Run-time 1hour 39mins

SWITZERLAND – a look at activity around Landquart in the east of the country. The town hosts the main railway workshops of the Rhätische Bahn and so it is an important location for this extensive metre-gauge network. We witness a number of locomotive-hauled trains, electric multiple units and shunting locomotives in action as they go about their work. We also feature mainline trains on the adjacent standard-gauge SBB line to Chur.

CZECH REPUBLIC - there’s snow on the ground as we witness diesel traction on the line just to the south of Jesenik. Classes 754, 751 and 810 appear on passenger and freight.

GERMANY – the village station at Blankenheim just west of Halle on the line to Kassel, is our chosen stopover. In this section we witness a mixture of local passenger and long-distance freight activity. Appearing in front of our two cameras are members of class 143, 155, 185, 189, 642, 482 and 701.

SPAIN - in this August 2012 section we take a look at the single-track diesel-only mainline north of Murcia. With some spectacular scenery as a backdrop we study class 333 and 334 operations on trains soon to be replaced by more modern rolling stock.

FRANCE - a brief look at the diesel line linking Calais with Dunkerque. A diesel multiple unit and two locomotive-hauled freight trains make up the scene, including an ECR class 66.

BELGIUM - 2012 will be remembered for the withdrawal from service of class 23, 26 and class 20 electric locomotives, some of which were first introduced in 1955! The class 20s date more recently, from 1975, and it is these that we capture on film for the very last time as they were in the final few months of operation. Electric multiple, units, class 77 and class 28 locomotives also make up our study of passenger and freight operations on the mainline between Antwerpen and Gent.

POLAND - more diesel action from rural lines in the west of the country close to the German border. The line east of Gubin is our first featured section of track: here we capture freight-only operations with class 232 and ST43 providing the power. Next we move to Zagañ as a diesel railcar mixes it with a class ST43-powered freight.

AUSTRIA - our final section comes from the tortuous Semmering Pass mainline to the south-west of Vienna. A new tunnel by-passing the mountain route has just been started, so we thought it a good idea to look at current day operations. Classes 1044, 1142,1144, 1116 and 4020 are the all-star cast featured on a mixture of passenger and freight turns.

Commentary for the programme is provided by Radio and TV’s, Ian Champion.