Thanks for showing off the remnants of the Blyth and Tyne line. Wonderful to see the busy trains plying the old route again. I did wonder why they built a new bridge etc at Newsham when there are 3 or 4 level crossings elsewhere? great vlog, glad you got home safely.
Cracking video to start the new year tim, great to see the 87 at both locations and good to see and hear the line re opening forward from Newcastle to Ashington on a well populated area, cheers Steve . 🎥👍🙂
Thank you for this - I'm looking forward to doing the Ashington line myself soon. Positively Baltic last Saturday when I took the train to Maryport and back from Dumfries. The Carlisle train from Dumfries was hardly tropical - you needed to keep your woolly hat and gloves on, but fortunately, the Northern services to and from Maryport from Carlisle were a lot warmer. I see we still have the lack of platform timetable posters anywhere at Dumfries and Carlisle stations 'due to covid'. And timetable booklets seem to have been phased out too. Apparently we are all expected to use smartphones these days! At least the platform huts at Maryport had clear timetable boards...
Some of those morning trains from Dumfries are fresh out of the depot - and freezing! The 9 0'clock has come from Glasgow and is usually thoroughly warmed up. Yes, the smart-phone is definitely our bible these days - it doesn't help that the wi-fi at Carlisle station is useless - I just use my data allowance. Dumfries's ScotRail wi-fi is generally dependable.
On the timetable topic, I was informed by the ticket office staff at my local station that the Scottish Government had decreed that there would no longer be printed timetables (for ScotRail anyway).
Great to see a run along the reopened Ashington line. I remember Lynmouth power station being built to feed the Alcan works, fired with coal from under the North Sea. Seems like yesterday (Well sort of)
Thanks Paul. It seems like only yesterday that the class 87 was an everyday sight on our main lines. Hard to believe that it's 50 years old - and that this particular loco is the only active class 87 remaining in the UK.
Another great video Tim excellent work with the drone great footage i must say & 87002 looked like new many thanks for turning out on a very cold day take care a t b Syd👍
Happy New Year, Tim. Great video, apart from the typical battery's dying and the cold weather. I'm surprised they've opened that new line with all that work still needing to be finished! I was hoping to see Class 87 as it's the only one on the uk network that is running, but I should be at Carlisle at the end of January to see the pullman. 😊
What a fantastic original vlog Tim, you just seem to be a notch above over vlogs, with original content. So nice not to see Tangmere for a while ! Happy New year to you, and for all your hard work, and for all you do. 😁😁😁😁🙏🙏🙏
Another great one ! I was just thinking a couple of days ago I hadn't seen one of your videos in quite a while ! Yes I bet the bus going up to Dent station is gonna be a spectacle to watch ! I hope the road to the station has been cleared ! I remember going up to Dent Station on the top deck of a double decker in the 80s ! That was scary and it was in the middle of a dry summer !
Only two days previously I had to be rescued by a local farmer when my car, having failed to make it up an icy gradient, slipped off the road and became bogged down. I don't envy that bus driver his job.
Great video. I used to enjoy trips out to the Blyth & Tyne to phot the coal and Alcan trains with the semaphore signals. I had to pay a small fortune to ride along it on a railtour!
Thank you. The severe cold spell seems to have passed - for the moment - but in this part of the world the worst weather often comes a bit later into the year. Best wishes to all in South Africa.
The travellers were informed well in advance of the journey that they would have to make different plans for their homeward journey. That would have got their thinking caps on! Re Ashington station, I noted that the planners had provided numerous exits from the platform. Quite useful that drone footage - even without audio. What are the chances of a regular EUS - KXS via EDB service being introduced, alternate services provided by AWC and LNER?
Very good video Tim and nice to see the class 225 diesel train and I am not sure what the other one was at the front of the train and good to see another few railway stations in your video
That was a class 87 loco hauling the train - 50 years old and the only active member of the class still in the U.K. - most of them were sold off to Bulgaria.
I knew you were out for this I saw a very cold looking figure on the platform on another video Brrrr. Well it only took at least 23 years to get Ashington open, I walked a lot of the line doing surveys and across the huge black bridge which was double track but only one train at a time allowed on it due to weakness not sure if that has been strengthened now passenger trains are using it. It is sure to be a very busy line and good to see it open again.
North Seaton railway viaduct in Northumberland has been strengthened by Balfour Beatty using TCBs. (quote from TCB's website). A long cold day but worthwhile in the end. See you at Carlisle ere long.
@@schoolshorts I thought it would need something doing on it as there were holes rusted through the plate It was covered in deep snow on one visit and not a pleasant walk over it that day. I followed this train on Railcam Being dark days and so cold I have not been out much at all but hope to see you in Carlisle again.
I went out to see what bus had made the journey from Skipton - it was parked away from the station as the driver needed his mandatory rest break. Nice shots at Ashington - I need to get over there but have been limited in the past week unfortunately
Interesting trip though, as I said in the video, not even remotely scenic. Met up with several of the regulars, both young and old - Michael joined me at Newcastle in the evening so I had company for the journey back. A long tiring day but worthwhile, I think.
Hi Tim, Good to see the 87, I remember sitting in the drivers seat of a AL 4 and AL 6 in Birmingham New Street station many years ago now when they were showcasing the electric trains arriving for the first time! Regarding late running trains it's a case if and when they arrive these days? Best regards, Tom.
Arriving for the first time - - - you're going back a bit there! The AL4s were not a success I'm afraid, although the 6s gave long years of service and some are still working in Eastern Europe. If and when? The only reliable service operating out of Carlisle these days is ScotRail's Carlisle-Dumfries-Kilmarnock-Glasgow route which, happily, is my local service! Best wishes.
I’m guessing that the Bedlington mentioned is the origin of the lamb like Bedlington terrier. I haven’t been north of Bristol for many a year, interesting to see a new passenger service, was it until recently “freight only”?
For many years it carried coal to Lynmouth power station and then fell into disuse during the conversion of the power station from coal to bio-mass. Its future now looks assured and there are plans - well, hopes at least - to extend the passenger services.
An interesting video but I am not sure that your remark regarding the lines branching off at Bedlington. Yes the lines to to Blyth Harbour and Lynemouth power station can fall under the heading of "industrial" but the one off to Morpeth? Lynemoth power station not Ashington a power station built to power the adjacent aluminum plant (no longer operating).
The Ordnance Survey map for 1885-1900 shows the Morpeth line serving Barrington Colliery and Choppington Colliery. There were two passenger stations along the route, one of which served the collieries, the other a tiny community, and both closed in 1964 - so I think we may safely say that it was an industrial line. Another short line went off to Bedlington Colliery.
@ Not to prolong the discussion yes I am sure you are right that in those days they were industrial lines (before the railways as we know them amalgamated). In more recent times like the late 20 early 21 centuries these were a diversionary track for the ECML and freight traffic on occasions from the north. We are of course now in the 21 century and I think that you would be very hard pressed to find anybody calling the industrial lines when these days no industry uses them as a matter of routine.
Good to see a new location and the 87 looking splendid in that Intercity livery. Happy New Year.👍
And a good New Year to you too David.
Brilliant! Thanx, Tim!!! Appreciate your constantly up=beat commentary.
Thank you Peter - we aim to please!!
Thanks for that video, Tim
My pleasure Michael.
Thanks for showing off the remnants of the Blyth and Tyne line. Wonderful to see the busy trains plying the old route again. I did wonder why they built a new bridge etc at Newsham when there are 3 or 4 level crossings elsewhere? great vlog, glad you got home safely.
Thank you John.
Cracking video to start the new year tim, great to see the 87 at both locations and good to see and hear the line re opening forward from Newcastle to Ashington on a well populated area, cheers Steve . 🎥👍🙂
Thanks Stephen. Always good to see a railway route re-opened, especially when it's as well patronised as the Ashington line seems to be.
Happy new year. Tim I enjoyed that little joent.
Glad you were able to join me!
Happy new year Tim and thanks for a good video.
Thank you Peter. Every good wish to you and yours.
Thank you for this - I'm looking forward to doing the Ashington line myself soon. Positively Baltic last Saturday when I took the train to Maryport and back from Dumfries. The Carlisle train from Dumfries was hardly tropical - you needed to keep your woolly hat and gloves on, but fortunately, the Northern services to and from Maryport from Carlisle were a lot warmer. I see we still have the lack of platform timetable posters anywhere at Dumfries and Carlisle stations 'due to covid'. And timetable booklets seem to have been phased out too. Apparently we are all expected to use smartphones these days! At least the platform huts at Maryport had clear timetable boards...
Some of those morning trains from Dumfries are fresh out of the depot - and freezing! The 9 0'clock has come from Glasgow and is usually thoroughly warmed up.
Yes, the smart-phone is definitely our bible these days - it doesn't help that the wi-fi at Carlisle station is useless - I just use my data allowance. Dumfries's ScotRail wi-fi is generally dependable.
On the timetable topic, I was informed by the ticket office staff at my local station that the Scottish Government had decreed that there would no longer be printed timetables (for ScotRail anyway).
Great to see a run along the reopened Ashington line. I remember Lynmouth power station being built to feed the Alcan works, fired with coal from under the North Sea.
Seems like yesterday (Well sort of)
It certainly made a welcome change for me from my usual filming venues.
Thank you for another interesting video.
You're welcome Robert. Here's to many more in the coming year.
Another great video Tim..... 87002 looked resplendent , happy days
Thanks Paul. It seems like only yesterday that the class 87 was an everyday sight on our main lines. Hard to believe that it's 50 years old - and that this particular loco is the only active class 87 remaining in the UK.
Another great video Tim excellent work with the drone great footage i must say & 87002 looked like new
many thanks for turning out on a very cold day take care a t b Syd👍
Thank you Syd - a long cold day but worth it, taking me into completely new territory.
Great video to kick the year off with Tim. 😊
Thanks Euan - good to be back in harness!
great video Tim and a happy new year to you
Thank you - have a good 2025.
Happy New Year, Tim. Great video, apart from the typical battery's dying and the cold weather. I'm surprised they've opened that new line with all that work still needing to be finished! I was hoping to see Class 87 as it's the only one on the uk network that is running, but I should be at Carlisle at the end of January to see the pullman. 😊
We'll look forward to seeing you there.
What a fantastic original vlog Tim, you just seem to be a notch above over vlogs, with original content. So nice not to see Tangmere for a while ! Happy New year to you, and for all your hard work, and for all you do. 😁😁😁😁🙏🙏🙏
Glad you enjoyed it. I suspect it won't be too long before Tangmere is filling our screens again!
Another great one ! I was just thinking a couple of days ago I hadn't seen one of your videos in quite a while ! Yes I bet the bus going up to Dent station is gonna be a spectacle to watch ! I hope the road to the station has been cleared ! I remember going up to Dent Station on the top deck of a double decker in the 80s ! That was scary and it was in the middle of a dry summer !
Only two days previously I had to be rescued by a local farmer when my car, having failed to make it up an icy gradient, slipped off the road and became bogged down. I don't envy that bus driver his job.
Great video. I used to enjoy trips out to the Blyth & Tyne to phot the coal and Alcan trains with the semaphore signals. I had to pay a small fortune to ride along it on a railtour!
Thanks Andrew. A long time now since I last rode a railtour - the state old-age pension just doesn't run to it!
@@schoolshorts I concur with your last statement.
Great video Tim and Hello here from a rainy South Africa, here from the east coast region
Thank you. The severe cold spell seems to have passed - for the moment - but in this part of the world the worst weather often comes a bit later into the year. Best wishes to all in South Africa.
@@schoolshorts Thank You for the reply, Hope you have some sunny weather soon!
The travellers were informed well in advance of the journey that they would have to make different plans for their homeward journey. That would have got their thinking caps on! Re Ashington station, I noted that the planners had provided numerous exits from the platform. Quite useful that drone footage - even without audio. What are the chances of a regular EUS - KXS via EDB service being introduced, alternate services provided by AWC and LNER?
Interesting idea - but somewhat unlikely, I think!
Very good video Tim and nice to see the class 225 diesel train and I am not sure what the other one was at the front of the train and good to see another few railway stations in your video
That was a class 87 loco hauling the train - 50 years old and the only active member of the class still in the U.K. - most of them were sold off to Bulgaria.
I did wonder because there’s not many of them in the uk now but there’s still a few of them in the uk but very good video
At 06:30 that magnificent 12th century structure is the "NEW CASTLE " built between 1168 and 1179
- - and the top of the keep is a good spot for filming the railway - just a shame that those magnificent diamond crossovers were lifted.
another gem from you tim cheers
Thank you - much appreciated.
Air raid siren love these locos
Thanks Tim, all the best for 2025!
You're welcome Colin - let's hope the coming year is kind to all of us.
I knew you were out for this I saw a very cold looking figure on the platform on another video Brrrr. Well it only took at least 23 years to get Ashington open, I walked a lot of the line doing surveys and across the huge black bridge which was double track but only one train at a time allowed on it due to weakness not sure if that has been strengthened now passenger trains are using it. It is sure to be a very busy line and good to see it open again.
North Seaton railway viaduct in Northumberland has been strengthened by Balfour Beatty using TCBs. (quote from TCB's website).
A long cold day but worthwhile in the end. See you at Carlisle ere long.
@@schoolshorts I thought it would need something doing on it as there were holes rusted through the plate It was covered in deep snow on one visit and not a pleasant walk over it that day. I followed this train on Railcam Being dark days and so cold I have not been out much at all but hope to see you in Carlisle again.
I went out to see what bus had made the journey from Skipton - it was parked away from the station as the driver needed his mandatory rest break. Nice shots at Ashington - I need to get over there but have been limited in the past week unfortunately
Interesting trip though, as I said in the video, not even remotely scenic. Met up with several of the regulars, both young and old - Michael joined me at Newcastle in the evening so I had company for the journey back. A long tiring day but worthwhile, I think.
Hi Tim, Good to see the 87, I remember sitting in the drivers seat of a AL 4 and AL 6 in Birmingham New Street station many years ago now when they were showcasing the electric trains arriving for the first time! Regarding late running trains it's a case if and when they arrive these days? Best regards, Tom.
Arriving for the first time - - - you're going back a bit there! The AL4s were not a success I'm afraid, although the 6s gave long years of service and some are still working in Eastern Europe. If and when? The only reliable service operating out of Carlisle these days is ScotRail's Carlisle-Dumfries-Kilmarnock-Glasgow route which, happily, is my local service! Best wishes.
There's 1 problem with that class 87, it's missing the B.R. logo!
I’m guessing that the Bedlington mentioned is the origin of the lamb like Bedlington terrier. I haven’t been north of Bristol for many a year, interesting to see a new passenger service, was it until recently “freight only”?
For many years it carried coal to Lynmouth power station and then fell into disuse during the conversion of the power station from coal to bio-mass. Its future now looks assured and there are plans - well, hopes at least - to extend the passenger services.
An interesting video but I am not sure that your remark regarding the lines branching off at Bedlington. Yes the lines to to Blyth Harbour and Lynemouth power station can fall under the heading of "industrial" but the one off to Morpeth? Lynemoth power station not Ashington a power station built to power the adjacent aluminum plant (no longer operating).
The Ordnance Survey map for 1885-1900 shows the Morpeth line serving Barrington Colliery and Choppington Colliery. There were two passenger stations along the route, one of which served the collieries, the other a tiny community, and both closed in 1964 - so I think we may safely say that it was an industrial line. Another short line went off to Bedlington Colliery.
@ Not to prolong the discussion yes I am sure you are right that in those days they were industrial lines (before the railways as we know them amalgamated). In more recent times like the late 20 early 21 centuries these were a diversionary track for the ECML and freight traffic on occasions from the north. We are of course now in the 21 century and I think that you would be very hard pressed to find anybody calling the industrial lines when these days no industry uses them as a matter of routine.
New Castle had diamond crossings to the north of the station.
Yes indeed - a famous landmark long gone.
Why do you need ticket/toilet facilities at stations today? Everythings on the app! Groan....
🤣
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Well - they do provide a lot of railway traffic up and down the West Coast Main Line.
Nice class 87. Not like those ugly Hitachi Azuma's.
One man's meat, as they say.
The 87 is a proper locomotive. Everything else is a multiple unit!