0:00:03 > 0:00:10'In 1840, one man transformed travel in Britain and Ireland.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12'His name was George Bradshaw,
0:00:12 > 0:00:17'and his railway guides inspired the Victorians to take to the tracks.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21'Stop by stop, he told them where to travel,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24'what to see and where to stay.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28'Now, 170 years later, I'm making a series of journeys
0:00:28 > 0:00:31'across the length and breadth of these islands,
0:00:31 > 0:00:34'to see what of Bradshaw's world remains.'
0:00:54 > 0:00:58I'm in the middle of a delightful journey that will take me
0:00:58 > 0:01:01from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03following my Bradshaw's guide,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05across tracks laid in the 19th century,
0:01:05 > 0:01:10when there was one Ireland, living under the reign of Queen Victoria.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15'On this leg, I'll be unravelling the mystery
0:01:15 > 0:01:17'of Ireland's pagan past.'
0:01:17 > 0:01:20That is a most extraordinary set of stones.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23I suppose, Stonehenge-like.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26'Seeing the technology used by Victorian stargazers.'
0:01:26 > 0:01:30That, I DO recognise, as a telescope.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32'And travelling on a 19th century country railway,
0:01:32 > 0:01:36'lovingly restored to life.'
0:01:36 > 0:01:38I might think I was in the wrong place,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41if it weren't for the tell-tale drift of smoke.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48'I'm almost halfway through exploring the history
0:01:48 > 0:01:49'of 19th century Ireland.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52'Having seen the railways' birthplace in Dublin,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54'I'm following their expansion north,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57'towards the industrial powerhouse of Belfast,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00'and my final destination of Derry/Londonderry.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03'Beginning in Dundalk,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06'this stretch takes me over the border,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09'where I'll see how this region's complex history
0:02:09 > 0:02:11'has shaped the railways,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14'finishing up in rural County Down.'
0:02:14 > 0:02:16I shall be getting off at Dundalk,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19in search of what my Bradshaw's guide calls,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21"Rude vestiges of antiquity,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23"which consist of earthworks,
0:02:23 > 0:02:27"chiefly designed for sepulchral purposes.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31"Cromlechs, and other relics of pre-Christian ages,
0:02:31 > 0:02:36"still numerous, and in several instances, extremely curious."
0:02:36 > 0:02:39And that has, indeed, excited my curiosity.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43'The "cromlechs" referred to in my guidebook
0:02:43 > 0:02:44'means "crooked stones".
0:02:44 > 0:02:48'One of Ireland's finest examples is close to Dundalk.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56'I'm getting off at its Victorian station,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58'designed by the famous engineer, William Hemingway Mills,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00'and opened in 1894.'
0:03:02 > 0:03:05What a beautiful station.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Dundalk, wonderfully preserved, and beautifully kept,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10with its lovely flowers,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13looking great on a summer's day.
0:03:16 > 0:03:22'The Victorians were fascinated, and somewhat obsessed, by death.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24'Ancient pagan monuments like cromlechs, which honoured
0:03:24 > 0:03:28'and interred the dead, drew artists and scientists alike
0:03:28 > 0:03:31'to these mystical stones.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33'In Bradshaw's day,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36'tourists from Dundalk could stroll up from the station,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38'but, to follow in their footsteps,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40'I'm using a more modern form of transport.'
0:03:40 > 0:03:44The cromlech I want to visit is on the edge of a golf course,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47so a buggy is the way to go.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Normal train service will be resumed when possible.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54'The cromlech is easy to spot,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57standing out incongruously amongst the golfers.'
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Well, that is a most extraordinary set of stones.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04I suppose, Stonehenge-like.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07No idea what it does, what it is.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11'Hugh Smyth knows the story of this curious structure.'
0:04:11 > 0:04:13- Hugh. This is a cromlech, is it? - It's a cromlech, yes.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15And what is a cromlech?
0:04:15 > 0:04:17It's actually an ancient tomb,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20dating back to the Neolithic people,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23approximately 4,500 to 5,000 years ago.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26This is where they would have buried their people.
0:04:26 > 0:04:27That's extraordinarily old.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Older than Stonehenge.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Older than the pyramids of Egypt.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36'The stones' true purpose hasn't always been understood.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40'They've even found a place in Irish mythology as a bed for giants.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45'While some Victorians correctly associated them with tombs,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49'others believed they were used for human sacrifice.'
0:04:49 > 0:04:54My Bradshaw's guide describes it as "curious".
0:04:54 > 0:04:59I think the Victorians did actually find it interesting, didn't they?
0:04:59 > 0:05:03They found it very interesting, because they had resurrected
0:05:03 > 0:05:09a belief and interest in spirituality and paganism.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11They would have come here,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13on many occasions, to look at this curiosity.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21'In the 19th century, poets and artists of the Romantic movement
0:05:21 > 0:05:23'harked back to pre-industrial innocence,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26'and were fascinated by ancient beliefs.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29'But, the Victorians were making great strides
0:05:29 > 0:05:31'in scientific study.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34'The foundations of modern archaeology were laid,
0:05:34 > 0:05:38'while geologists began to unlock the secrets of rocks.'
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Hugh, these are clearly massive stones. What do we know about them?
0:05:44 > 0:05:49We know the three standing stones are native to the mountains here.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53The top, capping stone, is not native to here at all.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56It is native to the Mourne mountains,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59which lie across Carlingford Lough in County Down.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04'A theory is that these ancient people
0:06:04 > 0:06:09'transported this 46-tonne stone more than ten miles,
0:06:09 > 0:06:14'bringing it across the 2½ mile-wide lough, using rafts.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18'It tops what was once probably the rocky gateway
0:06:18 > 0:06:21'to a much bigger structure, covered in earth or stones.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25'Victorian visitors could test their skill here,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27'spurred on by a local legend.'
0:06:27 > 0:06:31If you can manage to land a stone on top,
0:06:31 > 0:06:34good luck will follow you all the days of your life.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- That's well worth trying for, isn't it?- Yes. You have to try.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51- Brilliant!- Very well done!
0:06:56 > 0:06:58'I think it's time for me to quit while I'm ahead,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01'and return to the rails.'
0:07:01 > 0:07:03I'm back at Dundalk Station,
0:07:03 > 0:07:06close to something which didn't exist in Bradshaw's time,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08the border.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11But, who's existence, from the early part of the 20th century,
0:07:11 > 0:07:17mightily affected rail services and people living either side of it.
0:07:17 > 0:07:18'In Bradshaw's day,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21'the United Kingdom of Great Britain
0:07:21 > 0:07:24'and Ireland was a single state, governed from Westminster.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30'As the 19th century drew on, calls grew for Irish independence,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34'but those demands met dogged resistance, especially in the north.
0:07:34 > 0:07:41'In 1922, after decades of sometimes violent dispute,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43'the Irish Free State was established,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46'but Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52'Suddenly, the island of Ireland was divided by an international border,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55'and Dundalk became a frontier town.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01'Retired station master, Brendan McQuaid, is showing me
0:08:01 > 0:08:04'how this left its mark on the station.'
0:08:05 > 0:08:08I'm guessing this gate is of some historic significance?
0:08:08 > 0:08:10It's very significant, yes.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13That fence there was erected in 1922.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18People disembarking had to be customs cleared here at Dundalk.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20So, this gate was closed all along.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23That barrier ran the length of the station.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26People couldn't exit the station
0:08:26 > 0:08:29until they had been cleared by the customs.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34'Partition changed life overnight for people living near the border.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39'A shopping trip to Belfast became an international journey.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41'Border controls were set up,
0:08:41 > 0:08:45'and duty levied on goods brought across the frontier.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46'For railway passengers,
0:08:46 > 0:08:51'that meant customs officers searching the train.'
0:08:51 > 0:08:53So, what sort of things were they looking for?
0:08:53 > 0:08:58Anything. Virtually everything that was bought in the north
0:08:58 > 0:08:59would be dutiable here.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Things like butter were cheaper in the north than the south,
0:09:03 > 0:09:08so people going to visit in the north brought back butter with them.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Copies of the News Of The World,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12which wasn't sold this side of the border.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Tide washing powder, Mars Bars,
0:09:15 > 0:09:16anything.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19'It wasn't until the 1990s, and the creation of
0:09:19 > 0:09:23'the Single European Market, that the customs controls were removed.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27'For the people of Dundalk, they were a way of life for 70 years.'
0:09:27 > 0:09:29What did people think of it?
0:09:29 > 0:09:32People were very disgruntled, Michael, and very annoyed.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Of course, they did everything they possibly could to hide the goods.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40The stories that we hear about people hanging goods
0:09:40 > 0:09:44from the door handles of trains, ladies buying clothes in the north,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47putting them on top of the clothes they were wearing going down.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49As regards what people thought about it,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52there was nothing they could really do about it.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54It was the system, and people just accepted it.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58'Partition failed to bring peace to the region.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02'With the advent of the so-called Troubles in the late 1960s,
0:10:02 > 0:10:07'security was tightened further, and services were often disrupted
0:10:07 > 0:10:09'as the railway line became a target.'
0:10:09 > 0:10:12How long might the interruptions last?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Some might only last two or three hours,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16depending on where the device was supposed to be.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20I remember one Christmas, around 1988,
0:10:20 > 0:10:22and it went on for about three weeks.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26The railway line was closed for approximately three weeks.
0:10:26 > 0:10:27That was the longest that we had.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33'The express service from Dublin to Belfast was renamed
0:10:33 > 0:10:36'the Enterprise in 1947, and I'm about to experience
0:10:36 > 0:10:40'just how seamless crossing the border has become.'
0:10:44 > 0:10:48- Hello, are you the station master? - Yes. Anthony Monaghan is my name.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51I'm taking the Enterprise in a moment.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53When I get to the border, what will I notice?
0:10:53 > 0:10:56There's actually no real difference in the crossover.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59There's a signal post, and the signals change.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02There's no signage, it's just straight on in.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05So, when I go over the border, I'm going to change country,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08I'm going to change currency.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10You use kilometres here in the Republic,
0:11:10 > 0:11:11they use miles in the North.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- But there's no stopping, just straight through?- Yes.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Straight into Newry, and then that's it.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20- Do I need that?- Oh, you won't need your passport, you're OK.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- Just all the way through? - All the way through.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25That's a great relief. Thank you so much.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29- No problem, Michael, thank you. - I love your station.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37The Enterprise.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Beam me north.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45'My next station is just 15 miles and 20 minutes away.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48'There's barely a clue that I'm crossing a frontier.'
0:11:53 > 0:11:56This is the Enterprise crossing the border.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59I've had a wonderful time in the Republic,
0:11:59 > 0:12:00so farewell, Republic,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03I'm going back to the United Kingdom.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05I don't need my euros any more.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08I can put them away.
0:12:08 > 0:12:14'My Northern Ireland adventure begins at the first stop
0:12:14 > 0:12:16'north of the border.'
0:12:24 > 0:12:28Newry Station. So, my journey continues now in Northern Ireland.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32'It's time for me to find my bed for the night,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36'and I'm heading out towards the east coast,
0:12:36 > 0:12:38'in search of a slice of Railway Age opulence.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41'Unfortunately, it's no longer possible to get there by train,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43'so it's the bus for me.'
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Buses are all very fine, but when you're on them,
0:12:49 > 0:12:50you do miss the train.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57'My bus journey is taking me towards the seaside resort of Newcastle,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00'backed by the splendour of the Mourne mountains.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05'In the 19th century, railway builders had grand plans
0:13:05 > 0:13:08'to transform this town into a magnet for the tourist.'
0:13:10 > 0:13:14The old railway station here at Newcastle, County Down,
0:13:14 > 0:13:15has no more trains.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18But the railways have left their mark on the place,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21in the form of this 19th century resort hotel,
0:13:21 > 0:13:23the Slieve Donard.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25This is where I'll spend the night.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28'This ornate Victorian hotel was built
0:13:28 > 0:13:32'by the Belfast and County Down Railway Company,
0:13:32 > 0:13:34'and opened in 1898.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38'The hope was to lure businessmen from Belfast
0:13:38 > 0:13:41'to a luxurious retreat, and before I turn in,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45'I want to hear about the hotel's heyday from manager, John Toner.'
0:13:45 > 0:13:48What was the standard of accommodation when it opened?
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Very high. Every room had its own fire,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54and it had the highest sort of public areas,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56like billiard rooms.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59It also had a drawing room, reading rooms and writing rooms.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02There were Turkish baths
0:14:02 > 0:14:04and hot seawater baths.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07It really led the path well.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10And wonderful views of mountain and sea?
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Yes, it's in the heart of Dundrum Bay, looking out to the Irish Sea.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17On a clear day, you can see Scotland to your right.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19You can see the Isle Of Man.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24I think I've chosen well. I'll sleep well, with this wonderful sea air.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28- I'm sure you will.- Thank you. - Good night.- Bye.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43'After a good night's rest, it's time for me to rejoin my route.'
0:14:43 > 0:14:49An uplifting view of sea and mountain puts a spring in my step,
0:14:49 > 0:14:50as I go back to the rails.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56'I've retraced my steps to Newry, to continue my journey north.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00'It's had a station ever since 1855, but the latest incarnation
0:15:00 > 0:15:04'is this modern building, opened just two years ago.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10Newry Station has the feeling of an airport terminal.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Very new, indeed.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Hello, how you doing?
0:15:16 > 0:15:19- Oh, you're for Belfast? - Yes, here to Portadown.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Platform Two. The train's coming in now, OK?
0:15:22 > 0:15:24Upstairs, over the bridge.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26- Thanks. Bye.- Bye.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32'Once again, I'm travelling on one of the smart express trains
0:15:32 > 0:15:36'that speed between Dublin and Belfast.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39'But train travel hasn't always been this comfortable,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41'or this safe.'
0:15:41 > 0:15:43I don't know about you, but when I get on a train,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46I never think about the possibility of an accident.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49But, let's face it. Over nearly two centuries of railway history,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52there have been some appalling disasters.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55The consolation, perhaps, is that the worst of those
0:15:55 > 0:15:59lead to improvements in procedures and regulations.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05'I'm leaving the train at Portadown.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09'These days, it's as close as you can get by rail to Armagh,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13'the site of one of the 19th century's most shocking accidents.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17'Track inspector Urban Magee has been researching the story.'
0:16:17 > 0:16:20- Urban, hello.- Hello, Michael. How are you? Pleased to meet you.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25It's good to see you. I'm interested in the Armagh rail disaster of 1889.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28It's gone down in history. What was the cause of it?
0:16:28 > 0:16:32What happened was, there was a large number of passengers
0:16:32 > 0:16:35coming out of the train at Armagh, in 1889.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39As a result, they put extra coaches on the train.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42The engine provided wasn't capable of pulling the train
0:16:42 > 0:16:46up the hill, coming out of Armagh Station, so the train stalled
0:16:46 > 0:16:50and the driver decided to hook the first four coaches off the train,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54and bring those on to a nearby station.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56'At the time,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00'carriages didn't have their own continuous braking system,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03'so to stop the remaining eight coaches rolling down the hill,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06'the crew placed stones beneath the wheels.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09'It was a technique that proved fatal.'
0:17:09 > 0:17:11When he had come back,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14the stones had crushed from underneath the wheels
0:17:14 > 0:17:17of the rear eight, and they had rolled back down the hill
0:17:17 > 0:17:21into Armagh Station, and collided with a train coming out.
0:17:21 > 0:17:22How big was the disaster?
0:17:22 > 0:17:25At that time, 88 people died. Several hundreds were injured.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29There was a total of 1,200 passengers on board the train.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32'It was Ireland's worst disaster since the birth of the railways,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35'and revealed some serious flaws in the system.'
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Would the signalman not have known
0:17:37 > 0:17:39the train hadn't cleared out of the patch,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41when he allowed the next train through?
0:17:41 > 0:17:44No. At that time, that section of track
0:17:44 > 0:17:46was controlled by time interval.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48So, the signalman just let the train out
0:17:48 > 0:17:51at a certain amount of time, usually an hour,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53after the other train had left.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57He was confident that train had left the portion of track, and it hadn't.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01'Soon after the disaster, an Act of Parliament was passed,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03'requiring railway companies
0:18:03 > 0:18:06'to introduce better braking and signalling,
0:18:06 > 0:18:11'and setting in train railway safety features we now take for granted.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14'A modern signal box contains sophisticated technology
0:18:14 > 0:18:18'designed to ensure that such an accident could not recur.'
0:18:18 > 0:18:21On this board, I'd still be able to see
0:18:21 > 0:18:24these different sections of line controlled by a signalman?
0:18:24 > 0:18:28Yep. There's block sections all along this panel here.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32Trains would not be permitted to pass this signal,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34unless the section of line is clear.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38So, I guess, when we have these really appalling disasters,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40in the worst cases at least,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43some kind of good comes out of it, some improvement?
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Well, there's usually lessons learned from everything.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55'Armagh lost its station in the 1950s, but my 19th century guide
0:18:55 > 0:18:58'gives the town's fine buildings an approving review.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01'It singles out "the well-organised observatory,
0:19:01 > 0:19:06'"containing transit, zenith sector, mural circle, telescope,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08'"electro-meter, etcetera".
0:19:08 > 0:19:11'As telescope is the only word I recognise,
0:19:11 > 0:19:12'I've come to look for that,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16'helped by observatory librarian, John McFarland.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19'He's leading me to the observatory's oldest instrument,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22'one of very few such devices left in the world.'
0:19:22 > 0:19:24What a magnificent object, John.
0:19:24 > 0:19:30Yes, this is the so-called Troughton equatorial telescope,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32manufactured in 1795
0:19:32 > 0:19:36by the firm of John & Edward Troughton, of London.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Here's the actual telescope.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40Quite small by modern standards, of course.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44But large enough for the purposes of the astronomer in those days,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46working out positions of stars on the sky.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52'The observatory was founded in 1789, by the Archbishop of Armagh,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54'Richard Robinson,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58'who had a vision of turning Armagh into a university town.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00'His observatory, thereafter,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03'pushed forward our understanding of the universe.'
0:20:03 > 0:20:08The Victorians were very keen on acquiring scientific knowledge.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11- Did it have a practical value? - Indeed it did, Michael.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14The work of the astronomer in those days
0:20:14 > 0:20:16was calculating the positions of stars on the sky,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19for the use of navigators and sailors.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22For example, in crossing the vast oceans,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24you had to know exactly where you were,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26otherwise you could crash into rocks,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28or be miles out at the end of your journey.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32'Mapping the stars was a mammoth task that kept the astronomers busy
0:20:32 > 0:20:34'for most of the 19th century,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36'but in the mid-1800s,
0:20:36 > 0:20:40'this vital project was threatened by a proposed new railway.'
0:20:42 > 0:20:45You had to have absolute steadiness in your instruments.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47They couldn't move, in any way,
0:20:47 > 0:20:49while you were making your observations.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53'The astronomers feared vibrations from passing trains
0:20:53 > 0:20:56'would ruin their results.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59'Although they couldn't prevent the arrival of the rails in Armagh,
0:20:59 > 0:21:01'observatory director Thomas Robinson
0:21:01 > 0:21:05'blocked the line from coming within 700 yards of the building.'
0:21:05 > 0:21:09In your professional opinion, would that be a safe distance?
0:21:09 > 0:21:14No. I think Robinson eventually regretted that short distance.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16He thought it should have been much further,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18once he had completed his experiments
0:21:18 > 0:21:23on the disturbing forces of the locomotives.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27'Despite their precautions, the astronomers ended up
0:21:27 > 0:21:31'throwing out a great many results due to vibrations from trains.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34'Luckily, it didn't force the observatory to close.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38'Astronomers here today work on state-of-the-art astrophysics.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43'But they haven't entirely abandoned their Victorian instruments.'
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Now, John, that I DO recognise, as a telescope.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48What vintage is this?
0:21:48 > 0:21:50This dates from 1885.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54It was built by the firm of Howard Grubb, of Dublin.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56This is the telescope we'd use nowadays
0:21:56 > 0:21:58for making our visual observations.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00- And you're still using it today? - Very much so.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03As and when the weather permits, of course.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08For example, you can rotate the dome here right around,
0:22:08 > 0:22:09by pulling on this rope over here.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13- May I have a go?- Yes, please do.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22That operates amazingly smoothly, doesn't it?
0:22:22 > 0:22:26- Yes, it's cooperating today. - That's a great design in itself.
0:22:26 > 0:22:32I'm so impressed you're still using a telescope
0:22:32 > 0:22:37- nearly as old as my Bradshaw's, and just as useful.- Yes, indeed.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42'For the last leg of my journey,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44'I'm taking a detour from my route.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47'I've been following the mainline that links Dublin and Belfast,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50'but in Bradshaw's day, there were other, smaller lines
0:22:50 > 0:22:53'radiating from the island's second city.'
0:22:53 > 0:22:56'I've come to the County Down countryside,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00'to see what's left of a celebrated Victorian service.'
0:23:02 > 0:23:05A remote platform, set amongst fields and cows.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08I might think I was in the wrong place, if it weren't
0:23:08 > 0:23:10for the tell-tale drift of smoke.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17'I'm catching a steam train on the Downpatrick and County Down Railway.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21'It's Northern Ireland's only full-size heritage line,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24'and it runs on a route created in Bradshaw's day.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29'The original Belfast & County Down Railway
0:23:29 > 0:23:32'was built by the famous engineer William Dargan,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36'the man behind Ireland's very first railway, back in 1834.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39'But, like so many Irish lines, it's had a chequered history.
0:23:41 > 0:23:42'En route to Downpatrick,
0:23:42 > 0:23:46'I'm getting the story from volunteer Robert Gardiner.'
0:23:48 > 0:23:52- Was this built for passengers, or freight?- Passengers.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55The Belfast And County Down Railway was a commuter line.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59This line to Downpatrick was for the legal profession,
0:23:59 > 0:24:05so that judges and barristers could get from the crown court in Belfast
0:24:05 > 0:24:07down to the courthouse here in Downpatrick,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11which was a major legal centre in the county.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13A silky-smooth ride for them?
0:24:13 > 0:24:17Absolutely. If you compare the stagecoach ride from Belfast
0:24:17 > 0:24:19in small, pitted roads,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22versus this brand new marvel of wondrous technology.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24There would be no comparison.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29'But the lawyers had to wait for their commuter line.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32'The route was first proposed in 1845,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36'when Ireland was in the grip of the great famine,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38'which began with the potato blight,
0:24:38 > 0:24:40'and went on to kill around a million people.'
0:24:42 > 0:24:46There's a myth that Ulster wasn't as badly affected
0:24:46 > 0:24:48as the rest of the island of Ireland was.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53But it WAS affected, and the Irish famine did have a severe impact
0:24:53 > 0:24:54on the construction of this line.
0:24:54 > 0:25:00'The famine delayed construction of the line for a decade,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02'but by the end of the 19th century,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05'Ireland's railways had spread impressively.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08'They reached their zenith in the 1920s,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12'when the island was criss-crossed by nearly 3,500 miles of track.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14'But it wasn't to last.'
0:25:14 > 0:25:16When did this lovely line close to the public?
0:25:16 > 0:25:211950. It was one of the first lines in Northern Island to be closed.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25The line had been run into the ground during the Second World War.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28At that time, the Stormont government decided
0:25:28 > 0:25:31it wasn't worth the while keeping it open.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34"And, we'll close it. Sure, buses will do the work instead."
0:25:34 > 0:25:37'This pattern was repeated across the land.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40'Today, fewer than half the lines in use at the peak
0:25:40 > 0:25:42'remain in service.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45'Here in County Down, the track was lifted,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48'and it was thought the line was history,
0:25:48 > 0:25:49'until, in the 1980s,
0:25:49 > 0:25:53'a group of enthusiasts decided to revive it.'
0:25:53 > 0:25:551982, that was a pretty troubled moment
0:25:55 > 0:25:58in the history of Northern Ireland?
0:25:58 > 0:26:01It was at the height of the Troubles, and, I suppose,
0:26:01 > 0:26:06it would be an unlikely time for a heritage railway to be set up.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08I think we were just lucky,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11in terms of the politics of this area
0:26:11 > 0:26:14were very favourable to promoting tourism.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17And, basically getting on with life, at that time,
0:26:17 > 0:26:22and ensuring that something kept going on, beyond the Troubles.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25'The heritage project had a slow start,
0:26:25 > 0:26:29'with little funding, and barely any facilities.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32'Now it's popular with tourists, who come to where St Patrick,
0:26:32 > 0:26:37'who introduced Christianity to Ireland, is believed to be buried.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40'The heritage line is run entirely by volunteers like Robert,
0:26:40 > 0:26:44'who do everything from driving trains
0:26:44 > 0:26:47'to restoring vintage coaches.'
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Oh dear, this is a poor old wreck of a thing, isn't it?
0:26:49 > 0:26:52It is, but it's pretty much a gem in our collection, at the minute.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55We found it in a field, near Hillsborough,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58being used as a chicken house.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02But, if I mentioned the names King George V, King George VI,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05and King Edward VII, and a bunch of chickens,
0:27:05 > 0:27:07what do you think they'd have in common?
0:27:07 > 0:27:09They all used this carriage?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11They've all used this carriage.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15This was the Belfast & County Down Railway's royal saloon.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18It was built in 1897, for Queen Victoria's jubilee.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22And, one day, you will restore it, to regal splendour.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25'It's a labour of love for the volunteers,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28'and reminds us of the railways' important part
0:27:28 > 0:27:31'in this region's history.'
0:27:31 > 0:27:33For the first time, my railway journey
0:27:33 > 0:27:36has taken me across an international border.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39During my lifetime, relations across that border have been strained,
0:27:39 > 0:27:44and rail services have been disrupted by political issues.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47But, since Bradshaw's day,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50whenever peoples were able to live at peace,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53the train was there to smooth trade
0:27:53 > 0:27:55and to link families and friends.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01'On the next leg of my journey,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04'I'll be taking a step back in time.'
0:28:04 > 0:28:07This is like the early stages of the Industrial Revolution.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12'Seeing what gave pleasure-seeking Victorians
0:28:12 > 0:28:13'the thrill of their lives.'
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Being 30 to 70 feet above the sea crashing below you.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18A big change from city life.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23'And taking to the tracks in the latest high-tech train simulator.'
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Oh, dear! I think we're all dead!
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:52 > 0:28:55E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk