The 800 Million Pound Railway Station

2007 · 30m · Documentary

Series telling the story of the architects, engineers and spin doctors who entered a frantic two year race to make the Royal Opening of St Pancras on time.

Episodes

▶1. The Devil in the Detail30m · This episode tells the story of architect Alastair Lansley, whose expensive artistic vision unnerved the engineers.▶2. Deadline30m · The engineers and builders are about to hit the biggest deadline on the project so far. The tracks which bring the trains into St Pancras must be moved from the east to the west side of the station, over the course of a single weekend. If they fail, the entire £5.8 billion project will be thrown off-schedule. Meanwhile, Chief Architect Alastair Lansley receives some terrifying news that may prevent him from seeing the project through.▶3. The Inspection30m · Engineers race to finish the base build of the station. Huge bonuses are at stake and if the engineers don't meet their deadline they could incur penalties of £50,000 a day until their work is finished. For 30 year old engineer Claire Clarr this is the biggest project of her career and a series of gruelling inspections will determine whether or not work on her section is signed off as complete. To add to the pressure Claire's boss Mark Allison delivers news which will change the course of her working life.▶4. The Icon Men30m · With the base build complete, St Pancras must start its face lift. Commercial Director Mike Luddy dreams of creating a new style of station and of transforming St Pancras into a luxury destination in its own right. Instead of fast food outlets he wants to install gastro pubs and fine dining. The highlight will be the longest champagne bar in Europe and a nine metre high bronze statue which he hopes will be an iconic centrepiece for the station.▶5. The Sharp End30m · A team of spin doctors and marketing gurus have to sell Commercial Director Mike Luddy's vision for St Pancras station. They need to convince press and public that a place synonymous with prostitution, drugs and violent crime has been transformed into the chic destination station for Europe. But deadlines are slipping and the picture looks very different on the ground. The builders are behind schedule, the 60 shops may not finish work on time and there are critical problems with the cherry on the St Pancras cake - a 9 meter statue specially commissioned for the station. And with the station opening in just a few weeks time and Eurostar already selling tickets from their new destination will St Pancras be ready in time?▶6. The Unveiling30m · The culmination of 11 years work and £5.8 billion of public and private money. While the builders and engineers labour 7 days a week to try and finish major construction works Head of Marketing Jon Teeman is planning an enormous opening ceremony. A 1,000 seat arena is being erected and Her Majesty the Queen has agreed to open the station. With an invitation list boasting the great and the good and the eyes of the world's media upon them the opening night has to be a success. Meanwhile the station is still not finished and the builders must complete works in order for Eurostar to start running. With an expected 50 million passengers per year due to start travelling from the station on November 14th the deadline must be hit at all costs.

More Like This

The World's Most Beautiful Railway

2019

Scotland's rail network crosses a landscape voted the best in the world. This series follows the staff and enthusiasts safeguarding these iconic routes.

More info →

The Railway: Keeping Britain On Track

2013 · ★ 9

Documentary series revealing the inner workings of Britain's railways, introducing the track-workers, train guards, drivers, police officers and management teams determined to keep the country moving.

More info →

Great Continental Railway Journeys

2012 · ★ 8.5

Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide.

More info →

London

2004 · ★ 10

London is a 2004 three-part BBC history documentary series about the history of London, presented by Peter Ackroyd.

More info →

Around the World by Train With Tony Robinson

2019 · ★ 8

Covering thousands of miles, Sir Tony Robinson takes a whirlwind journey around the globe by train.

More info →

The Savoy

2020 · ★ 8.1

The Savoy hotel... Its very name synonymous with glamour and exclusivity. But what really goes on behind those famous revolving doors?

More info →

Trains That Changed the World

2018

This series looks at the iconic trains that have done the most to change history. Each train is an engineering marvel, each one a leap forward in the history of trains and railways. But more than this, these are the trains that made the modern world. These are the trains that unify nations and open up continents, that miraculously shrink distance and create a global economy, changing how we trade, what we buy and make and sell. They change how we live and even how we think, speeding up our lives and expanding our horizons. These are the machines that made us modern. Each episode features one iconic train and describes its impact on railway history and on history in general, combining archive and expert testimony with actuality and hands-on engineering demonstrations.

More info →