Monday 9 February, 9pm

In the 19th century, a new breed of hero emerged. In an explosion of creative energy, a group of remarkable men emerged who were to literally invent the modern world, tackling the raw forces of nature with courage, brains and panache.

From the audacious attempt to build the first tunnel under the Thames to the construction of the locomotives that would change the world forever, Men of Iron brings the extraordinary achievements of these great Victorian pioneers to life.

Told through the rivalries of two great entrepreneurial dynasties, the Stephensons and the Brunels, this three-part series charts a whole generation of great engineers, among them Thomas Telford, James Nasmyth and Richard Trevithick.

Their achievements, sometimes won through the close collaboration of the finest minds of the century but more often as the result of bitter competition, are colossal monuments to a time when engineers were nationally regarded as supermen.

The programmes use state-of-the-art computer graphics to illustrate the amazing detail involved in the engineering landmarks of the Victorian age.

Dramatic reconstructions chronicle the historic events, while interviews and demonstrations with contemporary experts show how 19th century-breakthroughs remain fundamental to engineering today.