大象传媒

Michael Portillo鈥檚 railway adventure zig-zagging the coasts of the English Channel and the Thames estuary nears its end on the north Kent coast. The pretty and historic town of Faversham is Michael鈥檚 first stop and an opportunity to get out on to the water in the last sailing barge to work on the Thames.

Michael spends the night in a cosy cabin on the 3,300-acre Elmley Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey. At Queenborough, Michael visits one of the island鈥檚 three prisons, HMP Standford Hill, to hear about its emphasis on rehabilitation.

The historic town of Chatham on the Medway River is Michael鈥檚 next stop. In its dockyard, warships were built to battle the Armada, HMS Victory was constructed and, during the 20th century, submarines such as HMS Ocelot were launched.