🎬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

🎬New Forest Adders, Filmed by Manuel Hinge for BBC. Narrated by Bill Oddie. Part of the 2005 'Wildlife Shorts' season.

The New Forest is one of the few places in Britain where you can find all six of the UK's reptile species living together - but the leader of the pack has to be the infamous adder.

This film offers a rare insight into the life of the adder, following them and the other reptiles through a typical season. The male adders emerge early in the year in this stunning setting. They soon shed their dull winter coat, reveal their bright spring colours, and then they are ready to find a mate through one of the most amazing and rarely seen wildlife spectacles...the adders' dance.

Narrated by Bill Oddie
Filmed by Manuel Hinge
Online Editor Michael Chichester
Online Editor Adrian Rigby
Dubbing Editor
Paul Fisher
Dubbing Mixer Adam Palmer
Production Manager Jon Cox
Production Co-ordinator Esther Purcell
Series Producer wendy Drake
Esecutive Producer Fiona Pitcher
Producer Robert Yeoman

BBC Bristol 2005