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Kippenross Tunnel ~ TODAY’S JOURNEY GREAT BRITISH SUNDAY LUNCH & CLASSIC AFTERNOON TEA OUR ROUTE Our route is, predominately, a circular tour of County Durham with an extension through North Yorkshire to the historic city of York. Starting from Darlington, home to the “Head of Steam” railway museum, we travel northwards along the strategic East Coast Main Line to the county town of Durham, which is famed for its impressive cathedral and well regarded university. We continue to the largest city in the region, Newcastle- upon-Tyne. Approaching the station, we cross the King Edward Vll bridge, opened in 1906, just one of a number of iconic Tyne bridges. We reverse here to cross the Tyne once more but now branch off following the south bank of the river towards the North Sea coast. We are travelling on the Durham Coast Line. Constructed in stages between 1833 and 1905, the line was originally built to carry coal from the Durham coalfields but it began carrying passengers, on completed sections, as early as 1835. After the closure of the last colliery, in 1993, mineral traffic declined but passenger traffic has benefitted from the expansion of the Tyne and Wear Metro, which operates on the same line, in places. The coast line is also an important diversionary line, should the East Coast Main Line be closed. Turning inland after Hartlepool, we reach the town of Stockton. Here, on the 27th September 1825 an event took place that would change society for ever; the world’s first public railway to use steam engines was opened, linking the coal mines at Shildon with Stockton. We rejoin the East Coast Main Line near Northallerton, heading towards York. En-route we pass Thirsk, notable as the birthplace of Thomas Lord, a cricketer and founder of Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. Thirsk is also the birthplace of the vet and author, James Herriot. The World of James Herriot Museum is in the town. Travelling through the Vale of York we now approach the ancient city of York, where our outward journey ends. From York we reverse, taking the fast East Coast Main Line all the way back to our final destination, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The East Coast Main Line is an important rail route linking the capital cities of London and Edinburgh. It was built in stages by three railway companies, starting in the 1840’s. In 1923 they joined together to form the LNER. The line is often referred to as the “Route of the Flying Scotsman”. The first service, named the “Scotch Express” started in 1862 and took over 10 hours to complete the journey. It wasn’t until the LNER took over that the official name of the service became “The Flying Scotsman”. To publicise the service a powerful A1 Pacific Class locomotive, designed by Chief Engineer, Sir Nigel Gresley, was given the name “Flying Scotsman” and displayed at The British Empire Exhibition in 1924. In May 1926, the locomotive, numbered 4472, went on to haul the first non-stop service between London and Edinburgh. It continued in service until 1963 and in semi retirement has become a National Treasure. Today the line is fully electrified and the journey time from capital to capital has been reduced to 4hrs 16mins. 23Rd AUGUST 2020 NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE DURHAM DARLINGTON YORK Sunderland Hartlepool Stockton on Tees Northallerton Thirsk The North Sea Durham Coast Line ECML East Coast Main Line THE EAST COAST MAIN LINE

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KippenrossTunnel

~TODAY’S JOURNEY

GREAT BRITISH SUNDAY LUNCH & CLASSIC AFTERNOON TEA

OUR ROUTEOur route is, predominately, a circular tour of County Durham with an extension through North Yorkshire to the historic city of York.

Starting from Darlington, home to the “Head of Steam” railway museum, we travel northwards along the strategic East Coast Main Line to the county town of Durham, which is famed for its impressive cathedral and well regarded university.

We continue to the largest city in the region, Newcastle- upon-Tyne. Approaching the station, we cross the King Edward Vll bridge, opened in 1906, just one of a number of iconic Tyne bridges. We reverse here to cross the Tyne once more but now branch off following the south bank of the river towards the North Sea coast. We are travelling on the Durham Coast Line. Constructed in stages between 1833 and 1905, the line was originally built to carry coal from the Durham coalfields but it began carrying passengers, on completed sections, as early as 1835. After the closure of the last colliery, in 1993, mineral traffic declined but passenger traffic has benefitted from the expansion of the Tyne and Wear Metro, which operates on the same line, in places. The coast line is also an important diversionary line, should the East Coast Main Line be closed.

Turning inland after Hartlepool, we reach the town of Stockton. Here, on the 27th September 1825 an event took place that would change society for ever; the world’s first public railway to use steam engines was opened, linking the coal mines at Shildon with Stockton.

We rejoin the East Coast Main Line near Northallerton, heading towards York. En-route we pass Thirsk, notable as the birthplace of Thomas Lord, a cricketer and founder of Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. Thirsk is also the birthplace of the vet and author, James Herriot. The World of James Herriot Museum is in the town.

Travelling through the Vale of York we now approach the ancient city of York, where our outward journey ends. From York we reverse, taking the fast East Coast Main Line all the way back to our final destination, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The East Coast Main Line is an important rail route linking the capital cities of London and Edinburgh. It was built in stages by three railway companies, starting in the 1840’s.

In 1923 they joined together to form the LNER. The line is often referred to as the “Route of the Flying Scotsman”. The first service, named the “Scotch Express” started in 1862 and took over 10 hours to complete the journey. It wasn’t until the LNER took over that the official name of the service became “The Flying Scotsman”. To publicise the service a powerful A1 Pacific Class locomotive, designed by Chief Engineer, Sir Nigel Gresley, was given the name “Flying Scotsman” and displayed at The British Empire Exhibition in 1924. In May 1926, the locomotive, numbered 4472, went on to haul the first non-stop service between London and Edinburgh. It continued in service until 1963 and in semi retirement has become a National Treasure.

Today the line is fully electrified and the journey time from capital to capital has been reduced to 4hrs 16mins.

23Rd AUGUST 2020

NEWCASTLEUPON TYNE

DURHAM

DARLINGTON

YORK

Sunderland

Hartlepool

Stockton on Tees

Northallerton

Thirsk

The North Sea