Portillo and crew in Calderdale

Michael Portillo took to the streets of Hebden Bridge as he filmed the new BBC series of Great British Railway Journeys.

By The Newsroom

Published 12th May 2013, 11:00 BST

Michael Portillo filming for the BBC Great British Railway Journeys.

In a series that looks at Victorian rail journeys spanning from Manchester to the peaks of Derbyshire and calling in at all the hidden gems along the way - the crew and presenter were compelled to call in to Hebden Bridge.

Speaking in Hebden Bridge the presenter of Great British Train Journeys and former conservative politician Michael Portillo said: “In the 1840s, the amount of tourist footfall rose rapidly in Hebden Bridge after the introduction of rail. “Hebden Bridge was an important tourist destination for holiday makers who were exploring new places.

“For most of the people who were working in the mills and factories and living a grim existence, the railways offered them opportunity to enjoy the landscape and the fresh air of Hebden Bridge.”

This seventh series episode will be aired in January 2014.