Michael Portillo prepares to trace some 600 miles of the first transcontinental railway route across the Canadian Rockies, steered by his 1899 Appleton's Guide.\n\nBeginning in Vancouver, British Columbia, Michael boards the Canadian Pacific Railway Engine 374 that linked the vast nation of Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific in 1887. He unearths the story behind this grand feat of engineering and the bribery and corruption, which brought down a government. And he learns that without this railway, there might not be a unified Canada today.\n\nFrom Vancouver's Skytrain, Michael explores the nation's most densely populated city, which, with its natural harbour location and fabulous views of the North Shore mountains, is ranked one of the world's best places to live. A taste of the outdoor life in the thousand-acre Stanley Park prompts Michael to head for the home of the Vancouver Giants and Trinity Northwestern University to try an iconic Canadian sport, ice hockey. It is a brave move but not a glorious one. Michael is on more familiar territory on set at the Canadian Motion Picture Park, where the Twilight Saga was filmed, and known in the industry as Hollywood North. He discovers the first film made in Canada was created at the time of his guide. Sponsored by the Canadian Pacific Railway, it showed life on the prairies in order to promote settlement. Michael directs an Oscar-worthy scene of his own.
Source: BBC 2
Series 1: 15. Hinton To Jasper
Michael Portillo's rail journey across the vast open spaces of Canada reaches a dramatic scenic conclusion in the Rocky Mountains. Deep in the Columbia Icefield in a massive all ...
06-10-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 14. Edmonton
Michael Portillo continues west through the Canadian Prairie on his thousand-mile rail journey from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to Jasper, Alberta. Following his 1899 Appleton's guide, ...
05-10-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 13. Saskatoon
Michael Portillo crosses the Great Plains of Canada by rail, armed with his 1899 Appleton's Guide. He digs into the region's indigenous past at the longest running archaeologica ...
04-10-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 12. Portage La Prairie To Watrous
Steered by his 1899 Appleton's Guide, Michael Portillo strikes west across Manitoba into the province of Saskatchewan. High above the Prairie at Riding Mountain, he discovers ho ...
03-10-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 11. Winnipeg
Michael Portillo begins a 1,000-mile journey across the vast Canadian Prairie aboard Canada's last trans-continental passenger line. From the very heart of the country he travel ...
02-10-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 10. Calgary
Michael Portillo arrives in Calgary, in the Canadian province of Alberta, steered by his 1899 Appleton's guide. Sporting a bright red jacket, he saddles up with the Royal Canadi ...
29-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 9. Kamloops To Banff
Clutching his 1899 Appleton's Guide, Michael Portillo boards one of the world's most famous trains, the Rocky Mountaineer, to cross the backbone of the North American continent ...
28-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 8. Port Moody To Kamloops
Armed with his 1899 Appleton's Guide to Canada, Michael Portillo learns how to head off a charging bear in the wilderness of British Columbia and holds on tight in a sidewinder ...
27-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 7. Vancouver Island To San Juan Island
Michael Portillo explores British Columbia, steered by his Appleton's Guide to Canada, published in 1899. He discovers how two superpowers nearly came to war over a pig and join ...
26-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 6. Vancouver
Michael Portillo prepares to trace some 600 miles of the first transcontinental railway route across the Canadian Rockies, steered by his 1899 Appleton's Guide.\n\nBeginning in ...
25-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 5. Saint-anne De Beaupre To La Malbaie
Michael Portillo explores the Province of Quebec with his nineteenth-century Appleton's Guide to Canada. He takes the fabulously scenic Train de Charlevoix along the north bank ...
22-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 15. Hinton To Jasper
Michael Portillo's rail journey across the vast open spaces of Canada reaches a dramatic scenic conclusion in the Rocky Mountains. Deep in the Columbia Icefield in a massive all ...
06-10-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 2. Pictou To Prince Edward Island
Steered by his 1899 Appleton's Guide to Canada, Michael Portillo continues his journey through Canada's maritime provinces towards Quebec City.\n\nIn the picturesque harbour tow ...
19-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 8. Port Moody To Kamloops
Armed with his 1899 Appleton's Guide to Canada, Michael Portillo learns how to head off a charging bear in the wilderness of British Columbia and holds on tight in a sidewinder ...
27-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 4. Miramichi To Quebec City
Michael Portillo continues his rail adventure from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Quebec City, following his 1899 edition of Appleton's Guide to Canada. In the Acadian fishing village ...
21-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 6. Vancouver
Michael Portillo prepares to trace some 600 miles of the first transcontinental railway route across the Canadian Rockies, steered by his 1899 Appleton's Guide.\n\nBeginning in ...
25-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 1. Halifax
Michael Portillo begins a new journey on the tracks of the ocean line to explore Canada's maritime provinces, en route to Quebec City. Clutching his 1899 Appleton's Guide to Can ...
18-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 12. Portage La Prairie To Watrous
Steered by his 1899 Appleton's Guide, Michael Portillo strikes west across Manitoba into the province of Saskatchewan. High above the Prairie at Riding Mountain, he discovers ho ...
03-10-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 10. Calgary
Michael Portillo arrives in Calgary, in the Canadian province of Alberta, steered by his 1899 Appleton's guide. Sporting a bright red jacket, he saddles up with the Royal Canadi ...
29-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 1: 7. Vancouver Island To San Juan Island
Michael Portillo explores British Columbia, steered by his Appleton's Guide to Canada, published in 1899. He discovers how two superpowers nearly came to war over a pig and join ...
26-09-2023
BBC 2