Francis Bourgeois has taken one of the most unexpected journeys in modern entertainment. He became famous by doing something that most people would consider a niche hobby: watching trains
With his wide-angle GoPro, vintage railway clothing and unmistakable excitement whenever a locomotive passes, Bourgeois turned trainspotting into viral entertainment.
His videos attracted millions of viewers and made him one of the most recognizable train enthusiasts on social media.
Amazon describes him as a “trainspotter and secret petrolhead” and says he can identify a car’s make from the sound of its engine.
That combination could explain why he became such an interesting choice for The Grand Tour.
The new six-part series is scheduled to return to Prime Video on September 4, 2026.
Bourgeois will travel with Engelsman and Holland through locations including Angola, Malaysia and California as they take on the large-scale adventures that made the franchise famous.
So who is Francis Bourgeois? How did a young man fascinated by trains become a global social media personality? And why does a trainspotter make sense as one of the new faces of The Grand Tour?
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Table of Contents
Who Is Francis Bourgeois?
Francis Bourgeois is the professional name of Luke Nicolson, a British social media creator and train enthusiast.1
He became famous for posting energetic trainspotting videos online. His content often shows him standing beside railway lines while waiting for particular locomotives.
When a train approaches, his excitement can be extreme. He may laugh, jump or react with visible joy when the driver sounds the horn.
That genuine enthusiasm became the central part of his appeal.
According to The Guardian, Bourgeois developed a fascination with trains during childhood.
His family lived near important railway routes and he spent much of his early life around trains. He also had a model railway from a young age.
His interest became less visible during his teenage years when he tried to fit in with his classmates. He later rediscovered his passion while studying at university.
Bourgeois studied mechanical engineering at the University of Nottingham. His education gave him a technical understanding that would later become important to his career.
He also worked as an assembly engineer at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars during a university placement.
Instead of following a traditional engineering career, however, he eventually decided to take a chance on content creation when his train videos began attracting huge audiences.
That decision changed his life.
Why Did He Use the Name Francis Bourgeois?
Francis Bourgeois is not his birth name. He was born Luke Nicolson. When he began building his online identity, he adopted the name Francis Bourgeois.
The name was inspired by the French artist Louise Bourgeois. There was also a practical reason behind the decision.
Bourgeois was studying engineering and hoped to work in the automotive industry. He was concerned that being publicly associated with trainspotting might affect his professional opportunities.
That concern eventually became irrelevant. His trainspotting identity became the foundation of his career.
By the time his videos became hugely popular, Francis Bourgeois was no longer something he needed to hide. It had become his brand.
Francis Bourgeois, aka TikTok’s ‘train guy’, has been commissioned a new series for Channel 4 that will see him explore space travel https://t.co/NJWgJ4BGCs
— Royal Television Society (@RTS_media) May 21, 2025
Stats Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Real name | Luke Nicolson |
| Public name | Francis Bourgeois |
| Known for | Trainspotting and social media content |
| Profession | Content creator, presenter and mechanical engineer |
| Education | Mechanical engineering |
| University | University of Nottingham |
| Engineering experience | Rolls-Royce Motor Cars |
| Main social platforms | TikTok and Instagram |
| Social media following | Almost 6 million across major platforms |
| Famous for | Viral trainspotting videos |
| New TV role | Presenter of The Grand Tour |
| The Grand Tour co-hosts | James Engelsman and Thomas Holland |
| New series | Six episodes |
| New season release | September 4, 2026 |
| Streaming platform | Prime Video |
How Did Francis Bourgeois Become Famous?
Bourgeois did not become famous through a traditional television career.2
His rise began on TikTok during the COVID-19 period. He and his brother began creating videos while they were back in Somerset during lockdown.
The early videos were simple. Bourgeois would go to railway stations and film trains. He would talk about locomotives and interact with train drivers.
The content was different from the polished influencer videos that dominated social media. There was no attempt to hide his excitement. That became his biggest strength.
In one of his most recognizable styles, Bourgeois used a GoPro with a wide-angle lens that exaggerated his facial expressions. When a train appeared, viewers could see his entire reaction up close.
The combination of trains, unusual camera work and genuine enthusiasm created something that people wanted to watch even if they had never cared about trains before.
A major breakthrough came in 2021 when one of his videos went viral. His audience grew rapidly and the name Francis Bourgeois became increasingly familiar outside the trainspotting community.
The Guardian reported that one of his videos showing his reaction to a Class 377 train eventually attracted millions of views.
His popularity also challenged the stereotype of the traditional trainspotter. Instead of presenting trainspotting as something embarrassing or outdated, Bourgeois made it look joyful.
He showed that being deeply interested in a niche subject could be entertaining. That message became an important part of his public image.
From Trainspotter to Mechanical Engineer
One of the biggest misconceptions about Bourgeois is that he is simply an internet personality who happens to like trains.
His background is much more technical. Bourgeois studied mechanical engineering at the University of Nottingham.
His university years were also important because they helped him become more comfortable with his interests.
As a teenager, he had tried to distance himself from trainspotting because he wanted to fit in. University gave him the confidence to embrace the things that genuinely interested him.
He began trainspotting with friends and became more involved with the wider enthusiast community. His engineering education also helped him understand why machines fascinated him.
Trains were not simply objects to watch. They were complicated machines with engines, mechanical systems and technical characteristics. That interest also extends to cars.
According to Amazon, Bourgeois can identify a car by the sound of its engine. He has spoken about his childhood interest in Top Gear and his fascination with automotive specifications.
This background makes his move to The Grand Tour less random than it might initially appear.
What Did Francis Bourgeois Do at Rolls-Royce?
Before becoming a full-time creator, Bourgeois worked as an assembly engineer at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
His placement was part of his engineering education. He eventually faced a major career decision when his social media opportunities started becoming too valuable to ignore.
Bourgeois chose to leave the Rolls-Royce placement and focus on his rapidly growing online career. It was a major gamble.
At the time, there was no guarantee that train videos would become a sustainable career. Yet the gamble worked. His audience continued to grow and opportunities outside social media followed.
He appeared in advertising campaigns and worked with well-known names. His public profile also expanded into television and other forms of entertainment.
His engineering background never disappeared. Instead, it became another part of his identity.
Why Is Francis Bourgeois Joining The Grand Tour?
The biggest question surrounding the new The Grand Tour lineup is simple: why choose a trainspotter?
The answer appears to be that Bourgeois is more than a trainspotter. Amazon says the new presenters were selected following an extensive search.
The production team wanted people who could bring their own personalities to the franchise rather than simply trying to imitate Clarkson, Hammond and May.
That distinction is important. Trying to replace the original trio exactly would be almost impossible.
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May had years of chemistry together. Their personalities became inseparable from the show.
The new presenters therefore need to create something different. Bourgeois offers an unusual personality.
James Engelsman and Thomas Holland already have extensive experience producing car content through their YouTube channel Throttle House.
Bourgeois brings something different to the group. He brings infectious enthusiasm, engineering knowledge and an ability to turn technical interests into entertainment.
That could give the new show its own identity.
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Who Are The Other New Hosts?
Francis Bourgeois will present The Grand Tour alongside James Engelsman and Thomas Holland.3
Engelsman and Holland are best known as the creators of Throttle House. Their channel focuses on automotive content and has built a substantial international audience.
Unlike Bourgeois, they already have years of experience reviewing cars and creating motoring videos. That creates an interesting division within the new team.
Engelsman and Holland provide established automotive expertise while Bourgeois brings a different perspective.
Amazon says the trio will travel across the world while taking on unusual automotive challenges.
Their adventures include crossing the Angolan desert in track cars, exploring Malaysia’s car culture and testing performance cars in California.
The goal is not simply to create another car review program. It is to preserve the sense of adventure that has always been central to The Grand Tour.
What Can Fans Expect From The New Grand Tour?
The new series is expected to retain several of the show’s familiar ingredients. There will be unusual cars, difficult environments and large-scale challenges.
The presenters will travel through Angola, Malaysia and California. Amazon has also teased challenges involving fighter pilots and other extreme situations.
The first season with the new team will contain six episodes. The series will return globally on Prime Video on September 4, 2026. The new hosts are also not being asked to simply copy the original trio.
Producer Andy Wilman has emphasized that the new presenters have their own chemistry.
The Times reported that experimental filming was used to see how the three presenters interacted before the final decision was made. That chemistry could ultimately determine whether the reboot succeeds.
Francis Bourgeois Has Already Proven He Can Entertain People
The biggest advantage Bourgeois brings to The Grand Tour may not be his knowledge of trains or even cars. It may be his ability to make enthusiasm entertaining.
That quality is difficult to manufacture. His train videos became popular because viewers could see that he genuinely cared about what he was watching.
His reactions were exaggerated but they were rooted in real excitement. This quality could work well in a show built around extreme cars and unusual challenges.
A powerful engine or rare vehicle may produce the same kind of fascination in Bourgeois that a locomotive does. His personality also gives the new series a chance to reach people who may not already be serious car enthusiasts.
Someone who discovered Bourgeois through TikTok may now watch The Grand Tour because he is part of it.
That is valuable for a franchise trying to attract a new generation.
The Bigger Story Behind Francis Bourgeois
There is another reason Bourgeois’ story has resonated with audiences. His rise is partly about being comfortable with an interest that other people might consider unusual.
As a teenager, he tried to hide his passion for trains because he wanted to fit in. At university, he became more comfortable with being different.
Then social media gave him a platform where that difference became his greatest strength. His career demonstrates how dramatically the internet has changed entertainment.
A person no one would have expected to become a television presenter can now build a huge audience from a niche interest.
Bourgeois did not need to become less unusual to succeed. He became successful by being more openly himself.
That may also explain why his appointment to The Grand Tour feels so interesting.
Is Francis Bourgeois Actually a Petrolhead?
Yes. Although Bourgeois is primarily known for trains, his interest in cars is genuine.
His engineering background and experience at Rolls-Royce give him a strong technical foundation.
He has also talked about watching Top Gear and studying automotive specifications when he was younger.
Amazon specifically describes him as a “secret petrolhead” and says his knowledge of cars extends to identifying manufacturers by engine sound.
That does not mean he will suddenly stop talking about trains. In fact, his trainspotting background is probably the reason producers chose him.
His ability to connect different forms of engineering may become one of the most distinctive parts of the new series.
Francis Bourgeois’ Impact on Trainspotting
Bourgeois has done more than become famous. He has helped change how many people view train enthusiasts.
Trainspotting has long been stereotyped as a strange or unfashionable hobby. Bourgeois presented it differently.
His videos showed enthusiasm without embarrassment. He also brought trainspotting to people who had never considered watching railway content.
In interviews, he has spoken about receiving messages from younger train enthusiasts who felt more comfortable with their hobby after seeing his videos.
A 2026 profile in The Times described how his popularity helped some train enthusiasts feel more accepted.
That may be one of the most meaningful parts of his success. He did not simply make trains viral. He helped make enthusiasm itself feel cool.
What Does The Future Hold for Francis Bourgeois?
The success of The Grand Tour could take Bourgeois’ career to another level. He already has millions of followers and experience in television and advertising.
Now he has the opportunity to reach an international audience through one of Prime Video’s best-known unscripted franchises.
The challenge will be avoiding comparisons with Clarkson, Hammond and May. The original trio had decades of experience and a chemistry that developed over many years.
Bourgeois, Engelsman and Holland cannot realistically recreate that. They do not need to. Their best chance is to create their own dynamic.
Bourgeois in particular has an identity that is already completely different from Clarkson, Hammond or May.
He is younger. He comes from social media. He has an engineering background and an unusual passion for railways.
That makes him an unconventional choice. It may also make him exactly the kind of choice the franchise needs.
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FAQ’s
Who is Francis Bourgeois?
Francis Bourgeois is the public name of British content creator Luke Nicolson. He became famous through viral trainspotting videos and has built a social media audience of almost six million.
Is Francis Bourgeois his real name?
No. His birth name is Luke Nicolson. He adopted the name Francis Bourgeois for his online career.
Why is Francis Bourgeois famous?
He became famous for highly energetic trainspotting videos. His reactions to passing trains and his distinctive GoPro filming style helped his content go viral on TikTok and other social platforms.
Is Francis Bourgeois a real trainspotter?
Yes. Trainspotting is a genuine long-term interest for Bourgeois. His fascination with trains began during childhood and continued into his university years.
Did Francis Bourgeois study engineering?
Yes. Bourgeois studied mechanical engineering at the University of Nottingham. His engineering background is one reason his move into automotive television is not as surprising as it first appears.
Conclusion
Francis Bourgeois’ journey from trainspotter to The Grand Tour presenter is one of the most unusual entertainment success stories of recent years.
He began with a deep childhood fascination with trains. He later studied mechanical engineering and gained professional experience at Rolls-Royce.
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May created an iconic television partnership that will be almost impossible to reproduce.
Francis Bourgeois brings engineering knowledge, social media fame and an unmistakable personality. Most importantly, he brings genuine curiosity.
The trainspotter who once stood beside railway lines waiting for a locomotive to pass will now be driving across deserts and testing performance cars for one of the world’s biggest motoring shows.
That is an unlikely career path. It is also exactly the kind of story that makes Francis Bourgeois interesting.
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