1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,040 Between the wars, a Bradshaw's was an essential guide 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,400 during a golden age of rail travel 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:11,640 when glamorous locomotives travelled at world-record speed. 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:13,760 I'm using a 1930s edition 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,000 to explore a discernibly modern era of mass consumption. 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:19,680 Bravo! 7 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,880 When Art Deco cinemas and dancehalls entertained millions... 8 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:27,440 ..while industrial Britain was thrown into unemployment 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,880 and poverty, and storm clouds gathered across the Channel. 10 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,600 My journey continues in East Anglia, and I'll stick close 11 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,640 to the east coast of England as I move up into Lincolnshire. 12 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,720 Despite its chilly reputation, the North Sea attracted crowds 13 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,760 of holiday-makers to its beaches around the time of my guidebook. 14 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,400 Shortly afterwards, since these shores face Germany, 15 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,760 this flat terrain was populated with aerodromes 16 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,520 for defence and attack. 17 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,760 I'll investigate the aircraft that enabled Britain to defy Hitler. 18 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:47,000 I started in Kent and then visited London, before crossing Essex 19 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,160 and stopping off at the county towns of Suffolk and Norfolk. 20 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,200 I'll continue my journey west through Cambridgeshire 21 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,160 and will finish in Lincolnshire. 22 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,880 On this final leg, I'll start in Attleborough in Norfolk 23 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:05,480 before crossing the Fens, 24 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,360 bound for the cathedral city of Peterborough. 25 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,040 From there, I'll head north towards sunny Skegness. 26 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,360 On my trip, I'll open the floodgates. 27 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,040 Engineering on a big scale. 28 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,680 I wouldn't want to raise that by hand, I don't think! 29 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,480 I'll say hi-de-hi to the Redcoats... 30 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:32,280 You look great! Ta-ra! 31 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,000 THEY LAUGH 32 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,200 ..and witness the phenomenal power of a typhoon. 33 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,120 Started its journey along the runway, 34 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,200 within a few seconds it is airborne. 35 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,960 ANNOUNCEMENT: Welcome to the service for Cambridge. 36 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,840 We will be calling at Attleborough, 37 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,160 Thetford, Brandon, 38 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,480 Ely, Cambridge North, 39 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,600 and Cambridge. 40 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:03,880 The next stop will be Attleborough. 41 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,160 I'm alighting at Attleborough, Norfolk, 42 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,120 a market town 16 miles southwest of Norwich. 43 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,000 I'm investigating the origins of a British animal welfare charity, 44 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,240 which was founded in the 1920s. 45 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:40,920 The book, play and film War Horse enlightened modern audiences 46 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,240 as to how we relied on animals at the Western Front 47 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:48,480 during the First World War, investing the beasts of burden 48 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,840 with human qualities such 49 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,960 as courage, loyalty and nobility. 50 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,040 In the wake of the Great War, 51 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:58,000 the slaughter of horses - 52 00:03:58,000 --> 00:03:59,760 as well as people - 53 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:01,520 pricked the public conscience. 54 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,480 World Horse Welfare is based at 55 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,600 Hall Farm just outside Attleborough. 56 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,880 Tony Tyler is the deputy chief executive of the charity. 57 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,440 Tony, introduce me to your friend, please. 58 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,920 So, this is Star. He arrived with us in 2016. 59 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,040 He was actually found pretty much on the side of the road 60 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,640 in a fairly horrendous condition. 61 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:31,800 What are the origins of this charity? World Horse Welfare 62 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,600 was started by an amazing lady called Ada Cole. 63 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,080 She lived in a village quite close to here, called Croxton, and grew 64 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,400 up initially there, but travelled to the continent with her sister. 65 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,680 Ada Cole, in 1911, saw horses on the docks 66 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:48,440 in Antwerp being whipped 67 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,960 three or four miles to a local abattoir, and was horrified 68 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:55,200 by the conditions that they came in. 69 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:56,720 Before the First World War, 70 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:59,720 English horses were sent to the continent to be eaten. 71 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,520 Appalled by their treatment during the journey, Ada Cole 72 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,960 campaigned against the transport of live horses for meat. 73 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,160 After the First World War, the fate of some surviving military 74 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,440 workhorses, which were also sold for consumption, 75 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:15,960 compelled Ada to act. 76 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:17,960 Seems so desperately unfair, doesn't it, 77 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,120 that these animals who had served us, served their country, 78 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,080 would then just be slaughtered at the end. 79 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,080 Absolutely, but those were desperate times. 80 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,880 People needed meat and they needed income. 81 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,040 And what Ada Cole tried to do 82 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:31,800 was not to tell people 83 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:35,000 to stop eating horses. What she wanted to see 84 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,280 was humane treatment for them. 85 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:40,560 In 1927, she established a charity. 86 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:42,560 And despite her own frailty and ill 87 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:44,720 health, her relentless campaigning 88 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:46,240 resulted in legislation 89 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,560 which effectively stopped the export 90 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:50,080 of life horses for meat 91 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:51,480 from Britain - 92 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:53,880 a law which is still in place today. 93 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,040 When did the charity get into the business 94 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,120 of rescuing individual horses? 95 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,840 So, our first rescue centre opened in 1949. 96 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:05,640 That was a yard called Cherry Tree down in Surrey, 97 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,760 and we've subsequently expanded to now have four centres 98 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,160 dotted across the country, where we have 99 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,200 around about 315 horses in at this moment. 100 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:20,240 Well, I've met Star. Any other celebrities I should encounter? 101 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:24,080 Well, we're hoping to introduce you to Rudolph, who's a small pony 102 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,400 that was found next to a field 103 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,320 of Christmas trees, hence his name. 104 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:31,200 And today, we're going to be doing a 105 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:32,920 little bit of clipping of his coat. 106 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,000 Very good. I shall look for a horse with a red nose. 107 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,120 Tony, thank you very much. Bye, Star. 108 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,080 Adele Edwards is a supervisor at the charity. 109 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:51,400 This, I assume, is Rudolph. 110 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:52,760 This is Rudolph. 111 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,480 And Tony indeed mentioned to me that he needed a clip. 112 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:57,800 He does need a clip. 113 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,720 The reason that we clip horses here is part of a weight-loss programme 114 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,760 So, horses, obviously, naturally grow quite a thick, dense coat 115 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,000 in the winter, so by stripping off the bottom layer of coat, 116 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:12,120 you're actually then... Meaning a horse has to use some calories 117 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,480 to burn the fat to keep itself warm. 118 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,360 I've just introduced the horse to the clippers gently 119 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:18,680 without them turned on, 120 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,080 just to make sure that they're going to cope with the noise. 121 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,040 CLIPPERS START WHIRRING 122 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,200 What's the reaction been like? He seems fine. 123 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,160 I don't think he's bothered at all. All right. 124 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:34,960 Do you want to show me the way? 125 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,400 If you start off on the shoulder area. 126 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,880 Make sure you keep your lead away from the pony. 127 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,720 And then just gently, you want a nice, firm pressure, nice and even. 128 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:45,240 Keep the blade straight. 129 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:50,160 And just slowly pick up, and you'll see the fur comes off quite nicely. 130 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:53,920 Maybe here? Yep, that's fine along there. 131 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:55,840 Just a nice, firm pressure. 132 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,920 Nice, straight line and quite a slick movement. 133 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:02,520 That's right. Keep it firm on the coat. 134 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:06,320 That's right. 135 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:07,600 WHIRRING STOPS 136 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:09,440 Clipping a horse called Rudolph - 137 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,480 there's no limit to where my rail journeys take me. 138 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:24,680 I'm leaving Norfolk and crossing the Fens into Cambridgeshire. 139 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:29,480 East Anglia is all about water. 140 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,600 The sea, of course, but also the Fens and Broads, 141 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,520 canals and rivers. 142 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,720 The River Nene is navigable 143 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:41,880 for 88 miles from the Northampton arm of the Grand Union Canal, 144 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,440 where it's known as the Nen, to the mouth of the river 145 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,520 on the Wash, passing through 38 locks. 146 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:51,880 I'm headed for number 38, 147 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:56,040 which rejoices in the name "the Dog In A Doublet lock". 148 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,480 I'm arriving at the cathedral city of Peterborough. 149 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,720 Lock number 38 is found in low-lying countryside, 150 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:29,480 seven miles from Peterborough. 151 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,560 The scale of this structure suggests a role more important 152 00:09:39,560 --> 00:09:42,200 than simply aiding navigation. 153 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:43,880 Mick Wright is the keeper. 154 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,200 Hello, Mick. Hello, Michael. Pleased to meet you. 155 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:50,840 Very good to see you. 156 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,040 And this is a much bigger structure than I expected. 157 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:55,480 Totally. 158 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:59,960 It's basically because it's a tidal defence barrier 159 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:03,360 and it was also built to allow cargo 160 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:06,120 to travel up to Peterborough. 161 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,960 And so this river is all tidal? It is, 162 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,560 and it was tidal right up until 163 00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:13,880 this structure was built, right 164 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:16,240 the way through Peterborough 165 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,800 to what we called Orton Staunch. 166 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,080 I guess that created a few problems for the city of Peterborough. 167 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,040 Well, it did, because there was no tidal barrier 168 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,320 so every, either big spring tide 169 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,840 or if there was a lot of floodwater 170 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:32,400 coming down from Northampton area, 171 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,840 the eastern side of Peterborough 172 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:39,480 tended to flood. Built on this scale because the tide is a mighty force. 173 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:40,880 Well, it is, yes. 174 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,440 It was started in 1935 175 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:45,320 and they completed it 176 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,000 and commissioned it in 1937. 177 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,840 Why would building this barrier help the navigation? 178 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,000 Well, because the boats used to 179 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:55,960 run out of water on the tide. 180 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,600 Because it's such a long way from the estuary, 181 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,400 and it's not a particularly deep river anyway, 182 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:03,920 they used to moor round about here - 183 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,400 because there was obviously a pub across the road - 184 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,680 so when this was constructed 185 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:10,800 and came into commission, 186 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,280 they could lock through here 187 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,520 and make it in one journey 188 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:18,720 all the way up to Peterborough with plenty of depth of water. 189 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:21,640 I assume it's powered electrically? Yes, it is. 190 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:25,160 Yes, but there is a facility for hand-winding. 191 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,200 Have you ever had to do that? Yes, we did, a few years back. 192 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,840 It took six of us three quarters 193 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,480 of an hour to raise the lock gate 194 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:35,480 just enough to get a boat 195 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:36,840 underneath it. 196 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:40,200 They're big gates. They're big gates, but they're very low-geared 197 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,120 so you've got a lot of turns 198 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,000 before you get anywhere. 199 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,320 Could I see your wonderful sluice gate in operation? 200 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,280 Yes, certainly. Thank you. 201 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:58,480 No need for hand-turning today. 202 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:00,040 We have power! 203 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:03,440 OK, Mick. Take her away! 204 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:06,760 Wow! Instant. 205 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,400 The moment the gate started to raise, 206 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,320 the water level began to fall. 207 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,320 The lock is now clearing out. 208 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,160 Engineering on a big scale. 209 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,440 Well, I wouldn't want to raise that by hand, I don't think! 210 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,560 And daylight appears under the sluice gate. 211 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,200 It's the last day of my journey through eastern England, 212 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,640 and I'm bound for Grantham in Lincolnshire. 213 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:01,760 And it's the latest type of train - a Class 800 Azuma. 214 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:07,800 Introduced to the East Coast Main Line in May 2019, 215 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,400 Azuma is the Japanese word for east. 216 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,520 With a top speed of 125mph, 217 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:15,520 this high-speed train follows a 218 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,800 route with a rich railway heritage. 219 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,520 We are passing over hallowed track. 220 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:25,160 on July 3rd, 1938, 221 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:29,320 Mallard - the most superb locomotive ever built - 222 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:34,880 Nigel Gresley's wedge-shaped Art Deco-inspired engineering miracle - 223 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:39,120 sped down Stoke Bank near Grantham, the furnace spitting out red hot 224 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:44,360 coals like bullets, the crockery on board smashing, to beat the speed 225 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:48,880 set by its rival in Nazi Germany to claim the record 226 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:53,160 for a steam locomotive of 126mph, 227 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:57,440 which has never been beaten, for Britain! 228 00:13:57,440 --> 00:13:59,640 It was quite exciting, really. 229 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:01,400 APPLAUSE 230 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:11,240 At Grantham, I'm changing to a community rail service 231 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:12,720 known as the Poacher Line. 232 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,440 Next stop, Skegness, which Bradshaw's tells me 233 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:29,840 is a very popular seaside resort 234 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,320 with its North, South and Grand Parades, 235 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,520 its pier and its expanse of firm sands 236 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:39,760 on which motor speed trials are held. 237 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:44,240 Holiday-making was transformed here at the time of my guidebook 238 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:46,240 by Billy Butlin. 239 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:50,520 It may be time for me to turn my coat from green to red. 240 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:04,040 Skegness first developed as a seaside resort 241 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,400 in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. 242 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:13,120 In 1935, Billy Butlin began clearing 200 acres of turnip fields 243 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,800 north of the beach-side town to build his first 244 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:17,840 self-contained holiday camp. 245 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,560 It opened at Easter in 1936. 246 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,560 Eve Reid manages the Butlin's archive. 247 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,120 Eve, this looks like a piece of history to me. 248 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:35,240 Tell me about this. 249 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:39,680 Yeah, this is one of the original 1936 Elizabethan-style chalets, 250 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,720 which were actually designed by Billy Butlin himself. 251 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,960 Would this have stood as part of a terrace, a row? Yes. 252 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,280 Yeah, there would have been a long row, and they would all 253 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,480 have been, sort of, very slightly different, 254 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,080 just to give it a bit more of an individual feel. 255 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:54,760 Who was Billy Butlin? 256 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,880 Well, he was actually born in South Africa 257 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,840 but to English parents, and his mother actually came 258 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,480 from a family of travelling showmen. 259 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:06,640 Starting in 1927, he actually began a chain of amusement parks 260 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,320 all around the country, and he had about ten by 1936, 261 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,120 so he was quite well established. 262 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:16,240 How did Billy Butlin hit on the idea of a new sort of holiday? 263 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,760 It came from this time when he went for a holiday himself as a young man 264 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,200 in the early 1920s to Barry Island, 265 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,600 and he kind of...sort of watched what was going on and saw 266 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,000 that families were often thrown out of their seaside lodgings 267 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,520 after breakfast and they had to kind of wander around 268 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:31,880 looking for entertainment. 269 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,680 So he thought, "Wouldn't it be a good idea if there was a centre 270 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:36,880 "where there was the entertainment facilities," 271 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:39,480 which were all-weather, of course, as well. 272 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:41,720 Would it be possible to take a look inside the chalet? 273 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:43,120 Yes, of course. Thank you. 274 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:49,520 Billy Butlin's Skegness holiday camp was an instant success. 275 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:53,240 By the time the camp opened its doors on Easter Sunday, 1936, 276 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:55,960 it was already booked up for the season. 277 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,960 Butlin's offered an all-inclusive deal for a week's holiday 278 00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:03,720 for a week's wages, which proved appealing to middle-class families 279 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,920 who wanted to be in control of their spending. 280 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:11,440 A boost came with the 1938 Holidays With Pay Act, which ensured 281 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,520 that, for the first time, millions of workers were entitled 282 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:16,360 to a week's paid holiday. 283 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:18,760 A-ha! 284 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,280 Well, this is a period piece, isn't it? 285 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:28,200 So you've got a basic wardrobe, 286 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,480 three beds. 287 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,360 What sort of activities was he offering at the beginning? 288 00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:35,680 So there were lots of indoor activities. 289 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,280 There was billiards, you could play cards. 290 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,280 There were also outdoor activities. 291 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:43,840 There was bowling and there was a very large outdoor swimming pool 292 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:47,080 as well, which we've got a picture of here. 293 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:49,600 That is a magnificent picture, actually. 294 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,680 The buildings strike me as so wonderfully modern. 295 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,960 Now, I suppose that the thing that is most famous 296 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,840 about these holiday camps is the Redcoats. 297 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:01,560 Tell me how they originated. 298 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:05,120 Well, they started a few days after the resort actually opened. 299 00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:08,440 Billy Butlin was on site and he noticed that people 300 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,680 didn't seem to be enjoying themselves as much as he expected, 301 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,120 or taking advantage of all the wonderful facilities 302 00:18:14,120 --> 00:18:15,600 and attractions that he'd laid on. 303 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,000 They were kind of sticking to their family groups and not mixing, 304 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,000 so he asked one of his trusted staff members - 305 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,360 a manager called Norman Bradford, who was very outgoing - 306 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:28,000 he asked him to go up on stage after dinner one night 307 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:29,840 and to warm things up a bit. 308 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:34,200 So Norman got up on stage and did a bit of a comedy routine, 309 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,320 and he got people to introduce themselves to their neighbours, 310 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:38,800 perhaps for the first time. 311 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,920 And, before they knew it, people were kind of laughing and joking. 312 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:43,240 It had broken the ice. 313 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:49,000 Billy, a man after my own heart, instructed Norman to buy 314 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,720 a brightly coloured blazer to stand out in the crowd. 315 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:53,240 Hello, everyone! 316 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,920 Today, Redcoats continue to help and to entertain guests. 317 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:02,840 I'm keen to see whether I've got what it takes. 318 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:06,160 Redcoats, Ellie-Mae Leybourne and Nicky Lee Tomlinson 319 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:07,480 await me on stage. 320 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:10,640 You look great! Ta-ra! 321 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,440 I feel really good wearing it, actually. 322 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:16,600 I love the piping on the jacket, 323 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:18,320 the crease in the trousers, 324 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,920 the white shoes, and of course, the badge. 325 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:22,600 I can see why you feel good wearing it. 326 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,400 It definitely makes you feel good, doesn't it? It does. It does. 327 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,480 And the last thing you need is your name badge. 328 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,960 So we're going to pop it up here on the top of your pocket, 329 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,120 just like this. There we go. 330 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:35,760 Shall we set out, then? Yeah, I think we should go and make some 331 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,360 memories with all of our guests. Let's do that. Let's go! 332 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:49,960 Hello! Hello. 333 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:51,680 Hello. How are you? 334 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,720 Who's got painted up like a tiger? 335 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:56,320 Ooh! 336 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,680 Was that fun? You look wonderful. 337 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,160 Would you like a little doggie to go with your...? Yes. Yes! 338 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:05,320 You would like a little doggie. 339 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:07,240 Thank you. 340 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:09,480 So are you guys enjoying your time here? 341 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:10,840 ALL: Yes. 342 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:13,240 First time? No, second. Second time. 343 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,320 We came last year. To Skegness? 344 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,120 Yes. Ah. And what do you do while you're here? 345 00:20:18,120 --> 00:20:20,200 Just... What we don't do! ..it's all for this one. 346 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,080 Yes? Such a great family place. 347 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,440 Hello! Hello. Hiya. 348 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:27,600 What smart young men these are 349 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:29,840 in their bow ties and matching 350 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,800 shirts and beautiful coats. 351 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,000 How do you entertain three children when you're here? 352 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,680 What do they do? Well, we've been swimming. Swimming. 353 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:41,280 We've been to lots of the shows. 354 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,920 Did you like it here? Yeah. Are you having fun? Yes? 355 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,480 I like swimming. You like swimming. Ah. 356 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:51,280 Are you...? Are you trying out to be a Redcoat yourself? 357 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:53,800 Yeah. I'm auditioning this week. Yeah! 358 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,760 Inland from Skegness is an aerodrome, 359 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:07,960 which was conceived in 1937. 360 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,960 Today, RAF Coningsby is one of the Royal Air Force's main 361 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:18,680 operating bases in the United Kingdom. 362 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,800 Coningsby is also home to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, 363 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:28,520 whose mission is to maintain the country's priceless heritage 364 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:31,600 aircraft in an airworthy condition. 365 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:35,680 I'm meeting the commander of the base, Group Captain Mark Flewin. 366 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,600 Mark. This, I think, is a Lancaster bomber. 367 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:42,440 Tell me about this particular aircraft. Yeah. So, Lancaster 368 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:45,640 bomber, an iconic aircraft for the country in what was a fight for 369 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,200 national survival. This aircraft is, interestingly, 370 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,400 one of only two flying Lancasters in the world. 371 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:52,960 So it's great to have it here at Royal Air Force Coningsby. 372 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,600 What's really interesting for this particular Lancaster is 373 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:57,800 Lancasters operated from RAF Coningsby, 374 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,600 so we started building this particular base in 1937, 375 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:04,200 and indeed, Lancasters operated out of here in five squadrons 376 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,240 that were launching between 30 and 50 operational missions every night. 377 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,000 Why was the Lancaster such a successful bomber? 378 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,000 It was at the leading edge of its development and very much 379 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,240 the leading edge of world-class bomber that could carry 380 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:20,520 up to 20,000 lbs of bombs at long range and deliver on its mission. 381 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:24,280 The Lancaster actually strikes me as bigger than I had expected, 382 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:26,840 but it was notoriously cramped inside, wasn't it? 383 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,640 Is it possible to go inside? Absolutely. We'll see that in a second. 384 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,480 We actually call it the inverse TARDIS. So it's enormous on the 385 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,280 outside but tiny on the inside, and that's because of the phenomenal 386 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:37,120 bomb bay that you can see here. 387 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:42,600 The Avro Lancaster was the most successful RAF heavy bomber 388 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:44,880 of the Second World War. 389 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:49,440 Entering combat in 1942 and powered by four Merlin engines, 390 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:53,040 the Lancaster took part in the audacious bombing raid 391 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:56,760 to destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley in May 1943, 392 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:01,440 delivering the RAF's secret weapon, the bouncing bomb. 393 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:06,240 The average age of the aircrew was just 22 years. 394 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:11,240 My goodness, Mark, that is a squeeze. 395 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,120 What on Earth were conditions like 396 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:15,120 for the crew when they're in flight? 397 00:23:15,120 --> 00:23:18,640 I think you've just experienced it - very cramped, in very testing 398 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,800 conditions, against an enemy that was brutal at the time. 399 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:24,640 But it wasn't pressurised, it wasn't heated. 400 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:27,200 So presumably they were dressed in furs, 401 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,760 they were battling against the cold. Absolutely. 402 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:32,640 And, indeed, the hatches were open so they could have the best 403 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:35,640 chance of defending themselves, both from the top turret and indeed, 404 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:36,960 when we go to the rear turret 405 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,240 and look at what was the most dangerous position 406 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:40,960 to be in during the Second World War 407 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,240 and during those bombing raids over Germany. 408 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:46,000 All right. To the rear gunner's position. 409 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:00,440 Ah! 410 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:03,600 My goodness, Mark, 411 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:08,240 this is tight, and I'm into the rear gunner's seat. 412 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,960 Absolutely. A humbling position to sit in, the most dangerous position 413 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:13,720 of the aircraft by far. 414 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:16,440 You can imagine enemy aircraft trying to attack you and trying 415 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,120 to defend the aircraft so you can deliver your mission. Made even 416 00:24:19,120 --> 00:24:21,840 more dangerous because often they'd have to take their parachutes 417 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:23,080 off to get into this position. 418 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,640 I feel lonely just being here, knowing that the rest of the crew 419 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:27,800 is towards the front and the middle of the aircraft, 420 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:31,440 and I'm...I'm on my own at the back here. Absolutely. 421 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:34,720 You're on comms, but it was a lonely position, but an absolutely 422 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:35,880 essential position, 423 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:39,200 mainly given how fighter aircraft would attack the Lancaster 424 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,240 to be able to shoot it down. 425 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,160 You know, it really is, erm... 426 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:46,640 It's an honour just to sit in the seat where those men sat. 427 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,120 Amazing. 428 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:54,480 On March 5th, 1936, the year of my guidebook, the prototype 429 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:59,080 of a new fighter aircraft made its maiden flight over Hampshire. 430 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:02,960 It was called the Vickers-Supermarine Type 300, 431 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,760 registration K5054, 432 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:08,880 more commonly known as the Spitfire. 433 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:14,000 Mark - Spitfire and Typhoon - have you flown either one of them? 434 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,440 Yes. I'm very fortunate as station commander at Coningsby to fly both. 435 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,880 I fly and instruct on the Typhoon. 436 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,920 I have over 1,300 hours on the Typhoon and I'm very, very lucky 437 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,240 and indeed humbled to be able to display the Hurricane and Spitfire 438 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,720 as part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. 439 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:30,920 This particular Spitfire, does it have a history? 440 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,760 Yeah, it's very special. Actually, if you look at the ingenuity 441 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,400 that we had at the time, 24 different variants of Spitfire 442 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:38,600 between 1938 and 1948. 443 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:42,600 But what's very special about P7 is it's the last airworthy Spitfire 444 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:45,480 in the world that actually fought in the battle. 445 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:46,880 What was it that the Spitfire 446 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:48,680 had that made it so special in battle? 447 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,200 It was world-beating. It was actually a new way of designing 448 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:52,960 and delivering an aircraft. 449 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:55,680 So, using the torsion of the skin as strength of the aircraft, 450 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:57,720 which meant the aircraft was very light. 451 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,240 And when you add that to the power that the Merlin delivered 452 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,880 through the aircraft, you had a world-beating aircraft. It was 453 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:05,280 absolutely essential to our success through World War II, 454 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:06,920 and indeed the Battle of Britain. 455 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,760 So, to the modern day, to Typhoon. I've seen 456 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,800 these Typhoons go vertically. Absolutely. 457 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:16,520 I mean, the aircraft can accelerate phenomenally from surface 458 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:19,640 to 35,000 feet at Mach 1.5 in just under two minutes. 459 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:23,280 So it's a phenomenal platform to be able to defend the UK. 460 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:28,880 RAF Coningsby is one of two Quick Reaction Alert stations 461 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:32,360 which protect United Kingdom airspace, as well as a training 462 00:26:32,360 --> 00:26:34,200 place for Typhoon pilots. 463 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,800 Today, they are putting the aircraft through its paces. 464 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,040 It's started its journey along the runway, 465 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:47,920 within a few seconds it is airborne, 466 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:52,080 coming past the control tower with a tremendous roar of the engines... 467 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:55,560 DROWNED BY ENGINE NOISE 468 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,880 ..and disappears into a cloudy sky. 469 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,760 It has been a long journey from the Spitfire to the Typhoon, 470 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:32,000 but the spirit and the courage of the Royal Air Force is unchanged. 471 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:48,320 Since I started my journey in Canterbury, I've found 472 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:52,760 that the 1930s, apart from being a decade of unemployment, 473 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:56,320 also saw great progress in arts, architecture, 474 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,120 house-building and car production. 475 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:03,440 But that generation that was determined to remember 476 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,720 but not to repeat the slaughter of the Great War 477 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:11,960 saw Spain fall to fascism and lived in fear of Germany. 478 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:16,280 Fortunately, it was also a period of great distinction in British 479 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:18,440 engineering and science. 480 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,160 And when war resumed in 1940, 481 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:27,200 radar, Hurricane and Spitfire enabled Britain to fight on alone.