Where to watch The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket (1979) in the UK
The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket (1979) is available to watch free in the UK on BBC iPlayer. Last verified on 20 September 2026 by ScreenSearch.
First transmitted in 1979, this programme looks at the Rainhill Locomotive Trials in Rainhill, Lancashire (now Merseyside) in 1829, a competition to find the best passenger steam locomotive in Britain.On the 150th anniversary of the trials, replicas of its famous winner - Stephenson's 'Rocket' - and two of its competitors are rebuilt by modern day designers, and the trials are reconstructed in Hyde Park.
Streaming options in the United Kingdom
Updated daily from The Movie Database. Outbound links open the provider directly.
Last verified: — sourced from The Movie Database. Machine-readable: Markdown · JSON.
Is The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket on Netflix, Disney+ or Prime Video?
Quick answers for the UK's biggest streaming services, checked against today's data.
Netflix
No — The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket (1979) is not currently on Netflix in the UK. It is streaming on BBC iPlayer instead.
Amazon Prime Video
No — The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket (1979) is not currently on Amazon Prime Video in the UK. It is streaming on BBC iPlayer instead.
Disney+
No — The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket (1979) is not currently on Disney+ in the UK. It is streaming on BBC iPlayer instead.
Cast & crew
Top-billed cast in The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket.
More documentary on UK streaming
Browse other titles in the same genres, refreshed daily.
Browse by streaming service (UK)
See what else is on each service right now.
The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket — frequently asked questions
Where can I watch The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket for free in the UK?
The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket (1979) is available free (with adverts or a TV licence) on BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom.
Is The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket on Netflix in the UK?
No — The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket (1979) is not currently on Netflix in the UK. It is streaming on BBC iPlayer instead.
Is The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket on Amazon Prime Video in the UK?
No — The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket (1979) is not currently on Amazon Prime Video in the UK. It is streaming on BBC iPlayer instead.
Is The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket on Disney+ in the UK?
No — The Rainhill Story: Stephenson's Rocket (1979) is not currently on Disney+ in the UK. It is streaming on BBC iPlayer instead.
How accurate is this film's availability data?
Availability is sourced from The Movie Database (TMDB), which in turn pulls from JustWatch. Listings are refreshed daily. For purchase decisions, the provider's own site is the source of truth.
Looking for something else?
ScreenSearch indexes over a million films and TV shows. Type any title to instantly find where it's streaming in the UK.
Search any title