AN Evening with Michael Portillo proved colourful and hugely entertaining. Most of the full house audience clearly remembered him from his days as a high-profile politician, long before the TV train journeys began.

Michael told us of his childhood, growing up in a Labour-supporting family (with a Harold Wilson poster on the wall) and of his father, a Spaniard who fled the Civil War. Converting to Conservatism during his university days, he was later elected to Parliament, and in one role he met Prime Minister MargaretThatcher daily. We heard fascinating insights into life at the top of politics – the isolation, the health stresses. Tony Blair suffered heart problems for 10 years – but then, said Michael, the “Brown genie” appeared from the bottle.

The second part of the presentation was around Michael’s current work – entertainment – and his interest in railways. There was much about their history – rapid 19th century growth, and the effect on the economy, industry and on people’s lives, especially women, who gained a new freedom to travel independently.

His interest was nurtured 13 years ago, when he visited (by train) the “ugly little village” in Spain where his father had lived. We learned of Bradshaw and his guidebooks, Portillo’s travel bible).

He lived in the days of the great British Empire, and was a Quaker, who feared the impact of the industrial revolution on the lives of ordinary folk. The railways played a crucial role during the world wars, carrying troops, weapons and munitions across Europe.

The question-and-answer session was interesting. In response to audience questions, we heard Michael’s views on the next election/prime minister, Europe, our railways past (the Beeching cuts and privatisation) and future. His most memorable TV occasion was finding himself, with camera crew, at 7am on the platform at a station at Ford Open Prison, along with 300 convicts.

Ribblehead Viaduct is one of his favourite railway locations and the West Highland Line his favourite track. On the possibility of a peerage, he made clear that this is not an ambition – he no longer wants to climb the political greasy pole. His brightly-coloured jackets, we learned, are now personally-tailored.

This was a unique, remarkable evening – a man recognised as once a leading politician, now a popular TV presenter, here at the Milton Rooms to entertain the people of Malton.