🎬Great British Railway Journeys, Brockenhurst to Poole. Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains.

Following in the footsteps of Queen Victoria, Michael uses the railways she often rode from Windsor Castle to her country getaway on the Isle of Wight, from where his journey continues west to Portland.

On the trail of a Victorian snake catcher, Michael visits the New Forest seeking out venomous adders, uncovers a secret library in Wimborne containing some very rare books and visits the Poole potteries founded in the 19th century, which are still working today.

Presenter Michael Portillo
Director Tom Currie
Series Producer Jay Taylor
Executive Producer John Comerford
First Broadcast 12th January 2012

🎬British Pathé – Ordinary mortals get the chance to be cowboys and cowgirls in Hampshire. Story about the Flying G Ranch where friends and holidaymakers can enjoy "life on the range" and pretend to be cowboys. The ranch is owned by the transatlantic airline pilot Captain Leslie Gosling. C/U of a gun being loaded with bullets, cut to show man in cowboy hat and glasses (looks a bit incongruous) who is holding the gun. Horses are saddled up for a ride. Various footage of the holidaymakers riding their steeds around the ranch and out in open fields. They run into the local hunt which again looks strange - worlds colliding. Nice majestic western music accompanies shots of the riders. C/U of hamburgers being barbecued as the ramblers return for an outdoor feast. Good shots of the food being distributed and the riders enjoying their meals. A young cowboy and cowgirl polish their saddles. "We've never seen a sharpshooter in horn rimmed glasses before" quips the narrator as our friend from earlier shoots a few rounds and knocks down a few cans. The cowboys and cowgirls sit around on blankets listening to one of their group playing the guitar. I want to go. Cuts exist - see separate record

🎬 Part of the AMERICAN VISCOUNTESS series of programmes that looks at Britain's stately homes.

Not only is Beaulieu home to the National Motor Museum, but also to the extraordinary ruins of Beaulieu Abbey, which date back to the foundation of the monastery here in the thirteenth century. The more I visit historic houses around Britain, the more I realise how many of them have monastic roots.

In this episode, Lord Montagu guides me around some of the surviving buildings and shows me the exquisite wall hangings, stitched by his mother, which chart the history of the abbey. I also explore a hidden part of the Beaulieu estate where the well used by the monks still survives today. And I end my visit at the newly restored ice house – a glimpse back to the days when historic houses functioned more like life in the tv series, Downton Abbey.

🎬British Pathé – Amy Johnson opens a hospital fete in Bournemouth. Full title reads: "In Aid of Charity. Miss Amy Johnson, CBE & Miss Majorie Foster receive civic reception and open Bournemouth Hospital Fete." Bournemouth, Dorset. Famous aviator Amy Johnson brings her biplane 'Jason' in to land at Bournemouth. Shots of a cavalcade carrying Miss Johnson and Miss Foster past large cheering crowds. Amy John makes a speech from a stage. She thanks the people for their welcome. Pan across crowd. She opens the Hospital Charity fete. The guests are given three cheers.

🎬British Pathé – Girl Guides from every nation meet on a camp in the New Forest. Title: "LADY BADEN POWELL. Visits Girl Guides of all nations in camp in the New Forest". M/S of Lady B-P walking between two lines of Guides of different nationalities. C/U of Lady B-P standing surrounded by Guides - on one arm stands an Indian Guide on the other is a Guide from an Islamic country. C/U of two Caucasian Guides from different countries. C/U of two more Guides, one has a tiny Danish flag tied to her woggle. C/U of the Guide from an Islamic country wearing a veil. C/U of Lady B/P standing next to a Guide from an Far Eastern country. M/S of a Guide using bellows to encourage a camp fire beneath a cooking pot, pan to two Guides sitting on the ground peeling potatoes. M/S of two Guides posting letters in a mail box (their embroidered bonnets suggest they may be Scandinavian!). M/S of a group of Guides sitting around their Guide Leader - they appear to be breaking up a tree branch to make a camp fire

🎬British Pathé – Wartime hangars on Salisbury Plain are demolished to give clear view of Stonehenge. Wiltshire. Item title reads - Like a giant cheese cutter. Messrs. Chivers & Sons cut great wartime hangars on behalf of National Trust to give clear view of Stonehenge once again. Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire. M/S of a man at the top of one of the hangars, securing rope which he slides down. M/S as they pull the hangars down with the rope, various shots as they are demolished and fall over like dominoes.