Europe

Ref: VI265D

Price:£20.00

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This is the normal DVD version of our new Driver’s eye view from Brussels Midi to London St Pancras International calling at Lille Europe and Ebbsfleet International. Riding with the driver at speeds up to 300 kilometres an hour, or 186 miles an hour, we see almost the entire route in virtual real time.

We also follow our train’s progress through Belgium, France, the Channel Tunnel and England from the five rail control centres that are responsible for the high speed route.

There are two bonus features: 1. Temple Mills Depot. 2.Comings and goings at Brussels Midi.

Narration is by Jonathan Kydd. There is also a French commentary (selected in the menu) by Yves Aubert.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Jonathan Kydd, written by Peter Middleton.
Sound: Digital Stereo
First published on DVD: 2009
Screen aspect ratio: 16:9 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

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

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Ref: VI323D

Price:£25.00

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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
Written by: Peter Middleton
First published on DVD: October 2018
Screen aspect ratio: 16:9 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

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

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Ref: VI930D

Price:£15.00

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Completed in June 2001, the LGV Méditerranée joined up with the LGV Rhône Alpes and the original Paris/Lyon TGV line completing the link between Marseille and Paris.

Now is your chance to see this truly amazing feat of engineering from the cab of a Duplex (double deck) TGV. The Ligne a Grande Vitesse (LGV) features dozens of massive viaducts, tunnels and earthworks cutting a swathe through the French countryside (with no expense spared) to allow for very high speed running.

Marseille vies with Lyon to be the second City of France. Having a population of 1.25 million, as well as being the gateway to the French Riviera, there is ample demand for a high speed rail service with the capital. To make the service comparable with air, a target journey time of three hours was set for the 466 mile route. This could only be achieved with an average start to stop speed of around 155 miles an hour.

Our non-stop service achieves just that taking us over the longest TGV route in France whilst beginning and ending via the classic main lines into each City.

Bonus footage: TGV Duplex interir and specification

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: 2005
Narrated by: Alex Reid, written by Peter Middleton.
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

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

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Ref: VI917D

Price:£14.00

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Paris’s integrated transport system, run by RATP, is the envy of cities throughout the world. It consists of buses, trams, regional express railways and of course the famous Paris Metro. Over a dozen lines criss cross the capital of France and arguably the most interesting are lines 5 and 6.

Line 5 is mostly in tunnel and runs on conventional steel wheels from Place d’Italie in the south for 9 miles to Bobigny Pablo Picasso in the north. The line surfaces to cross the River Seine before plunging back into tunnel to run via stations such as Bastille, Gare de’ l’est and Gare du Nord.

Line 6 is very different. Firstly it runs on rubber tyres, RATP’s preferred technology. Secondly it runs mostly overground on viaducts, reminiscent of New York’s famous elevated subway. Starting to the west of Paris at Charles de Gaulle Etoile (beneath the Arc de Triomphe) the line surfaces to cross the Seine giving a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower. Still elevated, it then skirts round the southern suburbs of Paris via Montparnasse, popping in and out of tunnel every few miles before reaching the eastern terminus at Nation, a total distance of 8.5 miles.

English Narration by Yves Aubert

French Narration by Alain Debray

As usual, this driver’s eye view provides a fascinating insight into these lines with a historical and contemporary commentary available in both English and French (menu driven selection)

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: 2007
Narrated by: Yves Aubert, written by Abernard Fahey
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 73-mins (1hr 13min) , Colour
.

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Ref: VI253D

Price:£20.00

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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
Screen aspect ratio: 16:9 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

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

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Ref: VI313D

Price:£20.00

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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: Jonathan Kydd
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

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

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