Michael Portillo continues his journey from London to Edinburgh with the help of his 19th-century guidebook. After the excitement of his ride on the Flying Scotsman, Michael begins a new journey with his Bradshaw's guide book north from London, following the historic service's path at a more leisurely pace. Along the way he is forced to expend more effort than usual on the rails as he pumps a track inspection trolley. A Swiss garden in Bedfordshire delivers an unexpected spectacle of early 20th-century engineering marvels and the chance to drive a 'locomobile'. Michael then goes back to school at Haileybury, once a training college for the East India Company, where the master is unimpressed by Portillo's exam performance. At Rothampsted, Michael discovers the Victorian origins of the fertiliser industry and a treasure trove of plant and soil samples.