Former Tory politician Michael Portillo has become the latest well known personality to enjoy a taste of brass banding.
Railway journey
The former Government minister, turned political analyst and railway buff was featured in Honley Traction's band room during his new series of Great British Railway Journeys which is currently running on BBC2.
The series which see's Portillo trace George Bradshaw's famous railway guides from the 1800s across the UK, stopped off in Honley on the outskirts of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire.
Importance
He met local historian Peter Marshall and discovered how important banding was to mill towns in the 1800s, before revealing that in 1860, England had 750 brass bands alone.
He met local historian Peter Marshall and discovered how important banding was to mill towns in the 1800s, before revealing that in 1860, England had 750 brass bands alone4BR
See it again
You can see how Michael gets on in the Honley band room by clicking on the bbc iplayer link:
