Shropshire to feature in Great British Railway Journeys

Shropshire's picture postcard landscape is to feature on a prime-time TV show as former Government minister Michael Portillo visits the county as part of his Great British Railway Journeys series.

The BBC Two series sees the Tory MP taking to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, travelling the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains.

At 6.30pm each day from Monday to Friday next week, Portillo will be shown following the route of the Irish mail from Ledbury to Holyhead passing through Shropshire on his journey.

On Monday, viewers will see travel from Ledbury to Shrewsbury. On his way he tastes the Victorian drink perry, and meets a pedigree Hereford bull. He also visits the Ditherington Flax Mill in Shrewsbury.

Tuesday's programme will see Portillo travelling from Telford to Wrexham. During the journey he visits the world's first Iron Bridge at Coalbrookdale, before travelling to Chirk to explore the historic Chirk castle just over the Shropshire border, before attempting to make traditional Cheshire cheese.

The show concludes when Mr Portillo reaches his destination in Holyhead.

Great British Railway Journeys first premiered in January 2010 on BBC Two, running for 20 half-hour episodes. In the first series Portillo took four long journeys.