How the Victorians Built Britain

When Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, the industrial revolution was well underway. Britain's natural resources, plus huge advances in technology, were be ginning to transform the nation, including transport. Michael Buerk reveals how Victorian engineers revolutionized how the nation traveled, with the inventions of the omnibus, the modern-day bicycle and the London Underground.

Michael Buerk reveals how the Victorian era transformed the health of Great Britain. The creation of an extensive sewer system provided fresh, clean water for all, suppressing diseases such as cholera. This revolution began in Liverpool, which suffered the highest mortality rates in the country. But it took the 'Great Stink of 1858' to convince Parliament to create a sewer system for the capital.

Michael Buerk discovers how the Victorian era created what we know as the modern home. From the boom in housebuilding, producing gas from coal, lighting, electricity and even the birth of home entertainment, it was an era that completely transformed the way the British lived. But while many of these luxuries were the distractions of the rich, the poor in Victorian Britain suffered.

Michael Buerk investigates how the Victorians created what we know as mass manufacturing. With their advancements in technology, goods could be produced at a rate that had never been seen before. Michael discovers that these innovations were the result of one product: cotton. The industrial revolution sped up the boom in manufacturing, but there would be consequences for all this sudden growth.

Michael Buerk jumps on board an original locomotive to discover the effect that the burgeoning rail network had on Victorian Britain.He explores the role that a former coal track played in the development of the national railway, investigates Isambard Kingdom Brunel's bid to secure Bristol's future and delves into the history of the creation of the fastest engine in the world.

When Queen Victoria came to the throne, ships were the arteries of the British Empire. They made Great Britain the greatest trading nation on earth. As their dependence on dominating the oceans increased, the Victorians built the most technologically advanced ships in the world. Warships such as HMS Warrior and the luxury steamer SS Great Britain ensured that the nation ruled the wave.