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Michael Portillo continues his journey from Minnesota to the home of the blues in Memphis, Tennessee. Michael investigates the ultimate marshalling yard.

Michael Portillo continues his 1,000-mile journey from the northern state of Minnesota to the home of the blues in Memphis, Tennessee. Today, in the nation's rail capital, where tracks pass underground and overground and are elevated into the air, Michael investigates the ultimate marshalling yard. At the ornate Palmer House Hotel, Michael teams up with the head chef to recreate the original chocolate brownie, invented by Bertha Palmer for Chicago's World Exposition in 1893. He discovers the origins of the Sanitary and Ship Canal and uncovers the history of an incredible civil engineering project which raised the city to new heights. Heading deep underground, Michael inspects a modern day scheme on a similarly awesome scale, described by the boss as the largest toilet in the world.

29 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Michael Portillo
Executive Producer John Comerford
Series Producer Alison Kreps
Production Company Boundless Productions

Broadcast

Steam Railways: Watch programmes from the archive collection

Shows from the 麻豆官网首页入口 archives celebrating the beauty of locomotives.