Middlesbrough to Hexham
Episode 14 · 2015-01-22

- Documentary
Episode overview
Following his Bradshaw's Handbook, Michael Portillo begins this leg of his journey from Derby to Lindisfarne in the Victorian ironopolis of Middlesbrough. He visits one of the last cast iron foundries in the city and helps cast a carrot valve for a steam engine. His next stop is Darlington, spiritual home of the railways, where he learns how the city profited from its fast connections to the capitals of England and Scotland by developing a newspaper industry. Michael meets the editor of the Northern Echo and finds out about the colourful history of one of his predecessors, WT Stead. At Jarrow, Michael visits the monastery to learn about its famous monk, the father of English history, Bede. His last stop on this leg of his journey is Hexham, where he visits a historic ginger beer emporium.
30 minutes
Season 6 episodes
1. Ayr to Stewarton2015-01-05
2. Greenock to Larkhall2015-01-06
3. Motherwell to Linlithgow2015-01-07
4. Stirling to Pitlochry2015-01-08
5. St Andrew's to Edinburgh2015-01-09
6. Amersham to Regent's Park2015-01-12
7. Deptford to West Silverton2015-01-13
8. Stratford to London Victoria2015-01-14
9. Covent Garden to Soho2015-01-15
10. High Street Kensington to London Bridge2015-01-16
11. Derby to Grantham2015-01-19
12. Boston to Hensall2015-01-20
13. Hessle to York2015-01-21
14. Middlesbrough to Hexham2015-01-22
15. Newcastle to Lindisfarne2015-01-23
16. Pembroke Dock to Swansea2015-01-26
17. Swansea to Hereford2015-01-27
18. Abergavenny to Hanborough2015-01-28
19. Oxford to Luton2015-01-29
20. Oakham to Cambridge2015-01-30