About this season
Britain's Greatest Machines with Chris Barrie is a documentary television series from National Geographic Channel. It is showing the technological progress of the 19th and 20th centuries from a British point of view. Chris Barrie is the host and is testing various means of transportation.
Episodes (4)
1. 1930s: The Road to War
Aired 4 June 2009
Witness Chris driving the world’s fastest steam locomotive, the A4 Gresley, before he takes a flight in a Dragon Rapide, one of Britain’s most successful early commercial airliners. This decade also introduced us to the Morris, the mass-produced car which went on to influence the production of one of the fastest tanks of WWII – the Crusader.
2. 1950s: A New World Order
Aired 11 June 2009
Chris takes a ride on the iconic Routemaster bus at his local skidpan and fires up a Vulcan bomber. Then, taking the controls of a Deltic Diesel locomotive, he finds out how wartime technology and material were used to build groundbreaking new machines in an attempt to remain a world leader in engineering.
3. 1960s: Revolution by Design
Aired 18 June 2009
Monte Carlo is Chris’ next destination where he relives the celebrated Monte Carlo Rally at the wheel of a Mini Cooper. Chris also gets his hands on some revolutionary trucks, charts the birth of the white van man and investigates the secrets of the iconic Post Office Tower.
4. 1980s: The Future Has Landed
Aired 25 June 2009 • 60 min
The ‘Back to the Future’ DeLorean DMC is the starting point for Chris in the 1980s, followed by a closer look at the unsung hero of the Falklands War, the Scimitar tank. Chris also looks into machines that were ahead of their time including the unforgettable Sinclair C-5.