Great British Ships Season 2

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.