Midland & North

Ref: VI318D

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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 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

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

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Ref: VI943D

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Taken in 1989, in British Rail days, this is now an "archive" film! It shows the old Great Central/Great Western Joint line running through High Wycombe and Princes Risborough before total modernisation and before the transformation in to Chiltern Railways. The joint line actually starts at Northolt Junction in Middlesex and runs to the one time Ashenden Junction in Buckinghamshire. Both the GWR and the GCR built their own connections to this joint line, the former out of Paddington and the latter from Marylebone.

Here we experience them both, starting out from Paddington aboard what was in 1989, the only passenger train of the day still to use the old GWR link.

The 18.12 commuter express hauled by class 50 "Ark Royal" takes us via Old Oak Common West Junction through Greenford to Northolt Junction ("Take One").

"Take Two" shows the GCR link from Marylebone aboard a first generation DMU (class 115). At the time of filming this was London's last Terminus to be signalled by semaphores. This time we go right through Northolt and all the way to Banbury. The high spot, is High Wycombe which was little changed since steam days and boasted an amazing array of points and semaphore signals.

Along the route there are also snippets from within many of the mechanical and power signal boxes just before the total route modernisation swept most of them away.

NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Philip Hayton, written by Tony Parkins
First published on DVD: 1989 on VHS
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 94-mins (1hr 34min)

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Redditch - Lichfield via Birmingham New Street. Narrated by Kay Alexander. Stereo 77 minutes.

Birmingham's premier suburban railway underwent a total metamorphosis in the mid 1990s with electrification and brand new trains. The class 323 electric multiple units were designed specifically for the Cross-City route and provide a frequent service of 4 trains per hour throughout the day, over most of the line.

We travel the full distance from Redditch to Lichfield Trent Valley passing through the centre of Birmingham and

Britain's major hub station, Birmingham New Street. Narrator Kay Alexander is a BBC TV Midlands Today presenter, who has been closely associated with the line since opening the new station at Redditch.

Stations also called at include: Alvechurch, Barnt Green, Longbridge, Northfield, King's Norton, Bourneville, Selly Oak, University, Five Ways, Duddleston, Aston, Gravelly Hill, Erdington, Chester Road, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield, Four Oaks, Butlers Lane, Blake Street, Shenstone and Lichfield City.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Kay Alexander, written by John Boynton
First published on DVD: 1995
Region: Free PAL
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R
Origination: Digital SD, Audio:Dolby digital stereo

Running Time: 77-mins (1hr 17min)

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1. Cab Ride LMT08: Redditch to Birmingham New Street & Litchfield Trent Valley (Ref: TFLMT008D)

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1. Cab Ride LMT08: Redditch to Birmingham New Street & Litchfield Trent Valley (Ref: TFLMT008D)

Ref: VI335D

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Middlesborough to Whitby

Renowned as one of the most scenic railways in England, the single line branch from Middlesbrough runs over the North York Moors through the valley of the River Esk to the coastal town of Whitby. Filmed in the mid-summer sunshine from a class 156 DMU and from a helicopter flying overhead, we can enjoy the scenery at its finest.

The branch is controlled from the one remaining signal box at Nunthorpe, from where we plot the progress of our train. We see the single line token system from the signaler's point of view as well as the driver's. At Grosmont, the North York Moors steam railway converges for the last few miles to Whitby, the steam trains also being controlled from Nunthorpe 'box.

The history of the line is in the narration by Radio Three's Ian Skelly. The reversal of our train at Battersby is an example of how today's branch is formed from various different routes. Thankfully, it just about escaped the Beeching axe to enable us to travel over this classic branch line today.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton, Summer 2022
Narrated by: Ian Skelly
Written by: Peter Middleton
Sound: Stereo Sound, Dolby Audio
First published on DVD: Autumn 2022
Screen aspect ratio: 16:9 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 93-mins (1hr 33min) , Colour
.

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Bristol - Birmingham - Derby

We join an Exeter to Newcastle service formed of a five car Virgin Super Voyager at Bristol Temple Meads station. The limited stop service calls next at Bristol Parkway before branching off the Great Western onto the former Bristol and Gloucester Railway. By-passing Gloucester by means of the south loop, the next stop is Cheltenham Spa.

Now we run non-stop all the way to Birmingham New Street via Bromsgrove and the notorious Lickey Incline. This is the two mile long ascent of the Lickey Hills at a gradient of 1 in 37 ¾, the steepest bank on any main line in Great Britain. From Birmingham New Street our class 221 takes the former Birmingham and Derby

Junction Railway running non-stop at up to 125 miles an hour through Tamworth and Burton on Trent to reach the county town of Derbyshire.

Much of the fascinating history of the route is related by Alan Hardwick, long-time anchor of Yorkshire Television’s evening news programme Calendar.

This driver’s eye view was filmed in the clear blue skies of a summer’s day from start to finish.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Alan Hardwick
Written by: Peter Middleton
Edited by: Peter Middleton
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
First published on DVD: 2005
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 107-mins (1hr 47min) , Colour
.

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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
Filmed by/when: Summer 2015
Narrated by: Alan Hardwick, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: June 2016
Screen aspect ratio: 16:9 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 127-mins (2hr 7min) , Colour
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Ref: VI990D

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London St.Pancras to Sheffield

Filmed from the cab of a High Speed Train, St Pancras station was filmed just before the overhead wires were taken down prior to the rebuilding of the terminus to handle channel tunnel trains in 2007. The famous gasometers have also since been removed.

The first 50 miles of the Midland main line are under the wires of Thameslink as far as Bedford. Stations passed include Elstree, St Albans and Luton.Then Sharnbrook, Desborough and Kibworth summits follow in quick succession, these banks infamous in steam days. Nowadays the first stop is Leicester - a distance of 100 miles!

A change of scene as we head north from Derby through the delightful Peak district stopping at Chesterfield before terminating at Sheffield.

As usual, numerous trackside shots show the train tearing past the camera with stereo sound to match.

Click Cab Ride No.9 St.Pancras to Sheffield for a 1986 view of the same route! Spot the differences!

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton in 2000
Narrated by: David McEwan
Written by: Peter Middleton
First published on DVD: 2000
Screen aspect ratio: 99-mins (1hr 39min)
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R
Origination: DV
, Colour
. Or click here for a 1971 vintage cab ride along the same route.. steam age railway but diesels only

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Ref: VI320D

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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 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

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

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A day in the life of Shrewsbury's Severn Bridge Junction signal box.

Semaphore signalling is as much a part of our railway heritage as steam traction yet within a generation or so it may well be extinct on the national rail network.

For both today's and tomorrow's enthusiasts and historians, we recorded for posterity a working day inside (what was at that time) Europe's largest surviving mechanical signal box namely Shrewsbury's SEVERN BRIDGE JUNCTION.

Using a multiple-camera outside broadcast unit we covered the action 'live' on a busy summer Saturday on 30th June 1990. Looking back it is amazing how the trains have changed. There were still loco hauled "INTER CITY"'s from Euston, loco hauled onto the Cambrian Coast (remember the old Regional Railways?) first generation DMUs in abundance, parcels trains, general freight and even a steamer!

The programme starts with a thorough description of the area and looks inside all three fringe boxes. HTV presenter Arfon then discusses events as they happen with Area Movements Inspector Bernard Hitch. If you have never visited a large mechanical signal box here is the next best thing.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton in the Summer of 1990
Narrated by: Arfon Haines Davies
Written by: Peter Middleton
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
First published on DVD: 1990
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 105-mins (1hr 45min) , Colour
.

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Ref: VI260D

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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.

Narrated by: Alan Hardwick

Duration: 65-mins

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: 2010, Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Alan Hardwick
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
First published on DVD: 2010
Screen aspect ratio: 16:9 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R
Origination: DV

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

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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.

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 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

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

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Ref: VI999D

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Skipton to Carlisle

The Settle and Carlisle was built to provide the Midland Railway with its own route to Scotland. It was a magnificent engineering feat, making a smooth path through difficult terrain that was fit for nothing less than steam express trains. The best way of appreciating it is from the driving cab, little changed in over a hundred years.

We join our 2 car Sprinter at Skipton. This fast service takes us through the restored junction station at Hellifield complete with semaphore signalling. We join the famous long drag at Settle Junction - 15 miles of almost continuous climb up to Blea Moor.

The 24 arch Ribblehead viaduct is seen from the air as well as from the driver’s cab. Our sprinter disappears into the long tunnels at Blea Moor and Rise Hill while we fly over the top for a surprising view! The Long Drag is shown almost in real time with Appleby to Carlisle discretely condensed into half an hour.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Published by: Video 125
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Geoff Druett
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
First published on DVD: 2002
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 90-mins (1hr 30min) , Colour
.

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One of the least well-known areas of Britain, we travel to the Cumbrian Coast by means of two different trains. Firstly, we board a North West Regional Railways Express (class 156) which traverses the former Furness Railway via Grange-over-Sands and Ulvertston to Barrow-in-Furness.

There we change to a class 153 for the most scenic section of the route along the coast from Bootle to Maryport, filmed in what can only be described as 100% perfect weather - not a cloud in the sky! Apparently you only get one day a year like that along the coast and we were there!

As signalling expert David Allen says in his script; "this line is a mecca for semaphore signalling enthusiasts"

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: 1997
Narrated by: David Allen
First published on DVD: 2002
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 91-mins (1hr 31min) , Colour
.

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Britain's West Coast Main Line viewed from the driving cab of the former INTERCITY's crack express from London to Glasgow.

Part one covers the leg from Euston to Preston,scheduled to run non-stop at a maximum speed of 110mph behind a classic class 87 electric loco. The route takes us via Watford Junction, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Stafford and Crewe.

Due to a broken rail the train takes an unscheduled diversion onto the slow line for a few miles north of Watford.

Part two covers the second leg of the 401 mile journey to Glasgow Central, running via Lancaster, Carnforth, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, and Carstairs. Our class 87 manages to maintain a speed of 90 mph over the legendary 1 in 75 banks up to Shap and Beattock summits - an achievement that would have been unimaginable in steam days. (DVD only)

Availability: AVAILABLE
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD-R
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 189-mins (3hr 9min) , Colour
.

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Ref: VI321

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The Newcastle and Carlisle dates right back to 1825, one of the earliest railway schemes in Britain. It opened in stages from 1834 initially to carry minerals. The railway roughly follows the course of Hadrian's Wall, marking the northernmost border of the Roman Empire in 122 AD. The railway has become an important link between the East and West Coast main lines.

We travel in the cab of a Northern Rail Class 142 Pacer, filmed in the summer of 2017 in its last few years of operation on Network Rail. Our train is on a semi-fast service, running non-stop through the area's wayside stations and calling at Haltwhistle and Hexham, both stations of which retain classic elevated signal boxes that have become iconic features of the line.

Much of the route is still signalled with semaphores and we see inside a couple of the boxes. As one would expect, from such an early railway designed to be horse-drawn, there is a lot of fascinating history in the narration.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Narrated by: Rob Curling, written by Peter Middleton.
First published on DVD: Mid February 2018
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 83-mins (1hr 23min)

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Ref: VI241

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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
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton; written by Bernard Fahey
Narrated by: Alan Hardwick
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
First published on DVD: 2013
Screen aspect ratio: 16:9 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

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

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Ref: VI991D

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Manchester Piccadilly to York

The main rail line over the Pennines via Huddersfield, sees four Transpenninexpresses plying the route every hour. The line climbs or falls almost continuously for 43 miles, the only level section being inside Standedge Tunnel, the major feature of the line.

The tunnel is the fourth longest on the national network at 3 miles 66 yards. Both it and the other major tunnel at Morley are seen (and heard) from the driver's cab with the aid of additional lighting.

Today's route incorporates the lines of various pre-grouping companies with no less than ten significant junctions being traversed between Manchester and Leeds. Our class 158 Express then continues to York over another three - the last of which brings us onto the East Coast Main Line. As well as gradients, junctions and tunnels, the route also features track circuit block signalling.

Last, but not least Yorkshire Television's Geoff Druett tells of the fascinating history.

Availability: AVAILABLE
Filmed by/when: Peter Middleton
Narrated by: Geoff Druett
Written by: Peter Middleton
First published on DVD: 2000
Screen aspect ratio: 4:3 SD
Classification: Exempt
Number of discs: 1 DVD
Media Format: DVD-R

Running Time: 81-mins (1hr 21min)

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