BRUNEL - THE LITTLE GIANT: The Great Western Railway

Richard Wyatt sets off on his journey to the West Country along the route of the GWR.

Parts of the 'God's Wonderful Railway' are so wonderful they have been nominated as a World Heritage Site. That would put it on a par with the Taj Mahal, the Great Pyramids, and the Acropolis. Yet few rail passengers realise they are experiencing a wonder of the world.

But at Reading Richard reveals that Brunel did not always get it right. His design for a one-sided station was both impractical and dangerous.

Next stop Didcot, where Richard tells the story of the broad gauge railway. This was a Brunel innovation that was technically superior to his competitors and yet would eventually lead to the GWR losing a fortune.