Great British Ships

Rob Bell explores the extraordinary story of the Golden Hinde, the flagship of Elizabethan mariner, privateer and explorer Sir Francis Drake. Sent on a secret mission to plunder Spanish ships in the Pacific, the Golden Hinde's voyage was packed with adventure, from witchcraft and attempted mutiny to the supreme triumph of her most famous achievement, becoming the first English ship to sail around the world.

Rob Bell explores the extraordinary tea clipper Cutty Sark, a ship that endured drunken captains and murderous crews, inspired a whiskey and survived the coming of the steam age. Rob clambers aboard to experience first-hand the beauty and superior design of the ship. He delves into her tragic past - the vagabond years of `tramping', mistreatment by her captains and desertion by her crews

In the final part of his documentary series, Rob Bell uncovers the extraordinary story behind what was once the longest passenger ship in the world. Designed by Victorian engineering genius Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the SS Great Britain rewrote the shipbuilding rulebook, pioneering innovations still found on almost all modern ships. Rob learns how the origins of the vast vessel lay in an off-the-cuff boast of Brunel's. Though the ship's early years were plagued by disaster, it finally met with success thanks to the Australian gold rush - and today 250,000 Australians can trace their direct ancestors to its passengers.

Rob Bell delves into the fascinating history of HMS Belfast, the cruiser that played a critical role in some of the most dramatic battles of World War 2, and whose daring deeds helped defeat the Nazis.

Henry VIII's great warship went down nearly 500 years ago.

HMS Victory was already 40 years old before it secured its place in history at Trafalgar. Rob discovers the extraordinary feats of engineering behind its construction, and the celebrity of its famous captain, Nelson.

Rob Bell tells the dramatic story of the Second World War aircraft carrier, which hunted down some of Nazi Germany's most feared warships.

Rob Bell reveals the secrets of ill-fated liner the Titanic, whose maiden voyage became the most famous maritime disaster in history. In the Belfast shipyard where the Titanic was built, Rob explores how the city took on the daunting challenge of creating such a gigantic ship, and as the tragic story unfolds, he demonstrates why its groundbreaking safety systems ultimately failed, costing the lives of more than 1,500 people.

The Mayflower transported the first English Puritans from Plymouth to the New World in 1620. The Pilgrims and the ship's crew crew overcame almost impossible odds to establish a colony, which ultimately gave birth to the United States of America. Taking to the waters off the New England coast, Rob Bell recounts the dramatic story of the Mayflower's 66-day crossing, as she endured high seas and monstrous storms. In Mystic,Connecticut, Rob explores a full-sized replica of the Mayflower and in Plymouth, Massachusetts, unfolds the story of the ship's arrival in the New World.

Rob Bell boards the ship that kick started the age of polar exploration as he looks at the history of RRS Discovery, the world's first purpose-built scientific vessel. Heading to the Victorian shipbuilding capital of Dundee, Rob finds out why this was the only place in Britain that could make a ship capable of taking on the formidable ice floes of Antarctica, and tells the story of how a chance meeting in London would define the course of polar exploration.

Rob Bell investigates the history of ocean liner the SS Queen Mary, finding out how the largest ship of its day could also become the fastest - achieving speeds that few large ships can match even 80 years later. On the passenger decks, he savours the art deco craftsmanship that made the vessel the much-loved `floating gentleman's club", where royalty rubbed shoulders with movie stars.

Engineer Rob Bell returns with more investigations into British ships that changed the world, beginning with the tale of how a humble coal hauler became one of the nation's most famous vessels. He examines the history of HMS Endeavour and looks at James Cook's two missions in charge of the Royal Navy research vessel, taking in the observation of the 1769 transit of Venus and his voyage to Australia the following year.