GB 1992 1hr 36mins Dir: Michael Whyte Starring: Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie
After her husband dies, a painter finds solace restoring a derelict railway station
The railway station in the title of this romantic drama is the beautifully remote Cashelnagor station, County Donegal. Regarded as the remotest of all the remote stations on the rural 3ft gauge Letterkenny and Burtonport Extension Railway, Cashelnagor opened in 1903, and is often spelt Cashelnagore on early maps. The lonely single platform lies in the shadow of Errigal Mountain but closed to passengers as early as 1940 with an operating life of just 37 years. It became derelict after closure, but in 2018 was restored to its former glory and is now let as holiday accomodation. Prior to this, however, the main building and waiting room where cosmetically restored for the film, which is based on the 1984 novel of the same name by Jennifer Johnston. There is a really interesting scene where Donald Sutherland takes Julie Christie into the restored signal box and talks here through the procedure for the use of the single line staff system complete with bell codes and working block instruments!
The building at the end of this road is the former Cashelnagor station in County Donegal. The small wooden shed barely visible on the right is the old signal box. The brooding mass of Errigal Mountain overlooks this desolate scene. At 2,464ft it is the highest peak in the Derryveagh Mountains.
A handful of stunted trees have grown in the protection of the stone built goods shed
Donald Sutherland shows Julie Christie around the restored station interior
This is the restored interior of the diminutive little signal box at Cashelnagor, more a signal shed than anything else. The poster on the door giving notice of the by-laws and regulations would take half a morning to read!
Donald Sutherland explains, with excellent historical accuracy on the part of the production team, the operation of the electric token block equipment.
This overall view is taken at the site of the former level crossing. Errigal Mountain rises behind, with its peak shrouded in mist.
A view north towards Burtonport from the old platform. Note the re-erected semaphore signal and cast iron station lamp.
A view looking south towards Letterkenny has plenty to interest the casual observer. Another semaphore stands sentinel at the site of the former level crossing opposite the little signal hut whilst another ornate gas lamp has been restored. An early ‘Vee-Dub’ Golf stands on the trackbed where steam locomotives once ran whilst the entrance porch of the station looks very ornate and in remarkably good order after decades of disuse.
Another overview of the former railway station site with the Derryveagh Mountains behind
This view appears to show the former goods loading dock. In the foreground is a 3ft gauge bogie on loan to the production team as a prop from the Foyle Valley Railway in Derry, Northern Ireland.
This view ’round the back’ of the station shows the approach to the former goods shed. A pair of wheels can be seen on the right whilst a pair of open goods wagons are quietly disintegrating on the left!
Frank McCusker and Mark Tandy inside the goods shed at Cashelnagore
