A glorious insight into the history, landscape and people of Britain, from The Sunday Times bestseller.

The railway line between Brighton and London bridged the gap between capital, countryside and coast, fostering the rise of the new middle classes created by the Industrial revolution and transforming Brighton from a royal playground into a busy resort. Travelling through London, Michael Portillo visits Sydenham, site of the Crystal Palace, and the Burlington Arcade in Piccadilly, before heading northwards to Newmarket, the home of horseracing, King’s College, Cambridge and Norwich, famous for its mustard.

Places visited: Brighton, London, Redhill, Croydon, Sydenham, Cambridge, King’s Lynn, Norwich and Cromer.

This individual journey is one of a series taken from the bestselling books Great British Railway Journeys and Great Victorian Railway Journeys that accompany the highly successful BBC Two series. Michael Portillo follows the famous George Bradshaw railway guides in railway journeys across the length and breadth of the country, discovering spectacular scenery and stunning architecture and exploring local history and industry.