Copenhagen to Oslo: Part 2 Great Continental Railway Journeys

I'm embarking on a new railway adventure that will take me

across the heart of Europe.

I'll be using this -

my Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, dated 1913, which

opened up an exotic world of foreign travel for the British tourist.

'It told travellers where to go, what to see and how to navigate

'the thousands of miles of tracks crisscrossing the continent.

'Now, a century later,

'I'm using my copy to reveal an era of great optimism and energy,

'where technology, industry, science and the arts were flourishing.'

I want to rediscover that lost Europe that, in 1913, couldn't know

that its way of life would shortly be swept aside by the advent of war.

'On the second part of my journey through Denmark, Sweden and Norway,

'I have a Highland fling, Scandinavian style...'

ALL: Skal!

'I discover the tiny origins of one of Sweden's greatest icons...'

'Rediscover a powerful waterfall...'

That is spectacular!

'And brave a white-knuckle ride

'based on a winter sport invented by Norwegians.'

Whee-hoo!

One of the great experiences of my life.

'My adventure began in Denmark's capital Copenhagen, crossed

'the famous Oresund Bridge to Malmo in Sweden.

'I'm now travelling north along Sweden's west coast to Gothenburg,

'then on to Trollhatten

'before heading to Norway's capital Oslo.

'I'd been told that in the countryside

'just outside the town of Lund,

'there's an attraction of appeal to a railway buff like me.

'Marina Merle will direct my tracks.'

Hi. Nice to meet you.

-What a very nice day for a picnic.

-Yes, very nice.

-So, we're going to cycle on these contraptions.

-Yes.

What is the history of this device?

The device itself was invented in the 1840s,

so the track inspectors could see

if there was anything wrong on the tracks.

And they actually stopped using them when the trains became too fast.

I've never seen this before as a tourist attraction.

Are there many places where these bikes are available?

-It's not that common.

-Well, it's absolutely a first for me.

Um... Do you know a nice spot to go picnicking?

-Yes, three kilometres down the road.

-Excellent! Um...

-May I cycle you?

-Sure!

'We're riding along a stretch of disused railway

'between Bjornstorp and Veberod.

'This local line closed in the 1970s.

It's fun because this combines cycling

with all the sounds of the railway.

-Yes, exactly.

-Going over the track, the duh-duh, duh-duh.

It's very peaceful, even though you're doing an activity.

'That vigorous peddling has worked up my appetite.'

So does anything tell us that this is a typical Lund smorgasbord? Yes!

My Lund sausage tells us that. Anything else?

Well, in that case, it should be this cake. That's very regional.

It's called Spettkaka, and it's very sweet and contains a lot of eggs.

-Mm! And would you care for some crayfish?

-Yeah. That's...

We love our crayfish in Sweden. We have crayfish parties every August.

-It's very traditional.

-Look at all that goodness in it!

-Don't try this at home.

-Aargh! I don't even do that!

THEY LAUGH

-I'm going to try sawing into my brick here.

-Oh, good luck!

THEY LAUGH

-It's very dense, that bread.

-I know.

This is the sort of matter that Einstein used to write about.

Usually, it's not that thickly sliced.

-Mm. Everyone's a critic. Can I offer you some aquavit?

-Sure.

-Wow.

-Marina, thank you so much.

-Thank you.

-One of the loveliest smorgasbords I've ever had.

-Sure.

'With my spirits high, I'm ready to catch the Swedish intercity

'that'll take me north along the West Coast Line, or Vastkustbanan.'

I'm on my way now to what the Swedish call Goteborg,

but we call Gothenburg.

And it's a journey of very nearly three hours,

so I'm looking forward to putting my feet up and relaxing.

I'm travelling 163 miles on a line that runs parallel with

the Kattegat strait.

Standing on the mouth of the Gota alv river,

Gothenburg is Sweden's second-largest city.

With the largest port in Scandinavia,

the city was a world leader in shipbuilding.

But the man who founded that industry wasn't a Swede

but a Scot who crossed the North Sea from Dundee in 1826.

Alexander Keiller was one of many Scots

who made Gothenburg their home.

'Professor Klas Linderborg knows more.'

How was this Scotsman received in Gothenburg?

They had been here from the very start.

When the city was founded,

people were invited to move to boom their business to Goteborg.

And there were Dutch people, German and Scotsmen.

The Scottish connection continued for a very long time.

I mean, with a fair wind, you could go to Britain in a week,

-but it took a month to go to Stockholm.

-Really?

So the sea was joining countries, not separating them.

-And does any Scottish connection continue in Gothenburg?

-Yes.

Actually, we have a branch here

from the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.

-We were the third in Europe, outside the British Islands...

-Really?

..to be fully approved by the Scottish Society.

And we actually have a dance tonight...

-..if you would like to join us?

-That's delightful.

'About 500 miles lie between Scotland and Sweden,

'but some Swedes work hard to keep the bond alive.

'And given the maritime links between the two nations,

'it seems appropriate that the dance should take place aboard a ship,

'the Viking.'

-Hello, everybody.

-Hello.

-Thank you for having me to your dance. Hello.

-Hello.

-Good evening.

-Do you know the dance that we're doing this evening?

-Yes, I do.

-What's it called?

-It's called Gothenburg's Welcome.

-Is it an easy dance?

-No!

-Oh!

THEY LAUGH

I'm going to make a complete fool of myself!

'I really don't want to show myself up.

'After all, my mother's family is Scottish.'

Change.

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE MUSIC

-Oh, no! I missed it completely!

-Very nice.

'I'm not sure they'll invite me back.'

-All the way.

-Oh, sorry.

Take my place.

Stick your right hand out.

Ha!

THEY CLAP

Well... It goes on.

Well done! Well done!

Guys, a little peace offering.

I'm so sorry that I was so bad at Scottish dancing,

but I'm not bad at Scottish drinking.

-So have a whisky.

-Skal!

-Skal!

From the high seas to the high roads,

Gothenburg is home to perhaps the greatest Swedish icon of all.

Now a global brand, its origin was a technology invented here

for the motor industry in 1907, the self-aligning ball bearing.

The Gothenburg group which produced these ball bearings

registered a new company in 1915,

and when two employees decided to build the first mass-produced

Swedish car, they maintained the ball bearing-inspired name -

the Latin for "I roll", Volvo.

'I'm meeting Soren Nebo from the company's museum to find out more.'

-Magnificent!

-Hello, Michael.

-Soren, how lovely to see you.

-Nice to see you.

-What a beautiful car!

-Isn't it nice?

What would be the idea of a Swedish car?

Why, particularly, a Swedish car?

Well, we're looking at it from the sake of quality at the time

because most of the cars that we had were imports.

This was still a very, you could say, undeveloped country

in terms of roads and transportation.

So they were braking,

they were still quite expensive, also, because predominantly,

American cars that we had in, with the very soft suspension,

and they said, look, we need something more sturdy

and better suited for the market, for the country.

In April 1927, the first Volvo rolled off the production line.

Since then, they produced almost 18 million,

making it one of Sweden's greatest exports.

From ball bearing to Volvo, from a tiny acorn grows the mighty oak.

Well, well, well! I've really enjoyed my trip in the car.

Thank you for letting me drive. Thank you so much.

-Thank you, Michael.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

'I'm leaving Gothenburg to head north and inland.'

My guidebook urges me to

"find time to visit the fine falls of Trollhattan

"and the splendid locks that enable the waterway to bypass the cascade.

"What an opportunity to see the wonders of nature

"and the achievements of man in one place."

According to Bradshaw's, there's a wide gorge,

and within it, a fine succession of rapids.

'But on arrival, I find there's little more than a trickle.

'To find out what happened to the falls,

'I'm meeting Magnus Carlsen from the Olidan Power Station.'

-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm a bit surprised.

I came with my Bradshaw's guidebook, looking for the falls,

and I find, instead, a power station.

-So was this built after 1913?

-No. The power station was built in 1910.

It was the start of the large electrification of Sweden,

and it was Sweden's first large hydropower plant.

This is an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Was it controversial to build the power station here?

I don't think so. It was a push to have the region industrial.

So they looked to the West - the UK and America -

-and wanted to have industrial things, like them.

-Yeah.

You Swedish are as lucky as we British are in having lots of water.

Yeah. We have British rain falling down here!

And we gather it in the Lake Vanern.

'British rain and this hydroelectric power station helped to transform

'the country from an agrarian society

'into a modern industrial state.'

Ho-ho! It's absolutely enormous, isn't it?

I had no idea it would be that big.

And that sound is the sound of the water rushing through

the turbines, is it?

It's also the sound of the machinery. They enrage us.

'The water from the falls, described in my Bradshaw's, has been

'diverted to spin these turbines and to generate electricity.

'But Magnus is generously going to release the torrent

'so that I can see the falls in all their natural splendour.'

That is spectacular!

'After recharging my batteries in Trollhattan,

'it's time to leave Sweden

'and head to my third and final country on this trip, Norway.

My Bradshaw's says, "Although the comforts

"and attractions of central Europe

"are not to be expected in Norway, the healthy, hearty

"and good-tempered tourist, the sportsman

"and the admirer of natural beauty, who's willing to bear

"and to forbear, and even occasionally to rough it,

"will be amply rewarded." With a recommendation like that,

I imagine that Norway remained pretty exclusive in 1913.

'Norway was then a young nation.

'Norwegians had voted to dissolve their union with Sweden in 1905.

'Instead of forming a republic, they decided, overwhelmingly,

'to institute their own monarchy.'

Britain's King, Edward VII, used his influence

to secure the Norwegian throne for his son-in-law, Carl,

husband to his daughter, Maud.

'Prince Carl assumed an ancient royal Norwegian name,

'King Harken VII.'

Following independence,

the capital of Norway reverted to the old Norwegian name of Oslo.

This was a country that was new.

This was a country that was independent.

And its artistic outpourings were distinctly modern.

Architects, artists, musicians and writers flourished in this city

that is home to the Nobel prizes.

'But Norway's most famous writer, Henrik Ibsen,

'controversially was rejected by the Nobel judges.'

A poet, playwright and theatre director,

Ibsen is the world's most frequently performed dramatist after Shakespeare.

'His house has been turned into a museum,

'where I'm meeting director Erik Edvardsen.'

Hello, Michael. Welcome in to Ibsen's home.

Thank you, Erik. Good to see you.

What situations do we find in an Ibsen play?

Was this new, what Ibsen was doing?

Ibsen is known for the realism of plays like A Doll's House

and Hedda Gabler.

'As he captured real-life situations,

'he commented on everyday inequalities between men and women.

'Society was changing.

'Women were starting to take control of their lives

'and to demand equality,

'as reflected in Ibsen's strong female characters.'

What about his relationship with his wife?

Well, that was very close and for a long period.

They were married for 50 years.

But she was also one that looked after him,

but she decided that at nine o'clock in the morning,

he had to be in here at the desk and start the day.

If not, he was not free at half past 11,

to walk down to Grand Cafe and take a drink,

which he did every day.

The Grand Cafe was a home from home for Oslo's writers and artists.

Behind me is a mural depicting some of the cultured bourgeoisie

who frequented the Grand Cafe at the end of the 19th century,

beginning of the 20th century.

There is Henrik Ibsen with his distinctive top hat.

And behind me, the somewhat emaciated face,

is the artist Edvard Munch.

Widely imitated, and not just by me,

The Scream is one of the most expensive paintings in the world,

selling recently for nearly 120 million.

Munch created four versions of The Scream,

and one is at Norway's National Museum.

The curator is Maibritt Gulling.

-Welcome...

-Thank you very much.

-..to the National Gallery.

The Scream, the first time I have ever seen it for real.

I've seen it reproduced so often. It's smaller than I imagined.

The colours are dirtier than I imagined. But, my goodness!

It remains very, very powerful.

Of course, the face and then the red streaks through the sky.

Why has it become so iconic?

Because of the strength of the central figure,

because it's hard to say exactly what it is.

Is it a male, female figure?

Is it a foetus? Is it a skeleton? A ghost?

So you really can't say for sure.

And that ambiguity is something that, I think,

opens up to so many possible interpretations.

But also, of course, it was very important

because it's a very strong painting about emotion.

Where does Munch stand in the history of painting?

He's one of the classic modernists

and he has achieved that position

because of the way he has made paintings

that really mean something to us because of the motives and the way

they are painted and the strong manner in which they are painted.

And he is often associated with being the first Expressionist painter.

For Edvard Munch, The Scream was "a study of the soul,

"a study of my own self."

He later described the personal anguish behind the painting

and said that "Nature was screaming in my blood."

'But while nature seemed to scream at Munch, for most Norwegians,

'nature means peace and tranquillity.

'Love of the great outdoors

'is ingrained in the national consciousness,

'and Norwegians have a deep affinity with their fjords and mountains.'

This is interesting, in a guidebook written in 1913.

"It's only recently that English people have begun to discover

"that the best of everything in a winter holiday

"is to be found in Norway,

"where winter sports may be enjoyed in a crisp, exhilarating air

"that makes one feel glad to be alive."

And it suggests that I make a visit

to the skiing competition of Holmenkollen,

and so I've jumped to it.

Ski jumping as a sport originated here in Norway.

We think of it as a modern sport,

but in a show of bravado in 1809,

a Norwegian army officer launched himself 9.5m into the air.

Today, the world record stands at 246m,

the equivalent of the length of two and a half football pitches.

And the most striking and modern ski jump in the world

is here at Holmenkollen.

But underneath the ski jump, in the Ski Museum,

there is a piece of British history

which curator Karin Berg wants to show me.

So, Michael, I have something very special for you.

It's, um, a treasure

because these skis, which I have taken out from the showcase,

from the exhibition itself,

is Scott's skis itself.

-That is extraordinary.

-Ja.

-Scott was beaten to the South Pole by a Norwegian.

-Yes.

Ja. It was Roald Amundsen,

and the members of his exposition.

They were the first to plant the Norwegian flag at the South Pole.

What did it mean to Norway to have the first man at the South Pole?

Oh, this question is enormous,

but you must remember that we were a young, new nation

and Roald Amundsen enthused this as gathering the nation together

and spreading out the message

what you really could do with these brown planks,

this means of survival, and he writes about this spreading to the world.

This has to do, Michael, with roots and identity

going back to the Viking period again.

Amundsen said, "Victory awaits him who has everything in order.

"Luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him

"who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time.

"This is called bad luck."

In that sense, Britain's Robert Falcon Scott was unlucky.

His party made it to the South Pole 33 days after Amundsen,

on 17th January, 1912.

Dejected, Scott's party turned back

but were blighted by blizzards, hypothermia and starvation,

and never made it back to base.

The rescue party was led by the Norwegian

who had taught Scott to ski, Trygve Gran.

They found, then, the tent with the three bodies -

Scott, Bowers, Wilson. The two others had died before.

And Trygve Gran and the others made a grave about this.

They took snow masses around the tent

and Trygve Gran, he pointed out,

he put his own skis at the top of the tent

and then he took Scott's skis on his own feet,

so these skis, used by Scott,

has been from Cape Evans to the South Pole and back again.

Tales of such fortitude cannot fail to inspire.

Time to show some true grit of my own.

It's a lovely view and a long way down, and I have a feeling

I'm going to cover the distance between here and there very fast.

At the top of the ski jump, around 60m above the ground,

there is a new white-knuckle experience.

Do many people pull out at this stage?

Actually, we had a five-year-old.

-Oh.

-That's the only one.

-Only a five-year-old. OK.

Ohhh!

'If I'm going to keep the British end up, I can't pull out now.'

After all those stories of courage,

I'm afraid this is the nearest I get to heroism.

Hey, Michael, do you have a long tradition for ski jumping in England?

MICHAEL LAUGHS

If we do, it's not one that's ever affected me before.

Three!

ALL: Two! One!

Go!

Whee-hoo!

That was fantastic!

One of the great experiences of my life.

-That was brilliant.

-Welcome down.

Yeah, I'm glad to be back. What a great experience.

My journey through Scandinavia is nearly at an end,

but I can't leave Norway

without paying homage to the man who brought me here, George Bradshaw.

His vision inspired generations of travellers

to venture into the unknown.

Bradshaw's final destination was Oslo.

While on a tour of Norway, he contracted cholera.

Here lies Mr George Bradshaw,

who died here, September 6th, 1853.

He mapped the railways, he compiled the timetables,

and he published the guidebooks.

They opened Victorians' eyes to the new freedoms that trains gave them.

Edwardians used them to fan out across the continent of Europe.

I want to thank him on behalf of the thousands

who in three different centuries

have enjoyed so much and learned so much by following in his tracks.

Next time, I marvel at Prague's stunning Art Nouveau architecture...

..hear of Britain's influence on German railway history...

Where did the original locomotive come from?

Stephenson Locomotive Works, Newcastle upon Tyne.

-So it was Mr George Stephenson?

-It was George Stephenson's.

..and take on the toughest opponent of my career.

If you're having trouble with a dragon, call a dragon slayer.

ROARS