Tag: Great Continental Railway Journeys

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 06/12/2014

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BBC Music Awards (YouView app)Wild Weather with Richard Hammond (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 8th December 2014)

Richard Hammond travels the globe in an attempt to reveal the hidden world of weather. Richard investigates the crucial role water plays. Without water there would be almost no weather: no rain, no snow, no hail, no clouds. So Richard goes in pursuit of water in all its forms. He tries to weigh a cloud, finds out how rain could crush a car and gets involved in starting an avalanche. Along the way, he tries to find out why clouds float by building his own cloud with the aid of a cattle trough, some humidifiers and atmospheric scientist Dr Jim McQuaid. But will their cloud float in the air like a real cloud? He also drops in on renowned hail scientist Charles Knight in his lab in Boulder, Colorado, to discover that there is far more to hail than meets the eye. Richard sets about firing ice and hail at a board to find out which does the most damage. Finally, in conjunction with the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Richard joins Walter Steinkogler to start an avalanche.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 10th December 2014)

A neglected Leo finds solace in new girl Mandy but soon finds there is more to her than meets the eye. Sue finds herself in hot water when Hector threatens to tell Simon about their affair.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 10th December 2014)

Michael Portillo follows in the footsteps of Edwardian travellers to trace a route recommended in Bradshaw’s guide, journeying from the heart of France to the Mediterranean coast. He begins in the capital of cuisine, Lyon, where he finds out about the early 20th-century Meres Lyonnaises, to whom the city owes its gastronomic reputation. Ever keen to try his hand, Michael takes instruction from a top chef on how to make an omelette, but his efforts fail to impress.

BBC Music Awards (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 11th December 2014)

Chris Evans and Fearne Cotton present the first ever BBC Music Awards live from Earl’s Court Arena, featuring some of the biggest songs of the year performed on a spectacular stage by an incredible line-up including Coldplay, One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Paloma Faith, Calvin Harris, Take That, George Ezra, Ella Henderson, Labrinth, Clean Bandit and surprise guests. Celebrating an amazing year in music across the BBC, awards to be presented on the night include British Artist of the Year, International Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. The evening includes some unique collaborations and the BBC Concert Orchestra, who will be accompanying some of the performers. The event is also broadcast live on Radio 1 and Radio 2.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 11th December 2014)

George meets Adam, a Cumbrian farmer turning a 70s Bedford fire truck into a mobile shop. Will travels to Wales to meet Joelle, a teacher who’s transforming a dilapidated pony trailer into a holiday retreat on a budget of just £1000. On his Italian road trip, George visits a tiny house perched on top of a cliff. And George and Will reveal their wilderness cabin in all its glory.

The Railway: First Great Western (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 11th December 2014)

Documentary series following the staff of First Great Western. In this episode, as the Six Nations Rugby Championship kicks off, in Cardiff, Dave and the team try to get thousands of rowdy fans home after a night on the town. The depot teams have to transport their rolling stock around the broken Dawlish mainline and rookie Station Manager Joe has his hands full on his first Saturday night shift at London Paddington when the last train to Wales breaks down.

Ice Road Truckers (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 12th December 2014)

Reality series following a group of brave men and women as they undertake one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Hugh Rowland’s grand plan to rival Polar Industries begins to fall apart. On the deathly highways, Lisa’s heavy haul throws her into grave danger.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 29/11/2014

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The Railway: First Great Western - 04-12-2014 (YouView app)Wild Weather with Richard Hammond (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 1st December 2014)

Richard Hammond travels the globe in an attempt to reveal the hidden world of weather. Richard investigates how wind actually starts. He joins up with an American meteorologist called Reed Timmer and a bizarre vehicle known as The Dominator III. Their aim is to fire a probe into a tornado to measure its speed where it is at its fastest – right next to the ground. Richard also visits one of the few places on the planet capable of duplicating a real-life tornado. The 23 million dollar WindEEE Research Institute in Ontario hadn’t even opened its doors when Richard asked them to take part in an experiment. He also braves the winds and temperatures of -50 degrees fahrenheit to take a trip outside on top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. On April 12th 1934, that station measured one of the highest wind speeds ever measured on land – 231 mph.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 3rd December 2014)

Allie convinces Vaughan to send Justin to a boarding school in an attempt to keep him away from Tiffany but the young lovers have plans of their own. Darren isn’t happy when Rhiannon considers a career as a plus size model.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 3rd December 2014)

Following his 1913 Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo ventures beyond Europe to the Holy Land. His journey begins in Haifa in modern-day Israel, where he is shown how to cook a takeaway – middle-eastern style, before heading to Haifa’s original station to find out about its branch line to the famous Hejaz Railway. In Tel Aviv, Michael marvels at the city’s futuristic skyscrapers and railway lines, threaded along the centre of modern highways. On his way to Jerusalem, Michael hears how the Jaffa to Jerusalem railway was the first line to be built in the Holy Land. In Jerusalem, Michael visits the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and finds out about a surprising Holy Land tradition. Michael then heads for Bethlehem where he meets the embroiderers of the Arab Women’s Union. Heading south, Michael arrives at the lowest point on earth – the Dead Sea, and then, in the Negev Desert, he learns about a celebrated British military hero with railways in his sights.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 4th December 2014)

George travels to Macclesfield to visit a first time builder who hopes to transform an allotment shed into a Doctor Who-style, multi-functional play den for less than £300. George visits a spectacular live-in treehouse in Scotland. Will and George dig for iron to create a medieval style lock for their wood cabin. And George’s Italian road trip takes in a holiday lodge made almost entirely from glass in the Dolomite mountains.

The Railway: First Great Western (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 4th December 2014)

Documentary series following the working lives of the staff of First Great Western, one of Britain’s largest train operating companies. The railway is in crisis as the worst weather for a century batters the country, pushing workers and passengers to the limit. Steve Hawkins and his team of engineers have time and tide against them as they get to work repairing one of the most beautiful stretches of track in the country after the mainline at Dawlish gets washed away, and Dave Slater and his team at Network Control have to battle the elements to keep trains running as storm after storm floods the network. A tube strike creates a headache for Ealing Broadway manager, Dean Haynes, as the extra pressure placed on overground trains into the city looks set to bring the morning commute to a standstill.

Ice Road Truckers (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 5th December 2014)

Reality series. For two months every year, a group of exceptional men and women find their way to the Canadian tundra to undertake one of the most dangerous jobs on earth. Alex retraces his route and Lisa wants to get back into the running for the most loads. Hugh and Vlad decide to keep Art Burke.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 22/11/2014

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Channel Patrol - 25-11-2014 (YouView app)Channel Patrol (BBC 1/HD | 11:30am to 12:15pm | Monday 24th November 2014)

Documentary series following life on the English Channel, the busiest waterway in the world. The RNLI team from Newhaven, one of the busiest stations on the channel, rush to answer a mayday call from a teenager on a stranded yacht. Trawler skipper Mike Young struggles with strict fishing regulations and mechanical breakdowns while trying to earn a living from the channel’s waters. The Royal Navy’s underwater bomb squad, the Fleet Diving Squadron, are called out to blow up a hazard in the Solent.

Loch Ness Monster: The Missing Evidence (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 24th November 2014)

Documentary series investigating conspiracy theories. Does the Loch Ness Monster really exist? This programme looks back over the history of the sightings, considers a variety of theories and explanations and re-examines the available photos and footage using modern technology and the latest scientific research.

Channel Patrol (BBC 1/HD | 11:30am to 12:15pm | Tuesday 25th November 2014)

Documentary series following life on the English Channel, the busiest waterway in the world. The RNLI team from Newhaven rush to the aid of a casualty having a suspected heart attack on board a charter fishing boat out at sea. Solo swimmer Nick Young battles tides and massive freighters in his attempt to swim to France. Nick’s motivation is a cause close to his heart – he is hoping to raise money to help his 12-year-old niece, Bel, who was paralysed four years before after falling from a climbing frame. Plus a team of volunteers rush to rescue another of the channel’s inhabitants – a baby seal washed up on the beach.

Channel Patrol (BBC 1/HD | 11:30am to 12:15pm | Wednesday 26th November 2014)

Documentary series following life on the English Channel, the busiest waterway in the world. A mammoth cargo freighter makes its way through the channel’s hazards to Southampton in thick fog. Guiding it safely is one of the many challenges faced on a daily basis by the team in Vessel Traffic Services in Southampton, who help to park up huge cruise liners as well as massive freighters like this. Meanwhile a team of swimmers are hoping to raise money for a children’s intensive care unit by swimming to France and back again, but the thick fog in the Channel could put their whole attempt in jeopardy.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 26th November 2014)

The police descend on Waterloo Road as the hack on Wiredata Systems is traced to the school. Floyd confronts Tiffany and Justin about their relationship, and Sonya’s magazine story causes trouble around the school.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 26th November 2014)

Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw, Michael Portillo explores a very different Spain from the one he knows best and ventures across its border with Britain’s oldest ally, Portugal. Beginning in Galicia, Michael discovers the elegant city of La Coruna, a fashionable destination for Edwardian Britons, for whom the principal attraction was the tomb of a British military hero. Michael uncovers the Celtic roots of the Galician people and tries to master the bagpipes but finds himself upstaged by a six-year-old. On the pilgrims’ trail to Santiago de Compostela, Michael meets walkers from all over the world heading for the magnificent cathedral. His Bradshaw in hand, Michael is led into the archive to see one of the world’s first guidebooks, dating from the 12th century. Aboard the West Galician Railway, Michael hears how a 19th-century British railwayman sought his fortune in Galicia and ended up running the company.

Channel Patrol (BBC 1/HD | 11:30am to 12:15pm | Thursday 27th November 2014)

Documentary series following life on the English Channel, the busiest waterway in the world. The RNLI fight to save Eastbourne Pier when it catches fire. HMS Tyne, part of the channel’s fisheries protection squadron, patrols the waters ensuring commercial fishermen follow regulations to protect fishing stocks. A young naval officer on board is hoping to complete his qualification as a marine enforcement officer – but Hurricane Bertha is approaching the channel. At the height of the summer holidays, the crew of a cross-channel ferry load and unload up to 1,000 passengers a time on a tight schedule. Meanwhile two old rivals battle it out in the channel’s most famous regatta, Cowes Week.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 27th November 2014)

George meets a couple in Worcestershire who have taken the plunge and given up the rat race, selling their town house to buy some land in the country. With just £50,000 they set out to build their own home from the most unlikely of starting points: four old office portable cabins. Schoolteacher Lauren recently bought a house and unexpectedly discovered an enormous pond hidden under decking in the back garden, and sets out to transform this unwanted pond and her neglected garden into a beach-themed holiday retreat. As George’s Italian road trip continues, he travels to the old town of Mathi just north of Turin where he finds a modernist gem of a home. What was once a crumbling, neglected barn has been transformed into a home full of Italian flair and ingenuity – with a floating swimming pool on the first floor taking pride of place.

Underground Britain (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 27th November 2014)

Documentary series in which engineer Rob Bell explores the UK’s subterranean wonders. Rob explores a mystical cave system that altered Victorian Britain’s view of human history before entering a once top-secret bunker that was constructed to be Britain’s nerve centre if the bomb had been dropped during the Cold War. He also follows an underground seam of tin in a mine that stretches out several miles under the Atlantic Ocean.

Channel Patrol (BBC 1/HD | 11:30am to 12:15pm | Friday 28th November 2014)

Documentary series following life on the English Channel, the busiest waterway in the world. The crew of navy destroyer the HMS Duncan are put to the test to prove they are ready for battle. The channel plays an important role for the Royal Navy’s fleet of 90 ships and submarines by offering them a base but it’s also the training ground where ships and crews can be prepared for combat. A team from Southampton harbour patrol work to keep the busy port running smoothly when hundreds of luxury yachts descend on it for the 45th annual boat show. Meanwhile a couple of rookie sailors learn the ropes at Cowes Week.

Ice Road Truckers (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 28th November 2014)

Reality series examining the lucrative, but highly dangerous, job of driving trucks on Canada’s notorious ice highway. After an argument with Hugh and Vlad, new guy Art Burke finds himself stranded when his truck breaks down. Meanwhile, Darrell Ward is the first on to one of the most dangerous roads in Manitoba.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 15/11/2014

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Ice Road Truckers - 21-11-2014 (YouView app)Speed with Guy Martin (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 16th November 2014)

Speed junkie Guy Martin takes on new speed-based challenges in the second series of Speed with Guy Martin. In the final programme in the series, Guy takes on the challenge of building the fastest soapbox racer the world has ever seen, in an attempt to set a new speed record using just the pull of gravity and a tarmac road. To get to grips with blisteringly fast speeds on a public road, Guy tries his hand at street luge with ex-world champion Helene Schmit, before meeting up with his team of engineers to explore the science of rolling resistance and the importance of tyre pressure. Armed with what they believe to be the perfect formula, Guy’s team produce a completely unique soapbox cart and, after training with the Team GB women’s bobsled pair, are hoping for the perfect push start. Confidence is high and the adrenaline is flowing. The record attempt gets off to a flying start but are disaster and mayhem just around the corner?

Secrets of the Castle with Ruth, Peter and Tom (BBC 2/HD | 9:00m to 10:00pm | Tuesday 18th November 2014)

Historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Peter Ginn and Tom Pinfold turn the clock back as they learn how to build a medieval castle using the same tools, techniques and materials available in the 13th century. Although Britain has some of the finest remaining castles of the medieval period, many of their secrets have been lost in time. Peter and Tom set to work straight away learning the skills of the medieval stonemasons to construct a beautiful spiral staircase.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 19th November 2014)

After Justin sees a boy shoplifting, he takes matters into his own hands and tries to help. When his actions don’t get the response he was expecting, things spiral out of control. Simon and Sue’s dinner party goes badly wrong after Hector speaks out of turn.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 19th November 2014)

With his 1913 Bradshaw’s in hand, Michael Portillo journeys deep into central Europe to explore a country where east meets west: Poland. Beginning in Warsaw, Michael is puzzled by how a city famously razed to the ground after the Second World War can appear so beautifully preserved. He hitches a ride in a 1913 carriage to discover one of the secrets of its restoration. Heading south west from Warsaw, Michael’s fellow passengers come to his rescue with a crash course in Polish pronunciation. In Poznan, at the heart of former German Poland, Michael takes in the view from the Kaiser’s balcony before climbing aboard what is possibly the last steam-powered commuter train. Arriving in Wroclaw, Michael heads for a giant train factory, where they continue to manufacture car bodies for locomotives today. And from Wroclaw it’s on to the ancient capital of Poland, Krakow, where Michael lunches in a milk bar and takes a tour in an iconic vehicle of the communist era.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 20th November 2014)

In Cumbria George meets Harry who wants to transplant a derelict Victorian railway signal box to his home and turn it into a garden summerhouse. In Derby, 22-year-old wood carver Sophie hopes to transform a VW campervan into a mobile home and showroom to use to sell her wares at festivals. On his Italian road trip, George discovers a spectacular house made almost entirely out of glass near Lake Lugano. And George and Will struggle to get the walls right on their wilderness retreat.

Underground Britain (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 20th November 2014)

Documentary series in which engineer Rob Bell explores the UK’s subterranean wonders. Rob discovers a long-lost secret when he visits the ruins of Nottingham castle and learns about the life-saving work of the the Mine Rescue Service. In Buckinghamshire, he stumbles upon a 250-year-old den of debauchery.

Ice Road Truckers (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 21st November 2014)

Documentary series following the lucrative, but highly dangerous, job of driving trucks on Canada’s notorious ice highway. Hugh Rowland and Vlad now have their own trucking business, VP Express which will be setting out to try and shut down the rival Polar Industries. Polar hire some very experienced staff and VP Express show a newcomer the ropes.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 08/11/2014

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Doctor who - 08-11-2014 (YouView app)Doctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 8th November 2014)

Sci-fi drama. With Cybermen on the streets of London, old friends unite against old enemies and the Doctor takes to the air in a startling new role. Can the mighty UNIT contain Missy? As the Doctor faces his greatest challenge, sacrifices must be made before the day is won.

Speed with Guy Martin (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 9th November 2014)

Speed junkie Guy Martin takes on new speed-based challenges in the second series of Speed with Guy Martin. Guy leaves his comfort zone as he takes to the water in a bid to set a new world speed record for a hovercraft. These machines float on a cushion of air and are notoriously difficult to control. Guy has to assemble a world-leading team of engineers and also learn a new set of driving skills. The hovercraft is the unsung hero of many armed forces, so to learn the basic skills Guy is put through his paces by the Royal Marines in a military training operation. To break the record Guy will need to hit over 86mph but at those speeds, because of the machine’s inherent instability, even the finest hovercraft pilots can and do lose control. Guy hopes to refine his skills by entering a round of the British Hovercraft Championship but realises he’s not flexible or well-balanced enough to compete.

Gareth’s All Star Choir (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 10th November 2014)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone brings together an array of untrained voices from the world of television, sport and theatre to release the official 2014 BBC Children in Need single. Actresses Alison Steadman and Linda Robson sing alongside EastEnders actor Nitin Ganatra and Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood. Also searching for their inner songbird are Countryfile’s John Craven, Blue Peter’s Radzi Chinyanganya, Bake Off co-host Mel Giedroyc and comedian Jo Brand. Fabrice Muamba and Maggie ‘The Machine’ Alphonsi join the choir from the world of football and rugby respectively, and the line-up is completed by Radio 1 DJ Alice Levine and actor Larry Lamb. In the second of this two-part documentary, Gareth and his choir undertake a promotional tour across the country to drum up support for their charity single. Will the choir be able to find their voices in time, and will the single see Gareth Malone return to the top of the charts?

The Adventure Show (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 7:00pm to 8:00pm | Tuesday 11th November 2014)

The Adventure Show joins over 700 competitors for a 50-mile coast-to-coast race, taking in some of Scotland’s most beautiful and remote landscapes. Held annually since 1983, the Highland Cross starts at Kintail on the west with a 20-mile run over the hills to Glen Affric, before finishing with a 30-mile bike ride to Beauly in the east. Also in this programme, professional footballer Michael Stewart trains with a marathon runner and discovers his fitness levels are not quite what he expected. Plus, Deziree Wilson explores one of the Shetland’s most important nature reserves and tackles a dramatic climb.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 12th November 2014)

Lenny is determined to do whatever it takes to get the grades he needs for university, but will the pressure of mock exams prove to be too much? Allie uncovers a secret which forces Vaughan to make a big decision.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 12th November 2014)

Michael Portillo sets off with his 1913 guide down the spine of Italy from Rome to Sicily. Braving the traffic, Michael begins his Roman holiday by weaving among the capital city’s magnificent landmarks on the back of a 1950s Vespa. Following in the footsteps of early 20th-century British tourists, he pays homage to the romantic poets at the foot of the Spanish Steps before boarding the train south. Arriving in Naples, Michael savours spectacular views across the bay. From Naples, pausing only to pick up a pizza, Michael boards a ferry to travel to the beautiful island of Capri, a magnet for the writers and artists of Europe at the time of his guidebook. Heading south again on the long journey to Reggio Calabria, Michael shares lunch on board with fellow British travellers before their train is loaded onto a ferry for the short sail to Sicily. On the island, Michael finds out about apocalyptic scenes at Messina only five years prior to publication of his guidebook.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 13th November 2014)

George meets the newlyweds investing their life savings in a dilapidated 1950s yacht. In rural Aberdeenshire, barley farmer Jane wants to build a traditional Scottish Highland bothy on a budget of just £8000. George’s Italian road trip continues as he visits a stunning olive grove that is home to a stunning treehouse. And George and Will’s homemade wilderness lodge starts to take shape, with the roof ready to be installed.

Underground Britain (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 13th November 2014)

Documentary series in which engineer Rob Bell explores the UK’s subterranean wonders. Rob visits Europe’s largest cave system underneath Brecon Beacon national park, the dungeons of Chirk castle and explores the hidden remains of Ruthin castle. He also abseils down a cliff in the Gower Peninsula to a cave reputed to contain the bones of a prehistoric prostitute, and buries into the mountains of Snowdonia to discover the history of the local slate mining industry.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 01/11/2014

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Gareth's All Star Choi - 03-11-2014 (YouView app)Doctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 8:15pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 1st November 2014)

In the mysterious world of the Nethersphere, plans have been drawn. Missy is about to come face to face with the Doctor, and an impossible choice is looming. ‘Death is not an end’, promises the sinister organisation known only as 3W – but, as the Doctor and Clara discover, they might wish it was.

Speed with Guy Martin (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 2nd November 2014)

Speed junkie, motorcycle racer and lorry mechanic Guy Martin loves pushing the boundaries of speed in search of a buzz. He takes on four new speed-based challenges in the second series of Speed with Guy Martin. Guy wants to find out what makes things go fast by getting his hands dirty in a range of unique engineering projects. To do this, he has to harness cutting-edge science, learn new skills and call on the support of the best of Britain’s design and engineering talent. Guy visits the USA, where he hopes to win at one of America’s oldest races: the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb. In this annual contest, known as The Race to the Clouds, riders compete against the clock on a gruelling mountainside track that finishes over 4000 metres above sea level.

Gareth’s All Star Choir (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 3rd November 2014)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone brings together an array of untrained voices from the world of television, sport and theatre to release the official 2014 BBC Children in Need single. Actresses Alison Steadman and Linda Robson sing alongside EastEnders actor Nitin Ganatra and Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood. Also searching for their inner songbird are Countryfile’s John Craven, Blue Peter’s Radzi Chinyanganya, Bake Off co-host Mel Giedroyc and comedian Jo Brand. Fabrice Muamba and Maggie ‘The Machine’ Alphonsi join the choir from the world of football and rugby respectively, and the line-up is completed by Radio 1 DJ Alice Levine and actor Larry Lamb. In the first of this two-part documentary, Gareth assembles his motley choir, and the challenge he faces becomes abundantly clear.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 5th November 2014)

School-based drama. Gabriella Wark returns to school to find some students determined to make her life difficult. Hector finds an ally in Sue, while Allie feels unnerved as Vaughan and the boys get ready to visit Olga on her birthday.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 5th November 2014)

Michael Portillo sets off with his 1913 guide to journey through Russia. Among the onion domes and icons of Tula, Michael is moved by the sound of a Russian Orthodox choir. He visits the country estate of Yasnaya Polyana, where Tolstoy wrote his masterpieces. Striking north, Michael boards the train which runs from the Caspian Sea to Moscow. In Moscow, Michael hears how thousands of Russians journeyed to the capital in 1913 to mark the Romanov royal family’s tercentenary year. At the Bolshoi Theatre, he performs an important role in one of Russia’s most dramatic operas. Aboard the high speed Sapsan to St Petersburg, Michael discovers the history behind the line, once the longest double-tracked railway in the world, he then explores the beauty and history of St Petersburg and rides the first railway ever built in Russia. Michael meets Martin Sixsmith to discover how the strikes, mutinies and massacres of the Russian Revolution unfolded and the part the railways played in those events.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 5th November 2014)

Kevin McCloud returns to Devon for an update on one of the most inspirational builds Grand Designs has ever witnessed. Marine Captain Jon White and wife Becky were living happily in a small cottage in Devon when in June 2010, while serving in Afghanistan, Jon stepped on an improvised explosive device. He lost both legs and his right arm. Every part of his and Becky’s lives had to change – starting with where they could live. Their architect came up with a cutting edge, semi open plan building with a dramatic wing-like-roof – but crucially it was to be without noticeable adaptations for Jon’s disabilities. It was an ambitious design, and despite the help of a number of military charities and a capable team of builders, Jon was already under severe pressure to finish the house, when news came that Becky was pregnant. Has the new home proved as enabling for Jon, Becky and their expanding family as they’d hoped?

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 6th November 2014)

The series that celebrates ingenious and eccentric small builds continues as George and Will Hardy struggle to bring ancient Roman technology back to life and the build on their log cabin in the wilderness begins in earnest. The road trip around Italy takes in possibly the coolest fire station in the world. George meets David Moreton, a former Paralympic swimmer hoping to transform an old air ambulance into an amazing amphibious crashpad for when he’s on the road for his charity fund raising tours. And DIY enthusiasts Ben and Michelle want to build a summerhouse for free using hundreds of disused shipping pallets.

Underground Britain (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 6th November 2014)

Documentary series in which engineer Rob Bell explores the subterranean world beneath our feet. In this episode, Rob explores two natural wonders in the Yorkshire Dales – a mile of caves and one of Britain’s deepest potholes. In Stockport, Rob learns how its unique geology made it the perfect spot to build the country’s largest air-raid shelter and he discovers the incredible depths that are being plumbed to retrieve agricultural fertiliser.

Have I Got News for You (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 9:30pm | Friday 7th November 2014)

The popular satirical news quiz, with team captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop, guest host Jo Brand and guest panellists including Richard Osman.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 30/11/2013

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The Lakes: Walking Through History (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 30th November 2013)

The second series continues, with Tony Robinson embarking on more spectacular walks through some of Britain’s most historic landscapes in search of the richest stories from our past. It was 30 years after the Romans invaded Britain that they were ready to take on the challenge of conquering the Lake District. With the toughest landscape they had encountered in the country, peopled by a rebellious tribe, it was no small task. Two full legions – 11,000 armed men – marched north, led by two top generals. This extraordinary commitment was rewarded, and within a few years, the whole of Lakeland was under Roman control. Tony Robinson tackles the journey, but, as he discovers on this 50-mile walk from Penrith past Ullswater to Ambleside and on to the Irish Sea at Ravenglass, the Romans encountered beauty and danger in equal measure.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 1st December 2013)

Following in the footsteps of early 20th century British tourists, Michael Portillo sets off with his 1913 railway guide to sample the delights of the French and Spanish Atlantic coast. Heading first to Bordeaux, he uncovers an historic British connection to the fine clarets of the region and marvels at the ingenuity of the city’s trams. In Biarritz, he discovers how Britain’s ‘railway king’ Edward VII made the region popular and how he amused himself in the fashionable resort. Across the border in San Sebastian, Michael learns how dynastic diplomacy brought Britain and Spain closer together and rides a hair-raising scenic railway. Heading into the Spanish Basque country, in Bilbao, Michael explores the industrial ties between the two nations and learns to cook a traditional Basque dish.

Britain and the Sea (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 1st December 2013)

Documentary tracing the crucial importance of the sea to Britain’s trade and to individual livelihoods of coastal communities. Joined on this leg of his epic sail by his son Fred, David follows the trade routes of the west coast of Scotland along the monumental channels that cut through the Romantic Highlands and brought wealth and prosperity to the heart of Scotland. The journey starts at Craobh Haven and takes David along the Crinan Canal, around the Isle of Bute and up the River Clyde towards Glasgow.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 2nd December 2013)

Eight-part series in which Robson Green travels across his native county and discovers how it has played a role in shaping contemporary Britain. In episode six, Robson examines how Northumberland’s heritage is being reinvented for a modern age. He visits the medieval fortress of Alnwick Castle, ancestral home of the Percy family and familiar to millions as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. At Barter Books in the town of Alnwick, he learns about the origins of the Keep Calm and Carry On slogan. Robson’s final stop is the giant land sculpture of Northumberlandia, recently created from the waste rock from an opencast mine.

A Great British Christmas with Sarah Beeny (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 2nd December 2013)

Sarah Beeny and her husband, artist Graham Swift, explore the history of Christmas through the ages in their stately home, Rise Hall. After spending ten years restoring the Yorkshire property, the family investigate how festive celebrations in Britain have changed in the past 200 years as they delve into the history of Georgian, Victorian, wartime and present-day conventions. Sarah, Graham and their four children take on the challenge of harnessing the best bits of Christmas past as they don historical costumes and experience the reality of bygone festive frolics, finding out what the festive season meant both in their house and across the country. While making Georgian garlands and discovering the first ever Christmas card, the show explores some of the oldest festive traditions and their historical contexts.

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 2nd December 2013)

As the contest to be crowned ‘best workplace choir’ continues, choirmaster Gareth Malone enters the embattled world of high finance, high flyers and rock bottom reputation at one of the biggest investment and trading banks in the world, Citi, in London’s Canary Wharf. With Gareth imagining long lunches and cigars, he finds himself in a lock down during an anti-capitalist protest, learns how many noughts there are in a trillion and creates his most musically accomplished workplace choir yet. When the bankers choose to sing Man In The Mirror could it signal a moment of reflection or will they drive on with technical ambition and ignore Gareth’s attempts to find some heart?

24 Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm t0 10:00pm | Wednesday 4th December 2013)

The award-winning series, filmed round the clock at King’s College Hospital in South London, continues with an episode focusing on a busy day in A&E, with over 400 patients treated in just 24 hours. Peggy, who’s 85, arrives at King’s by ambulance with her doting husband Clement. She’s fallen at home and hurt her knee. It’s the second time she’s fallen in two months and medics want to find out if there’s something more serious going on. Peggy suffers from Alzheimer’s, and Clement reminisces about their life together, including how he proposed to her by accident. But he knows her condition is getting worse.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm t0 9:00pm | Thursday 5th December 2013)

George catches up with designer Max McMurdo, who converted a shipping container into a garden office. This time Max has gone back to his old middle school in Bedford to create a classroom out of two rusting shipping containers. George also visits a prototype for a mini home named QB2, that includes a living area, bathroom with shower, kitchen, double bed and storage space, and is so small it can be driven on the back of the truck. In Somerset, George meets a couple who have turned a vintage vehicle into a mobile cinema business. And there’s also a garden office and a beauty emporium run from a rare 1947 caravan.
(Subtitles, Part 7 of 9, Audio Described, 2012, 3 Star)

Keeping Britain Safe 24/7 (BBC 1/HD | 8:30pm to 9:30pm | Thursday 5th December 2013)

Series meeting the everyday people who keep Britain safe. In autumn, we witness the teams that keep the country moving in the face of the dreaded leaves on the line. Also we see the work of the fire crews of the Cleveland Fire Brigade on Bonfire Night – their busiest night of the year; and as the national birth rate rockets, the midwives of St Thomas’s Hospital in London face an autumnal baby boom.

Robbie Williams: One Night at the Palladium (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 6th December 2013)

Robbie Williams takes over the London Palladium for an evening of swing classics and new songs. Special guests joining Robbie and his big band on stage are Lily Allen, Rufus Wainwright and Muppets Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, and grumpy old men Statler and Waldorf.

Stobart: Trucks, Trains and Planes (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 6th December 2013)

Observational documentary series about one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. Trucker Tim watches his weight on a mega trip around Scotland, firefighter Darren reveals his scary side at Southend Airport and Adam, the boss’s son, gets to grips with the timber trail.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 23/11/2013

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Doctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 7:50pm to 9:05pm | Saturday 23rd November 2013)

Sci-fi drama. The Doctors embark on their greatest adventure in this 50th anniversary special. In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London’s National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion. All of reality is at stake as the Doctor’s own dangerous past comes back to haunt him

Walking Through History (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 23rd November 2013)

Tony Robinson returns for a new three-part series of Walking Through History, embarking on more spectacular walks through some of Britain’s most historic landscapes in search of the richest stories from our past. In this first episode, Tony heads off for a 45-mile walk across Wiltshire to tell the story of life and death in the last centuries of the Stone Age. His route over chalk downlands and Salisbury plain takes him through the greatest concentration of prehistoric sites in Europe.

Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty (BBC 3 | 9:05pm to 10:05pm | Saturday 23rd November 2013)

Zoe Ball and Rick Edwards are live, getting the party started for the ultimate celebration of 50 years of Doctor Who. With an impressive guest list of Doctors and companions both past and present, celebrity fans and some very special surprises, this is the afterparty not to be missed. As well as all the gossip on the new episode The Day of the Doctor, there are exclusive interviews, showstopping monster moments and plenty of fun.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 24th November 2013)

With his 1913 guidebook in hand and clad in a luminous pink jacket, improbable Bohemian Michael Portillo explores the stunning art nouveau architecture of the Czech capital. In a cafe popular with artists of the time he discovers the dance craze of the day – the tango – and gamely gives it a go. In the spa of kings, Marienbad, now known as Marianske Lazne, Michael samples the sulphurous waters and wallows in peat and mud. At the Skoda factory in Pilsen he investigates how the machine products of peacetime gave way to the manufacture of armaments for war and test drives a state of the art passenger train locomotive made there today. Crossing the border from Bohemia to Bavaria, Michael encounters a fire breathing dragon in Furth-im-Wald and in Nuremberg he rides German railway history – made in Britain. Arriving in Munich, he discovers an early 20th century pioneer who laid the foundations for the city’s pre-eminence in science and technology today.

Britain and the Sea (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 24th November 2013)

David Dimbleby continues his voyage round Britain, sailing his boat Rocket along the south east coast from Hampshire to Kent. This was the front line coast, the edge of Britain essential to its defence and the first point of attack for invasion forces. From the great battleships of Nelson to the sea forts of Henry VIII, this is a story that embraces Britain’s darkest and most heroic moments.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 25th November 2013)

Eight-part series in which Robson Green travels across his native county and discovers how it has played a role in shaping contemporary Britain. In this edition, Robson meets some of the proud Northumbrians who are keeping some of the region’s oldest traditions alive in the 21st century. He goes fishing for sea salmon with one of the last remaining fishermen to use a traditional Northumbrian coble boat, a vessel that dates back centuries, before heading to the Rothbury Traditional Music Festival to meet the young poets who are helping to preserve the region’s dialect. He also meets musician Kathryn Tickell, who has taken the traditional sounds of the Northumbrian pipe and fiddle to a global audience.

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 25th November 2013)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone returns to create harmony in five of Britain’s biggest workplaces. He feels the heat at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, as he continues his bid to find the year’s best workplace choir. Bells and blue lights disrupt auditions but when rehearsals finally get underway Gareth tries to give the backroom staff the confidence to stand tall and be heard amidst the firefighters who attack choral singing with all sirens blaring.

24 Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 27th November 2013)

The award-winning series, filmed round the clock at King’s College Hospital in South London, continues with an episode that focuses on the strong bonds within families and the challenge of breaking bad news. Bill, who’s 92, arrives at King’s with breathing difficulties and a swollen leg. He’s accompanied by his stepdaughter Jo. As he’s treated, doctors suspect the shortness of breath and swelling could be due to a clot and send him for X-rays. But the test results suggest there may be something more seriously wrong. Meanwhile, Bill talks about reaching his nineties and his strong bond with his stepdaughter. Andy comes into King’s with stomach cramps. The 45-year-old had a liver transplant ten years ago and, as doctors investigate the cause of his discomfort, Andy reflects on living with someone else’s liver, growing up in the East End, his time as a punk living in a squat in Waterloo and his career with the Royal Navy

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 28th November 2013)

George is invited onboard a blinged-up double decker bus, which has been converted into a posh restaurant and bar. He meets a couple living in an old railway station and sees their amazing plans for the waiting room, and gets to see the next generation of high spec beach huts. George also meets the French couple who have converted an old 1974 Citroen van to bring a bit of haute cuisine to West Yorkshire. And on his own build, George has a radical idea that he hopes will open his tree house to the elements.

Stobart: Trucks, Trains and Planes (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 29th November 2013)

Observational documentary series following one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. On a mammoth 500-mile multi-drop trip across Scotland carrying a load of luxury 4x4s, Gareth is hit by delays on the notorious A9. Adam, the CEO’s son, has completed his training and joins the trucking team, taking the wheel of a fully-loaded 44-tonne log wagon.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 16/11/2013

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Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 17th November 2013)

Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo explores Scandinavia and discovers the royal roots of early 20th century British travellers’ close dynastic ties with the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway. After braving one of the world’s oldest rollercoasters in Copenhagen’s famous Tivoli Gardens, Michael takes the train across the Oresund Bridge linking Denmark to Sweden, where he retraces the tracks of a train which carried a revolutionary Russian passenger on an epic voyage. In Lund, he samples a Smorgasbord before having a Highland fling in Gothenburg, where he test drives a vintage Volvo. Crossing the border again into Norway, Michael discovers how in 1913 this young nation expressed its own distinctively modern identity in plays, paintings and polar exploration.

Britain and the Sea (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 17th November 2013)

David Dimbleby sails the south west coast of England – along the coast of Devon and Cornwall – in his own sailing boat, Rocket, exploring maritime history, art and architecture as he goes. Caught up in stormy weather, he makes it to safety in the nick of time, to tell the story of Sir Francis Drake and a fantastic array of adventurers, explorers, pirates and smugglers. It’s also a chance for David to enjoy some of Britain’s most beautiful coastline and turn his hand to a bit of art himself. David also gingerly submits himself to one of the oldest maritime art forms of all – the art of the tattoo!

Africa 2013: Countdown to the Rains (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 17th November 2013)

Kate Humble and Simon King report from Zambia, following the lives of the animals living along the Luangwa River at a critical time in the seasons. It’s been the longest dry season in living memory but the rains have finally come and now everything has changed. Thirst has trapped the elephants, buffalo and antelope close to the river where they’ve been easy prey for the lions, leopards and wild dogs. But now the grazing animals can spread out across the valley and the predators are going to have to work a whole lot harder for their food.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 18th November 2013)

Eight-part series in which Robson Green travels across his native county and discovers how it has played a role in shaping contemporary Britain. In episode four, Robson discovers how Northumberland’s border with Scotland has affected British history and how the bloody battles of the Middle Ages turned the area into a constant war zone. He visits Berwick-upon-Tweed, a town that changed hands between the English and the Scots thirteen times, and drops in on a training session with Berwick Rangers. Uniquely, they are the only English football team to play in the Scottish league. He also attends the Flodden Ride Out, when hundreds of locals cross the border on horseback to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden, where King James IV and the flower of Scottish nobility were slain on 9 September 1513.

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 18th November 2013)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone returns to create harmony in five of Britain’s biggest workplaces. As the contest to be crowned ‘best workplace choir’ continues, Gareth checks out the talent at supermarket giant, Sainsbury’s. When the choir’s deepest bass breaks cover with his passion for Dolly Parton will the head office high flyers and the shop and depot workers finally sing with one voice, united by the Queen of country?

24 Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 20th November 2013)

The award-winning series, filmed round the clock at King’s College Hospital in South London, continues with a touching episode dedicated to love. Concerned young parents Nicole and Stefian arrive in Resus by ambulance with their 19-month-old baby daughter Xah’Nae. She’s been vomiting, has a high fever and has become floppy and unresponsive. The King’s medical team are concerned that Xah’Nae may have a life-threatening infection around her brain and in her spine, possibly encephalitis. Doctors hope a strong mixture of antibiotic and anti-viral drugs will stabilise her.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 21st November 2013)

George visits the ultimate in compact designer living – the Yo! Home, a futuristic living area that boasts ingenious space-saving technology, where the double bed rises from the floor and into the ceiling, to reveal the gorgeous living area, and the kitchen and bathrooms are cleverly hidden from view. Inspired by this design, George and William put together the main rectangular living area for the tree house, and prove that by folding everything into the walls it is possible to place the kitchen, living and bedroom into a 12-square-metre box. George also meets a couple in the Wirral who are willing to put all their savings towards building the ultimate wilderness beach hut.

An Adventure in Space and Time (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:30pm | Thursday 21st November 2013)

This special one-off drama travels back in time to 1963 to see how Doctor Who was first brought to the screen. Actor William Hartnell felt trapped by a succession of hard-man roles. Wannabe producer Verity Lambert was frustrated by the TV industry’s glass ceiling. Both of them were to find unlikely hope and unexpected challenges in the form of a Saturday tea-time drama. Allied with a team of unusual but brilliant people, they went on to create the longest running science fiction series ever made.

Stobart: Trucks, Trains and Planes (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 22nd November 2013)

Observational documentary series following one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. Tim has his biomass credentials put to the test, a dodgy tyre puts Roy on the back foot on a bank holiday, a concrete staircase destined for Southend airport’s new terminal has a weight problem and Paul tries to get a 16-foot trailer through a 15-foot bridge.

The Graham Norton Show (BBC 1/HD | 10:35pm to 11:20pm | Friday 22nd November 2013)

The award-winning host continues his anarchic talk show. Together on Graham’s sofa are Oscar-winning actress and writer Emma Thompson, starring in new movie Saving Mr Banks; double Doctor Whos Matt Smith and David Tennant; top comedian Jimmy Carr; and pop star Robbie Williams, chatting and performing I Wanna Be Like You.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 09/11/2013

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Africa 2013: Countdown to the Rains (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 10th November 2013)

Kate Humble and Simon King report from Zambia, following the lives of the animals living along the Luangwa River at a critical time in the seasons. There has been no rain for seven months but the clouds are building and the drought could break any day. The river is the only water around, and predator and prey are squashed uncomfortably close. Lions and wild dogs, one of the most endangered animals on Earth, compete for territory as elephants try to keep cool in the fierce heat and leopards enjoy days of plenty. 75 cameras capture every moment as it happens through the last days of the longest dry season in memory to the arrival of the rains that will change everything.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 10th November 2013)

Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo explores Germany, powerhouse of today’s European Union, and learns how tourists in the early 20th century would have been visiting quite a new country, which they admired and envied but also feared. Beginning in Dresden, Michael explores the city of one of his favourite opera composers, Richard Wagner. He learns about the health craze of the time and attempts the equivalent of a 1913 Jane Fonda workout. He travels to Leipzig on an historic railway line, built by British engineers in 1839. In Brunswick he learns how the arrival of the railway added its own flavour to the local beer before moving on to Hamburg, where he discovers model railway making on the grandest of scales. In Kiel, Michael learns about the intense rivalry between Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and his uncle, British King Edward VII, at the Kiel Week yacht races. Michael boards an early 20th Century yacht to experience the thrill for himself.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 11th November 2013)

Eight-part series in which Robson Green travels across his home county and discovers how this mystical place has played a unique role in shaping contemporary Britain. In this episode, Robson travels along one of the country’s most stunning stretches of coastline, where he learns how Northumberland’s past has shaped the Britain we know today. He meets the family who live in Bamburgh Castle and finds out how it once dominated the region as seat of the kings of ancient Northumbria. Robson then follows the Pilgrim’s Way to Lindisfarne, known as the cradle of English Christianity, and goes swimming with grey seals off the Farne Islands

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC2 /HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 11th November 2013)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone returns to create harmony in five of Britain’s biggest workplaces. As the contest to be crowned ‘best workplace choir’ continues, Gareth travels to Birmingham to the biggest council in Europe. He discovers a singing traffic warden, a social worker soloist and a high-pitched gardener. With the next round of government cuts announced mid-rehearsals, some choir members may not have jobs at the end of the year.

999: What’s Your Emergency? (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 11th November 2013)

The documentary series that reveals modern Britain through the eyes of our ambulance staff concludes with an episode focusing on babies – from births to over-protective parents and from very poorly children to those facing neglect and abuse. Across the UK 2200 women go into labour every day. Most make it to hospital, but for those who can’t the ambulance service is there to help. The programme features call handlers talking worried partners through what to do while ambulance crews race to help deliver the baby. When the medics leave it’s up to the parents to look after their bundles of joy. However, some parents over-react and call 999 at the first sign of a cough or a bump to the head – there’s been a 42% increase in parents seeking emergency medical help for routine childhood complaints in the last ten years. But at the opposite end of the spectrum, reports of child neglect have risen 30% in the last year and it’s often paramedics who are first to step in.

The Escape Artist (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 12th November 2013)

Legal drama series. The case against Foyle is crumbling. The profession that has sustained Will Burton all his life is no longer supporting him. Can Will find another way for justice to be served?

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 13th November 2013)

Six years ago Lucie Fairweather and Nat McBride began to build an affordable eco home in Woodbridge for themselves and their two young children. They were determined to create an exciting, modern landmark home. However, their journey was to be about more than bricks and mortar. Just before they got started, Nat discovered he had cancer, and after just a few months he passed away. Lucie decided to carry on with the project Nat had devised. Kevin McCloud returns to find out just how life has moved on for Lucie and to discover whether her wonderful and striking house has become part of the landscape.

Britain by Bike: The Welsh Borders. Series 1, episode 2 (BBC 4 | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Wednesday 13th November 2013)

Clare Balding attempts to re-discover Britain from the saddle of a touring cycle, following in the wheeltracks of compulsive cyclist and author Harold Briercliffe, whose evocative guide books of the late 1940s lovingly describe by-passed Britain. Clare’s journey into Wales is rich in literary connections to both Bruce Chatwin and AE Housman. She reveals how a cycle factory went to war and finds out about the Bride’s Tree – a bizarre village ceremony with a dark secret.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 14th November 2013)

George meets a woman who wants to build a shop and a mobile home out of an old horsebox, but only has £500 to spend. He meets a couple who are creating a holiday let out of a 1960s milk float. He visits an extraordinary 100-foot-long balancing barn, half of which is hanging over the edge of the Sussex countryside. And George and William make plans for a rectangular pod for their tree house.

The Science of Doctor Who (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 14th November 2013)

For one night only, Professor Brian Cox takes an audience of celebrity guests, including Charles Dance and Rufus Hound, and members of the public on a journey into the wonderful universe of the Doctor, from the lecture hall of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. Drawing on the latest theories as well as 200 years of scientific discoveries and the genius of Einstein, Brian tries to answer the classic questions raised by the Doctor – can you really travel in time? Does extra-terrestrial life exist in our galaxy? And how do you build something as fantastical as the TARDIS?

24 Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 13th November 2013)

The RTS award-winning series returns for a new series, capturing dramatic and emotional stories of love, life and loss on the frontline of the NHS. The series is filmed around the clock at one of Britain’s busiest A&E departments at King’s College Hospital in South London. This episode focuses on patients rushed into King’s after being involved in serious traffic accidents, and shows that not all problems are immediately obvious.

Stobart: Trucks, Trains and Planes (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 15th November 2013)

Observational documentary series following one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. Ian ‘Spit’ Wilson has to deliver a 15-tonne rail repair machine, known as the Gopher, to Sunderland. He battles through traffic and heavy rain, but then has to get the monster machine onto the rails. Matt Ekins makes a return to his spiritual home – tramping. He goes on a tour of the East Midlands on a multi-drop mission, but it seems that around every corner is another massive queue.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

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