Documentary
The TikTok sensation, Francis Bourgeois, will give audiences and his guests a glimpse into the art of wild transpotting.


Meeting comedian Aisling Bea, Francis the avid Pendolino pursuer teaches her a lesson in how not to make herself look stupid whilst trackside. Oh, and they go horse riding - because there’s nothing more wholesome than a day out with Francis. Join Francis Bourgeois as he goes full steam ahead sharing his love of the most misunderstood British pastime, trainspotting, alongside some of Britain’s funniest celebrities for a wild outdoor adventure of a lifetime.

This time, Francis is smashing goals with England midfielder Jesse Lingard - and trying to convince him that a DMU has the same appeal as a match day crowd. Heading back to Jesse’s home turf of Warrington, and one of the busiest stations on the West Coast Main Line, it’s all aboard to get one of England’s biggest stars excited about trains. In a touching moment, Jesse gives Francis some kind words as he breaks down over what he sees as backlash from the trainspotting community for allegedly not truly being a spotter.

This time, Francis meets one of the music industry’s smiliest singers, Sam Ryder. Crossing the tracks, Tonbridge Yard is the setting for a chance reunion with one of Francis’s favourite locomotives, the 73962 Dick Mabbutt. After celebrating with a trackside duet the pair then get the chance to see the rail network from a new perspective as they take to the skies for a memorable Spitfire ride, and Sam almost becomes an actual Space Man.

Ladbroke Grove is the meeting point to share his love of the railways with rapper AJ Tracey. After taking over the intercom to brighten up the morning commute, they bond over their respective West London childhood memories while whizzing through the park on one of Francis’s other preferred methods of transport - the humble scooter. It’s AJ’s turn to be impressed when Francis has a go at freestyling on the historic Mail Rail at The Postal Museum. Legend status? Secured.

This time, Francis meets one of the Love Island villa’s greatest graduates, Chloe Burrows. The reality star gets a crash course in trainspotting, but has some feedback after a hot ride on a 1930s prairie tank steam engine. The student then becomes the teacher as Chloe teaches Francis how to make a killer entrance as a Love Island bombshell. With a little help, Francis is more than ready to enter the villa…

TikTok’s favourite trainspotter, Francis Bourgeois, is on a mission to get the world on board with the joy he finds in trains - and this time he’s spreading some Christmas magic with Olympic champion and knitting enthusiast Tom Daley!

Cast

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.

Chris Barrie's Massive Speed follows on from the series Massive Engines and Massive Machines , both of which were also presented by petrolhead Chris (of Red Dwarf fame). In Massive Speed Chris turns his attention to the evolution of machines designed purely to achieve maximum speed. He travels the world searching for the most thrilling, speed-packed machines he can find and introduces audiences to huge engined bikes, planes, trucks and boats that battle it out in power races. Whether it's crossing an otherwise impenetrable snow drift, desert or swamp at the speed of an Olympic sprinter or cutting through the atmosphere at six times the speed of sound, Chris tells the stories of the greatest achievements of speed design and engineering. In each episode Chris follows the evolution of a specific genre of machine by testing them and reveals both the classsic stories and secret histories that surround each of them.

Following an elite crew of workers-- brakemen, engineers, construction crews, mechanics and train drivers – Railroad Alaska illustrates the battle against ferocious weather and treacherous terrain to keep the State of Alaska’s critical 500-mile long railroad rolling to deliver life sustaining supplies. From controlled avalanches to prevent catastrophe, to fascinating characters, like Jim James, the one-handed handy man, learn what it takes to keep this train on track.