BBC Four presents a journey into railway history with “The Trains That Time Forgot: Britain’s Lost Railway Journeys,” the first episode of the 15th series of ‘Timeshift’. This episode explores the lost era of rail travel when trains had distinct names, unique characters, and unmatched style. Once a source of pride for the railway companies, named trains have now largely disappeared from the railway landscape.
Writer and presenter Andrew Martin poses an intriguing question: why did we once name trains, and why has this practice faded away? To find answers, he embarks on three railway journeys across Britain, retracing the routes of iconic named trains: the Flying Scotsman, the Cornish Riviera Express, and the Brighton Belle.
The episode reflects on the golden age of railways, when the journey itself was just as important as reaching the destination. It offers a fascinating comparison between travel during that era and the modern-day passenger experience.
Timeshift: The Trains That Time Forgot – Britain’s Lost Railway Journeys airs on Wednesday, 21 August 2024, at 7:00 pm on BBC Four.
