Full Steam Ahead

Episode
Full Steam Ahead - Ep2
Broadcast Info
2016 (59 mins)
Description
It’s Full Steam Ahead for historians Ruth Goodman, Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn as they bring back to life the golden age of steam and explore how the Victorian railways created modern Britain.
In this episode the team visit Beamish in County Durham to explore how the railway companies soon recognised that there was money to be made in moving people, rather than just stone, coal and iron. The comfort of the early passenger waggons are put to the test on one of the earliest steam trains, and Ruth finds out how people were moving further than ever before.
Peter and Alex are put through their paces discovering what life was like for the railway navvies, the people that built thousands of miles of iron roads across the country and in all weather conditions. They come face to face with the harsh realities faced by countless workmen.
A demand for building railways transcended across other industries, even reviving many. Ruth finds out what impact they had on cottage industries and looks at the role that horsehair played in making the carriages as people-friendly as possible.
With the railways opening up plenty of new job roles and at the Bluebell Line, Ruth finds out what the role of the guard would have entailed. The team take a flying visit to a refreshment room, using the Railway Travellers Handy Book to guide them through the necessary etiquette.
The team discover the downside of compartment-only carriages, come face-to-face with a cardsharp and find out what precautions you could take should you go on a long train journey that was yet to include the necessary facilities!
Genre
Arts; History; Design; Engineering; Technology; Social Science

How to cite this record

The Open University, "Full Steam Ahead". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ou/search/index.php/prog/225990 (Accessed 10 Jan 2025)