Six of the Best 802

Wilson T. Bell relates the dreadful history of children in concentration camps. "The Soviet Union’s system of camps that reached their peak during Joseph Stalin’s rule from the 1930s to the 1950s also reveals the destruction of families. While mass arrests broke up the family, and children of “enemies of the people” were separated from their parents, there were also many children in the Gulag itself."

The Central Railway scheme of the 1990s was a proposal for a line that would run through the spine of England to the Channel Tunnel.  It was in part a more economic anticipation of HS2 and in part a look back to the ideas of Edward Watkin in the 19th century. Christian Wolmar asks why it never went ahead.

"No figure in the history of American psychiatry has proven to be more contentious—and perhaps more misunderstood—than the late Thomas Szasz." Mark L. Ruffalo re-evaluates his ideas.

"Fast, deadly and loveable": Alan Butcher remembers the Surrey and West Indies bowler Sylvester Clarke.

"'I usually say that most people came to Cabin Pressure because of Benedict Cumberbatch. But they stayed because of John Finnemore,' says Carina Pereira, a fan from Belgium. Kate Whannel on the success of the Radio 4 comedy Cabin Pressure.

Anthony Teague introduces the 1962 British film It's Trad, Dad, which is being shown on Talking Pictures TV on Friday evening.