0:00:04 > 0:00:09In 1840, one man transformed travel in Britain.
0:00:11 > 0:00:17His name was George Bradshaw and his railway guides inspired the Victorians to take to the tracks.
0:00:17 > 0:00:24Stop by stop, he told them where to travel, what to see and where to stay.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28Now, 170 years later, I'm making four long journeys across the length
0:00:28 > 0:00:34and breadth of the country to see what remains of Bradshaw's Britain.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01I'm now completing my rail journey from Swindon to Penzance.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03My Bradshaw's Guide has given me
0:01:03 > 0:01:05a valuable Victorian perspective on Britain.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10Today I want to look deep into Cornwall's past, delving
0:01:10 > 0:01:15not only into its history but also into treasures buried in the earth.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Today I'll be making a pilgrimage to Perran Sands.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25I'm looking for the lost church of St Piran but it seems to have got lost again.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29It is, but it is here, right under this granite rock.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32I'll be exploring the last working tin mine in Cornwall.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36You can see the advantages of being a small Cornish miner.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38The thing was put in before rock drills, actually.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42This had to be hand drilled and then blasted.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45And I'll be harvesting oysters on the Helford river.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48That really is exciting. What an amazing sight!
0:01:48 > 0:01:51That is a cage absolutely full of bags of oysters.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53That's right.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59All this week, my journey takes me west.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03And since catching the train at Swindon, I've already travelled
0:02:03 > 0:02:07over 250 miles, passing through Somerset and Devon.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12The final stretch will take me about as far south as you can go,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15to the rugged coastline around Penzance.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Today I'm leaving St Austell, and heading through Truro
0:02:19 > 0:02:20to Redruth and St Ives.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22I'm then crossing over to Helston,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25before reaching my final destination.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41My first stop is Truro.
0:02:43 > 0:02:51It's the nearest railway station to a very wild piece of Cornish countryside called Perran Sands.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56This amazing landscape has some of the largest sand dunes in Britain.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01I'm here because in 1835 the sand parted to reveal
0:03:01 > 0:03:04an ancient church and Bradshaw was mesmerised.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07He writes, "We come to Perran Sands...
0:03:07 > 0:03:12"where may be seen an amphitheatre and the remains of an old church of St Piran,
0:03:12 > 0:03:18"an ancient British edifice which had been covered by the shifting sands for centuries."
0:03:18 > 0:03:22It turned out not only to be the oldest church in Cornwall
0:03:22 > 0:03:25but one of the earliest Christian sites in Britain.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Before long, the railways were transporting pilgrims
0:03:28 > 0:03:32and sightseers to witness the wonder of St Piran's.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39But evidently it's disappeared again...
0:03:39 > 0:03:43I'm hoping local resident Angela Penrose can help me to find it.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- Angela, hello.- Hello.- Michael.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- What a lovely, tranquil spot. - It's beautiful, isn't it?
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I'm looking for the lost church of St Piran.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Believe it or not, it's here, right under this granite rock.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59It has covered naturally by the sands.
0:03:59 > 0:04:06This whole area of dunes shifts and in the 6th century, St Piran came from Ireland.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11He arrived here on the shores of Perranporth. He built his little oratory
0:04:11 > 0:04:15and for almost 1,000 years, it was a centre of activity and pilgrimages.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21In 1835, did they dig it out or did the sand shift back again?
0:04:21 > 0:04:23It was revealed, we think, by shifting sands.
0:04:23 > 0:04:28Then William Mitchell excavated it. There was great excitement
0:04:28 > 0:04:34because it was, it is, one of the oldest Christian four-walled edifices in the mainland of Britain.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39But by the 1970s, sand was overwhelming the church once more.
0:04:39 > 0:04:45The locals were advised that the most cost effective way to preserve it was to bury it again.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48How important is what's underneath?
0:04:48 > 0:04:52It has great significance for the Cornish because St Piran,
0:04:52 > 0:04:59he was the patron saint of tin miners and it connects to all this industrial and economic history
0:04:59 > 0:05:03and the diaspera, the Cornish miners, who in the 19th century
0:05:03 > 0:05:07had to go off to Mexico, the States, Chile, South Africa.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09It really has a significance.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11It's part of the Cornish identity.
0:05:11 > 0:05:18The Cornish took St Piran to their hearts and I'm now heading to Truro,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21the city most closely associated with him.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30In Bradshaw's day, it was the centre for the tin trade.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Truro flourished with the emergence of the railways.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Many new tracks were laid to serve the tin mines.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44The metals could be carried quickly around the county, helping the industry to grow.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Bradshaws guide says of Truro, "It's the mining capital of Cornwall
0:05:51 > 0:05:57"covered by foundries, blast houses, pottery and tin works...
0:05:57 > 0:05:59"The metal is stamped, previous to being exported.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03"Bar tin is sent to the Mediterranean and ingots to the East Indies."
0:06:08 > 0:06:12When the price of tin went up in the 19th century, Truro became increasingly wealthy.
0:06:12 > 0:06:19It attracted merchants and bankers who built grand houses, transforming it into a fashionable place to live.
0:06:25 > 0:06:32But today, even though Truro remains grand, I've nowhere seen a hint of tin.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38- Hello, are you from Truro? - I most definitely am. - Is Truro still associated with tin?
0:06:38 > 0:06:44Not so much now. Of course, the money in Cornwall came from the tin mines.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Huge amounts of money... in the 17th century.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Unfortunately, now, no.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53- So, what's Truro's economy based on now?- Tourism.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Officer, you work in Truro?
0:06:55 > 0:06:59- Indeed, yes, yeah. - What do you think of the city? - I love Truro. It's great.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02- No more tin?- I don't think there's an awful lot more tin around.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06They are trying to open South Crofty but otherwise, no.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23Ever since I arrived in Cornwall the word tin has been on people's lips.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27But having found no trace of it in Truro, I'm moving further afield
0:07:27 > 0:07:32and find what remains of what was once a vital industry for Cornwall.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37I'm hoping I'll have more luck at my next stop.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40How long's the journey to Redruth? Do you know?
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- Ten minutes.- Ten minutes, OK. Thank you.
0:07:44 > 0:07:50I've heard there's an old tin mine at Redruth called South Crofty that's on the brink of re-opening.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56In the 19th century, there were over 300 mines around Redruth
0:07:56 > 0:08:00mining tin and copper to be exported around the world.
0:08:01 > 0:08:08Bradshaw writes, "This town derives nearly all of its importance from its central situation with respect
0:08:08 > 0:08:11"to the neighbouring mines, the workings of which
0:08:11 > 0:08:15"has increased the population to treble its original number."
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Today, no tin mine survives except one.
0:08:41 > 0:08:48South Crofty was worked for over 400 years and in its heyday was one of Cornwall's most productive mines.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50- It is John, isn't it? - Hello, Michael.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54It's great to be at South Crofty, I've heard a lot about the mine.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01But by 1998, the value of tin had fallen so low, that South Crofty,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03by then the last Cornish tin mine, had to shut.
0:09:07 > 0:09:12Today, the demand for tin is increasing and there's a chance that the mine could be profitable again.
0:09:12 > 0:09:19Operations officer John Webster believes it's only a matter of time before mining recommences.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22It is all quite narrow down here, isn't it?
0:09:23 > 0:09:27You can see the advantages of being a small Cornish miner.
0:09:27 > 0:09:33This thing was put in before the days of rock drills, this had to be hand drilled and blasted.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Imagine working underground here.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38No fans, no ventilation.
0:09:39 > 0:09:46Throughout most of the 19th and 20th century, miners worked in very tough conditions to create a rabbit warren
0:09:46 > 0:09:50of tiny tunnels crisscrossing under the Cornish countryside.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58About the time this was being mined, this area must have been a cauldron of creativity, actually.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01The amount of inventions that were made down here is incredible.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06John, it's a great relief to be able to stand up straight at last.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10The invention of steam-powered pumps in the 18th century
0:10:10 > 0:10:14created the enormously successful Cornish mining industry.
0:10:14 > 0:10:20Miners were able to dig deeper and faster, to boost the production of ore.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26This same technology produced the steam locomtive
0:10:26 > 0:10:32which made a success of the railways, which in turn transported the metal ore around the country.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Why eventually did the mining come to an end here?
0:10:37 > 0:10:41They were reliant on the price of tin and there were a number of tin crashes.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48Unfortunately, they never had anything else to generate income and the mine collapsed.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54With the price of tin now rising, it makes sense to try and re-open the mine.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59What's more, surveys have revealed South Crofty's richness in other metals too.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02This contains copper, zinc and tin.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05This is very high grade. This is about 14% copper,
0:11:05 > 0:11:09about 1% tin and about 200 parts per million silver.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13- So this is well worth bringing the mine back into operation. - Absolutely, yeah.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17What would you do with these metals? For example, nowadays, what is tin used for?
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Tin cans and for solder. We're quite excited about the future market
0:11:21 > 0:11:25for tin because there's a regulatory change in the use of solder.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Solder at the moment is about 60% lead and about 40% tin.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33That ratio will change to about 98% tin and 1% silver.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38There should be a huge increase of consumption in the next few years.
0:11:38 > 0:11:43And just as the harnessing steam power drove the industry forward
0:11:43 > 0:11:47in the past, new technology is changing it again today.
0:11:50 > 0:11:57- How do you analyse what's in here? - We have just recently acquired a hand-held analyser which will
0:11:57 > 0:12:01give us a lot of flexibility on analysing content of rock throughout the mine.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05If we are actually down here at the moment and analysing the latest drilling core that's
0:12:05 > 0:12:10come out of the drill. This device actually uses an X-ray source, elements within the rock actually
0:12:10 > 0:12:16fluoresce and the device reads the fluorescence and we can analyse up to 60 different minerals in one go.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17It's a powerful tool.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22That will allow us to analyse both the core that we are generating at the moment but also
0:12:22 > 0:12:28all the underground workings and we have hundreds of kilometres of underground workings here.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32What production can we expect in Cornwall, in the near future?
0:12:32 > 0:12:37Within five years, 750,000 tonnes of ore per year and if exploration goes well
0:12:37 > 0:12:41then we could probably double that within the next five years.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45- Up to 1.5 million tonnes of ore. - Yeah.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47That's big production.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54I hope this does mark a renaissance in Cornish mining.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59When the industry peaked in Bradshaw's day, annual production was 10,000 tonnes.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03It could massively exceed that figure in the future.
0:13:10 > 0:13:15- Hello. Do you know where I change for St Ives, please?- At St Erth's.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21- Right, a lot of saints down here, aren't there?- Yes, there are. - Thank you.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26- Are you going all the way to Penzance?- No. I'm getting off at St Erth.- So am I.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28- Are you headed for St Ives? - Yes, I am.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- Are you from St Ives?- Yes.- What shall I look out for in St Ives?
0:13:31 > 0:13:33- You need to go to the Tate.- Yes.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36It is quite an artist's colony altogether, isn't it?
0:13:36 > 0:13:38It is very arty, very arty indeed.
0:13:38 > 0:13:43- Why do artists like it so much? - It's the light.- Is it?- I think so.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47- Are you aware of that yourself, of the light? - Yes. Yes, it's fantastic.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55I'm really looking forward to St Ives.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00This lovely landscape and the coastal vistas have been admired by artists for centuries.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03So I know that I'm in for a visual treat.
0:14:07 > 0:14:13When the Great Western Railway was completed in 1877, St Ives suddenly became much more accessible.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15The numbers of artists began to grow
0:14:15 > 0:14:22and by the 20th century, the town had its own fully fledged artists' community.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40That was one of the most stunning train rides all around the bay
0:14:40 > 0:14:44and now, here at St Ives, these glorious beaches
0:14:44 > 0:14:49and even on a cloudy day, the colours are magnificent.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52You can see why this place would have been the inspiration for artists.
0:14:59 > 0:15:05One of the most painted scenes of St Ives is the harbour, which in Bradshaw's time was thriving.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12My guidebook tells me the pier and harbour were built by the famous
0:15:12 > 0:15:1718th-century engineer John Smeaton to serve the port's hundreds of fishing boats.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25St Ives is a very different place today.
0:15:25 > 0:15:31It's still flourishing, but is now dominated by another industry that grew as a result of the railways.
0:15:36 > 0:15:42Each summer the narrow streets are crowded with tourists admiring the sandy beaches and turquoise seas.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Bradshaw doesn't have much more to say about St Ives but he does
0:15:50 > 0:15:53mention Treganna Castle, then home of the the Stephens family.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57These days, it's a luxury hotel.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05I chose this hotel, Tregenna Castle, because it's in Bradshaw's.
0:16:05 > 0:16:13He says it "occupies a lofty situation outside the town and commands an extensive prospect".
0:16:13 > 0:16:14Which indeed it does.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18But I've found there's a better view on the roof. This way.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23The Stephens family clearly picked the best spot
0:16:23 > 0:16:29in St Ives for their home, to overlook the glorious Cornish coastline.
0:16:33 > 0:16:34A breathtaking view.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38So good in fact that the Great Western Railway bought the hotel,
0:16:38 > 0:16:44even though it is a long way from the railway station, to promote tourism and travel by train.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Another day and my next stop will be the Helford River.
0:17:03 > 0:17:09In Bradshaw's day, I could have taken the railway from St Ives all the way to the top of the estuary.
0:17:11 > 0:17:16The line was closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18But you can still enjoy it on foot.
0:17:22 > 0:17:23This is the Helford river.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28My Bradshaw guide says, "Days can be spent in exploring the creeks
0:17:28 > 0:17:32"and rounding the headlands in this beautiful neighbourhood".
0:17:32 > 0:17:37But not having that long, let's see what I can do in half a day.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43When my guide book was written, the estuary teemed with oyster beds.
0:17:43 > 0:17:48But what has become of that centuries-old industry?
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Hello there, I'm Michael.
0:17:51 > 0:17:52Michael, nice to meet you.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56- Lovely to see you. - Welcome to the Helford River. - I have to tell you, I love oysters.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59- That is a good start. - Ben Wright has been harvesting
0:17:59 > 0:18:02the river's oyster beds for the last four years.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09What would the trade have been like in Victorian times?
0:18:09 > 0:18:13Well, the Victorians were voracious oyster eaters.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18The big market was really in London and that was the time of Dickens
0:18:18 > 0:18:20and oyster sellers on every street corner.
0:18:20 > 0:18:26I think what really helped the Helford fishery particularly...
0:18:26 > 0:18:29take part in that was the train.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34When the train started up, that was a big opening, commercially, for the oysters here
0:18:34 > 0:18:38that were sent up on the train, particularly to the big markets in London.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45That really is exciting - what an amazing sight.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49That is a cage absolutely full of bags of oysters.
0:18:49 > 0:18:55That's right. There's a couple of reasons we lift the cages, Michael, really.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59One is quite simply just to have a look at the stock,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02make sure it is growing OK, make sure there are no problems.
0:19:02 > 0:19:08As oysters grow, they can grow together, they can get stuck.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12They can get stuck in the meshes of the bags. It is really important that we come here,
0:19:12 > 0:19:18once a month to have a look at them and make sure they are all healthy and growing well.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22The other reason is, we take all the bags out and we give them a good shake.
0:19:22 > 0:19:29It tends to wake the oysters up a little bit, separate them out, we don't want them getting lazy.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32It is important that they grow well.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35We literally just take the bag out,
0:19:35 > 0:19:36give it a good shake...
0:19:38 > 0:19:42..and because this is our first bag, let's have a little look.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45See what we've got.
0:19:45 > 0:19:51The baby oysters are nurtured in cages to protect them from predators in the river.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Lovely wee fellows. How long have these been in here then?
0:19:54 > 0:19:58These would have been in there four months. They are quite young.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Already here, you can see we have got quite a difference of growth rate.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06We have got some that are a little bit slow.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Some average ones, and then a couple here that have done really well.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15You can see by these long growth lines in the shell how quickly they have grown.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Then, what we'll do at some point is bring all of these cages in,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21grade them all out so that
0:20:21 > 0:20:24they are all growing in the same sizes together.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26So how long before these appear on my plate?
0:20:26 > 0:20:29You are going to have to wait a little bit, Michael, I'm afraid.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30Probably 12 months or so.
0:20:34 > 0:20:41In Bradshaw's time, oysters were a staple food of the poor and they were eaten in their dozens.
0:20:41 > 0:20:47By the mid 20th century, oyster harvests had begun to decline, driving up the prices.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51These days, they're considered a luxury.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58The industry had some problems, didn't it? There was a parasite attack or something years ago.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Has it recovered from that?
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Not really, to be honest.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07In the early '80s, all the Native Oyster Fisheries were decimated, really.
0:21:07 > 0:21:12That was the start of the demise of the Helford oyster range as well.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Some fisheries recovered better than others.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18It wasn't until four or five years ago here on the Helford
0:21:18 > 0:21:22that we really started our work to regenerate the river.
0:21:25 > 0:21:32The Helford oyster beds were almost lost for all time, but now Ben is gradually building them back.
0:21:34 > 0:21:39And it's only a short trip up the river to where the older oysters are fattening up.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Here we are at Frenchman's Creek. I think that the British are
0:21:43 > 0:21:47rather pathetic oyster eaters compared with the French.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49Certainly, we eat a lot less than the French.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53It is coming back, definitely. More people in Britain are eating oysters.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57People are a bit more open-minded about food. They're a bit more inquisitive.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Ultimately, it is such a natural food, they grow wild,
0:22:01 > 0:22:05there is no additives, it is a completely organic process.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07The actually relatively inexpensive.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12The Champagne Charlie expensive image is a thing of the past as well.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15They're perfectly good to wash down with a pint of of beer.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19- Nature's fast food.- It is a pity that none of these are ready to eat.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Well, these are ready to eat.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- These are ready to eat?- Yes.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27- And I am ready. Are you ready? - I'm ready, too.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29What is your advice on eating oysters?
0:22:29 > 0:22:37There is a lot of old wives' tales. There is a lot of myth and what you should do and what you shouldn't do.
0:22:37 > 0:22:43To be honest, I think people should stop worrying quite so much and eat them however they want.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47However, don't just swallow the oyster, I don't where that came from.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50You are going to miss out on the texture and the flavour.
0:22:50 > 0:22:57I think you have got to give it a good chew to appreciate all the complexity of the oyster.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Release that wonderful taste of the sea.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04I do like to have them with a little Tabasco or a little vinegar.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Personally, I prefer them on their own with a little bit of lemon.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Only a little bit of lemon.
0:23:09 > 0:23:16There's a lot of delicate flavours in there and I think sometimes things like Tabasco can be a bit strong.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20But then again, it is all a matter of taste.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24- There you go. - Thank you very much indeed.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- Cheers, enjoy.- Cheers.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38Great textures, not at all rubbery.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Just kind of dissolving.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Mmmm!
0:23:44 > 0:23:47I could have another of those.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51The Helford oysters are delicious
0:23:51 > 0:23:56and in Ben's capable hands, I'm sure the oyster beds will be productive once more.
0:23:58 > 0:24:03Having journeyed almost the whole length of Brunel's Great Western Railway,
0:24:03 > 0:24:08I can't stop before reaching the end of the line at Penzance.
0:24:17 > 0:24:23I'm now travelling as far as it's possible to go by train in England -
0:24:23 > 0:24:28to the country's westerly and southerly extremity.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35I'm keen to see how even the smallest towns in the furthest corners of the country
0:24:35 > 0:24:39were transformed by the power of the railways.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45It would have taken days to get from London to Penzance by stagecoach.
0:24:46 > 0:24:53In Bradshaw's day, the capital and England's western point were brought within a comfortable day's journey.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57What was once a remote village on a rugged headland
0:24:57 > 0:25:01became a popular resort at the end of the Holiday Line.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05The railways soon brought holidaymakers in their droves,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08and some things don't change.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11How are you? Are you going to the Tip of England?
0:25:11 > 0:25:13- Tip of England, yes.- And beyond.
0:25:13 > 0:25:14Oh, you're going to the Scillies?
0:25:14 > 0:25:19- Yes.- Yes. - Are you holidaymakers?- BOTH: Yes.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Look at the sun shining on your faces.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25- And the water.- Isn't it gorgeous? - And the sun glinting on the water.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27- It's all set fair, isn't it?- Is it?
0:25:27 > 0:25:30- Don't you think?- For how long?
0:25:30 > 0:25:33I don't know. Have a lovely holiday.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36We will. We intend to do that. We usually do, don't we?
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Yes. All over the world, and now we're doing this.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49Just before I reach Penzance, St Michael's Mount comes into view.
0:25:51 > 0:25:57This ancient island settlement was once owned by its French counterpart in Normandy, Mont Saint Michel.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Bradshaw writes, "It is a majestic island.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07"At the top are the remains of a priory founded before the Conquest,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10"and for ages resorted to by pilgrims."
0:26:16 > 0:26:21Penzance itself, he says, is more famous for potatoes.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23They're tricky, these ones.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25They get stuck halfway.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30There we go! When the railways connected Penzance to London,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34early crops of new potatoes, broccoli and other vegetables
0:26:34 > 0:26:37were shipped up to the markets by train.
0:26:37 > 0:26:43But like so much of Cornwall, many of those traditional industries have gone into decline.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Today, the balance has shifted and now it's the five million tourists
0:26:50 > 0:26:56spending around £1.5 billion a year that keep Cornwall going.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03When I began my rail journey west from Swindon, I was following
0:27:03 > 0:27:08the Holiday Line because the railways made mass tourism possible.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11But even the most beautiful places in Britain
0:27:11 > 0:27:16can't survive from leisure alone and Bradshaw's guided me
0:27:16 > 0:27:18to the most ancient industries -
0:27:18 > 0:27:24those that extract minerals from the earth and food from the waters.
0:27:24 > 0:27:30And now it's brought me to the end of the line, the buffers.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Beyond, only the Atlantic.
0:27:40 > 0:27:46On my next journey, I'll be travelling from Buxton all the way south to London.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51Along the route, I'll be visiting the oldest working factory in the world.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54- Made in England.- Made in England. - Does it make you proud?- Oh, yes!
0:27:54 > 0:27:56That's what we like to see.
0:27:56 > 0:28:01I'll be discovering why Burton's beer is said to be best.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Two weeks' conditioning in the cask, a week in the pub...
0:28:05 > 0:28:10- And ten minutes to drink. - You're a slow drinker! - BELLS RING
0:28:10 > 0:28:16And I'll be finding out how the capital has rung in the changes since Bradshaw's day.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18BELL TOLLS
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd