In this five part series for BBC2, Michael Portillo marks
the centenary of the First World War by discovering the central role the
railways played in securing victory, repatriating the dead and wounded, and
feeding the insatiable appetite for weaponry and supplies that the theatre of
war demanded.
Over the five episodes, Michael will travel to the key railway
locations that would become synonymous with the battles and campaigns of the
First World War, showing how they were intrinsic to our success, often in
surprising ways, and how they helped determine shape of the Europe we know
today.