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Edmonton to Jasper

Following his 1899 Appleton鈥檚 guide, Michael explores a glossy, glassy, oil-rich Edmonton, second city of Alberta.

Michael Portillo continues west through the Canadian Prairie on his thousand-mile rail journey from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to Jasper, Alberta. Following his 1899 Appleton鈥檚 guide, Michael explores a glossy, glassy, oil-rich Edmonton, second city of Alberta. On the banks of the North Saskatchewan River, he travels three centuries back in time to experience the life of les voyageurs, who travelled huge distances within Canada by foot and canoe to trade fur with indigenous people.

Michael admires Edmonton鈥檚 early 20th-century heritage streetcars, preserved by the Radial Railway Society, and seizes the chance to drive one across a spectacular high-level bridge over the North Saskatchewan River.

Edmonton prides itself on its modern light rail system, offering rapid transit to 80 million passengers per year. Michael hears how this growing city plans to keep pace. His journey across Canada鈥檚 vast open spaces reaches a dramatic scenic conclusion in the Rocky Mountains. Deep in the Columbia icefield in a massive, all-terrain Ice Explorer, Michael is awed by the scale, not least of the vehicle, but of the vast Athabasca Glacier.

Travelling via Hinton to Jasper, Michael learns of the race to lay transcontinental rails through the Rocky Mountains on two different routes.

In the woodland around Hinton, Michael marvels at the scale of Canada鈥檚 forestry industry and discovers how the enchanting beaver, once slaughtered for its fur, is now pampered.

58 minutes

Last on

Wed 12 Oct 2022 01:20

Music Played

  • Russ Conway

    Love Is The Sweetest Thing

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Michael Portillo
Series Editor Alison Kreps
Production Company FremantleMedia UK
Director George Boyle

Broadcasts

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.