0
00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:10,430
In 1 840, one man transformed
travel In BrItaIn.

1
00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:12,994
HIs name was George Bradshaw,

2
00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:17,511
and hIs raIlway guIdes InspIred
the VIctorIans to take to the tracks.

3
00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:19,594
Stop by stop,

4
00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:21,551
he told them where to travel,

5
00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,955
what to see and where to stay.

6
00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,715
Now, 1 70 years later,

7
00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,674
I'm makIng a serIes ofjourneys across
the length and breadth of the country

8
00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,678
to see what of Bradshaw's BrItaIn
remaIns.

9
00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:57,912
Steered by my Bradshaw's GuIde,

10
00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:02,113
I'm now compIeting my journey towards
the most westerIy part of south WaIes.

11
00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,233
This area hosted a powerhouse
of the IndustriaI RevoIution.

12
00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,830
And I'm keen to discover
the cuIturaI Iegacy of that period,

13
00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:12,554
and aIso to find out
whether industry and trade

14
00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,514
are stiII continued here
on a coIossaI scaIe.

15
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:19,512
On the fInal leg of thIsjourney,

16
00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,393
I'll be dIscoverIng how
the 19th-century steel trade

17
00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:24,033
has been brought up to date...

18
00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:25,991
I can feeI the heat
of the bIast furnace,

19
00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,795
I can see a stream of moIten iron,
I can see sparks fIying,

20
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:30,875
I can see smoke.

21
00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,719
And now this fantastic train
that's emerging.

22
00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:38,356
..goIng on a VIctorIan adventure
to see a marvel of the natural world...

23
00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,950
It's wonderfuIIy wet
and wonderfuIIy thriIIing, isn't it?

24
00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,640
It's kind of... very, very romantic.

25
00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:49,390
..and learnIng how Industry gave bIrth
to beautIful musIc In Bradshaw's day.

26
00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,317
So, how Iong have you been in the choir?

27
00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,271
OnIy 53 years.

28
00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:54,355
- No?
- Yeah.

29
00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:55,754
(laughter)

30
00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,559
I've been makIng a long journey from
the heart of England to west Wales.

31
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,911
It's taken me through rollIng hIlls
and ancIent forests,

32
00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:06,359
before crossIng the border,

33
00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,836
where I've been explorIng the rIch
IndustrIal and raIlway herItage

34
00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,518
of the Welsh valleys.

35
00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,070
ThIs stretch kIcks off In Port Talbot,

36
00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:19,953
then takes In the natural wonders
of the Vale of Neath,

37
00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,072
fInIshIng up at the port
of MIIford Haven.

38
00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:31,397
My guIdebook paInts a vIvId pIcture of
thIs regIon's beatIng IndustrIal heart.

39
00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,355
Here is Bradshaw's gripping description
of south WaIes in the mid-19th century.

40
00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,758
''At night, the Iurid gIare
from countIess coke ovens.''

41
00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:45,271
''By day, the dense cIouds proceeding
from hundreds of chimney staIks

42
00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,311
overhanging the vaIIey.''

43
00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:52,514
''At aII times, the arsenicaI,
suIphurous vapour fiIIing the air,

44
00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:55,359
which you may both smeII and taste.''

45
00:02:55,480 --> 00:03:00,031
''And that gives the scene a character
scarceIy to be seen eIsewhere.''

46
00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,709
Bradshaw's recognised
that the IndustriaI RevoIution

47
00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,833
had bought both paradise and inferno.

48
00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,077
The heat and smoke that hung over
the valleys In Bradshaw's day

49
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,509
was producIng Iron and steel,

50
00:03:15,640 --> 00:03:18,393
vItal IngredIents for
the spread of the raIlways

51
00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,478
and BrItaIn's rapId IndustrIal growth.

52
00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:24,953
My fIrst stop Is Port Talbot,

53
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:29,198
a town whIch Is stIll synonymous
wIth steel today.

54
00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,429
I'm headIng to the vast modern
steelworksjust south of the town

55
00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,075
to see how the Industry has changed
sInce the 19th century.

56
00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:43,990
ThIs 20-square kIlometre sIte
Is managed by John Ferryman.

57
00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:45,314
Good morning, John.

58
00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:47,158
Morning, MichaeI. LoveIy to see you.

59
00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,919
This is reaIIy industry
on an epic scaIe, isn't it?

60
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,589
AbsoIuteIy. We're stood in front of
the bIast furnaces here at Port TaIbot.

61
00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:54,516
Fantastic sight.

62
00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:56,995
I was reading my Bradshaw's GuIde
on the way here.

63
00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,749
He has this description of the
bIast furnaces in the mid-19th century,

64
00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,519
so iron and steeI-making
goes back a Iong way here?

65
00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,997
AbsoIuteIy. The pIant is buiIt around
coaI suppIies and iron-ore suppIies.

66
00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:12,477
It goes back to Christopher TaIbot
back in the 19th century.

67
00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,752
ChrIstopher RIce Mansel Talbot
was a local landowner.

68
00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:20,519
The Ironworks he opened here In 1 831

69
00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,473
took advantage of recent
IndustrIal InnovatIons

70
00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,398
that made large-scale
Iron productIon possIble.

71
00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:31,640
But hIs ambItIons for the area went
further, as the town's name suggests.

72
00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,832
So, he gave his name to Port TaIbot,

73
00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:36,632
he deveIoped the dock?

74
00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:38,478
AbsoIuteIy. The dock came aIong...

75
00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,559
He reaIised, when you had an ironworks,
that you needed to bring materiaIs in,

76
00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:43,874
so he deveIoped the docks.

77
00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,150
He aIso had something
to do ith the raiIways.

78
00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:51,552
In fact, Talbot was a major player
In the raIlway hIstory of south Wales.

79
00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,069
He was chaIrman of the
South Wales RaIlway Company,

80
00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,397
whIch buIlt the lIne used to export coal
from the regIon to London.

81
00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:03,349
Closer to home, hIs efforts helped
Port Talbot to boom In the 19th century.

82
00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,233
(MIchael) So, actuaIIy,
in one person, this TaIbot,

83
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,715
you've got the dock,
the ironworks, the raiIways,

84
00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:10,592
aII integrated in this singIe figure.

85
00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,996
Yeah, he brought that in
in the 19th century

86
00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,351
and made a huge difference to this area.
It's stiII the same today.

87
00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,319
IndustrIally produced Iron
helped BrItaIn's raIlways

88
00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:23,510
to unfurl across the land.

89
00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,110
Used for everythIng from tracks
to statIons and vIaducts.

90
00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:31,916
But by the 1 870s, a new technology
allowed Iron to be transformed

91
00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,235
InexpensIvely Into steel,

92
00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:35,509
whIch was stronger,

93
00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,712
gIvIng fresh Impetus to
the IndustrIal RevolutIon.

94
00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:41,673
Port Talbot gaIned Its fIrst
steelworks In 1901,

95
00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:46,351
and then the core of the modern plant
opened In the 1950s.

96
00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,473
Further technologIcal progress has
transformed the manufacturIng process.

97
00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:53,912
- (MIchael) Wayne, heIIo.
- HeIIo.

98
00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,271
- (MIchael) What is it that you controI?
- AII the furnace parameters,

99
00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,358
how quick the furnace runs,
how much iron we're making,

100
00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,517
what we put in the top,
what percentage of coke to ore.

101
00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,029
(MIchael) So, what I'm Iooking at,
at the screen,

102
00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:07,991
how far away is that from this buiIding?

103
00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,759
- It's about 30ft behind those indows.
- ReaIIy?

104
00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,269
But it wouId be pretty damn hot
if we were down there?

105
00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,834
If you were up there at the moment,
you'd be very warm,

106
00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,315
uncomfortabIe.
You'd be wearing safety gear.

107
00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,829
The iron itseIf is about
1500 degrees this morning.

108
00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:22,712
(MIchael) How do you get it up?

109
00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:25,718
(Wayne) We bIow hot air in the bottom.
About 1 ,000 degrees.

110
00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:29,674
And then, inside there,
we mix that ith coke and oxygen.

111
00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,392
And then we get combustion.

112
00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:35,274
The fIame temperature at the bottom
then is about 2,240 degrees,

113
00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:39,359
which produces that iron
at about 1528 right now.

114
00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:43,712
The temperatures are just beiIdering
to me. An extraordinary environment.

115
00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,715
ThIs vast sIte handles
the whole steelmakIng process,

116
00:06:48,840 --> 00:06:52,037
from smeltIng to rollIng out
the fInIshed product,

117
00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:54,913
producIng up to
fIve mIllIon tonnes per year.

118
00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,474
The plant has Its own
Internal raIlway,

119
00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,273
where locomotIves pull
so-called torpedoes,

120
00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,393
full of blIsterIng hot lIquId Iron.

121
00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:07,671
(MIchael) John, it's a fantastic
feeIing and sight here.

122
00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:09,631
I can feeI the heat
of the bIast furnace.

123
00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:13,150
I can see a stream of moIten iron,
I can see sparks fIying,

124
00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:14,235
I can see smoke.

125
00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:19,354
And now this fantastic train
that's emerging. TeII me about that.

126
00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,948
The torpedo is Iike a fIask on wheeIs.

127
00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,834
It's hoIding in
1530 degrees of moIten iron.

128
00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,679
So there's about 300 tonnes
in this torpedo behind us.

129
00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:30,472
It's now going to our steeI pIant,

130
00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,398
where it iII be treated
to turn it from iron into steeI.

131
00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,159
I can see the heat haze
rising above the torpedo.

132
00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,875
- So, this is an open vesseI, is it?
- (John) The top of the vesseI is open.

133
00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,639
That's the area that we pour into
and actuaIIy pour out of

134
00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:44,716
when it gets into the steeI pump.

135
00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:49,436
You must have yourseIves a
pretty enormous and busy raiIway network

136
00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,391
inside the pIant.

137
00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,318
Yeah, the bIast furnaces
are known as the heart of the pIant,

138
00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:56,908
and the raiIway network
is known as the veins.

139
00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,316
And actuaIIy, we're moving about
80,000 tonnes of moIten iron a week

140
00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:01,589
through the pIant.

141
00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:03,039
- A week?
- A week, yes.

142
00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,914
So, I mean, that does make you
a very substantiaI raiIway operation.

143
00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,838
The raiIway here is absoIuteIy
essentiaI to this business.

144
00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,349
It just cannot operate
ithout a raiIway network.

145
00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:16,510
I'm sure George Bradshaw would be struck

146
00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:20,792
that coke, Iron smeltIng
and the transportatIon of steel by raIl

147
00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,993
contInue today In a form
that he would recognIse.

148
00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,999
But the raIlways In hIs day
served passengers as well as freIght.

149
00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:30,792
I'm leavIng Port Talbot,

150
00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,388
followIng the tracks
of VIctorIan adventurers,

151
00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:36,751
who came to explore
thIs regIon's gorgeous landscape.

152
00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:38,954
My Bradshaw's says,

153
00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,550
''Here, the fine vaIe of Neath
may be ascended

154
00:08:42,680 --> 00:08:45,399
to the beautifuI waterfaIIs
at its summit.''

155
00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,069
''Some of the best waterfaIIs
in south WaIes.''

156
00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,590
And whiIst industry has changed a Iot
since Bradshaw's day,

157
00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,156
I'm assuming that nature has not.

158
00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,915
I leave the traIn at Neath StatIon.

159
00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,155
In Bradshaw's day,

160
00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,113
I would have been able to pIck up
the Vale of Neath raIlway here

161
00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:18,913
to take me closer to
the valley's most stunnIng scenery.

162
00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:23,355
The lIne's gone now.

163
00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,870
But that won't deter me from
followIng the traIl of VIctorIans,

164
00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,754
who sought the thrIlls of nature
In waterfall country.

165
00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,917
I'm meetIng countrysIde warden
Helen Pye

166
00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:48,114
to hear whether thIs beauty spot
has changed sInce Bradshaw's day.

167
00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:49,195
HeIen.

168
00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,073
- How are you?
- What an awesome sight that is.

169
00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:53,918
It's absoIuteIy stunning, isn't it?

170
00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:55,632
(MIchael) The power of nature, eh?

171
00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:59,150
I imagine that Victorian tourists
did come in considerabIe numbers.

172
00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:00,998
The numbers were actuaIIy quite Iow.

173
00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:05,671
This area was quite an extreme
environment for them to come to,

174
00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:11,830
so you did generaIIy tend to get
expIorers, naturaIists, artists, reaIIy.

175
00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,111
And probabIy peopIe who were
more of the higher cIasses,

176
00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,199
because it was quite an adventure
to come here, reaIIy.

177
00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,392
(MIchael) Of course, the Victorians
combined this romanticism,

178
00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,080
this ish to get back to
the forces of nature

179
00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:29,159
ith a very keen sense of
scientific inquiry, didn't they?

180
00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,955
Yeah, definiteIy. So, you had peopIe
Iike AIfred RusseI WaIIace coming here.

181
00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,958
He was a famous naturaIist
of the 19th century.

182
00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:38,832
Though no longer a household name,

183
00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,669
AIfred Russel Wallace
was well known In VIctorIan tImes.

184
00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:44,028
WorkIng Independently,

185
00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:48,039
he hIt upon a theory of evolutIon
at the same tIme as DarwIn.

186
00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:52,438
Indeed, hearIng of Wallace's work
spurred DarwIn to publIsh hIs own.

187
00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:57,031
ThIs countrysIde fIrst InspIred
Wallace to study the natural world.

188
00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:00,038
And It stIll attracts
scIentIfIc Interest today.

189
00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,913
(Helen) This site is actuaIIy
of European importance.

190
00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,713
And it's designated
for its open ash woodIand

191
00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:10,152
and some of the reaIIy rare
species that that supports.

192
00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:14,353
And most peopIe don't reaIIy know about
them. They're Iichens and mosses.

193
00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:16,914
AII those green things
that you see groing on trees.

194
00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,032
But they're actuaIIy reaIIy
important and rare on this site.

195
00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,916
These days, the area attracts
154,000 vIsItors a year,

196
00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:29,396
many doIng the 2 1st-century
equIvalent of the VIctorIan tour,

197
00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,193
the four waterfalls walk.

198
00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,879
A hIghlIght Is the opportunIty
to stand behInd

199
00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,798
thIs magnIfIcent torrent of water.

200
00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:43,630
It's wonderfuIIy wet
and wonderfuIIy thriIIing, isn't it?

201
00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:46,718
It's kind of... very, very romantic.

202
00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:51,675
I ish I were a Victorian poet
who couId pen a few Iines,

203
00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:55,588
or a Victorian painter
who couId capture the beauty.

204
00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,759
Or a Victorian who couId take the steam
raiIway back down the Neath VaIIey.

205
00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:01,199
Somewhere dry.

206
00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:11,749
After my VIctorIan adventure, I'm now
In search of a bed for the nIght.

207
00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:15,555
''Bradshaw's'' recommends
Neath's Castle Hotel.

208
00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:19,514
And apparently,
It also has a sportIng claIm to fame.

209
00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,596
Before I touch down for the nIght,

210
00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:26,430
I'm stoppIng off for a chat wIth
Neath rugby club secretary MIke PrIce.

211
00:12:26,560 --> 00:12:27,515
HeIIo, Mike.

212
00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,200
MichaeI.
WeIcome to WaIes's rugby capitaI.

213
00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:31,719
That's Neath, is it?

214
00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:32,750
That's Neath, yeah.

215
00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,155
The good citizens of Cardiff
might disagree,

216
00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,078
but Neath is the pIace
where WeIsh rugby reaIIy aII started.

217
00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,668
(MIchael)
This room is a particuIar shrine?

218
00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,270
(MIke) Yes, this is the centenary room
in the CastIe HoteI in Neath.

219
00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,517
And this is where the
WeIsh Rugby Union itseIf was founded.

220
00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,193
Rugby was Introduced to Wales
In the 19th century,

221
00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:57,393
and the workIng men of the Welsh valleys
were quIck to make It theIr own.

222
00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:59,636
The raIlways helped to
encourage matches,

223
00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:02,115
even between dIstant teams.

224
00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:06,199
And wIth the creatIon of the Rugby
UnIon, Welsh rugby came of age.

225
00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,552
Now Wales could fIeld
an offIcIal natIonal team,

226
00:13:10,680 --> 00:13:15,151
kIckIng off a love affaIr
that shows no sIgn of fadIng.

227
00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:19,751
So, teII me about WaIes's Iove of
or passion for rugby.

228
00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,440
WeII, it borders on fanaticism reaIIy.

229
00:13:22,560 --> 00:13:26,314
And I think it aII grows from
peopIe's schooIdays.

230
00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,556
I wouIdn't think there's
a schooI kid in WaIes

231
00:13:28,680 --> 00:13:32,229
who hasn't participated in a game
of rugby at some IeveI or other.

232
00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:33,759
And even before that,

233
00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,998
chiIdren get given rugby baIIs
as presents, even as toddIers.

234
00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:40,559
After a stImulatIng day,

235
00:13:40,680 --> 00:13:44,719
I must convert my energy to sleep
and try to get some rest.

236
00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:58,036
Today, I'm contInuIng west
towards the cIty of Swansea.

237
00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:02,916
In the 19th century, thIs area
was a hIve of IndustrIal actIvIty,

238
00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:06,794
domInated by coal-mInIng
and copper smeltIng.

239
00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:18,032
At the end of a day
working in the pit, or on the raiIways,

240
00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:19,229
or at the bIast furnace,

241
00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,511
the working man
sought a Ieisure activity.

242
00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:24,392
And that has bequeathed us something

243
00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:29,799
that we associate more particuIarIy
ith the WeIsh than even coaI or steeI.

244
00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:32,949
(Welsh male voIce choIr sIngIng)

245
00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:45,315
In thIs regIon, the dIrt and smoke
of the IndustrIal RevolutIon

246
00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,591
gave bIrth to the
Welsh male voIce choIr.

247
00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:55,235
Formed not of classIcally-traIned
musIcIans but workIng men,

248
00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,670
these choIrs are a fundament
of Welsh culture.

249
00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:02,637
I'm leavIng the traIn at Swansea,

250
00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,479
and headIng to the nearby
suburb of Dunvant,

251
00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,989
where I've heard there's
an IntrIguIng connectIon

252
00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,156
between sIngIng and the raIlways.

253
00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,958
UntIl the 1960s, Dunvant was lInked
by raIl to Swansea Docks.

254
00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,670
Sadly, these days that lIne has gone,

255
00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,554
and all that remaIns of the statIon
Is a modest hut.

256
00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:28,151
It's where I'm meetIng
the choIr chaIrman Barry Evans.

257
00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:29,918
- Barry.
- MichaeI.

258
00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:31,792
- Nice to meet you.
- Great to see you.

259
00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:36,118
Now, the Dunvant MaIe Voice Choir
has quite a cIaim to fame, doesn't it?

260
00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:40,597
Yes, it's the oIdest estabIished
continuous maIe voice choir in WaIes.

261
00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:42,915
EstabIished in 1895.

262
00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:45,873
And it's been going ever since
ithout a break, reaIIy.

263
00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,195
You've decided to meet me here
for what reason?

264
00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,232
Because before the main
maIe voice choir was formed,

265
00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:55,114
the other choir in the viIIage
started in this buiIding in 1880

266
00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,754
when it was part of
the main station buiIding.

267
00:15:57,880 --> 00:15:59,199
And when this choir spIit up,

268
00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,754
some of the members went to form
the maIe voice choir.

269
00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,553
(MIchael)
Why did they form in a raiIway station?

270
00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,990
Because the station master,
Isaac Peters, was a musician of sorts.

271
00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:12,910
He puIIed peopIe together in the area
from KiIIay and Dunvant

272
00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:14,029
to form a mixed choir.

273
00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,993
And they used to practise
in the station when he was on shift.

274
00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:20,236
IndustrIalIsatIon and the new raIlways

275
00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,636
soon brought unprecedented numbers
of mIners and metalworkers

276
00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:25,910
to vIllages across the valleys.

277
00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,635
All workIng to the new rhythms
of the IndustrIal age.

278
00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:31,512
Set shIfts became the norm,

279
00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,279
leavIng the men wIth
structured leIsure tIme to fIll.

280
00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,517
Why did working men join choirs
in the 19th century?

281
00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:40,916
I think it was a bit of a chaIIenge.
There wasn't much eIse to do.

282
00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,953
Most peopIe were in the chapeI. It paid
to be in the chapeI and the schooIs.

283
00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:46,399
And it was a community thing.

284
00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:48,875
You got together,
not just men, but Iadies as weII,

285
00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:50,149
and you had mixed choirs.

286
00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:53,636
And then the men found you couId have
a nice sound ith a maIe voice choir.

287
00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:55,716
So Iots of maIe voice choirs
were founded.

288
00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,798
(MIchael) Did it mix ith
what I assume is quite a macho cuIture?

289
00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:00,876
Men who were working
underground aII day,

290
00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,958
working in the raiIways,
working in the bIast furnaces.

291
00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:07,038
(Barry) WeII, I think it was just
being part of a team.

292
00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:09,913
As weII as being in the pit,
they used to pIay rugby together

293
00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:11,678
and do aII sorts of things together.

294
00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,076
Singing, it just brought peopIe
together for a bit of enjoyment.

295
00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:17,191
That was the main reason for it.

296
00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:20,198
The choIrs could exploIt
local rIvalrIes,

297
00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:24,438
as the men threw theIr hearts
Into competItIons between vIllages.

298
00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:26,949
The tradItIon survIves to thIs day.

299
00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:30,152
And the quest for excellence
Is undImInIshed.

300
00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:32,236
(choIr sIngIng In Welsh)

301
00:17:51,360 --> 00:17:54,397
I suppose that I could have
strayed here durIng VIctorIa's reIgn

302
00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:58,354
and heard a sound as powerful
and as movIng.

303
00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:03,754
What a priviIege.
What beautifuI harmonies.

304
00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:06,597
You've got fantastic voices.

305
00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:08,597
AbsoIuteIy incredibIe voices.

306
00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,312
Thank you so much.

307
00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,876
May I ask you,
how Iong have you been in the choir?

308
00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:15,149
Twenty-five years now.

309
00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:16,554
- Twenty-five years?
- Yes.

310
00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,911
- What do you get out of your singing?
- I suppose it's the comradeship.

311
00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:21,917
It's good fun,
it's good for your heaIth.

312
00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:23,917
Very good for your heaIth, in fact.

313
00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,110
Erm, the opportunity to traveI.

314
00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,391
And the opportunity to Iearn
from peopIe,

315
00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:34,640
Iike our musicaI team here,
for instance, how to hone our voices.

316
00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,513
And take us to some
very prestigious venues

317
00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:40,996
and to sing ith some
very prestigious peopIe.

318
00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:44,669
- How Iong have you been in the choir?
- OnIy 53 years.

319
00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:45,994
- No?
- Yeah.

320
00:18:46,120 --> 00:18:47,917
(laughter)

321
00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:49,553
- Yes.
- Fifty-three years.

322
00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:51,671
And I'm the youngster in the choir now.

323
00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,678
Fantastic.
Were your famiIy in the choir?

324
00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,031
Very much so, yes.
My father and my grandfather.

325
00:18:58,160 --> 00:18:59,354
Three generations.

326
00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:04,110
And my other grandfather was aIso in it,
but not during my time.

327
00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,276
(MIchael) Why have you done it
for 53 years?

328
00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:08,231
What have you gained from your singing?

329
00:19:08,360 --> 00:19:12,399
WeII, it's my viIIage.
I was born here, born into this chapeI.

330
00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:14,192
Spent aII my Iife here.

331
00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:19,314
It's the peopIe that I've Iived ith...
it's a part of what we are.

332
00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:22,238
What wouId Iife have been Iike
for you ithout your singing?

333
00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:24,920
- Oh, dear. I...
- (laughter)

334
00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:31,192
You can't even think about it, can you?

335
00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:32,673
No. Not reaIIy, no.

336
00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:36,588
No. I wouIdn't have imagined
Iiving ithout singing.

337
00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:40,679
You know, I can't imagine
anything more beautifuI

338
00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,075
than waIking in here
and hearing this choir sing.

339
00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,237
I can't imagine any better
weIcome in the hiIIside

340
00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:47,952
or any better weIcome in the vaIes.

341
00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,036
(choIr sIng In Welsh)

342
00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,915
WIth the sound of Wales
rIngIng In my ears,

343
00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:09,271
I'm now takIng my last traIn
on thIs long trIp.

344
00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,630
I'm bound for MIIford Haven
In PembrokeshIre,

345
00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:16,197
whIch receIves an enthusIastIc revIew
In my 19th-century guIde.

346
00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,756
The finaI stage of my journey
takes me to the WeIsh coast,

347
00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:24,429
to one of the most westerIy pIaces
in mainIand Britain.

348
00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:30,237
My Bradshaw's taIks about ''that
magnificent inIet caIIed MiIford Haven''.

349
00:20:30,360 --> 00:20:34,239
''MiIford is prettiIy situated
on a sIoping point of Iand

350
00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:39,275
about six miIes from the entrance to
the haven, to which it gives its name.''

351
00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:44,269
And the naturaI advantages of that
harbour seRVe MiIford Haven today

352
00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,949
as weII as they have
in centuries gone by.

353
00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,679
The raIlway reached MIIford In 1 856.

354
00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:56,998
And a few years later, the lIne was
extended to reach the maIn docks.

355
00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,870
I'm gettIng off In the town centre
and headIng to the waterfront

356
00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,275
to see what the locals make
of theIr fIne harbour.

357
00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,638
- (MIchael) HeIIo.
- (woman) HeIIo.

358
00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:15,591
- Enjoying the view?.
- It's IoveIy.

359
00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,917
- Do you come from MiIford Haven?
- I Iive around the corner.

360
00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,076
Not far from here at aII.

361
00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:23,714
Do you manage to get out
and enjoy the water sometimes?

362
00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:27,833
Yes, we do. We go out on my friend's
jet-ski and we go surfing.

363
00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:30,235
The beaches are beautifuI,
I have to say.

364
00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:34,717
Pembrokeshire has its cons,
but the beaches are absoIuteIy stunning.

365
00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,434
It's not great today,
but the scenery is beautifuI.

366
00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:42,634
It's supposed to be summer.
But obviousIy not today. (laughs)

367
00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,911
MIIford Haven was founded
only In the 1 790s.

368
00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:51,830
But In Its short 200-year hIstory,
It's been through several IncarnatIons.

369
00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:55,669
SurprIsIngly, some of the fIrst people
to settle here came from AmerIca.

370
00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,110
And theIr legacy Is dIscernIble
In the town today.

371
00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,118
ThIs transatlantIc connectIon came about

372
00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,879
thanks to the remarkable
natural harbour.

373
00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:10,154
To hear more, I'm meetIng Andrew Brown
from the MIIford Haven Port AuthorIty.

374
00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:11,633
HeIIo, Andrew.

375
00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:13,591
MichaeI, weIcome to MiIford Haven.

376
00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:14,869
It's great to be here.

377
00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,356
I'd been Iured here
by my Bradshaw's GuIde.

378
00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:20,630
It says that,
''As there is pIenty of deep water,

379
00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,799
the harbour at MiIford Haven wouId
easiIy hoId the entire British Navy.''

380
00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,275
That's quite a thought
and quite a cIaim, isn't it?

381
00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:28,879
It is, and it's absoIuteIy true.

382
00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,879
And it's been part of the success of
MiIford Haven over the Iast 200 years.

383
00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:37,710
Erm, the water depth is 16.5 metres
in the main channeI.

384
00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,195
And that's minimum.
It's actuaIIy more than that.

385
00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,756
In Bradshaw's day, that's over 50ft
of water at aII states of the tide.

386
00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:46,353
Only In the late 1 8th century

387
00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,836
dId local landowners realIse
the potentIal of the Haven.

388
00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:55,075
They lobbIed ParlIament
for permIssIon to buIld a new town

389
00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,476
wIth a very unusual group
of new resIdents In mInd.

390
00:22:58,600 --> 00:22:59,999
AmerIcan whalers.

391
00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:03,995
They were Iooking for a base in the UK

392
00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:08,318
to bring in aII the spoiIs
from their whaIing.

393
00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:13,992
And they started here
in the Iate 1 790s, into the 1800s.

394
00:23:14,120 --> 00:23:18,750
They wouId go away into the seas
for a year or more at a time,

395
00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:20,677
and they brought the whaIes in

396
00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:25,157
and the whaIe bones were used
to Iine Iadies' corsetry, apparentIy.

397
00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:28,113
And the sperm oiI
was taken up to London,

398
00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,550
and that was used as fueI
for street Iighting in London.

399
00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:37,157
These whalers had settled In MIIford
partly because of Its excellent harbour,

400
00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,636
but also to avoId hIgh Import dutIes.

401
00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:46,192
At that tIme, AmerIca led
the hugely lucratIve whale trade.

402
00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:47,878
In the days before petroleum,

403
00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,878
oIl made from whale blubber
was hIghly prIzed,

404
00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,629
and as the IndustrIal RevolutIon
progressed, It was put to many uses,

405
00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,957
from candles to lubrIcatIng locomotIves.

406
00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:02,432
But as a whalIng port,
MIIford dIdn't last long.

407
00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:05,916
By the mId-19th century,
the whale trade was In declIne

408
00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:10,158
thanks to the InventIons of
gas lIghtIng and kerosene.

409
00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,875
In the 1 880s, MIIford Haven
decIded to chart a dIfferent course,

410
00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,798
whIch began wIth buIldIng new docks.

411
00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,512
The initiaI aspiration
was that the docks,

412
00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,712
when they were buiIt,
wouId attract transatIantic Iiners.

413
00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:28,549
But the reaIity,
when the gates first opened in 1888,

414
00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:33,196
was that the first ship in was a smaII
team steam traler by the name of SybiI.

415
00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,959
I beIieve she Ianded
about five tons of fish.

416
00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:40,915
And that, in fact, set the future of
MiIford for the foIIoing hundred years.

417
00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:43,793
(MIchael)
And that fish was headed, I assume,

418
00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,036
for the raiIway
and for the cities of Britain.

419
00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,755
WeII, indeed. In fact, there was a fish
quay that was one-fifth of a miIe Iong.

420
00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:51,916
And in fact, in Paddington as weII,

421
00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:55,510
there were posters that said, ''MiIford
Haven, where the fish comes from.''

422
00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:59,428
And there were fish trains that went up
to London, up to BiIIingsgate every day.

423
00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:05,033
By the 1900s, MIIford was BrItaIn's
sIxth largest fIshIng port.

424
00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:09,790
But by the mIddle of the 20th century,
thIngs were goIng downhIll.

425
00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,388
The harbour came to the rescue
once agaIn,

426
00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:19,278
when In the 1950s and 60s, oIl companIes
saw It as an Ideal sIte for refInerIes.

427
00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,194
Today, the docks are fIlled
wIth vast tankers

428
00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:27,108
carryIng oIl and lIquefIed natural gas.

429
00:25:29,120 --> 00:25:33,113
So, MiIford Haven
has gone from whaIe oiI to crude oiI.

430
00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:35,435
It's the second oiI age, as we caII it.

431
00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,836
And then more recentIy,
in the Iast two or three years,

432
00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:42,475
Iiquefied naturaI gas
has started to come ashore,

433
00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:47,993
and each of them produce about
20-25 per cent of the UK's needs,

434
00:25:48,120 --> 00:25:51,430
both in terms of refined product
and in terms of the gas.

435
00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:57,434
MIIford's lIquefIed natural gas complex
Is one of the bIggest In the world.

436
00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:59,516
The oIl companIes
stIll use the raIlways,

437
00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:03,758
wIth eIght to ten traIns carryIng
2,000 tonnes of refIned materIal

438
00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,440
out of the town every week.

439
00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,518
It was the references in Bradshaw's
that brought me here today.

440
00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,471
FrankIy, it's been a surprise

441
00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:16,913
because MiIford Haven is not necessariIy
a name that's on everybody's Iips,

442
00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,952
and yet it turns out to be
a fundamentaIIy important port

443
00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:24,119
for the very same reason that Bradshaw's
mentions, the depth of the water.

444
00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,118
It's the depth of the water
that has made MiIford Haven.

445
00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:29,037
In spite of its peripheraIity,

446
00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:33,039
in spite of how far away it is
from the centre of the UK and Europe,

447
00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,197
we are the energy port of the UK.

448
00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:40,711
We're the third Iargest port
in terms of tonnage moved in the UK.

449
00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,478
And we're the Iargest port in WaIes.

450
00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:46,115
There is an immense pride in MiIford
Haven in what the port's done for it.

451
00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:49,555
DurIng thIs raIl trIp,

452
00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,752
I've been musIng on how the VIctorIans
harnessed the raIlways

453
00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:55,075
to make the most of theIr resources.

454
00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,351
TraIns carrIed everythIng
from seIf-ImprovIng tourIsts...

455
00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:04,635
..to the very coal, Iron and steel
that fuelled the IndustrIal RevolutIon.

456
00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,396
On this journey
from Oxford to MiIford Haven,

457
00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:13,992
I've contempIated beautifuI British
Iandscape from towers and hiIIs.

458
00:27:14,120 --> 00:27:15,951
This Iand has been good to us.

459
00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:21,200
The Victorians changed it, cuItivating
its fieIds and mining its mineraIs.

460
00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,710
Some of what they did
has now returned to nature.

461
00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:30,039
For the span from Bradshaw's time
to ours is but a moment gone,

462
00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:33,948
whiIst this isIand of ours
endures forever.

463
00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:38,352
My nextjourney takes me
to the north of England,

464
00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,199
as my ''Bradshaw's'' leads me
from BerwIck-upon-Tweed,

465
00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,356
south-west across
the backbone of England,

466
00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,597
through IndustrIal heartlands
and dramatIc scenery,

467
00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:49,757
fInIshIng on the beautIful
and unIque Isle of Man.

468
00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,198
I'll be admIrIng spectacular
engIneerIng trIumphs

469
00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,276
In the CumbrIan countrysIde...

470
00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,675
Thank you for going
so sIoly over the viaduct.

471
00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:00,597
- Isn't that a beautifuI thing?
- Aye.

472
00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:04,190
..submergIng myseIf
In a top-secret world...

473
00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:05,355
It is enormous.

474
00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:08,199
It's Iike the Iast scene of
a James Bond movie, isn't it?

475
00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:10,550
..and hearIng how perIlous lIfe was

476
00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,831
on the IndustrIal raIlways
of the north-east.

477
00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:15,916
So, if it's your job
to get that rope off

478
00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:19,157
and you happened to trip,
what's the consequence?

479
00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:20,269
You're dead.