Ireland

Ref: VI908D

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A C3000 CAF DMU takes us on a journey over Northern Ireland’s longest railway (96¼ miles).

We start at Belfast’s Great Victoria Street Station reopened in 1995 and subsequently allowing all lines to converge for the first time. After Belfast Central our train climbs up and over the new multi-million pound cross harbour-link which was the catalyst for the metamorphosis of Northern Ireland’s rail network. Shortly after passing York Road depot, the Larne Harbour line branches off and we continue on the new 90mph recently reinstated line to Antrim. From there we reach the populous towns of Ballymena, Ballymoney and Coleraine. Now follows the most scenic section from Coleraine to Derry running via the semaphore signalled Castlerock Station and through the atmospheric Castlerock tunnels beside the Atlantic Ocean. Further coastal running brings us into Londonderry along the banks of the River Foyle.

We then jump back to Coleraine where we board a classic 450 class DEMU (‘Thumper’) for a trip along the 5¾ mile branch line to the popular seaside town of Portrush. Finally we take a brief look at the Bushmills and Giant’s Causeway steam railway.

As usual, much of the history of the various lines is included. Narration is by Belfast-born television personality Eamonn Holmes.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Eamonn Holmes, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: 2008
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD

Running Time: 130-mins (2hr 10min)

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Ref: VI914D

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Intercity diesel loco-hauled expresses are alive and well in Ireland. Now you can see Ireland's primary route from one such locomotive, a General Motors’ class 201 diesel locomotive heading the 10.00 Heuston to Cork.

The train is scheduled to cover the 165 miles between the Capital and Ireland’s second city in 2 hours 50 minutes, running at speeds of up to 100 miles an hour and calling at just three intermediate stations en route Thurles being the first, a distance of 86 miles.

At the rear of our train is a streamlined driving trailer - literally the sharp end of investment in new Intercity rolling stock.

Ireland’s premier line was built by the Great Southern and Western Railway in stages from 1846 and is of double track throughout.

Dubliner Henry Kelly delivers the historical and contemporary narration.

Multiple cameras follow the progress of our train from within the cab, the trackside, stations and even the CTC Central Traffic Control centre at Connolly.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Henry Kelly, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: 2007
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R

Running Time: 110-mins (1hr 50min)

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Ref: VI932D

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In 2004, trains on the Intercity route from Dublin to Sligo were still hauled by diesel locomotives. However, 2004 is destined to be their penultimate year of operation before route modernisation and the inauguration of DMU traction. Bearing this in mind and the popularity of the Rosslare DEV produced last year, Irish Rail invited Video 125 back to record this classic line before the changes take place.

Our train of Mk 2 coaches - hauled by class 071 locomotive 088, starts its journey in one of the terminal platforms at Dublin’s Connolly Station. The line follows the course of the Royal Canal most of the way to Mullingar, the railway having actually purchased the canal before building the line.

After leaving the western suburbs of the capital, the line is controlled by time-honoured electric key token block sections and semaphore signalling. Many level crossing gates are still opened and shut by hand. As well as seeing this scenic line from the driver’s cab, there are the usual trackside shots, shots of the drivers at work, shots of the signalmen at work and aerial shots taken from a helicopter accompanying our train all the way to the west coast town of Sligo.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Henry Kelly, written Jeremy English.
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
First published on DVD: 2004
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD

Running Time: 114-mins (1hr 54min) , Colour
.

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Ref: VI920D

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The Dublin to Belfast route is 113½ miles long. Our journey begins at Dublin’s Connolly Station. For the first few miles we proceed through the rapidly re-generating suburbs under the wires of the Dublin Area Rapid Transit.

At Malahide we leave the wires behind us as our train runs over a magnificent causeway and alongside the sea at Skerries.

Drogheda is the first stop. Back in 1845 trains could go no further until the wide River Boyne was bridged by a large viaduct completed a whole ten years later. Now you can see the box girder viaduct from the cab. The next stop is Dundalk, following which we face a similar long drag to that on the Settle and Carlisle line in England. Now we cross the border into Northern Ireland calling first at Newry.

Immediately beyond the utilitarian station we cross Craigmore viaduct - Ireland’s highest. The scenery is no less spectacular as the line meanders through Poyntzpass. The final intermediate stop is at Portadown, now we have a free run all the way into Belfast Central.

This is a route of great interest with double line throughout. Our 90 mile an hour express was filmed mostly in sunshine. Much of the history of this interesting and scenic route is related by Henry Kelly.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Henry Kelly, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: 2006
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD

Running Time: 110-mins (1hr 50min)

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Ref: VI936D

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This is one of the most interesting and spectacular routes running up the east coast from Rosslare Europort to Dublin Connolly .

After running round its train, our class 071 diesel sets off with a rake of Mk 2 coaches. At first the line skirts the coastline alongside the Irish Sea. At Wexford our train slows to walking pace as it traverses the long street running section next to the harbour. Turning inland, the line follows the course of the River Slaney offering up further magnificent views from the cab.There are only three trains a day on this route and we pass one of them at Enniscorthy.

At Wicklow we are back on the coast for a high speed section on long welded track. The overhead wire heralds the start of the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) at Greystones. Soon we encounter the most difficult section to build, at Bray Head. Here the much-photographed tunnels cling on to the side of the sheer rockface. Photographers rarely get the chance to see the tunnels from the driving cab let alone from a helicopter flying alongside.

Running through Dun Laoghaire (Dun Leary) the Irish equivalent of the Cote D'Azur, we enter the Dublin conurbation. This was the very first railway in Ireland, dating from 1834. Half a dozen or so level crossings close for our passage before we pass through Dublin Pearse station, the original southern terminus, and arrive at Connolly Station in the heart of Ireland's capital.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Jon Slattery, written by Jeremy English.
First published on DVD: 2003
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD

Running Time: 106-mins (1hr 46min)

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Ref: VI255D

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Waterford to Limerick Junction

Limerick Junction to Limerick

Limerick to Galway.

The catalyst for this Driver's eye view was the relaying and reopening of the Western Rail Corridor from Ennis to Galway in 2010, enabling passengers to travel all the way from Waterford in southern Ireland to Galway in the north west with two changes. We travel on these three trains in the drivers' cabs. All three are formed of 2-car 2700 DMUs.

Train 1 starts out from Waterford beneath the only elevated signal box still in use in Ireland. We then diverge onto the Limerick Junction branch which takes us over dozens of manually operated level crossings and through stations with traditional block semaphore signalling - a genuine time warp if ever there was one. At Limerick Junction we cross the Dublin to Cork main line on Ireland's only surviving flat crossing before changing ends and reversing into the station. We see inside the following signal boxes: Waterford Central (elevated) Waterford West, Carrick on Suir, Clonmel and Limerick Junction. Make sure you don't miss this train by the way, the next is in six hour's time!

Train 2 is the Limerick shuttle, taking us non-stop from Limerick Junction to Limerick City itself. Part of this route is controlled by the Central Traffic Control at Dublin and we take a look inside this as well as seeing Dromkeen manually operated level crossing.

Train 3 Our final 2-car 2700 begins at Limerick Colbert station and takes us over the route we have just traversed for just under a mile before beginning a large 180 degree turn towards Ennis. There we join the newly revived Western Corridor signalled from Athlone, the signal centre of which we also visit. At Athenry, we join the Dublin to Galway Intercity main line. Reversing in the platform, we now sprint non-stop to the West Coast terminus at speeds up to 70 miles an hour.

Our entire trip from Waterford to Galway is followed by a helicopter, showing us the train and the terrain. Such attractive rural scenery shouldn't be missed, so, unusually, this Driver's eye view runs for over 2½ hours - 'though still at the standard price!

Bonus footage: Barrow Bridge, the longest railway bridge in Ireland, filmed during the last months of operation but since closed.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Henry Kelly, written by Peter Middleton.
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD

Running Time: 155-mins (2hrs 35min)

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