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FILM CONTRACTS
With a unique collection of working steam locomotives, and a unique collection of vintage railway carriages, we are an ideal choice for any film or TV Commercial maker who wishes to portray a railway scene at any time between the1880's and the 1960's.
Below is a table outlining the filming work that the RPSI has been involved in over the last 30 years.
No.461 pictured at Pearse Station in Dublin for the filming of Rebel Heart in March 2000. Photo by B.Solomon
(above) No.461 at Pearse Station during filming of the major BBC/RTE 
production "Rebel Heart" in March 2000.  Photo by B.Solomon
Start Date  End Date   Name Of Production Period Locos Used Filming Location Additional Comments
    The Dead 1910s 184   A dramatisation of Joyce’s work – possibly the last film of John Houston.
10-06-1973 10-06-1973 Power To Move 1970s 171 Whitehead,– Antrim,– Lisburn, Moira BBC TV programme.
12-06-1976 13-06-1976 A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man 1910s 171, 186 Dublin – Cork – Cobh Filmed on the Society’'s “Seandun” railtour.
12-04-1978 16-06-1978 First Great Train Robbery 1890s 184, 186 Cork, Dublin Heuston, Moate Not continuously.
23-09-1978 23-09-1978 Lady Gregory   171 Whitehead RTE TV production.
22-03-1979 22-03-1979 The Flame Is Love 1890s 184 Bray - Greystones Set between Paris and Le Havre using coaches from First Great Train Robbery.
16-07-1980 16-07-1980 My Dear Palestrina 1950s 171 Poyntzpass BBC TV play.
26-08-1980 26-08-1980 Canada Dry TV Commercial 1930s 171 Malahide Night filming.
25-09-1982 25-09-1982 The Life Of Richard Wagner 1890s 171 Dublin Loco transfer date - not necessarily filming date.
20-03-1983 20-03-1983 Aunt Suzanne 1910s 171 Carrickfergus BBC TV play.
14-05-1983 15-05-1983 Country Girls 1960s 171 Waterford area Lineside shots from the “Port Lairge” railtour
14-10-1983 14-10-1983 Irish RM 1890s 184 Mullingar - Moate Station scenes at Moate.
20-12-1983 20-12-1983 A Painful Case   184 Mullingar - Moate  
21-11-1986 23-11-1986 Remington Steele 1980s 85 Dublin Connolly Static station (supposedly Paddington) with platform fight scene. BR logo on tender.
13-09-1987 14-09-1987 Troubles 1920s 184 Greystones - Wicklow TV Film.
17-09-1987 18-09-1987 Echoes 1950s 184 Carrick-On-Suir - Fiddown  
14-10-1987 14-10-1987 The Old Jest   184 Moate  
04-05-1989 05-05-1989 The Real Charlotte 1890s 184 Moate, Dublin Heuston Loco not in steam.
01-07-1990 01-07-1990 Satzenbrau TV Commercial 1990s Coaches Dublin Heuston  
06-09-1992 06-09-1992 NITB TV Advert 1990s 171 Downhill Filmed at tunnels and strand.
25-04-1993 25-04-1993 Derry To Kerry 1993 171 Derry - Belfast BBC TV Great Railway Journeys.
02-05-1993 02-05-1993 Derry To Kerry 1993 461 Dublin - Rosslare BBC TV Great Railway Journeys.
16-07-1995 01-10-1995 Michael Collins 1920 171-- 461 Dublin, Rush, Laytown, Wicklow Not continuously.
31-07-1995 31-07-1995 Corr's Music Video 1995 Diner 88 Dublin Pearse Coach 1335 also made an appearance.
28-09-1995 28-09-1995 Visa TV Commercial 1995 Coaches Killarney  
18-10-1995 18-10-1995 Bookworm 1995 Coaches Dublin Heuston BBC/RTE Arts Programme.
04-04-1996 04-04-1996 Karet Coffee Commercial 1990s 85 Whitehead - Larne Harbour - Whitehead Advert for an Israeli coffee company
16-10-1997 17-10-1997 Amongst Women 1950s Coaches Castlerea BBC/RTE Series. Set hauled by ITG's A39 diesel locomotive.
17-08-1998 17-08-1998 Her Own Rules   461 Malahide TV production.
19-08-1998 20-08-1998 Durango   461 Rathdrum Film production.
29-11-1998 20-12-1998 Angela's Ashes 1930s 461 Dublin Pearse Film production - 2 days.
23-05-1999 23-05-1999 Norah Barnacle 1910s Coaches Dublin Pearse Film production.
26-03-2000 27-03-2000 Rebel Heart 1916 461 Dublin Pearse BBC/RTE production.
01-07-2001 02-07-2001 Cake 2001 1463 Inchicore TV production for TG4.
25-05-2005 27-05-2005 The Wind That Shakes The Barley Ireland 1919 186 Killarney Ken Loach film.
08-06-2005 08-06-2005 Lassie England 1930s 4 Dublin Pearse 1142, 88 and 1916 were used, but No.4 was not needed in the end.
July 2012 1916 Amhrán na bhFiann Ireland 1916 1142, 2977 Inchicore/font> Static filming.

As well as supplying locomotives and coaches, we can advise on historical authenticity and on other practical matters in relation to your filming proposals.
In order to arrange a filming sequence with a railway subject, there are a number of things to consider.

Firstly, is a train required just as a static backdrop, or is a locomotive in steam required?  Then, does the train need to be going anywhere, or is it sufficient to have it just move away out of camera view?  If one of the above is all that is needed, it may be possible to arrange the whole shoot on our premises at Whitehead, Co. Antrim, or at a location on the national railway system (and we can give you clues on where best to go for different purposes).  If you need a fully fledged train, travelling on a main line, we need to involve the railway authorities as well.  Let us know what you require and we can suggest how best to approach it.

Costs are based on the following:

  • Hire of Locomotive and / or  Coach(es).
  • Running expenses i.e. coal and lubricant costs, railway company line occupancy charges, railway crew charges.  Running expenses are calculated on a mileage basis, and on the basis of coal etc. used while stationary.
  • Generally, your film company will incur charges from the railway company as well, which you need to negotiate separately.  Should you require diesel haulage of our rolling stock for positioning purposes, this would also be subject to negotiation with the relevant railway company.

See the railway map of Ireland below to have a look at where it is possible to go - anywhere is theoretically possible, though some destinations are more suitable for steam trains to go to than others.

Contact us today for a quotation.

RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF IRELAND
P.O. BOX 171
LARNE
COUNTY ANTRIM
NORTHERN IRELAND
BT40 1UU

Our fax number / recorded message phone number is (028) 2826 0803.
Email us!
 

CORPORATE HIRE / ENTERTAINMENT

valued clients:
The RPSI has a valued history of providing our steam trains for corporate events.  Examples of train hire in 2005 have been:

  • Steam trains from Lisburn/Belfast to Cultra for evening meal events - NITB, Association of British Neurologists, British Transplant Society
  • A steam train from Belfast to celebrate VE/VJ Day - The Mount Vernon Community Association
  • A steam train from Dublin to publicise the launch of the latest Harry Potter Book - Tesco Ireland
  • A steam train from Dublin for the Iarnrod Eireann Permanent Way Institute
  • Steam trains for special events, for example Belfast City Councils "Steam over Belfast Lough" as part of Titanic Week
whats on offer:
Apart from a completely unique experience - we are the only providers of mainline steam trains in Ireland!
We can offer anything from the complete hire of our steam train to the reservation of seats in first class carriages on one of our scheduled public trains.
A corporate event in the Transport Gallery of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in 2004. Delegates arrived and departed on a RPSI steam train from Cultra station.
In Northern Ireland, we have successfully collaborated with the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum to provide a unique corporate package.  This very successful format sees the steam train picking up delegates at Lisburn or Belfast Central, taking them to Cultra station where it is a very short walk to the Transport Gallery, a very exciting and inspiring venue for an evening meal (see photograph above).  Full conference facilities can be provided.  The steam train then returns delegates to the heart of Belfast and Lisburn later in the evening.

No.186 crosses Cahir viaduct in May 2005 - where would you like to hire our train? Photo by G LockleyOn board the train we can offer full bar and tea-bar facilities if requested.  From Dublin, a full train will comfortably seat over 300 people.  From Belfast, a full train will comfortably seat  220 people.  A single carriage will hold anything from 50 - 60 people (depending on which carriage you want)  or, a single compartment in one coach will hold 8 people.  See the railway map of Ireland above to have a look at where it is possible to go.

what does it cost?:
In all cases, we advise you to contact us to discuss pricing an event or corporate train.  Costs are dependent on the nature of requirements, please send us an email and we'll be happy to discuss with you.

what should you do next?:

  • Have a think about where you would like to travel and consider a budget.
  • Send us an email with your idea and we will be able to work with you to make it a reality.
  • It really is THAT SIMPLE!!

Keeping Steam alive in Ireland since 1964
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