London Kings Cross to Edinburgh

The Route of the Flying Scotsman

There are two principal Anglo-Scottish main lines in Britain the East Coast Main Line out of London Kings Cross and the West Coast Main Line out of London Euston. The first to reach the capital was Robert Stephenson’s London & Birmingham Railway to London Euston. This was soon followed by the Great Northern Railway and their terminus at London Kings Cross.

The station was opened in 1852, designed by architect Lewis Cubitt, and the station roof, the largest at the time, was supposedly modelled on the riding school of the Czars of Moscow. It is also rumoured that Queen Boudicaa is buried beneath Platform 8. Also London Kings Cross features prominently in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling as the starting point of the Hogwarts Express that takes them to Hogwarts. The train uses a secret platform 9¾ located by passing through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. When the books were filmed, the station scenes took place within the main station, with platforms 4 and 5 renumbered 9 and 10. Within King's Cross, a cast-iron "Platform 9¾" sign has been erected on a wall of the station's suburban building containing the real platforms 9 and 10. Part of a luggage trolley has also been installed below the sign; whilst the near end is visible, the rest of the trolley seems to have disappeared into the wall.

In 2008 Network Rail aims to undertake some radical refurbishment work at the station to bring it into the 21^st century and restore some of its original features. These works will increase its capacity in time for the 2012 London Olympic Games and make it a major international transport hub alongside the refurbished London St Pancras International. Work will include the removal of the existing Southern Concourse, thus exposing the original façade of the station. This will be replaced by a new Western Concourse and a new public piazza will be created at the front of the station alongside Euston Road.

London Kings Cross historically served the East Coast Main Line to the Yorkshire, Humberside, the North East and Scotland. In its heyday London Kings Cross was the starting point for such famous expresses as the Flying Scotsman, the Coronation, the Silver Jubilee, the Aberdonian, the Highland Chieftain, the Elizabethan, the Yorkshire Pullman, the Tees-Tyne Pullman, the White Rose and the Queen of Scots.

Throughout this “Through the Window” guide we describe views as being left or right from the train facing in the direction of travel out of London.

London Kings Cross to Peterborough:

As is usual with trains departing London going north, trains leave London Kings Cross and head through a series of tunnels and cuttings including Gasworks Tunnel and Copenhagen Tunnel through north London. The train then ascends the steep Holloway Bank out of Kings Cross. On the left can be seen the massive new Kings Cross Central development that is getting under way located on the former Kings Cross locomotive shed site. Soon a long elevated section takes it to Finsbury Park, with views over terraced houses and busy shopping streets. Here look out for an old Pullman carriage named Doris, on a siding at the station. It is also a short distance away from Arsenal football club's new Emirates Stadium. To the north of the station is the depot that houses modern InterCity trains and excursion train carriages. The train sweeps through Harringay, Hornsey and Alexandra Palace stations. Here the pinnacles of the restored Alexandra Palace can be seen, once served by its own branch line, crowning the hill to the left and then the Hertford Loop can be seen diverging from the main line to the right.

Trains following the mainline continue through New Southgate, Oakleigh Park, New Barnet and Hadley Wood stations. Long cuttings restrict the view as the train speeds through suburbs to Potters Bar, Brookmans Park and Welham Green. To the left can be glimpsed the picturesque, late Elizabethan grandeur of North Mymms House but this is nothing compared to Hatfield House, one of Britain’s greatest Elizabethan mansions built by Robert Cecil from 1608. The gates and the park can be seen to the right from Hatfield station but the house is out of sight beyond the church, a grand structure set on a hill above the old town. Near Hatfield House are the remains of the 15^th century Bishop’s Palace, a major example of medieval domestic architecture and a reminder that Hatfield became a bishopric in 1109.

Leaving Hatfield the line passes through the new town, one of a number of such developments that are a feature of this area, and then having crossed the Lea, it enters another, Welwyn Garden City. Largely designed by Louis de Soissons and built from the 1920s, Welwyn became the model of many later new towns with its emphasis on curving streets, trees and green spaces, and well planned shopping, residential and industrial areas. The little town that gave it its name is well away to the north west. Between Welwyn Garden City and Welwyn North, the line crosses the Mimram valley on a massive, 40 arch, brick viaduct – the Welwyn Viaduct. This carries the train 100 feet above the ground and was completed in 1850. The next station is Knebworth, a town with a church, a mansion and a golf club house by Lutyens, but the early 19^th century house and its park are over a mile to the west beyond the A1(M).

Stevenage and Hitchin stations come next and soon the Cambridge line diverges from the mainline off to the right. Just before Stevenage the Hertford Loop line rejoins the mainline.  Hitchin station is well placed for visiting this attractive market town. Its large church reflects the town’s importance as a centre of the wool trade in the Middle Ages, and it has a variety of timber framed and 18^th century buildings. Leaving Hitchin, the train follows the course of the Rivers Hiz and then Ivel across a flatter landscape. Arlesey station is next and to the left north westwards is Henlow, famous for its early 18^th century Grange and the RAF camp. The next station is Biggleswade, in the centre of the town, which is at its most attractive on the west side by the Ivel. Three miles to the west is Old Warden airfield, now home to the Shuttleworth Collection of historic aircraft. Approaching Sandy station, the line runs beside the water-meadows of the Ivel, buttercup filled in early summer, with, to the right, the wooded slopes of Sandy Warren, now an RSPB nature reserve. After Sandy the train follows the Ivel valley to its confluence with the Great Ouse near Tempsford, to the left of the line. During the Second World War, Tempsford was the main base of the Special Operations Executive and from here agents were flown to secret destinations in occupied Europe. St Neots station is set well to the east of its town, but it is worth the walk in for the grand 15^th century church, the market place with its central column and the river frontage. The river marks the boundary between Bedfordshire and the former county of Huntingdon. The line now runs close beside the Great Ouse, a river navigable to Bedford and much used by pleasure craft. Three churches stand close by the line to the right, Great Paxton, Offord D’Arcy and Offord Cluny, and of these Great Paxton is the most remarkable, a complete Anglo-Saxon building on a grand scale. The train then crosses the Ouse, with a fine view of Hinchingbrooke House to the left, a splendidly decorative building constructed by the Cromwell family between 1544 and 1627.

The train then reaches Huntingdon station. Huntingdon is a small, traditional market town with its pleasant 18^th century buildings. The two late medieval churches are at its heart, and near the market place, with its pensive soldier war memorial by Lady Kennet, the widow of Scott of the Antarctic, are the 1745 Town Hall and the former Grammar School, attended by Oliver Cromwell and now housing the Cromwell Museum. Another famous Huntingdon resident was the poet, Cowper, whose early 18^th century house stands by the river. The town of Godmanchester lies just across the river.

After Huntingdon the train continues to speed its way northwards passing Alconbury airfield to the left. The line then passes Peterborough Business Airfield (home to the Flying Club Conington) on the left as we near Peterborough. The line from Norwich can be seen joining the mainline and then on the left we pass the Peterborough Nene Valley station of the Nene Valley Railway. Soon we enter Peterborough station after crossing the River Nene on a girder bridge. This was built in 1847 by Lewis Cubitt, who was more famous for his bridges in South America, Australia and India. Apart from some minor repairs in 1910 (the steel bands and cross braces around the fluted legs) the bridge remains just the way he built it. It is now a listed structure since it is the only cast iron bridge in the UK that carries a high-speed train route on it. One of the main highlights of Peterborough is the famous Peterborough Cathedral which can be seen to the right of the line as you enter the station. Outside Peterborough station there is the Great Northern Hotel, one of the many former railway hotels.

Peterborough to Doncaster:

On leaving Peterborough station the line to Lincoln soon diverges from the main East Coast Main Line to the right and then the Nottingham line diverges off to the left. Soon the famous East Coast racing section at Stoke Bank past the villages of Essendine and Little Bytham is reached. It is this stretch of traffic that is the location where the famous LNER Gresley A4 4-6-2 4468 Mallard made its record breaking run on the 3^rd July 1938 and achieved the world speed record for steam traction of 126 mph as she dashed down Stoke Bank under the expert control of Driver Joe Duddington and Fireman Tommy Bray. In 1998, to mark the 60^th anniversary of Mallard’s record breaking run, a special sign was erected alongside the East Coast Main Line marking the location where history was made back in 1938. Today the famous Mallard and the dynamometer car used on the record breaking run can both be seen on display at the National Railway Museum in York.

The next station reached is Grantham. Soon the train is speeding northwards again through rolling countryside. The next station reached is Newark. Here the line to Lincoln and Grimsby diverges off to the right and then Retford is reached. Soon the line from Grimsby joins the mainline from the right as we approach Doncaster station. To the left of the station is the famous Doncaster Works, famously known as “The Plant”. This famous railway works celebrated its 150^th anniversary in 2003 and is the birthplace of many famous LNER steam locomotives such as Mallard and Flying Scotsman to name just a few. The last steam locomotive overhauled at Doncaster Works was 60009 Union of South Africa. Today the works is owned by Wabtec Rail UK (part of the Wabtec Corporation) and Bombardier Transportation. Today Doncaster remains a key station on the East Coast Main Line.

Doncaster has long been famous as a railway town. In 2005 a new international airport opened at Doncaster on the former RAF Finningley air base. The airport is called Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield. Doncaster is also home to one of Britain’s oldest and largest racecourses. Doncaster Racecourse is where the famous St Leger Stakes takes place. The St. Leger is the world's oldest Classic Horse Race and features in the Horse Racing calendar as the fifth and final Classic of the British Flat racing season. This event takes pride of place every September on the famous Town Moor course. Renowned for producing racing of the highest order, Doncaster is undoubtedly one of the finest racecourses in Europe. In 2006 / 2007 the racecourse is undergoing refurbishment with the building of a new grandstand, exhibition centre, stables and bloodstock sales. It is due to reopen in August 2007 in time for the St Leger meeting.

Doncaster to York:

Soon after leaving Doncaster station, the main lines to Sheffield and Leeds City diverge off to the left. Eventually on the left can be seen the massive Eggborough power station complex. Soon the original route of the East Coast Main Line through Selby diverges off to the right and today’s express trains head off on a new route “the Selby Diversion” which was created in the 1980s during the electrification of the East Coast Main Line as a new direct route to York avoiding the Selby swing bridge.

At Colton Junction the Leeds line joins the main line from the left for the approach to York. Soon the train is sweeping round the curve and into the majestic York station with its magnificent arched trainshed roof. Just outside York station is the former Royal Station Hotel, now known as the Royal York Hotel.

York lies at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss and is the traditional county town of Yorkshire. The city is also the seat of the Archbishop of York and home to the famous York Minster cathedral. Today York is one of Britain’s great historic cities. York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, stands at the city's centre. York's centre is enclosed by medieval walls. The entire circuit (including parts where walls never existed) is about 3 miles.

Clifford’s Tower, a quatrefoil keep built on top of a Norman motte, was the site of a massacre of Jews in 1190. The Shambles is a narrow medieval street, lined with shops, boutiques and tea rooms, with the Earl Grey to name but one. These commercial premises were all once the main butchers of York, and if you look close enough on the shops façades you can see that the hooks from which the meat were hung are still intact. The charming medieval street also contains the house of the martyred Margaret Clitherow which has been her shrine since her canonisation. York has many other narrow streets, but you will find none so with as much character as the Shambles, the street contains a few passageways, commonly known as Snickelways, which can be found across the city. York is also a major venue for horse racing at York Racecourse, which recently hosted Royal Ascot while the Royal Ascot racecourse was being refurbished.

York to Darlington:

On departing from York station as the train sweeps round the curve, on the left can be seen the National Railway Museum York. This is one of the finest railway museums in the world and is home to world famous locomotives such as Flying Scotsman, Evening Star and Mallard. The museum is accessible directly from York station via a footbridge so is really easy to access.

The Scarborough line diverges off to the right as the mainline sweeps round to the left on its way out of York. Soon the Harrogate line can be seen diverging off to the left. Just before Thirsk station, to the left can be seen Topcliffe Airfield. To the right can be glimpsed Thirsk Racecourse. Next the town of Northallerton is reached. On the left on the outskirts of Darlington can be seen the Darlington Raceway motor racing circuit. Soon Darlington Bank Top station is reached with its magnificent arched trainshed roof.

Darlington is most famous for its railway heritage. Darlington Bank Top railway station remains a key station on the East Coast Main Line. However on the Bishop Auckland branch there is the historic Darlington North Road station with its associated Darlington Railway Centre & Museum. It is also close to the historic Darlington Hopetown Works which is now home to the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust which is building the first new steam locomotive for a generation in the refurbished works. Darlington also has strong associations with the birth of the railways. The world's first passenger rail journey was between Shildon (via Darlington) and nearby Stockton-on-Tees on the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825. Part of this historic railway, from Darlington to Shildon, is still open to passenger trains as part of the Darlington to Bishop Auckland branch line. Shildon is now home to Locomotion – The National Railway Museum at Shildon which serves as an outstation for the National Railway Museum based in York.

The town later became an important centre for railway manufacturing, with three significant works. The largest of these was the famous Darlington Works, known as North Road Shops, opened in 1863 and closed in 1966. Another was Robert Stephenson & Co. (colloquially: "Stivvies"), who moved to Darlington from Newcastle upon Tyne in 1902, became Robert Stephenson’s & Hawthorns in 1937, were absorbed by English Electric around 1960, and closed by 1964. The third was Faverdale Wagon Works, established in 1923 and closed in 1962, which in the 1950s was a UK pioneer in the application of mass-production techniques to the manufacture of railway goods wagons.

To commemorate Darlington's contribution to the railways, Dave Mach's 1997 work "Train" is located alongside the A66, close to the original Stockton-Darlington railway. It is a life-size brick sculpture of a steaming locomotive going into a tunnel made from 185,000 "Accrington Nori" bricks.

Darlington to Newcastle upon Tyne:

On leaving Darlington Bank Top station the line to Bishop Auckland diverges off to the left, the first station on the branch is the historic Darlington North Road station and further down the line is Shildon. Meanwhile the mainline continues to speed its way northwards passing the town of Newton Aycliffe on the left. Next the village of Ferryhill is passed on the left. The line then swings left to cross the River Wear as it approaches the historic city of Durham. As the train leaps high above the city on a mighty viaduct for its entry into Durham station there are magnificent views across the city to the right set on its wooded hills centred on a loop in the River Wear with fine views of Durham Cathedral and the Castle. The next station is Chester-le-Street.

Finally the train reaches Tyneside and enters the suburbs of Gateshead. The train then crosses the River Tyne on the King Edward Bridge with magnificent views either side but especially to the right with the series of Bridges across the Tyne including the famous Tyne Bridge. You will also get glimpses of the many existing new buildings along the banks of the Tyne. The train then sweeps into the magnificent Newcastle Central station. Outside Newcastle Central station is the Royal Station Hotel which is a former railway hotel opened in 1858 by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Newcastle is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line. Newcastle Central station was the first covered railway station in the world and was much copied across the UK. It has a fine neoclassical frontage originally designed by the architect John Dobson and was constructed in collaboration with Robert Stephenson. The station was opened in 1850 by Queen Victoria.

Trains may cross the River Tyne on one of two bridges — the High Level Bridge (opened 1849) to the south-east of Central Station, and the King Edward VII Bridge (opened 1906) to the south-west. The trackwork north and south of the river forms a complete circle with these two bridges, allowing trains to be turned around if necessary. The former Gateshead depot is situated, next to the connecting tracks, on the opposite side of the Tyne, mirroring the station.

Central Station was famed for its highly complex "diamond crossing" to the east of the station. This facilitated access to the High Level Bridge and northbound East Coast Main Line and was once said to be the greatest such crossing in the world. The crossing has been greatly simplified in recent years; however, as the opening of the Tyne & Wear Metro brought about the withdrawal of many heavy-rail suburban services and the closure of the platforms they operated from, and removed the need for such a complex crossing.

Newcastle upon Tyne has an extensive neoclassical centre, known as Grainger Town, largely developed in the 1830s by Richard Grainger and John Dobson, and recently extensively restored. Grey Street, which curves down from Grey’s Monument towards the valley of the River Tyne, was voted as England's finest street in 2005. Newcastle upon Tyne also lies at the eastern end of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site.

This stretch of the River Tyne is famous for a series of dramatic bridges, including the Tyne Bridge of 1928, the Swing Bridge of 1856, the King Edward VII Bridge of 1906 and Robert Stephenson’s High Level Bridge of 1849, the first road/rail bridge in the world. The latest addition being the Gateshead Millennium Bridge which was opened in 2001. Large-scale regeneration has replaced former shipping premises along the banks of the Tyne with imposing new office developments; an innovative tilting bridge, the GatesheadMillennium Bridge was commissioned by Gateshead and has integrated the older Newcastle Quayside more closely with major cultural developments in Gateshead Quays, including the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and the Norman Foster-designed The Sage Gateshead music centre. Below the Tyne Bridge can be seen a large ship. This ship is the former S.S. Caledonian Princess which was built in 1961 by William Denny Bros of Dumbarton for BR’s subsidiary the Caledonian Steam Packet Company  for service on the Stranraer Harbour to Larne ferry route and was soon transferred to the main British Railways fleet. She was notable as being the last railway ship built by William Denny & Bros. of Dumbarton as the shipyard closed in 1962 ending a long association between the railways and Denny. She was retired from service by BR Sealink in 1981 and now serves as a floating nightclub on the River Tyne called the Tuxedo Princess owned by Absolute Leisure Ltd. Newcastle Gateshead Quayside is now a thriving, cosmopolitan area with an abundance of bars, restaurants and public spaces. As a tourist promotion, Newcastle and Gateshead have linked together under the banner "NewcastleGateshead", but otherwise remain separate. Newcastle upon Tyne's International Ferry Terminal at Tyne Commission Quay is the departure point for the DFDS Seaways ferry services to Haugesund, Stavanger and Bergen in Norway and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Newcastle upon Tyne to Edinburgh:

On leaving Newcastle Central station the train speeds northwards through the suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne and Tyneside. Soon we pass Cramlington station before sweeping round a curve into Morpeth station followed by Pegswood station. The train continues north through the rolling Northumberland countryside passing Stobswood station with the legacy of the old coal mining industry visible to the right before passing Acklington station. The line then crosses the River Coquet with views across to the town of Warkworth and the coast to the right. The line then swings to run close to the coast to the right with magnificent views out across the North Sea and Alnmouth Bay. We soon reach Alnmouth station. To the north of the station the former branch line to Alnwick branches off to the left. The Aln Valley Railway has aspirations to reopen this branch line as a heritage railway.

The mainline then crosses the River Aln and continues northwards with the coast still visible from time to time on the right, but soon the line heads inland. After a while there are glimpses of Dunstanburgh Castle to the right on the coast. Then further inland we pass Brunton Airfield to the right before passing Chathill station and then we pass the village of Belford to the left with views towards Bamburgh, Bamburgh Castle and Seahouses and the Farne Islands to the right. Once again the line rejoins the coast with magnificent views out to the North Sea and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne across Fenham Flats. Soon we reach the mouth of the River Tweed and sweep round the curve and stride across the famous Royal Border Bridge and into Berwick upon Tweed station. From the bridge there are magnificent views out across the town on both sides with Berwick Castle visible on the left along with the other bridges across the Tweed.

After leaving Berwick upon Tweed the train continues to follow the coast with magnificent views out to sea to the right as the train crosses the border into Scotland. The line then turns inland and passes the village of Ayton with its Castle to the right. Around Penmanshiel we pass through rolling wooded Borders countryside. Then at Cockburnspath we break out onto the coast again with views out to sea on the right and Thornton Power Station comes into sight on the right between the train and the sea. Broxburn quarry and cement works are then passed before we reach Dunbar station with the Bass Rock and North Berwick visible away to the north. We then turn towards Edinburgh passing East Linton and then the former East Fortune airfield comes into sight on the left. This is now home to the National Museum of Flight and which forms part of the National Museums Scotland. The National Museum of Flight at East Fortune is also home to Concorde G-BOAA. The line from North Berwick then joins the mainline from the right as we reach Drem station. Then at Longniddry station we parallel the coast again. Cockenzie and Port Seton are then visible on the coast to the right before reaching Prestonpans station and then Wallyford and Musselburgh stations. Here the town is visible to the right with the coast beyond it. Musselburgh Racecourse is also visible near the coast. At Portobello Junction the former Waverley Route line and the Edinburgh South Suburban line join the mainline from the left. A branch to Leith Docks diverges off to the right as we pass Craigentinny train depot on the left. Finally we reach the final stretch into the east end of Edinburgh Waverley station which means journey’s end.

Edinburgh Waverley station lies in the valley at the centre of Edinburgh between the medieval Old Town (on the left) and the 19^th century New Town (on the right). These are now part of the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site. The station was first opened in 1846 and was rebuilt between 1892 and 1902.

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and since devolution is home to the new Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament. Waverley Bridge and North Bridge stride high above the station linking the two halves of the city. To the left is the Old Town, the Scottish Parliament and Holyrood Palace and Arthur’s Seat at the centre of Holyrood Park. To the right is the New Town built in Georgian times and Prince’s Street, which is the city’s main shopping street. At the western end of the station to the left high above the railway is Edinburgh Castle (managed by Historic Scotland). At the top of the Waverley Steps on the Prince’s Street and Prince’s Street Gardens side is the magnificent former North British Hotel, which continues to be a prestigious hotel as the Balmoral Hotel. At the eastern end of the station is Calton Hill. In addition to the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, massive regeneration plans are underway organised by Waterfront Edinburgh and Edinburgh Forthside to regenerate the waterfront of Edinburgh encompassing Leith, Newhaven and Granton as a new 21^st century Edinburgh Waterfront. Leith Docks already is home to the Ocean Terminal shopping centre and the Royal Yacht Britannia tourist attraction.

Edinburgh is world famous for the Edinburgh Festivals and its legendary Edinburgh Hogmanay (New Year celebrations). The Edinburgh Festivals are actually a collection of festivals including the Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe, the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, the Edinburgh Art Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Another famous event is the Edinburgh Military Tattoo which takes place on the Castle Esplanade.

Edinburgh truly is a most beautiful city and is legendary for its festivals and New Year Hogmanay celebrations. In addition to this there are the spectacular plans for the waterfront regeneration to create a 21^st Century Town to add to the existing Old and New Towns of Edinburgh.