Rent Irish Railways: 1940's and 1950's (2007)
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0h 50min
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- Synopsis:
In this programme we are pleased to present some quite unique footage of the Irish railway system in the 1940s and 50s which never before been published. The feature begins with three narrow gauge lines in Ulster; the County Donegal, the Londonderry & Lough Swilly and the Ballycastle line in County Antrim, all filmed in 1950. Moving on to the broad gauge, the Great Northern main line in 1947 and rare shots inside Dundalk works are followed by film of that most singular of GNR vehicles, the railbus. Coverage of the Dublin to Cork route in 1947 is next. The highlight of this is footage of '800 class' No 801 Macha hauling a heavy train out of Cork. Back in Dublin after a visit to Inchicore works, filmed in 1950, we recall the GNR's Hill of Howth tramway to the north of the city. We then head west to Dromod to look at the Cavan & Leitrim narrow gauge line before heading for Sligo where steam and diesel locos are seen. After a trip to Enniskillen on the Sligo, Leitrim & Northern Counties line we are off to Fintona Junction to see the famous Fintona horse tram. Perhaps the highlight of the programme is our colour and monochrome films of the erstwhile Dundalk, Newry & Greenore Railway. Largely financed by the British London & North Western Railway which lost its independence in 1923, its Irish offshoot continued to use Crewe built, 1870s vintage, saddle tanks right up to its closure. More remarkable still, the LNWR six wheeled carriages used on the line continued to be turned out in LNWR livery nearly 30 years after the demise of its parent. This feature concludes with a look at the former Cork, Bandon & South Coast Railway's lines in west Cork and two of the spectacular branch lines in County Kerry, the last frames in the programme having been shot at what was then the most westerly station in the British Isles, that at Valentia Harbour. - Directors:
- Wilf Watters
- Studio:
- Demand DVD
- Genres:
- Documentary, Special Interest
- Countries:
- Ireland
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