This Cab Ride in a class 156 takes us on a scenic journey along Britain’s first cross-country railway, opened by the Newcastle & Carlisle from 1836. There are many superlatives about this line, from the biggest railway cutting in the country at the time to the magnificent elevated signal boxes at Prudhoe and Hexham, the arched cast-iron bridges at many stations, the beautifully preserved water tower at Haltwhistle, and the Grade I listed Wetheral Viaduct over the River Eden.
We set off from platform 6 at Newcastle Central Station, immediately crossing the River Tyne on the King Edward VII Bridge, paralleling the East Coast Main Line. Our route leads us west along the southern bank of the river to Wylam, the home of the father of the railways, George Stephenson. It’s here that we see the the Wylam Railway Bridge, built to carry the Scotswood, Newburn & Wylam Railway across the Tyne,
Hexham is one of the major stops along our route. It was once a junction station, connecting with the Border Counties Railway into Scotland and the Allendale Town branch, both a little to the west of the town. It also provides a major change for us at the point where the two lines diverge. Here, the River Tyne splits, and we cross to the north bank to follow the valley of the South Tyne to Haltwhistle.
Haltwhistle was another junction station. It’s where the Alston Branch joined from the south. The landscape changes now, and we leave the South Tyne valley to climb towards the border with Cumbria. This section of the route suffered disproportionately under Beeching, and there are only two stations remaining, at Brampton and Wetheral.
Finally, after passing through the massive Cowran Cutting, we arrive at Carlisle’s Citadel Station which sits astride the West Coast Main Line, and was once served by no fewer than seven railway companies.
We’ve good weather to enjoy the view and, with a maximum line speed of 65 mph, plenty of time to take it in. Enjoy full, knowledgeable commentary along the way, or turn it off to concentrate on the sounds of the journey. On-screen graphics guide you with signal aspects, permissive speeds and station names, and animated maps illustrate the journey so you’ll know where we’re headed.
