Great Continental Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo ventures deep into the Black Forest, where he discovers how Hansel and Gretel helped to unify the German nation. A masterclass in carving cuckoo clocks demonstrates how the nation's reputation for quality and reliability in manufacturing was established. Later, at Goettingen University, the former politician discovers two sides of student life at the turn of the 20th century - the duelling fraternities and the ground-breaking scientists who laid the foundation of Germany's world-class transport technology