Hugh Bonneville is to narrate a new Channel 4 documentary series celebrating some of Britain’s most iconic steam train journeys and railway pioneers, including George and Robert Stephenson and Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Across the series viewers will be immersed in an aerial adventure along the routes of the Jacobite Railway (Scotland), the Mountain Spirit (Wales), the West Somerset Railway and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Whitby to Pickering.
Its route was designed by the Stephensons and, in keeping with this year’s Rail 200 celebrations, the series will tell the story not just of this railway, but of Locomotion No. 1 – the very first steam-powered passenger railway.
Bonneville said: “Narrating Great British Train Journeys From Above has been a great joy, being able to offer a fresh perspective on the remarkable history that shaped this nation, and to enjoy our country’s glorious landscapes.
“This series is a front-row seat to the magic of steam travel, from a few hundred feet in the air.”
Series Producer and Director Matt Cottingham added: “The thrill of this project was directing in real time, tackling short and unpredictable filming windows to capture the steam locomotives thundering through these landscapes.
“Working with some of the best drone pilots in the industry, and pushing the boundaries of aerial technology, we set out to choreograph a fresh visual approach to telling historical narratives and immersing the audience in the romance of a steam train journey.”