Forgotten Towns

Series 7 Episode 5 - CAMBORNE (# 950 Visited 15/06/2024) Cornwall, England : Population 21,985 (Rank # 483) We take a 1990s nostalgia tour of Camborne and learn a little of its one time Cornish mining pre-eminence. MUSIC Floral Dance - Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band Various - Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan Way On Down - Elvis Presley Go West - Village People Vi...

Series 7 Episode 4 - REDRUTH (# 949 Visited 15/06/2024) Cornwall, England : Population 21,083 (Rank # 505) We descend on Cornwall's old mining capital to find the town's fair in full swing and get a guided tour of the Buttermarket revamp. MUSIC Floral Dance - Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band Various - Redruth Murdoch Day Fair Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan Way On Down - Elvis Presley...

Series 7 Episode 3 - PENRYN (# 948 Visited 15/06/2024) Cornwall, England : Population 10,321 (Rank # 911) The Cornish tour begins at Penryn, ancient market town and battlefield between sobriety and drunkenness. MUSIC Floral Dance - Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan Way On Down - Elvis Presley Go West - Village People Victoria - The Kinks THANKS Freddie C Babbs &...

Series 7 Episode 2 - NORTHAM (# 947 Visited 14/06/2024) Devon, England : Population 10,782 (Rank # 883) We visit Northam (and its amusingly punctuated constituent parts) to see what Brian of Brittany fought for. MUSIC Blowin' Free - Wishbone Ash Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan Way On Down - Elvis Presley Go West - Village People Forty-Seven Ginger-Headed Sailors - Jack Hylton THANKS The volu...

Series 7 Episode 1 - BIDEFORD (# 946 Visited 13/06/2024) Devon, England : Population 19,827 (Rank # 535) We set up Season 7 in South West England with a few pints and a fry-up on the Torridge estuary. MUSIC Blowin' Free - Wishbone Ash Gary Gilmore's Eyes - The Adverts Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan Way On Down - Elvis Presley Go West - Village People South Carolina - Tennis Forty-Seven...

Series 6 Episode 8 - STONEHAVEN (# 945 Visited 25/04/2024) Kincardineshire, Scotland : Population 11,170 (Rank # 861) Last of the northern outliers on our tour is Stonehaven, which does indeed have a harbour. And it is made of stone. MUSIC Going Home - Mark Knopfler American Child - John Denver North To Alaska - Johnny Horton THANKS London North Eastern Railway The staff of The Station Hotel, Ston...

Series 6 Episode 7 - PORTLETHEN (# 944 Visited 25/04/2024) Kincardineshire, Scotland : Population 9,090 (Rank # 986) We'll enjoy our 28 minutes in Portlethen... But should we? MUSIC A New Career In A New Town - David Bowie American Child - John Denver North To Alaska - Johnny Horton THANKS Scotrail Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both cha...

Series 6 Episode 6 - WESTHILL (# 943 Visited 25/04/2024) Aberdeenshire, Scotland : Population 12,290 (Rank # 803) Join us in Westhill; the plucky newcomer who took on the might of Aberdeen City Council... and won. MUSIC A New Career In A New Town - David Bowie American Child - John Denver North To Alaska - Johnny Horton THANKS Stagecoach The staff of The Shepherd's Rest, Westhill Visit the UK&...

Series 6 Episode 5 - ELLON (# 942 Visited 25/04/2024) Aberdeenshire, Scotland : Population 10,200 (Rank # 918) We take a healthy break in Ellon, a pint of BrewDog stout notwithstanding. MUSIC A New Career In A New Town - David Bowie American Child - John Denver North To Alaska - Johnny Horton THANKS Stagecoach The staff of Vaila Guest House, Aberdeen The staff of Brewdog Brewery, Ellon The Buildin...

Series 6 Episode 4 - INVERURIE (# 941 Visited 24/04/2024) Aberdeenshire, Scotland : Population 13,640 (Rank # 738) We take a trip through Aberdeenshire on Britain's friendliest regular rail service, breaking our journey at Inverurie en route. MUSIC Pop March - Johnny Pearson American Child - John Denver North To Alaska - Johnny Horton THANKS M A Bicknell Scotrail Lorraine The staff of Edward&#...

Series 6 Episode 3 - ELGIN (# 940 Visited 23/04/2024) Morayshire, Scotland : Population 24,760 (Rank # 433) 'Is this a podcast I see before me?' King Duncan may have lost his life in Elgin but, with luck, we won't lose our marbles. MUSIC Pop March - Johnny Pearson American Child - John Denver North To Alaska - Johnny Horton THANKS M A Bicknell Stagecoach The staff of Against The Grain,...

Series 6 Episode 2 - FORRES (# 939 Visited 23/04/2024) Morayshire, Scotland : Population 10,100 (Rank # 924) Forres has survived many indignities down the years, but its biggest problem these days is keeping things open... on a Tuesday. MUSIC Pop March - Johnny Pearson American Child - John Denver North To Alaska - Johnny Horton THANKS M A Bicknell Stagecoach The staff of Cafe 1496, Forres The vol...

Series 6 Episode 1 - NAIRN (# 938 Visited 22/04/2024) Invernessshire, Scotland : Population 9,960 (Rank # 930) The first instalment of the 'big push north' sees a long journey up to Nairn... but will we arrive in time for supper? MUSIC Pop March - Johnny Pearson American Child - John Denver North To Alaska - Johnny Horton THANKS M A Bicknell Caledonian Sleeper Scotrail The staff of The Alb...

Series 5 Episode 5 - BARRY (# 937 Visited 03/02/2024) Glamorgan, Wales : Population 56,892 (Rank # 172) Is Barry Island actually part of Barry? Find out TODAY on Forgotten Towns! MUSIC Baby Elephant Walk - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra We'll Keep A Welcome In The Hillside - Bryn Terfel THANKS Rhiannon L F Evans Wendy The staff of The Butterfly Collector, Barry The staff of Nessa's Slot...

Series 5 Episode 4 - PENARTH (# 936 Visited 03/02/2024) Glamorgan, Wales : Population 29,388 (Rank # 364) We take a trip to the seaside, and the playground of Cardiff's Victorian tycoons, in search of the UK's last working telephone box. MUSIC Baby Elephant Walk - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra The Bells Of Rhymney - The Byrds THANKS Transport for Wales Rhiannon L F Evans Wendy The staf...

Series 5 Episode 2 - ASHINGTON (# 934 Visited 26/10/2024) Northumberland, England : Population 27,993 (Rank # 379) Coal may have given Ashington its raison d'être, but we find out what these Northumbrians are up to now that times have moved on. MUSIC Baby Elephant Walk - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra My Star - Ian Brown Longsight M13 - Ian Brown THANKS Arriva Buses The staff of Old Ash Den...

Series 5 Episode 2 - ASHINGTON (# 934 Visited 26/10/2024) Northumberland, England : Population 27,993 (Rank # 379) Coal may have given Ashington its raison d'être, but we find out what these Northumbrians are up to now that times have moved on. MUSIC Baby Elephant Walk - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra My Star - Ian Brown Longsight M13 - Ian Brown THANKS Arriva Buses The staff of Old Ash Den...

Series 5 Episode 1 - MORPETH (# 933 Visited 26/10/2024) Northumberland, England : Population 14,698 (Rank # 693) Season 5 opens with one of England's more historically important market towns, with a nice sideline in coal, female suffrage and comfort food. MUSIC Baby Elephant Walk - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra The Bells Of Rhymney - The Byrds THANKS LNER The staff of The Old Bakehouse, Mo...

Series 4 Episode 6 - BATHGATE (# 931 Visited 25/10/2024) Linlithgowshire, Scotland : Population 22,920 (Rank # 469) From Cairnpapple Hill to chapati and daal, with 5,000 years of political and industrial history in between, Bathgate is much more than a mere commuter town. MUSIC Cushion Foot Stomp - Clarence Williams And His Washboard Five I've Never Been To Me - Charlene Central Milton Keynes...

Series 4 Episode 6 - BATHGATE (# 931 Visited 25/10/2024) Linlithgowshire, Scotland : Population 22,920 (Rank # 469) From Cairnpapple Hill to chapati and daal, with 5,000 years of political and industrial history in between, Bathgate is much more than a mere commuter town. MUSIC Cushion Foot Stomp - Clarence Williams And His Washboard Five I've Never Been To Me - Charlene Central Milton Keynes...

Series 4 Episode 5 - WHITBURN (# 930 Visited 25/10/2024) Linlithgowshire, Scotland : Population 10,860 (Rank # 876) This week sees us in the heartland of Scotland's former mining territory, and maybe an unexpected hotbed of Unionism. MUSIC Cushion Foot Stomp - Clarence Williams And His Washboard Five I've Never Been To Me - Charlene Central Milton Keynes (You've Never Seen Anything Lik...

Series 4 Episode 4 - ARMADALE (# 929 Visited 25/10/2024) Linlithgowshire, Scotland : Population 12,550 (Rank # 792) Sleepy dormitory town, or gem of Scotland's central belt? We make legitimate, yet limited, attempts to find out during this episode. MUSIC Hoots Mon - Lord Rockingham's XI I've Never Been To Me - Charlene Central Milton Keynes (You've Never Seen Anything Like It) - Ro...

Series 4 Episode 3 - AIRDRIE (# 928 Visited 25/10/2024) Lanarkshire, Scotland : Population 37,410 (Rank # 287) Airdrie is a town with something for everyone... so long as you like drizzle. We do some research from the pub interior. MUSIC Hoots Mon - Lord Rockingham's XI I've Never Been To Me - Charlene Central Milton Keynes (You've Never Seen Anything Like It) - Ronnie Bond Invisible G...

Series 4 Episode 2 - COATBRIDGE (# 927 Visited 25/10/2024) Lanarkshire, Scotland : Population 43,960 (Rank # 241) From an Iron Age crannog to vast iron output in a later age, Coatbridge has given plenty to the world. We take it all in, from Whifflet to Sunnyside. MUSIC Hoots Mon - Lord Rockingham's XI I've Never Been To Me - Charlene Central Milton Keynes (You've Never Seen Anything Li...

Series 4 Episode 1 - RUTHERGLEN (# 926 Visited 25/10/2024) Lanarkshire, Scotland : Population 31,190 (Rank # 343) The nation's media came here for a week or two last Autumn but, beyond transitory political interest, we try and find out what it's actually like. MUSIC Hoots Mon - Lord Rockingham's XI I've Never Been To Me - Charlene Central Milton Keynes (You've Never Seen Anythi...