Trailer: Love Letters

Love letters might not be what you'd expect to find in a government archive, yet The National Archives holds an extraordinary collection spanning over 500 years of devotion, longing, sacrifice and passion. From heartfelt declarations to calculated proposals, intimate notes and se ... Show More

The story of Britain's railways isn't just about steam engines and steel tracks—it's about the people who built them, worked on them, and sometimes fought for their rights along the way. To mark the 200th anniversary of the first modern passenger railway in 2025, this episode exp ... Show More

In our next episode of On the Record, we uncover the personal stories behind Britain's railway history—tragedy, resilience, and everyday journeys. Join us as we mark 200 years of rail travel through The National Archives' records. 

<p>In October 1860, railroad engineer Theodore Judah looked out across California’s Sierra Nevada range, dreaming of a railroad that would connect the United States from coast to coast. It was the start of a decade-long endeavor to build the world’s first transcontinental railroa ... Show More

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, historians Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda explore the ways the Second World War continues to shape the world of today. Plus the medieval manuscripts hitting the headlines, and an express history of ra ... Show More

Merci à André Baratte d’être venu témoigner sur LEGEND Story. Le 1er avril 1944, un groupe de résistants sabote une voie ferrée pour immobiliser un train. Ce qu’ils ignorent, c’est que ce train transporte en réalité 400 Waffen-SS (soldats naz*s). Âgé de 15 ans, André assiste à l’ ... Show More

<p>In July 1596, Fynes Moryson - a Lincolnshire gentleman and travel writer - was struck down with grief when his younger brother died as they crossed the desert on their return from Jerusalem. Moryson described his journeys and devastating experiences two decades later in an acc ... Show More

Nazi Germany had finally been defeated. And, for 24 hours, Britons could let their hair down and celebrate. But not everyone was in the mood to party. As 2025 marks the 80th anniversary, John Willis tells the story of VE Day via the experiences of ordinary Britons who lived throu ... Show More

In this week’s Flightless Bird, David talks to a man who lived as a train hopper for two years. They talk about the lifestyle, dangers and chaos of illegally hitching rides across America using the railroad system. The country’s first train tracks were laid down in the 1820s - an ... Show More

<p>It is one of the most pivotal inventions in human history - the wheel.</p><br><p>New research suggests that the wheel was first created by prehistoric miners in the Carpathian Mountains to transport copper. Tristan Hughes speaks to the team behind this fascinating theory; arch ... Show More

<p>Le 8 mai 1842, un train en provenance de Versailles déraille à hauteur de la commune de Meudon. Il transportait notamment de nombreux passagers qui venaient d'assister au spectacle des Grandes-Eaux, dans le parc du château de Versailles.</p><br><p>Depuis la mise en service des ... Show More

Tristan Hughes journeys up to windswept Scotland to uncover the secrets of the Picts — fierce warriors, skilled artisans, enemies of Rome and rulers of the North.In this special episode of The Ancients - recorded on site at East Lomond hill fort and National Museums Scotland - Tr ... Show More

If it wasn’t for October 13th, 1928, Charfield would simply be known as a sleepy village in Gloucestershire, England. But that morning, two trains collided on the tracks near Wotton Road. The Charfield Railway Disaster left deep scars, and its victims are still waiting to move on ... Show More