines and lines on the Southern Railway, including commuter and holiday routes of London and South East England.
Chapter 3: London Midland and Scottish Railways
We look at the largest railway company in the country, and the diverse ways that it covered its needs from heavy workhorses for long distance freight work to steam engines.
Chapter 4: London North Eastern Railway
Archive film of the second largest of the Big Four companies. We look at the high speed locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley and views of King's Cross and York Stations in the days of steam.
Chapter 5: British Rail
We travel along the Woodhead Route, a flagship electrification project for BR and the Metropolitan Line running out of London to the suburbs and beyond.
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In May 1937, the largest aircraft ever flown became a raging fireball and was destroyed in under 40 seconds. Three generations later, there are still no definitive answers as to why. This documentary reveals new theories and documents that shed light on a possible cover-up that spans two continents. As well as being a tragic story about the airship and its demise, it's a tale of the sinister secrets of those in charge and their ties to the Nazi party.
From the inception, trails and then to the battlefield, this documentary takes a forensic look at the history of Germany's Tiger Tank, using outstanding and innovative computer animation to bring the facts vividly to life, and backed by testimonials from the men who crewed it and the men who fought against it throughout World War II.
Gain exclusive behind the scenes access to the Bovington Tank Museum's "Tiger 131", captured intact in 1943 and then recently operationally restored to running condition, the only operational Tiger I in the world!
Plus interviews with actual Tiger veterans and the British crews who fought against them. A wealth of pictures from The Tank Museum's archives. Dramatic reconstruction of Jo Ekins' destruction of three Tigers in one engagement.
Program Highlights:
-- The theory and design which led to the Tiger I's development and manufacture.
-- Detailed animated sequences provide an in-depth look at the Tiger I's construction and capabilities.
-- First-hand accounts from tank crew veterans on both sides of the conflict.
-- Investigative account and animated recreation of Tiger Tank Ace Michael Wittmann's final tank battle.
Written & Produced by Peter Axten ; Directed by Nick da Costa ; Wide Angle Productions, UK, in association with The Tank Museum, Bovington, UK
Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) is a mountain that people keep coming back to. It's the most popular mountain in Britain, and it's getting busier each year. People are prepared to queue for up to 45 minutes at peak times to climb the final few steps to the summit, to take that all-important picture. Yr Wyddfa already attracts around 750,000 people a year. As the summit's visitor centre prepares to re-open, and the famous train carries passengers to the very top for the first time since October 2019, a record number of visitors are expected in 2023. It looks like being their busiest summer yet.
With the mountain standing at 1,085 metres above sea level, maintaining the five-mile-long railway track and visitor centre is a huge challenge. Thousands of litres of water are transported by train each day to supply the toilets, and all waste has to be carried down again. The shop and cafe are re-stocked daily, including plenty of supplies of the famous sausage rolls, of which over 50,000 are sold every year.
The Snowdon Mountain Railway is Britain's only rack-and-pinion railway, and its Swiss-built steam locomotives have been making the ten-mile return journey from Llanberis since 1896. Over 1,000 passengers travel on the train daily to enjoy the stunning views, and the company employs dozens of local people throughout the year.
It is estimated that Yr Wyddfa is worth around ?20 million annually to the local economy, but it comes at a price. Eryri National Park wardens patrol the mountain to try and ensure the safety of walkers, while volunteers spend their weekends collecting tons of discarded rubbish from the slopes. The constant tramping of hundreds of thousands of feet causes damage to the footpaths, which need to be repaired, while transport and parking is always a bone of contention. Illegally parked cars being towed away are a constant feature during busy times, as are the constant stream of buses and taxis carrying eager walkers to the foot of the mountain.
Yr Wyddfa is owned by 26 private landowners, most of whom are involved in farming their land. Sheep and cattle roam the slopes as they have done for hundreds of years, mingling with hikers and ignoring the trains. It can be an uneasy relationship between tourists and those who have to make a living off the land. Both parties have to learn to respect and live with each other.
Hairdressing, but not as you know it. Aberkenfig hairdresser Shelley Lane loves cutting her regular clients' hair, but she has a completely different side to her work creating stunning avant-garde hair designs. She competes around the world with the best but always loves coming home to Aberkenfig.
With sea levels rising, four major cities are at risk of being submerged.
Chapter 1: Venice
Founded in the fifth century, Venice is built across around 100 islands linked by canals and more than 300 bridges. The city floods increasingly often, which has prompted concern from both politicians and scientists, who are keeping a close watch on this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To counter the rising waters, the city has embarked on a vast project entitled MOSE (Moses in Italian), which consists of a highly sophisticated structure of dykes to prevent flooding. How was such an engineering prowess made possible? What resources have been mobilized for this one-of-a-kind construction?
Like a journey back in time, this documentary goes from the city's foundations to the Venice we know today. Historians, architects, engineers and residents share their love for this unique city, which they are trying to save from the waters through an ambitious architectural project on an unprecedented scale.
Chapter 2: Tokyo
With its 37.7 million inhabitants, Tokyo is the most populated urban zone on the planet. Almost 80% of the Japanese population lives in towns and urban expansion on the archipelago has reached levels unparalleled in Europe. The Japanese capital looks like no other city in the world and is characterised by its wide variety of architectural styles and a constantly evolving urban landscape.
Built on a fault line, threatened by flooding and several active volcanoes, the city seems doomed to disappear, and yet new construction projects abound. Over time, to counter the various threats, and building on the experience gained from past catastrophes, architects have built a "city" beneath the city to tackle the issues relative to earthquakes and flooding.
A veritable experimental laboratory of modern architecture and technical innovation, will Tokyo manage to combat the much-feared "Big one" that is expected to take place some time during the next 30 years? How will the capital of Japan evolve over the course of the 21st century and what techniques will be put in place to avoid the worst scenario? Historians, architects, and engineers reveal the ambitious projects under development to save this unique city.
Chapter 3: New York
New York, the American symbol of power, is being threatened. As a mosaic of islands surrounded by a bay along the Atlantic Ocean, the city is barely above the sea level. But global warming has put the city at risk of devastating floods, and by the end of the century, cataclysmic hurricanes could strike.
Today, the danger is real: 400,000 New Yorkers live in flood zones. To save the city, engineers are dreaming up amazing technologies: a giant deployable wall that folds out around Manhattan, oysterbeds in the bay, or waterproof skyscrapers.
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Chapter 4: Amsterdam
Over the years, the face of Amsterdam, known as the "Venice of the North", has been constantly remodeled and redesigned by engineers. Using dunes, dykes, polders, and colossal dams to preserve the city from the North Sea and riverfloods, more than once, Amsterdam's inhabitants have saved and rebuilt the city using staggering and ever more ingenious techniques.
Exacerbated by climate change, sea-level rise, which may well accelerate over the coming decades, has become a major concern for this country which has over a quarter of its land below sea level.
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