Liverpool 1860 , a time when England was the centre of the mightiest trading empire on the globe. Amidst the harsh realities of Victorian life, a few ruthlessly ambitious men make their way in the world from small beginnings. James Onedin, already a seasoned Captain at the age of twenty-eight, seizes the opportunity afforded by a 25 inheritance to break free from the powerful Callon Line and purchase his own ship. Onedin hasn't enough money to purchase the topsail schooner Charlotte Rhodes outright, but the current owner Captain Webster has a daughter Anne - and a mutually beneficial marriage is proposed. So the scene is set for one of the most visually exciting television drama series ever produced. Glamourous square-rigged sailing ships, meticulous historical accuracy, picturesque location filming and Khachaturian's memorable theme music all combine to make The Onedin Line an unforgettable television experience. It is a brilliant depiction of the passion and romance of life on the high seas.