4. The north east coast from Edinburgh to Morpeth-27.07.19

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2019 > 53. A North British Extravaganza-24-28.07.19 > 4. The north east coast from Edinburgh to Morpeth-27.07.19

The weather had well and truly broken on this day and the rain was, at times torrential! However, nothing stops Andy and me as we followed the coast from Edinburgh down to Morpeth. My two main purposes were to visit the Penmansheil memorial to pay my respects and to take some photographs where the ECML skirts to cliffs just north of Berwick. Both were achieved but it was a shame that the weather was so poor.

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Images 1-33 of 33 displayed.

318269, stabled, Bathgate depot
ScotRail is likely to be disposing of its class 318s over the coming few years as more new stock is accepted in-service. Refurbished for a second time between 2013 and 2107 the units meet the new in-coming disability access regulations so still can do their job for the time being. 318269 sits idle in the extensive depot adjacent to Bathgate station. At this time it was pouring with rain and continued to do so for the next few hours.
Keywords: 318269 stabled Bathgate depot

334022, SR 07.24 Milngavie-Edinburgh Waverley (2M20, 1E), Bathgate station
In the pouring rain, 334022 arrives at Bathgate station with the 2M20 Milngavie to Edinburgh Waverley service. Bathgate station was a completely modern structure that was pretty soulless, even more so on such a miserable and wet Saturday morning!
Keywords: 334022 07.24 Milngavie-Edinburgh Waverley 2M20 Bathgate station

334032, SR 08.07 Edinburgh Waverley-Milngavie (2M27, RT), Bathgate station
334032 leaves Bathgate station with the 08.07 Edinburgh Waverley to Milngavie train. The extensive depot that maintains the fleets of various units was to the left of this image. Andy and I struggled to find a breakfast venue in Bathgate but did find some very cheap supermarket fuel!
Keywords: 334032 08.07 Edinburgh Waverley-Milngavie 2M27 Bathgate station

158717 & 158712, SR 09.31 Tweebank-Edinburgh Waverley (2T67, RT), Newcraighall station
In appalling light and wet conditions, a four-car set composed of 158717 and 158712 arrives at Newcraighall station. The train was forming the 09.31 Tweedbank to Edinburgh service that had just traversed the highly popular Borders route and judging by the passengers struggling for shelter on the platform and the numbers already on the train this service was well supported. Despite appearances, Newcraighall station has only a single platform with the Border Line trains using it in a bi-directional manner with the line curving off to the right just beyond the furthest bridge. The line on the left curves sharply into Millerhill yard and to then re-join the ECML at Monktonhall Junction after a short and somewhat convoluted section of track.
Keywords: 158717 158712 09.31 Tweebank-Edinburgh Waverley 2T67 Newcraighall station

43257, GR 07.52 Aberdeen-London King`s Cross (1E11, 5L), Musselburgh station
Taking photographs of fast trains in the pouring rain presents its own problems. In the bad old days of using Kodachrome 64 taking a picture of an HST moving at speed would have been asking just too much. However, in the modern digital world, cranking the ISO up to 3200 allows a 1/1600 sec. shutter speed to be used and a presentable image to be produced. However, there is some inevitable digital 'noise' produced but by careful post image editing, this can largely be eradicated. 43257 'Bounds Green' leads the 07.53 Aberdeen to King's Cross through Musselburgh station.
Keywords: 43257 07.52 Aberdeen-London King`s Cross 1E11 Musselburgh station

Former ticket office, Prestonpans station
A local artist has produced a number of small pieces of work that are on display at Prestonpans station, this is one of the cleverest examples in the old booking office. Prestonpans is remembered for the derailment of the down sleeper in May 1980. The derailment was caused by a vandal placing a piece of waste track across the lines. Luckily, nobody was killed even though twenty-seven people were injured in the nine coaches that were derailed. The ECML was closed for four days.
Keywords: Former ticket office Prestonpans station

82215, GR 11.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross (1E12, 8L), Prestonpans station
DVT 82215 leads the LNER 11.00 Edinburgh Waverley to King's Cross through Prestonpans station. It was absolutely pouring with rain at this point, so much so that the drive for the next few miles along the A198 was taken at a sedate pace due to the huge amounts of lying water on the carriageway.
Keywords: 82215 11.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross 1E12 Prestonpans station

380105, SR 10.50 North Berwick-Edinburgh Waverley (2Y17, 2L), Prestonpans station
380105 brings the 10.50 North Berwick to Edinburgh local stopper into Prestonpans station. This train was pretty busy, no doubt with many shoppers going into Edinburgh for some Saturday morning retail therapy! Notice the 11.00 Edingburgh to King's Cross on the up line disappearing into the wet murk!
Keywords: 380105 10.50 North Berwick-Edinburgh Waverley 2Y17 Prestonpans station

385021, SR 11.14 Dunbar-Edinburgh Waverley (2D86, RT), Longnidry station
The station at Longnidry was, along with a number of others in the area, threated with closure under the Serpell report of 1982 and BR did its best to advance its closure operating a very poor service for a number of years. Now, things are very different with an hourly service with trains to and from both North Berwick, and, in this case from Dunbar. 385021 leaves the station working the 11.14 Dunbar to Edinburgh Waverley in the pouring rain.
Keywords: 385021 11.14 Dunbar-Edinburgh Waverley 2D86 Longnidry station

385017, SR 11.12 Edinburgh Waverley-North Berwick (2Y20, 2L), Drem station
For the first time since we left our hotel earlier in the morning at Polmont, it has stopped raining! As the milepost makes clear, we are seventeen and three-quarter miles from Edinburgh at Drem station. 385017 is arriving at the station with the 11.12 Edinburgh to North Berwick. Soon, in just over a mile's time, the train will leave the ECML and continue its journey in a northeasterly direction to its destination. I have positioned the train slightly to the left and a little early in the frame to show the station building and North British designed waiting room. There are a number of waiting rooms to this unique design found on this stretch of line and it is good to see them still in use.
Keywords: 385017 11.12 Edinburgh Waverley-North Berwick 2Y20 Drem station

43314 & 43251, GR 07.55 Inverness-London King`s Cross (1E13, 5L), Drem station
HST power cars 42314 and 43251 race through Drem working the 07.55 Inverness to King's Cross service. Despite the black sky, it had actually stopped raining and the light was improving considerably from the northeast. The bright red and white LNER livery certainly brightens up a dull day such as this.
Keywords: 43314 43251 07.55 Inverness-London King`s Cross 1E13 Drem station

385021, SR 13.08 Dunbar-Edinburgh Waverley (2D97, RT), Dunbar station
385021 waits at the single platform at Dunbar station with the 13.08 to Edinburgh Waverley. The platform is bi-directional with the ECML main lines off to the right of this photograph behind the buddleia. This was to be the last Scotrail train that we would see on our tour and this is as far southeast as they operate.
Keywords: 385021 13.08 Dunbar-Edinburgh Waverley 2D97 Dunbar station

Former A1 road bridge just south of Penmansheil tunnel mouth NT796569
In the foreground is the former course of the A1 road and the bridge that carried it across the ECML at Penmansheil. The entrance to the old tunnel in the trees directly behind the rather flimsy bridge parapet. On the night of 10th March 1979, the roof of the tunnel collapsed whilst engineering works were being undertaken to lower the level of the track to enable 2.59m high containers to travel through it on intermodal wagons. Unfortunately, two local workers were killed in the collapse and it was decided not to reopen the tunnel, thus their bodies were never recovered. Work on the diversion of the railway started on 7th May and was completed on 20th August. The A1 was also re-aligned with both the road and railway travelling side by side for just over a kilometre. It is quite remarkable that this task was completed by Mcalpine and BR in just over three months, could one imagine this happening today, the planning inquiry alone would take longer than that!
Keywords: Former A1 road bridge just south of Penmansheil tunnel mouth NT796569

Andy paying his respects, Penmansheil memorial NT796670
Above the course of the now-closed and permanently sealed up Penmansheil tunnel is a small memorial to the two men who died in the tragedy. Andy pays his respects to them; rest in peace Gordon Turnbull and Peter Fowler.
Keywords: Andy paying his respects Penmansheil memorial NT796670

Penmansheil memorial NT796670
The Penmansheil memorial is located above the course of the old railway tunnel that collapsed on 10th March 1979 killing two contractors working on lowering the track. The memorial has recently been cleared and some flowers had recently been laid.
Keywords: Penmansheil memorial NT796670

221128, XC 13.09 Edinburgh Waverley-Plymouth (1V64, 1E), Burnmouth NT957605
With the grey North Sea in the background, 221128 skirts the coast near Burnmouth with the 13.09 Edinburgh Waverley to Plymouth CrossCountry service. This photograph is taken on a small track that leads to a particularly isolated farm below the level of the A1 road.
Keywords: 221128 13.09 Edinburgh Waverley-Plymouth 1V64 Burnmouth NT957605

82206 & 91118, GR 13.30 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross (1E17, 2E), Burnmouth NT956606
From an elevated position by the busy A1 road just south of Burnmouth, 82206 leads with 91118 'The Fusiliers' powering at the rear. The train is forming the 13.30 Edinburgh to King's Cross and is seen skirting the North Sea at this dramatic location. I have always wanted to take pictures along this section of track but I would have hoped for better weather than on this particular July day!
Keywords: 82206 91118 13.30 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross 1E17 Burnmouth NT956606

43295 & 43296, GR 10.00 London King`s Cross-Aberdeen (1W11, 58L), Lamberton NT973580
The sheep grazing in the field seems totally unphased by the HST, with the concurrently numbered power cars of 43295 and 43296, passing forming the 10.00 King's Cross to Aberdeen. This was a lovely spot at Lamberton to spend some time observing trains passing and on another day Andy and I would have spent longer here was it not for the awful weather and that we were on a mission to reach Ashington by teatime.
Keywords: 43295 43296 10.00 London King`s Cross-Aberdeen 1W11 Lamberton NT973580

82201 & 91126, GR 14.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross (1E18, RT), Lamberton NT973580
Passing the small village of Lamberton on the far northeast coast of England the 14.00 Edinburgh to King's Cross passes with 82201 at the front and 91126 'Darlington Hippodrome' powering at the rear. In the foreground, the small field of brussels sprouts adds a little welcome colour to a very drab day.
Keywords: 82201 1126, GR 14.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross 1E18 Lamberton NT973580

221136, XC 06.25 Plymouth-Glasgow Central (1S39, 9L), Lamberton NT973580
221136 passes Lamberton between Berwick and Burnmouth with the bleak North Sea in the background. The CrossCountry Voyager is working the 1S39 06.25 Plymouth to Glasgow Central. Even though this picture is taken less than a mile from the border with England it is still surprisingly far north being on the same latitude as Largs situated on the Firth of Clyde!
Keywords: 221136 06.25 Plymouth-Glasgow Central 1S39 Lamberton NT973580

220001, XC 13.00 Glasgow Central-Plymouth (1V66, 1E), Lamberton NT973580
Quite how but this is my only picture to date of 220001 I am not sure, this particular Voyager seems to have escaped my camera lens for all the years that it has been in service! What a dramatic spot to get a photograph though, high above the cliffs at Lamberton just north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. With a field of Brussels sprouts in the foreground, it passes southwards working the 13.00 Glasgow Central to Plymouth CrossCountry service.
Keywords: 220001 13.00 Glasgow Central-Plymouth 1V66 Lamberton NT973580

82208, GR 14.30 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross (1E19, 2L), Berwick-upon-Tweed station
Having just crossed the border from Scotland into England, DVT 82208 at the head of the 14.30 Edinburgh to King's Cross enters Berwick-upon-Tweed, its first stop from the Scottish capital. Over to the right of this image is a former platform with the only remaining one today being a long island affair with the up and down either side of it.
Keywords: 82208 14.30 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross 1E19 Berwick-upon-Tweed station

91122, GR 14.30 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross (1E19, 2L), Berwick-upon-Tweed station
91122 pushes the rear of the 14.30 Edinburgh to King's Cross away and through Berwick-upon-Tweed station. The front of the train will already be on the impressive Royal Border bridge that crosses the River Tweed far below. Berwick station was very well kept and a credit to the LNER team who work there and look after it; long live the state railway!
Keywords: 91122 14.30 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross 1E19 Berwick-upon-Tweed station

91110, GR 12.30 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1S17, 34L), Almouth station
91110 'Battle of Britain Memorial Flight' passes Alnmouth station with the 12.30 King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley. Alnmouth is a busy station that serves the nearby tourist honeypot of Alnwick. There are ambitious plans to re-open the branch line to the town that was closed in 1968. If these plans ever came to fruition, a new terminus would be needed as the old one is now home to the superb Barter Books, see.. https://www.barterbooks.co.uk/index.php
Keywords: 91110 12.30 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1S17 Almouth station

Class 221, XC 09.15 Plymouth-Aberdeen (1S45, 1L), Acklington station
A class 221 in full flight on the ECML heading north with the 09.15 Plymouth to Aberdeen service. The train is seen about to pass Acklington station, an isolated spot between Alnmouth and Morpeth. At twenty-eight miles north of Newcastle, the station once enjoyed direct services to Berwick and Edinburgh. Now, it has just four trains per day, two up and two down services.
Keywords: Class 221 09.15 Plymouth-Aberdeen 1S45 Acklington station

Waiting room, up platform, Acklington station
Another example of the North British style of waiting room found at a number of stations on this stretch of line. In this case, this one is at Acklington, being similar to the one at Chathill and the one seen earlier in the day at Drem, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/27318116204/x385017-11-12-edinburgh-waverley
Keywords: Waiting room up platform, Acklington station

Buffer stops, Widdrington mine branch NZ232956
I was intrigued to see on the OS map a small section of railway branching off the ECML just north of Stobswood and Widdrington Station so I map read Andy (who was driving) a slightly circuitous route to it. In the middle of nowhere, we came across this section of track and a buffer stop. This was the end of a section of track that had not seen use for quite some time. There was once a large open cast colliery at Widdrington and I believe that this branch last saw use when the area was used by UK Coal as a disposal point. The line leads to the ECML about two miles away in the trees. Note the pole with some old floodlights on it at quite a jaunty angle, this is not the camera lens or my photographic ineptitude but it really is falling over!
Keywords: Buffer stops Widdrington mine branch NZ232956

91127, GR 14.30 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1S21, 2E), Pegswood station
91127 heads north with the 14.30 King's Cross to Edinburgh service through Pegswood station. Pegswood is a former mining village just northeast of Morpeth.
Keywords: 91127 14.30 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1S21 Pegswood station

221135, XC 08.28 Penzance-Edinburgh Waverley (1S47, 12L), Pegswood station
221135 passes through Pegswood station forming the 08.28 Penzance to Edinburgh Waverley. A fascinating journey that is considerably further via the ECML rather than the more direct route north via the WCML. I have said it before, but I remain far from convinced that undertaking this journey in a glorified DMU would be a pleasurable experience?
Keywords: 221135 08.28 Penzance-Edinburgh Waverley 1S47 Pegswood station

Morpeth signal box (BR, 1978)
The rather utilitarian structure that is Morpeth signal box is seen from the rear. It is located just north of the station at the point where the complex of freight-only lines to Blyth and Ashington diverge from the ECML. Indeed, the southern link to these lines is seen crossing the road in the foreground with the BR built 1978 box behind. The overhead electrification wiring of the ECML is seen behind the box.
Keywords: Morpeth signal box

221139, XC 17.08 Edinburgh Waverley-Birmingham New Street (1M80, 9L), Morpeth station
221139 passes at line speed through Morpeth station forming the 17.08 Edinburgh to Birmingham New Street service. Its next stop will be Newcastle Central in some sixteen miles time. Notice signal M123 with three feathers sprouting off the top indicating to freight drivers which route they are going to take when leaving the mainline to enter the freight network of Blyth and Ashington. There is also a lower feather for access to the refuge siding just north of the station.
Keywords: 221139 17.08 Edinburgh Waverley-Birmingham New Street 1M80 Morpeth station

156496, NT 16.23 Carlisle-Chathill (2A40, 2L), Morpeth station
156496 arrives at Morpeth station forming the 16.23 Carlisle to Chathill service. We saw this same working at Carlisle exactly a week before formed by another Northern class 156. 156496 has traversed the Tyne and Eden valleys, through Hexham, passed through Newcastle and is now heading up the ECML as far as the remote station at Chathill. After crossing over from the down to the up line just north of its destination it will head south again back towards Newcastle.
Keywords: 156496 16.23 Carlisle-Chathill 2A40 Morpeth station

Former goods shed, Morpeth
Morpeth had, at one time up until 1880, two stations side by side. The one still open on the ECML was built an opened by the North British (NB) in 1862 by which time the Blyth and Tyne (B & T) station had already been open four years. However, the earlier station did not prevail diverting its services in the NB station and it eventually closed only twenty-two years after it opened. The goods shed remained in use and was rail connected right up until 1980. It is still in use today as industrial storage and is Grade II listed. The original B & T station building also stands and is now a private residence, it is also Grade II listed.
Keywords: Former goods shed Morpeth

Images 1-33 of 33 displayed.