Blu-rays

Ref: VI247B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

The 101 miles of railway between the former Ferry port of Stranraer and Glasgow Central, is one of extreme contrast. For just over half that distance the line is of single track controlled by traditional mechanical signal boxes and electric tokens. The southern half of the line is so remote that our two-car class 156 Sprinter runs for 26 miles before reaching the first intermediate station at Barrhill. We traverse two passing loops in the process, the second of which at Glenwhilly is one of the remotest in the whole of the British Isles.

From Ayr, the line becomes an electrified double track for the next 40 miles into Glasgow. The contrast between the Victorian signalling and state of the art computer control inside the West of Scotland Signalling Centre at Cowlairs could hardly be greater. As well as seeing this fascinating and scenic line from the cab and signal boxes, we also see the lie of the land from the air on board a state of the art helicopter. Filmed throughout in high definition for superb picture quality.

Narrated by Paul Coia

Running time: 122-mins

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Paul Coia, written by Richard Carr
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 122-mins (2hr 2min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI960B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

The previous DVD called "Central" was filmed in 1992 just before total modernisation of the route and featured the old 1962 stock controlled by a friver and guard. It also included the now preserved Ongar Branch. That DVD has now been withdrawn and replaced by this completely new DVD called "Central Line" which was filmed in the summer of 2011.The completely modernised route now has automatically driven 1992 tube stock. The new DVD includes the Woodford branch through the Roding Valley to Hainault and on to Leytonstone as well as the main Central Line through the heart of London.

At Epping, a rural town out in the Essex countryside, we join another 1992 stock train for the longest journey possible on one tube train, from there to West Ruislip in Middlesex. The journey goes through the open fields surrounding Theydon Bois before entering true suburbia. Then at Leyton we enter the first tunnel section before re-emerging at Stratford - now the site of the 2012 Olympic games. Back in tunnel for the main route through Liverpool Street, the City of London, the West End and out to Shepherd's Bush in West London. The train exits the tunnel section at White City on the wrong side due to an historical anomaly. Crossing back to left hand running we traverse North Acton Junction and head overland through Hanger Lane and Greenford (sporting semaphore signals) to the terminus at West Ruislip. There are four cameras in the cab and there is some extra background lighting in the tunnel sections so we can see "what the driver sees".

Also available in DVD format

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Rob Curling
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 110-mins (1hr 40min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI322B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street.

Diesel loco-hauled expresses have made a comeback… For this Driver’s eye view we travel in the cab of a class 68 hauling a rake of refurbished Mk 111 carriages marketed by Chiltern Railways as ‘Silver Trains’

Our journey starts at London’s Marylebone Station where we board the 1010 to Birmingham Moor Street. Video 125 has been here before, 30 years ago in fact, but so much has changed. Signalling, privatisation, Network Rail, Marylebone station, re-doubling of the line and even the Evergreen initiative that has seen strategic improvements to infrastructure and consequential increase in line speeds. In the last decade alone, Chiltern Railways has vastly increased the number of services over the Chiltern main line.

At first, our train takes us alongside the Metropolitan and Jubilee lines and past Wembley Stadium. We then join the former Great Central/Great Western JOINT line at Northolt Junction and run alongside the Central Line. The joint line takes us through High Wycombe and the Chiltern Hills following the path once taken by GWR steam expresses heading for Birmingham or Birkenhead. Joining the busy former GWR main line from Oxford before Banbury we continue through Leamington Spa, Warwick and Solihull to Birmingham Moor Street, the station there seeing a remarkable restoration reminiscent of the 1930’s steam age.

All the fascinating history of the Great Central Railway – the last traditional main line into London, is in the narration, expertly delivered by seasoned broadcaster Richard Bath.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Richard Bath
First published on DVD: July 2018
Region: 2
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 105-mins (1hr 25min) Click here for a map

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI301B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

The Cotswolds and Malverns line is 86¼ miles long and takes us through the heart of the English countryside, recognised as an area of outstanding natural beauty. We travel in the cab of a First Great Western High Speed

Train (HST).

Our journey begins at Oxford, the gateway to the Cotswolds. Much of the route is of single track but some sections have recently been reinstated allowing line speeds of up to 100mph. Much of the route is still worked on the block signalling principle and controlled by semaphores.

As well as following our HST from the cab and trackside, we see the magnificent scenery from the air. This Driver's eye view was filmed almost in real time and mostly in the mid-summer sunshine of 2013.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Jonathan Kydd
First published on DVD: November 2013
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 108-mins (1hr 48min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI330B

Price:£30.00

For the first time ever, a Driver's eye view of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. This famous Indian 2 foot gauge line runs for 55 miles from New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal up to Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas. We ride aboard a steam charter train into its second day, starting roughly half way up the line at Tindharia.

The sunny weather, coupled with state of the art cameras, provide a spectacular view of this unique hill railway. Our iconic B class steam engine climbs relentlessly through the magnificent scenery over gradients as steep as 1 in 18! Following the Hill Cart Road most of the way, we cross it dozens of times to ease the gradient or lessen a curve. We run on the very edge of the mountains, squeeze through the narrowest of ledges and pass through towns and villages to the summit of the line at 7,407 feet above sea level at Ghum.

The railway is so unique and precious that it has become a UNESCO World heritage site. Much of the fascinating history of the line, opened in 1881, is in the narration.

Availability: COMING SOON
Filmed by/when: March 2020
Narrated by: Jonathan Kydd, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: January 2021 (retail)
Screen aspect ratio: 16:9 HD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 144-mins (2hr 24min) , Colour
.

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI316B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

This Driver's eye view follows two branch lines: the Exmouth Branch and the Barnstaple Branch.

We travel over both lines in one service, formed of a Class 143 Pacer. The branch from Exmouth to Extere hugs the shore o fthe wide River Exe estuary for the start of it's 9 miles to Exmouth Junction where it joins with the former LSWR main line from London Waterloo.

At Exeter St.David's this limited stop service heads north over the Barnstaple Branch. The single line runs for nearly 38 miles, the first section through Crediton being over the former LSWR main line into Plymouth and North Cormwall. Here we pass the down train. At Eggesford another train is passed and we follow the token exchange procedure from the signal box at Crediton. Our train then continues through the picturesque and scenic Devon countryside to Barnstaple in glorious sunshine.

Written by Peter Middleton and narrated by Rob Curling.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Rob Curling
First published on DVD: February 2017
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Bluray

Running Time: 84-mins (1hr 24min) Click here for a map

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI317B

Price:£23.00

Quantity:

Two cab rides: Plymouth to Gunnislake, Newton Abbot to Paignton

The 14¾ mile long Gunnislake branch is the stub of the former LSWR main line from Plymouth to Exeter. Beyond Plymouth, this surprisingly remote line follows the River Tamar for much of the way. At Bere Alston, our class 150 Sprinter reverses onto the former Callington Branch, which takes us over the Tamar on a classic 120 ft high 12 arch viaduct into Cornwall. The line has steep gradients, tight curves and severe speed restrictions.

For the Paignton branch we join a class 143 pacer at Newton Abbot. The 'Riviera Line' is a 7¼ mile long double track branch that takes in the popular holiday resorts of Torquay and Paignton.

Narrated by Rob Curling, written by Peter Middleton.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Rob Curling
First published on DVD: February 2017
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 BluRay

Running Time: 67-mins (1hr 7min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI325B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley via Falkirk High.

Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Central via Shotts.

Following the electrification and introduction of brand new class 385 electric trains on the core intercity route between Scotland’s two main cities, Video 125’s cameras filmed on board one of the ScotRail Express services running from Queen Street to Waverley via Falkirk High.

One of the other five routes between the two cities runs via Shotts. We take another class 385 this time from east to west finishing at Glasgow Central.

As well as the view itself, there are plenty of runbys, shots of the driver, aerial views and even the viewpoint of the signallers in the Waverley Signalling Centre.

Paul Coia expertly narrates the detailed history of the myriad of lines in the central belt. On the disc version, you can even de-select the narration if you so wish and just listen to the stereo soundtrack.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton, Summer 2019
Narrated by: Paul Coia, written by Peter Middleton
First published on DVD: September 2019
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD

Running Time: 112-mins (1hr 52min) , Colour, Stereo sound
.

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI308B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

The West of England line was the Southern Railway's arterial route to the West Country and as such was at one time very busy with express trains to Salisbury, Exeter and Plymouth. It was also the route of the ACE, the Atlantic Coast Express which ran from Waterloo all the way to Padstow on the North Cornish coast.

Run down and rationalised in the 1960s, the West of England line became a mere shadow of its former self. Today, with privatisation, train services and passenger numbers are on the up and we can see the line from the cab of a class 159 DMU, in its recently resignalled form along with recent redoubled sections of line to improve capacity and flexibility. As well as the ride in the cab, we also see inside the signal boxes. Filmed in the summer of 2014 in association with the South West Trains, Network Rail alliance. (Also available on DVD)

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Jonathan Kydd, written by Peter Middleton.
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Bluray

Running Time: 131-mins (2hr 11min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI265B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

This High Definition version of the Eurostar Driver's eye view is identical in content to the DVD but with the additional bonus of being able to listen to the sound without the commentary (menu selection).

Unprecedented cooperation from Eurostar enabled Video 125 cameras to film a high speed journey from the Capital of Belgium to the Capital of England via the Channel Tunnel. Riding with the driver at speeds of up to 300 kilometres an hour, or 186 miles an hour, is an exhilarating experience. Just click on the preview to see what we mean.

As well as calling at Lille Europe and Ebbsfleet International, we follow our class 373's progress from the five control centres which

are responsible for our train as it passes through Belgium, France, the Channel Tunnel and England.

There are two bonus features:

1. Temple Mills Depot, opened in time for the start of services into St Pancras.

2. Comings and goings at Brussels Midi. While our cameras were set up on the platform we filmed a dozen or more trains to show the diversity of traction and rolling stock.

* NB.Running times in the Channel Tunnel and London Tunnels have been reduced by approximately 50%.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Jonathan Kydd (English) Yves Aubert (French), written by Peter Middleton.
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 120-mins (2hr 0min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI306B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

Hammersmith to Edgware Road

Liverpool Street to Barking

This is a view of London Underground's Hammersmith and City and Circle lines taken from the driver's cab of brand new S stock trains. We see both routes throughout, starting with a Circle line train running from Hammersmith via Paddington, Liverpool Street, Victoria and High Street Kensington, terminating at Edgware Road.

We then board a Hammersmith and City train at Liverpool Street for the journey to its terminus at Barking via Mile End and West Ham. Using state of the art HD cameras in the cab and at stations along the route, we see the world's first ever underground railway as never before. Subtle additional lighting gives an accurate view of what Driver's normally see. The overground sections were filmed in good or sunny weather. After the complete circuit of the Circle Line, we jump back to Liverpool Street for the journey over the Hammersmith and City line. At Bow Road our S stock train surfaces and travels overground alongside the c2c lines into Fenchurch Street, taking us all the way to Barking. Here, after all the passengers have alighted, we stay on board as our train goes to the stabling sidings where it will reverse. Rob Curling relates the fascinating history of the line along with details of today's operations including the world's busiest railway junction at Aldgate, which of course, we see from the cab - twice!

Narrated by Rob Curling

Filmed in 2014

Also available in High Definition on Blu-Ray

Duration: 98-mins

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Rob Curling, written by Bernard Fahey
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 98-mins (1hr 38min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI313B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

This is a Driver's eye view filmed on board an international train service, TGV 9244 travelling from Milan to Paris through the Alps.

We board the TGV, 90 minutes into its journey at the brand new station of Turin Porta Susa, for a spectacular ride through the Alpine scenery. On-board cameras show the view of the road and the driver working with the Italian SCMT train speed control system.

The climb towards the Alpine backdrop is relentless, starting gently at first but then increasing to as steep as 1 in 33, close to the maximum for conventional adhesion based railway vehicles.

The summit is reached inside the 8 1/2 mile long Fréjus tunnel, the first through the Alps opened in 1871 at the time the longest tunnel in the world! With tunnel lighting, we can actually see it as the driver does. Once in France we continue with the Italian crew and Italian signalling until we reach Modane. Now the French crew takes over and we descend, at a similar rate to the climb, towards Chambery in South East France. En route we learn of France's worst ever train disaster and see where 700 soldiers perished on board a runaway train.This feat of incredible engineering, coupled with the spectacular Alpine scenery, is a journey not to be missed.

Commentary is also available in Italian, French and German on this disc and is selected at the beginning from the menu. There is even the option of no commentary at all - just the sounds of the TGV Réseau.

Filmed in the summer of 2015.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Summer 2015
Narrated by: Jonathon Kydd, written by Peter Middleton.
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 123-mins (2hr 3min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI261B

Price:£22.00

Quantity:

What a great way to see Lisbon and its fascinating tramlines - a Driver's eye view!

This production starts with a brief history of Carris, the company first set up in 1872 to operate horse-drawn trams. The one-time extensive network of routes stretching into the Lisbon suburbs has been reduced over the years to just five. We take you over the two most popular and interesting survivors.

Firstly, we travel aboard one of the 1930's vintage wooden four wheel tramcars on Route 28, taking us from the outskirts of the capital right through the centre. You will see double and single line sections running through the narrowest of streets and the steepest of hills. This route in particular is recommended for tourists as it passes so many landmarks in the old parts of the City.

By contrast we then travel route 15 on board a modern Siemens articulated tram, one of ten dating from 1995. This is the longest of the remaining routes and, running close to the coast, passes many of the popular tourist sites. The 15 also runs past the tram depot at Santo Amaro which is little changed over the years. The depot also contains the Carris tram museum.

There are also two menu driven bonuses!

Bonus 1: The Carris Transport Museum. A look around the sheds at Santo Amaro seeing some of the older tramcars dating from the 1900s.

Bonus 2: The Bica Funicular. Being very hilly, Lisbon has three funicular tramways. We take a look at one of them, the cable-hauled Bica Funicular.

Picture format 16:9 widescreen.

Filmed in 2010

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Rob Curling and Yves Aubert (French), written by Peter Middleton.
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 85-mins (1hr 15min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI260B

Price:£22.00

Quantity:

Manchester Airport to Liverpool Lime Street

We travel aboard a Northern Rail class 156 Sprinter for an exceptionally smooth ride. This limited-stop service shows us the whole Airport Branch, the Stockport-avoiding line built as recently as 1909 and the approach and through platforms at Manchester Piccadilly followed by the elevated section through Oxford Road. We then join the very original route surveyed and built by none other than George Stephenson. The stone block permanent way has long since gone but the history is still there to be told by former Calendar anchor Alan Hardwick.

Chat Moss has gone down in railway folklore as one of George Stephenson’s greatest feats, laying a railway line across a seemingly impenetrable bog. See how little it has changed today from the cab and from a helicopter flying overhead! We then travel through Rainhill over the ground covered by Stephenson’s famous Rocket - the winner of the Rainhill Locomotive Trials in 1829. Edge Hill is another place long associated with this pioneering railway and from here the line descends into Liverpool Lime Street through a myriad of tunnels flanked by deep rock cuttings, seen best of all from the Driver’s cab. Filmed in 2010 before electrification.

Bonus Footage: Liverpool Road old Terminus, Rainhill Trials Exhibition.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: 2010 before electrification.
Narrated by: Alan Hardwick, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: 2010
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 65-mins (1hr 5min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI314B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

The Hope Valley line seen from a class 185 DMU from Manchester Piccadilly on one of the hourly Transpenninexpress services to Cleethorpes, running via Stockport and the scenic Hope Valley route over the Pennines to Sheffield. From Sheffield the landscape changes from one of hills and heavy industry to the rural flatlands of North Lincolnshire.

One of the highlights of this journey of contrasts, is the much photographed array of semaphore signals at Wrawby Junction, viewed from the Driver's cab just weeks before abolition. Threading our way through the back streets of Grimsby Town on a single line, we finish our journey at the popular seaside town of Cleethorpes.

Filmed in the summer of 2015.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Alan Hardwick, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: June 2016
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 127-mins (2hr 7min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI305B

Price:£22.00

Quantity:

Milan, the capital of the Lombardy region of Italy, has one of the largest tram networks in the world, dating back to 1881. Today there are no less than 17 routes covering a total of 71 route miles. There are various types of tram in daily use, both ancient and modern operating out of five depots.

This film is divided into four parts:

The Tram History: tracing the origins of the system from the first horse-drawn routes to electrification by the Edison company and the subsequent congestion of routes resulting in their complete reorganisation and closure of the central terminus.

The Current Tram Fleet: consisting of a wide variety of approximately 300 trams of 6 main types dating from 1929 to 2010.

The Depots: We visit each of the main depots. Ticinese, Precotto, Leoncavallo, Baggio and the largest conventional depot of them all - Messina.

Driver's eye view: The main part of this film is a complete Driver's eye view of Line 1. We travel on board one of the Peter Witts-inspired twin bogie tramcars dating from 1929. With all cars being single ended, each terminus begins in a turning circle or loop. Line 1 begins at Greco in a one way street to the north of the City centre. The 55 minute journey takes us through the very heart of Milan, past many of the top tourist attractions. En route, we encounter the amazing tram infrastructure with both reserved track and street running while crossing numerous junctions and tram routes. A tree-lined avenue takes us to the turning circle and loop of the terminus of line 1 at Piazza Castelli.

Filmed in good weather in high definition, this is as near to travelling on a tram in the 1930s as it's possible to get.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Diego Porzio, written by Peter Middleton.
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 85-mins (1hr 15min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI315B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

CREWE to HOLYHEAD

The 21st century incarnation of the traditional Irish Boat Train running from London to Holyhead, nowadays takes the form of a handful of daily services run by Virgin Trains.

We join one such service at Crewe for a trip along the North Wales Coast. Our train is formed of a 5 car class 221 Super Voyager. The 1049 is the fastest service of the day. Our first stop is the City of Chester, after which we run non-stop to the popular seaside resort of Rhyl. Running along the scenic coastline via Colwyn Bay and Llandudno Junction we get some fabulous views, not least of which the Iconic Conwy Castle and the castellated bridge over the river.

After Bangor, we see the equally iconic Britannia Bridge crossing the Menai Strait. Ravaged by fire in 1970, the bridge had to be largely rebuilt and now we can see it from the Driver's viewpoint. The first station we pass through on the Isle of Anglesey has that famous name, the longest of all, Llanfair

pwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantysiliogogogoch. It takes Welsh-speaking narrator Arfon Haines Davies to pronounce it.

Arfon also tells us the history of the route, dating from 1848 and built specifically to convey the Irish mail from London to Dublin,

Following our train all the way from Crewe to Holyhead is a helicopter taking in some spectacular views from the air.

Filmed on a glorious summer's day in 2016 under a clear blue sky, this surely is a journey not to be missed?

Running time: 109-mins

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Arfon Haines Davies, written by Peter Middleton.
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 109-mins (1hr 49min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI320B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

Skegness is a classic seaside town on the east coast of Lincolnshire. Ever since the railway arrived in 1873 the town has been a popular holiday destination. Today's train service is a far cry from the line's heyday when six platforms were in use at the terminus. Just one train an hour ply's the route from Nottingham these days. Filmed in the cab of a 3 car class 156/153 Sprinter combination, our limited-stop train calls at Grantham for connection with the East Coast Main Line. Here the train reverses and continues via Boston and Sleaford. Most of the route is still block worked with semaphore signals controlled by manual signal boxes overseeing traditional wooden level crossing gates. The history of the line is fascinating and former Yorkshire ITV news anchor Alan Hardwick narrates.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: June 2017
Narrated by: Alan Hardwick, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: Late November 2017
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 118-mins (1hr 58min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI324B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly.

Video 125's first ever TILTING Driver’s eye view.

Experience the thrill of riding in the cab of an iconic Pendolino tilting train, travelling over the West Coast Main Line, the UK’s busiest. We travel on board the 1220 Virgin Trains’ London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly service running via Stoke on Trent. It’s quite amazing to see the degree of tilt from the driver’s viewpoint and how easily the class 390 takes the curves at speeds of up to 125 mph!

At 2 hours and 6 minutes, our journey is shown virtually in real time. As well as the usual cab cameras, we see the eleven coach train at dozens of locations, including Milton Keynes, Stoke on Trent and Stockport stations. We even take a brief look inside the Rugby ROC (Rail Operations Centre).

Narration is by BBC Radio 3’s Ian Skelly. He recalls the fascinating history of the ‘London and Birmingham’, Britain’s first long distance intercity railway, engineered by Robert Stephenson and opened in sections from 1837.

Our train then travels over the Trent Valley line before diverging at Colwich Junction onto the “Notty”, the North Staffordshire Railway, a company that remained independent for 75 years right up until the railway grouping.

Bluray version

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton, Summer 2018
Narrated by: Ian Skelly, written by Peter Middleton
First published on DVD: Mid March 2018
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Bluray

Running Time: 126-mins (2hr 6min) , Colour, Stereo sound
.

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI300B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

This Driver's eye view is the South West Trains service for London Waterloo. Calling at Earley, Winnersh Triangle, Winnersh, Wokingham, Bracknell, Martins Heron, Ascot, Sunningdale, Virginia Water, Egham, Staines, Feltham, Twickenham, Richmond, Clapham Junction and London Waterloo. This is the service from Reading. This train is formed of eight coaches.

This busy commuter line has a minimum half hourly service throughout the day including Sundays. Almost all the trains are formed of Alstom Junipers and we follow ours from three signal boxes. Surprisingly, Wokingham signal box is still operated from a traditional lever frame. Our train is then passed to Feltham power 'box. From Richmond, control passes to Wimbledon PSB which takes our train all the way into Waterloo.

This Driver's eye view was filmed in the summer sunshine of 2013. High Definition bluray version. Also available on standard definition DVD)

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Summer 2009
Narrated by: Rob Curling, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: 2009
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 76-mins (1hr 16min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI332B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

A unique look inside over 70 signal boxes taken from Video 125's archive filmed over a period of 30 years. Features 'boxes of all shapes and sizes, all kinds of operating methods from 19th century mechanical lever frames to 20th century panels to 21st century state-of-the-art Rail Operating Centres.

The video is divided into 5 main chapters:

• England

• Scotland

• Wales

• Ireland

• Underground

This is not an Open University-style production, more an interesting and entertaining visit to each box in turn. There are useful explanations of the workings in many cases and simple observations in others. Much footage is new, some seen before, but in most cases, further extended from the original rushes.

High-definition production with sections of older footage filmed in standard definition.

Signal boxes featured: Abergaveny Station Signal Box, Ashford IECC, Baker Street (Bakerloo), Baker Street (Met), Banavie, Barrhill, Birmingham New Street, Bootle, Cardiff ROC, Carnforth Station Junction, Carrick on Suir, Castlerock N.I. Church Street L/C Marks Tey, Clonmel, Cobourg Street, Crediton, Cromer Beach, CTC Dublin, Dromkeen L/C, Dunragit, Edgeworthstown, Elgin West, Exeter, Exmouth, Feltham, Girvan, Glenwhilly, Grange L/C Mooncoin, Greenford East, Haltwhistle OOU, Haltwhistle Portacabin, Harrow on the Hill, Haven Street, Haydon Bridge, Hexham, High Wycombe, Insch, Kennethmont, Kilkerran, Lentran, Limerick Junction North, Little Mill Junction, Liverpool Street (LUL), Machynlleth, Marble Arch, Marylebone, Muir of Ord, Mullingar, Nairn, Northumberland Park Depot control tower, Old Oak Common, Oxted, Pantyffynnon, Park South, Plymouth, Princes Risborough, Reedham Swing Bridge, Rugby ROC, Ryde St Johns Road, Salisbury, Sandhills IECC, Sellafield, St Marys L/C Stroud, Waterford Central, Waterford West, Waterloo (& City), West of Scotland ROC Cowlairs, West Ruislip, Westbury, Wimbledon, Wokingham, Wood Lane, Yeovil Pen Mill.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Jonathan Kydd
Written by: Peter Middleton
First published on DVD: June 2021
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 & 16:9 SD/HD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Origination: AV/DV

Running Time: 128-mins (2hr 8min) , Colour
.

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI319B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

The very best of preserved and working steam trains in Southern Africa filmed over a four year period by enthusiast and cameraman Jean Dulez.

Living in South Africa, Jean was uniquely able to travel throughout the African sub-continent to seek out the most spectacular locations to film preserved steam at its best. He was also able to record the amazing spectacle of some of the last pockets of working industrial steam trains in the 21st century in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

It takes an ardent enthusiast and expert photographer to compile a series of sequences of such high quality. Producer Peter Middleton was simply blown away when he first saw the spectacular sequences contained within. The scenery, the weather, the wide variety of steam action over main lines, branch lines, the so-called Cape Gauge (3ft 6ins) plus narrow gauge lines all combine to make this a steam spectacle not to be missed.

The film starts with a brief history of railways in Southern Africa followed by detailed maps and graphics throughout. This is a spectacle that you will want to watch and listen to over and over again, so we have added a commentary off button to allow you to listen to the wonderful stereo sounds of steam engines hard at work without interruption.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Between 2013 and 2017 by Jean Dulez
Narrated by: Jonathan Kydd
First published on DVD: Mid September 2017
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Bluray

Running Time: 112-mins (1hr 52min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI253B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

This is a Driver's eye view of the LGV Est, the high speed line from Eastern France. Filmed in 2011 before the final section was built, we benefit from seeing the scenic classic main line for about half the length of this production. Our journey begins in the capital of the Alsace wine-growing region of France. Our train is a classic TGV Réseau, the original and iconic high speed train. This is the 1203 to Paris Gare de l'est.

For the first half of our journey we travel over the traditional main line towards Nancy. Our TGV has just one intermediate stop at Saverne. Maximum line speed is 160 kmh or 100 mph. We travel through an exceptionally scenic part of France running alongside the Marne-Rhine canal and through a number of tunnels. After approximately 115 kms, we join the LGV Est. Now our speed doubles to 320 kmh or 200 mph as we leave the control of lineside signals and come under the control of the TVM 430 in-cab signalling system. This is overseen by the control centre at Pagny sur Moselle where we partly follow the progress of our train number 2424.

Now we experience the unique sensation of travelling at this very high speed, uninterrupted other than the usual shots of the driver and those taken from the trackside. Eventually, the TVM 430 tells driver Peter to begin to slow down before joining the classic main line at Chenay-Gagny, 16 kms from Paris. Finally, down to 30 kmh we enter the 26 platform Gare de l'est running about 30 seconds late! (Yes, seconds).

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: 2011
Narrated by: Jonathan Kydd (English) and Yves Aubert (French), written by Mike Hill
First published on DVD: 2011
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 103-mins (1hr 43min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI311B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

Paddington to Greenford

Slough to Windsor

Maidenhead to Marlow

Twyford to Henley

This is an opportunity to see four of the GWR Thames Valley branch lines from the driver's cab.

We start at Paddington for a run along the Greenford branch taking us over the Great Western main line via Ealing Broadway, the line terminating at Greenford sandwiched between the tracks of LUL's Central Line.

We then travel over the Windsor branch from Slough into the one-time showpiece Royal station facing Windsor Castle. Unusually we return part of the way to show the junction arrangement at Slough.

The Marlow branch is the fascinating legacy of the one-time through route to High Wycombe requiring a reversal at the constricted junction at Bourne End.

Finally, we travel over the line to Henley on Thames. All trains on the four branch lines consist of 2-car class 165 Turbo DMUs.

Filmed in the summer sunshine of 2015.

Narrated by Rob Curling and written by Peter Middleton

Running time: 72 minutes

Availability: AVAILABLE
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 72-mins (1hr 12min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI326B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

Exeter St David’s to London Paddington.

We join a brand new class 802 IET (Intercity Express Train) upon arrival at Exeter St David's station en route from Plymouth to London. Our train is formed of 10 coaches and calls at Tiverton Parkway and Taunton before branching off onto the so-called Berks and Hants route, a series of disparate lines connected together to form a shorter and more direct route from the South West to the Capital.

Our train runs non-stop for over 100 miles from Taunton to Reading, only then do we join the original GWR main line into London, having switched from diesel to electric power and travelling at speeds of up to 125 miles per hour.

This cross-country scenic line was filmed during the summer of 2019. There's a great deal of interesting history to the route, only opened as a through line in 1906 with the completion of the last section of new track from Cogload Junction to Castle Cary.

Now is your chance to see this sinuous line as the driver does.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton, Summer 2019
Narrated by: Rob Curling, written by Peter Middleton
Sound: Stereo Sound, Dolby Audio
First published on DVD: Late November 2019
Screen aspect ratio: 16:9 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 BLU-RAY

Running Time: 125-mins (2hr 5min) , Colour
.

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI318B

Price:£15.00

Quantity:

The 19th May 2017 was the last day that first-generation DMUs ran in regular passenger service on Network Rail. These were the two class 121 Bubble cars owned by Chiltern Railways that were used on the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury branch.

To record and commemorate the event, Video 125 cameras followed the single units (affectionately dubbed Bubble Cars) in the weeks prior to their withdrawal. The idea for this film came from the former Managing Director of Chiltern Trains Holidays, Tony Parkins, who has been closely associated with Chiltern Railways ever since his involvement with the writing of our Driver's eye view Chiltern Take Two.

It was Tony's idea to produce this film and as such has not only co-written and researched the information but actually presents it to camera.

The film starts with a brief history of the class 121 with a couple of archive clips and old photos. We then come to 2017 and go inside the Chiltern Railways Aylesbury depot to interview the Production Manager who gives us an insight into the whys and wherefores of the DMUs. To find out more about the 121s in general, Tony then went to the nearby Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway to talk to members responsible for their own Bubble Cars' restoration and a former driver who used to drive the single cars on the Bedford to Bletchley line.

Back to Aylesbury and the Chiltern Railways senior driving instructor takes us through the start up procedure. He then drives unit number 034 from the depot into platform 1 at Aylesbury to start the afternoon diagram. A Driver's eye view of the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury branch follows, including the line's history and the operation of the Bubble car.

The final day arrives and the Chiltern Railways Managing Director gives a farewell speech. With both 121s coupled together for the final few services, it is drizzling when the last scheduled service arrives bringing down the curtain on the very last DMU service operated by a national train operarting company on Network Rail.

Filmed in May 2017

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Tony Parkins
First published on DVD: June 2017
Region: 2
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Bluray

Running Time: 48-mins (0hr 48min) Click here for a map

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI258B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

Starting with a brief history of the island's railways, this is an in-depth look at the two survivors, one electric and one stream.

The Island Line is unique, being served by former London Underground tube trains dating way back to 1938. We join a 2 car train at Shanklin, the southern most terminus, to enjoy a driver's eye view of the line. Passing the down train at the seaside resort of Sandown we make our way through Brading onto the double line section controlled by the only operational signal box remaining - Ryde St Johns. Continuing in tunnel beneath the Esplanade we emerge at the station of the same name continuing all the way out to sea over Ryde pier into the one remaining platform at the end of the line.

The Steam Railway is a preservation gem also with unique elements such as the 100% original steam-hauled coaching stock and undoubtedly unique steam survivor class 02 "Calbourne".The railway links with the electric line at Smallbrook Junction where we join the crew of Calbourne for a magnificent journey along the line through the line's semaphore signalled base at Haven Street and to the current terminus at Wootton.More than just a driver's eye view we see the crew at work coupled with plenty of views of the train and scenery passing by.

Both electric and steam lines were also filmed in glorious weather for some truly stunning pictures.

Extras: Ryde St John's Road depot; Ryde St John's Road Signal Box; Island Steam Show; Future Traction requirements (presentation by Steve Oates IOWSR Chairman).

Availability: AVAILABLE
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 75-mins (1hr 15min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI312B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

The West Highland Railway (Mallaig extension) is arguably Britain's most scenic and what better way of seeing it than from "The Jacobite" steam train.

Our cameras followed one such service in the mid-summer sunshine on board Black Five No 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier. To see the scenery in all its glory, a helicopter followed our train all the way to Mallaig with a state of the art gyro stabilised camera filming in high definition. Cameras also show, lineside shots footplate shots and the radio signalling centre (RETB) at Banavie.

So sit back and take a front row seat on the magnificent "Road to the Isles".

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: filmed in 2015
Narrated by: Paul Coia, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: 2015
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 85-mins (1hr 25min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI323B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

The original Gotthard railway tunnel through the Swiss Alps, took ten years to build and cost 147 lives. It was a mammoth undertaking and required the construction of long ramps on either side totalling 85 miles. Dozens of tunnels, viaducts and bridges were necessary. The ruling gradient of 1 in 37 was deemed to be just about the maximum that the original steam locomotives could handle, even then, trains were usually double-headed and even had banking engines attached at the rear! In order even to keep to this severe gradient, the engineers had to construct a number of additional spiral tunnels to gain height, hewn out of solid rock.

Our film begins at the Swiss town of Lugano, where we see the funicular that runs from the picturesque historic lakeside town up to the main line railway station. There we take a front seat in the cab of a modern Regional Express EMU for a spectacular journey. As soon as we depart, our train has to climb up and through the Monte Ceneri Pass overlooking the Ticino plain below. Descending steep gradients we reach the junction town and the capital of the Italian speaking Ticino region: Bellinzona.

With a change of driver, we begin the gradual climb up towards the summit of the line. En route, we see the entrance of the current longest traffic tunnel in the world, the new Gotthard Base Tunnel, opened in 2016. Taking the original route, that has been the main Alpine railway passage for over a hundred years, we can marvel at the feat of engineering - building a conventional railway through this seemingly impassable mountainous region. Eventually the climb ends at Airolo where we enter what was, in 1882, the longest tunnel in the world. A brief history of the pass and the building of the tunnel itself, interjects our journey through the 9 mile long double track tunnel.

As we emerge on the German speaking northern side of the Gotthard Massif, the long ramp begins all over again, this time in a downward direction passing through many more spiral tunnels and avalanche shelters. The scenery is of course Alpine spectacular and what better way of seeing it than from the driver’s cab?

Filmed in mid-summer 2018.

The history of the route along with current train operating is expertly delivered by Jonathan Kydd, one of the UK’s leading narrators.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Published by: Video 125
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Jonathan Kydd
First published on DVD: late October 2018
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray DVD

Running Time: 112-mins (1hr 52min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI302B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

The Welsh Highland narrow gauge steam railway runs from coast to coast through the mountains of the Snowdonia National Park, and what better way of seeing it than from one of the Beyer Garratt steam engines. This is more than just a Driver's eye view. With cameras mounted on the buffer beam and around the cab, we can see the line and the scenery even better than the driver does.

Our ride begins at Caernarfon close to the famous castle, venue of the investiture of Charles the Prince of Wales. We not only see the railway from the locomotive, but also from the stations, the trackside, the carriages and even from the air. The 25 miles of scenic line was only reopened throughout in 2011 and Arfon Haines Davies's narration gives all the fascinating facts and chequered history of the line. This is your chance to see this magnificent route as never before.

Narrated by: Arfon Haines Davies

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Arfon Haines Davies
First published on DVD: February 2014
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 111-mins (1hr 51min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI241B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

CHESTER to LIVERPOOL CENTRAL,

HOOTON to ELLESMERE PORT,

LIVERPOOL CENTRAL to WEST KIRBY

BIRKENHEAD NORTH to NEW BRIGHTON.

The City of Liverpool is served by Merseyrail, a suburban rail network unique in many ways and subdivided into two main routes: The Northern Line and the Wirral Line.

We travel over the latter on board third rail class 507 and 508 electric multiple units. While the Northern Line serves the Liverpool side of the Mersey, the Wirral Line runs beneath the wide river separating Liverpool from Birkenhead and the Wirral Peninsula. The Wirral Line consists of two main routes with four branches covering a route mileage of 33 miles.

We see all four branches from the Driver's cab in virtual real time:

Highlights include the 19th century river tunnel with its 1 in 27 gradients which we see in both directions along with the 20th century single loop line. The majority of the Wirral Line is signalled from the IECC signalling centre at Sandhills and Video 125 cameras were there to follow our trains from a signallers point of view.

EXTRA: Liverpool was all about the myriad of docks facing the River Mersey, all of which were rail connected. Included is a unique archive film showing these docks in full swing taken from an electric train running on the famous Liverpool Overhead Railway just a few years before the system was shut and dismantled

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Alan Hardwick
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 100-mins (1hr 40min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI249B

Price:£25.00

Quantity:

The term Welsh Marches refers to the border area between Wales and England. The railway diverging from the South Wales Main Line at Newport closely follows the border through Abergavenny, Hereford, Shrewsbury and Nantwich. We join a 3-car class 175 Coradia DMU en route from Milford Haven to Manchester Piccadilly on the approach to Newport, the area having only recently been re-signalled to the South Wales Control Centre. From the SWCC, signalling passes to a 1960’s panel signal box at Little Mill and then to traditional mechanical signalling at Abergavenny. Cameras inside all three signal boxes vividly show this technological progression.

Dozens of former and existing junctions coupled with some magnificent scenery make this a fascinating route, filmed in mid-summer sunshine all the way to Crewe. Dozens of mechanical signal boxes control our progress, including Europe’s largest at Shrewsbury. Much of the history of the line as well as the current day operation of this Arriva Trains Wales service is in the narration.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Richard Bath, written by Peter Middleton.
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 115-mins (1hr 55min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email:

Ref: VI244B

Price:£30.00

Quantity:

The programme begins with a brief look at the abandoned Weymouth Tramway. We then board a 2 car class 150 Sprinter for a Driver's eye view of this former GWR cross country branch known as the Heart of Wessex Line . For the first few miles we are climbing steeply towards Dorchester over the only electrified line of our 87 mile journey. Sections of single and double track follow, taking us through the last semaphore signalled station on the line, Yeovil Pen Mill. We see inside the box as the single line token is exchanged. We then cut to Westbury Panel to see the process from the other side.

From Castle Cary, we follow the West of England main line through the classic Brunel shed at Frome and on to Westbury with its expansive freight yard. Now we turn towards Trowbridge and follow the Avon valley route through Bradford on Avon to Bath. We then run non-stop to Bristol Temple Meads. This is effectively the Somerset and Dorset line that Beeching didn't close. It is full of historical interest.

Filmed in 2012.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 Blu-ray

Running Time: 117-mins (1hr 57min)

To tell a friend about this item, click to Share or send an Email: