Original subtitles

Join us on a journey aboard the magnificent steam train Tornado

as we travel along one of Britain's most beautiful railways...

ALL: Cheers!

...to a place with a spectacular coastline

and extraordinary engineering.

Amazing.

It's one of the greatest pieces of civil engineering

in the railways in Britain. It's that simple.

An area that survived a violent past...

The famous Viking attack of 793

was probably something akin to the Twin Towers.

..and changed the modern world.

Other railway stations around the world,

such as New York Grand Central, Amsterdam Central,

followed the template of Robert Stephenson's idea.

We'll meet the people who live and work

along this very special train line.

This is no ordinary railway journey.

This is one of the most scenic railway journeys in the world -

north-east England to Edinburgh.

Our rail adventure today begins at York Station,

and waiting for us at platform ten

is Peppercorn Class A1 Pacific 60163,

better known as Tornado.

This massive 22-metre, 169-tonne steam locomotive

may look as though it's from the 1940s,

but was only completed in 2008.

Today's journey is the Edinburgh Flyer,

and Tornado has been coupled up with 13 vintage passenger coaches

for its trip to Scotland's capital.

No-one knows this trip better than Rob Tibbetts, the train manager.

Are you on our Edinburgh train?

Yeah, we are. Yeah? H would be towards this end.

The appearance of an engine, a majestic machine like this,

or any steam locomotive,

always seems to bring out goodwill in people,

and they love to look in it and photograph it,

listen to it, smell it. It's always an exciting day.

Today, Rob and his team of volunteer stewards

will be looking after 200 passengers.

Right, we're all set to leave, so we wait now for the guard

to give the green flag, and then we'll be under way.

At 6:27am, Tornado pulls away from York Station

to begin its six-and-a-half-hour journey north.

Good morning, everybody. Just checking, everybody settled in all right?

Would you like any tea? Yes, please.

Would you like milk? Yes, please.

The passengers can now sit back and enjoy some of the best service

and scenery in the country.

Our journey will take us from York to Edinburgh.

The first stop is to Darlington, the birthplace of the modern railway,

and then on to the cathedral City of Durham.

From there, we'll travel to Newcastle

before heading up the Northumbrian coast to Craster,

Bamburgh and Lindisfarne.

We then cross the River Tweed at Berwick-upon-Tweed

and into Scotland, before completing our 200-mile journey in Edinburgh.

There are three classes of travel on board today,

ranging from standard to the luxury Premier Dining Car.

Buck's Fizz for everybody?

Oh, yes, please. Yes, thank you. Yes, yes, please.

Oh, thank you very much. Thank you.

All enjoy. Yeah. Lovely.

ALL: Cheers! Thank you very much.

Expertly preparing the freshly-cooked breakfasts

in the tiny kitchen

are chefs Bobby and Adam.

We've got some nice rostis, sausage.

They're going straight under the grill

while I just wait for these eggs.

You're on the train, it's oscillating everywhere,

so obviously you need lips, the plates are there,

and then it's pretty dangerous with the eggs,

but we don't put as much oil in, so...

Then we'll serve this straight to the steward.

Smoked salmon with scrambled eggs for you. Lovely, thank you.

I think it's a good job to have, really.

A lot of chefs would love this job. It's much sought after.

One of the passengers enjoying today's trip

is retired train driver John Scott.

He knows every inch of this route through North Yorkshire.

When we left York, we drove around the curve at Skelton

and then we went across the Vale of York,

and that is what we train drivers call the Racetrack,

because that's where the speed records for diesel trains

were set in the 1980s.

John may have driven diesel trains for 40 years,

but steam will always be his first love.

The steam locomotive seems to have a life of its own.

Not only can you see the steam, but, of course, you can hear it.

And of course, the added bonus is if you open the window,

then you'll get all the smutch from the steam as well.

Tornado can reach speeds of 100mph,

but today will be travelling mostly at a more sedate 75.

I absolutely adore steam travel.

It's the best, most relaxing way to see the countryside.

It's a big family day out, so it's really lovely to be out together

and, you know, getting really well looked after as well,

so it's a real treat. Yes.

I had the porridge to start with

and then the full English with granary toast. It's been delicious.

And the Buck's Fizz, not forgetting the Buck's Fizz! Oh, yes!

Yes, and the Buck's Fizz, of course.

An hour after leaving York, Tornado arrives at Darlington -

famous for the Stockton to Darlington Railway

and the Darlington Locomotive Works, Tornado's birthplace.

That's better. Keep going.

I think we're getting in this time, yeah.

I am one of those fortunate people

who, for the last 20 years, has been paid to build steam locomotives,

which has been my hobby ever since I was an infant.

Tornado was a labour of love for David and his team,

and it took 18 years to design and build this modern-day steam engine.

But they're not stopping there

because David's latest project, the P2 locomotive,

is even more ambitious.

Built between 1934 and 1936,

the P2s were once the most powerful passenger locomotives in the UK.

Nearly all the major parts for this engine have been made elsewhere.

But once the parts arrive here, because we're essentially building

a prototype, there's no guarantee that they're going to just go

straight on to the engine without further adjustment.

Eddie's using a dial gauge here.

How much are we taking off this, Ed?

Ten 1,000ths of an inch.

When steam locomotives were first introduced,

they obviously didn't have the technology or the measuring

equipment we have today, which makes it all the more amazing

that they managed to produce things, these locomotives,

that worked so well.

As none of the original P2s have survived,

David has had to work out every single component

with 3D software.

At the time that the original P2s were built in Doncaster,

I believe it's somewhere in the region of 2,800 people

worked in the workshops there.

Well, this technology, we are building this with probably

a total of about ten people.

WHISTLE TOOTS

Back on board Tornado,

it's clear David and his team's hard work was worth it.

I just love the whole ethos of the train -

the sound, the smell, everything about it.

It's a wonderful experience.

We travel on various services

quite often around the country. My dad loves steam

and I love seeing the engines perform,

going all over the country, seeing the different lines they travel on,

so it's really good, yeah.

From Darlington, Tornado powers its way north

to Durham and Newcastle.

This stretch here you really are driving the train

because they are very... There are curves along the route

and you know what you're doing if you can drive over this route.

We are now approaching Durham Station.

You will see, to our right, the famous view of Durham Cathedral.

Thank you.

Just a half mile from here is one of the world's greatest cathedrals

that has stood proud above the city for almost 1,000 years.

Built by the Normans, it was deliberately designed

on a massive scale to show off their power and impress the locals.

The 22-metre high stone vault ceiling was,

and still is, considered extraordinary.

And by building such a magnificent cathedral,

the Normans made it clear that they were here to stay.

And not put us to the test,

but save use from the Evil One.

Over 900 years later,

the cathedral is still a vibrant community.

And 66 metres above the altar,

bell major Nathan is preparing for their weekly rehearsal.

Welcome to the Durham Cathedral Bell Tower.

We've got ten bells in the tower.

The earliest bell dates from 1693,

and the heaviest bell that we have, the tenor bell,

weighs a tonne and a half.

And getting ten bells ringing in harmony takes a lot of practice.

Yeah, that's, like, our music score,

but it's patterns rather than music notes.

You ring a little bit slower when you're going up to the right

and a little bit quicker when you're going down to the left.

So you memorise them and then practise them to get them perfect.

So, right, we're going to ring Bob Doubles now, OK?

Treble is going. And gone.

BELLS RING

Our train now heads onwards to Newcastle's historic station

and Northumbria's stunning coastline.

We're 66 miles into a luxury steam train journey.

Pulled by the mighty Tornado,

our passengers are relishing some superb service

as they pass through north-east England.

After exploring Durham,

we head to Newcastle upon Tyne Central Station

and then on to the magnificent Northumbrian coast,

where we'll stop at the little fishing village of Craster.

We boarded at Durham this morning and that first view of the engine

as it rounds off the viaduct into the station

was absolutely fantastic.

We've been train enthusiasts since we were young boys

and we'd promised ourselves after I retired

that we would do some sort of trip.

This came up, Stuart lives in Durham.

Just perfect.

My brother is treating me to this day out, so very exciting.

As Tornado continues to pull its 13 coaches north,

our guard today is Stephen Shields,

who's spent 40 years working on the local railways.

This is a 1960s guard's van, or brake van,

whatever you want to call it. We have no onboard computer.

Everything is as it was in the 1960s.

I've been doing this many, many years now, and I still get excited

by the whiff of the steam and the coal.

It's a pleasure to come to work.

They're a living thing and every one of them is different.

ANNOUNCER: We are now approaching Newcastle Central Station.

If you look out either side of the train,

you will see the River Tyne below and the well-known bridges

that link Gateshead and Newcastle.

Most passengers travelling through Newcastle Central

don't take much notice of the architecture,

but in the middle of the 19th century, this massive structure

was simply out of this world.

It's also John's home station.

Most people in the early 1840s, 1850s, had never travelled

more than ten miles from where they lived, so you can imagine

somebody travelling from the countryside who had never seen

a railway in their lives arriving at a place like this.

It must have been a magnificent thing for them.

With the railways so new, local engineer Robert Stephenson

was keen to make an impact, and he did just that.

Opened by Queen Victoria in 1850,

the station was a massive 12,000 square metres,

with platforms stretching almost 800 metres long...

..with an enormous arched roof

supported by curved wrought iron ribs.

All the other main railway stations throughout the world,

such as New York Grand Central, the Antwerp Station

and Amsterdam Central, and all those fantastic stations

followed the template of Robert Stephenson's idea

of building an iconic railway station.

And you can see why.

Incredibly, Hadrian's Wall runs directly underneath the station,

and the locals were keen not to forget this.

We're now walking up to, and appropriately named,

the Centurion pub,

which was part of the extension of 1893,

when the North Eastern Railway decided to provide

a first class refreshment room in beautiful tiling.

Now, the strange thing is, by the time we get to the 1960s,

British Rail decided to cover it up with plasterboard.

Fortunately, it's now back into its full glory.

In today's money, it would cost in excess of £4.5 million

to build this.

We now leave the powerhouse of Britain's industrial success

and continue our journey,

but this time into a very different landscape.

The extraordinary north-east coast.

Every inch hides a bit of history,

from Viking attacks to its 70 castles.

Tucked away not far from our railway line is our next stop,

the tiny fishing village of Craster.

A place where time seems to have stood still

and ancient traditions still continue.

We're at L. Robson & Sons, Craster. Traditional fish smokers.

In the 15th, 16th century, heron would be the staple diet

of the population of Britain at one time,

because it was readily available and easy to catch

and there used to be smoke houses all the way up the coast.

Established over 100 years ago, L. Robson & Sons

have helped make the Craster the kipper of choice.

And today, they still produce between 7,000 to 8,000 a day.

That's over a million a year.

George is now going to put the herring in the brine.

They're in there for approximately 20 minutes.

And this is quite a crucial, critical part of the whole process.

You've got to have the right salt content.

Too salty, nobody wants to eat them,

and not salty enough and they don't turn out as kippers quite as good.

Well, this is... We're putting the herring on to tenter sticks.

You've heard the expression "on tenterhooks",

well, they are the tenterhooks that they're putting the herring on.

This has never changed throughout the years.

Only difference is that's stainless steel instead of wood - the sticks.

But you can see it's a very labour intensive job.

Neil's great-grandfather began working here in the 19th century

and would still recognise it today.

We're in one of the smoke houses that were built in 1856

and there's three like this.

You can see the herring all hanging up there.

And now they're ready for the fires to be lit.

What we'll do is we'll light six little mounds of shavings,

pat them down, put oak sawdust over the top

and then light them at the back all the way to the front.

And they'll be in here for about 14, 15 hours before they're ready.

They've come in as herring, they go out as kippers.

Still people think of this as like a cathedral full of kippers

with the light shining through.

It always gives me a little buzz when I see them.

The English romantic painter JMW Turner once said

that it was the skies of Northumbria that made him famous.

200 years later, the local landscape is still a source of inspiration.

For an artists, it's a brilliant place to live, yeah.

Couldn't wish for anywhere better.

Being in a wheelchair sets challenges

but, I mean, there's challenges in life all the time

and it's a matter of trying to work out how we can overcome them.

Once I'm on terra firma, I can shuffle across the land,

find the position that I want to paint from, and away we go.

So, just put the gear that I need to one side.

Out of the chair...

..and start moving down to where I need to go.

There you go.

Perfect view.

I think we can start.

This Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

was once the largest and most powerful kingdom in the land.

Now this rugged coastline is home to countless wildlife.

SQUAWKING

Wow! That's worth coming down here, for that.

I carry what I can,

but the rocks kind of give me an easel.

I've got a cushion, so I'm quite comfortable.

And the perfect viewpoint as well, where the wheelchair can't go,

but I can, so it gives us a nice...

..different perspective.

I never get bored of painting the sea because it's a bit...

It's kind of kaleidoscopic - it constantly evolves and changes.

Painting it is wonderful.

TRAIN WHISTLES

We're now more than four hours into our journey...

..and as Tornado powers north, we head towards the surprisingly

cosmopolitan Anglo-Saxon stronghold of Bamburgh.

We're on board a special, luxurious train

pulled by the mighty locomotive Tornado,

and we're heading towards Edinburgh.

Our next port of call is at Bamburgh,

and then it's only a short distance to the holy island of Lindisfarne,

before heading to Berwick Upon-Tweed and passing into Scotland.

From the border, it's just over 50 miles to our destination, Edinburgh.

Something we've always wanted to do is come on a steam train journey,

a nice long one from York all the way up to Edinburgh.

Lovely, lovely time.

As our train travels north,

we run for a while alongside the glorious Northumbrian coastline.

And, as the area was occupied by the Romans, invaded by the Vikings

and lorded over by the Normans,

it's no wonder this stretch is packed with castles.

One particularly spectacular example is Bamburgh,

which has guarded the coastline here for over 1,400 years.

Today, though, the local sand dunes are a much more peaceful place.

It's often referred to as Britain's most scenic golf course

and if you do with 360 and have a look around,

there's just views everywhere.

So even if you're playing badly, you can still enjoy your day out.

It is not just one of Britain's most beautiful golf courses

but, as it stands on the very edge of the North Sea,

one of its most challenging.

Here we go. Right down the middle.

Oh, no! Too much power. Straight past us.

We think it's a calm day, most people probably think

it's a hurricane, but it's just fantastic.

But Bamburgh's sand dunes are not just home to lost balls.

They hide an incredible history close to the castle walls,

as archaeologist Graham Young explains.

Well, we are standing on the edge of a burial ground

from well over 1,000 years ago

and behind me now, where we see this beautiful Marram grass

and dune field, would at the time that the burial ground was in use,

would have been a tidal beach, so a very different landscape.

Over the years, sand gradually covered the Anglo-Saxon graves

and, from the 14th century, they were hidden from view.

There was a great storm event in the winter of 1817

and the sand was blown away

and burials outlined in stone were exposed.

And this was the first time anyone had seen the burial ground,

probably since the Middle Ages.

We can't actually see the cemetery itself now.

It's gone back to looking something like a picnic area.

But the burials that were lifted and undertake scientific study,

we did re-bury within St Aidan's within the village,

so we can go and have a visit of the burials in their crypt now.

The Reverend Louise Taylor-Kenyon is the new vicar of St Aidan's

and wasn't here when over 100 Anglo-Saxon skeletons

were laid to rest inside her church.

What can you tell me about these people here?

Well, we know the cemetery itself contains whole family groups.

We have every age from neonates, basically a new baby,

right through to quite elderly people.

Most of St Aidan's was built in the late 12th century,

but there's been a church on this site since St Aidan himself

lived here in 635 AD.

When we have a 7th century knife and a radiocarbon date

that extends from the 6th century to the mid 7th century,

we know that that individual has almost certainly died

in the age of St Aidan. Which is incredible.

So what you're saying is here, underneath the church at St Aidan's,

we've got the actual bones of people who would have been alive

and would have known him - actually lived in the same place as him. Yes.

One of the surprising elements from the results of the isotope data,

which gives us indication of where people grew up,

is I think of all the burials that we have here that we got data from,

about eight were locals from this part of Northumberland

and everyone else came from somewhere else in the British Isles

or even from abroad.

Many came from Scotland and Ireland,

but, surprisingly, some clearly came from much hotter climates.

The only connection between the Mediterranean world

and early medieval Northumbria that makes any sense

is the Christian Church, so we're looking at people

who've travelled from the far reaches of Christendom.

That is quite extraordinary, isn't it?

TRAIN WHISTLES

This is my first mainline trip on a steam train.

I have been to many heritage railways before,

but never on the mainline.

It's really, really good.

It's only ten miles until our next stop,

which you can just glimpse from the train -

an extraordinary island on the horizon.

Lindisfarne is a bewitching place.

A tidal island that's cut-off every day.

It's as rich in wildlife as it is in history.

It may be tiny, but as it was the home of both St Aidan

and St Cuthbert, its reputation as the cradle of Christianity

in north-east England was enormous

and one that ultimately led to its destruction.

Back in the 7th century, it was the epicentre of Celtic Christianity,

and it was so important that it became a target for the Vikings,

who came here to raid it.

And, in fact, the famous Viking attack of 793

was probably something akin to the Twin Towers,

as this was an extremely important area for Christianity.

It's unlikely the Vikings chose it by accident.

It was there to send a message that they were on their way.

The Vikings weren't the last to attack the island,

and by the 17th century, the priory had fallen into ruin.

But even today, thousands still follow the wooden pilgrim poles

across from the mainland to the island each year,

maintaining Lindisfarne's reputation

as one of the UK's holiest destinations.

We've been here for about two-and-a-half years

and we absolutely love it.

We're a really small island, 150 people,

but about 700,000, 800,000 visitors

and tourists and pilgrims every year.

So that's quite a contrast, really,

but so fortunate to live in this beautiful place.

Come on, let's go.

Let's go to the beach. There we go.

When I'm walking this way, it's like I really feel

I'm in the footsteps of St Aidan, St Cuthbert

and Eadfrith, who wrote the Lindisfarne Gospels here,

and all the other monks way back in the 7th, 8th, 9th centuries.

This is a real liminal place.

A thin place where the distance between Earth and heaven

is smaller than other places.

So, here we are. These are the famous pilgrims' polls.

And you can see they go all the way across to the mainland.

It's traditional for pilgrims to take their shoes off

and to walk barefoot across the sands.

But also, there's something about walking on holy ground

with your bare feet, so it's a special and important thing to do.

We can't walk the whole polls now, the tide is coming in,

but I'm going to take my shoes and socks off here

and walk the remainder of the polls as a pilgrim, barefoot.

Walking barefoot on holy ground is a really intensely beautiful

and spiritual and physical thing to do, really.

We're connected with God's Earth, God's sand, as we do it.

And it's incredible looking at the sea pinks and the flora

and the samphire all around here as well,

which is all exposed when the tide is down.

It's a really special, peaceful, spiritual, beautiful place.

TRAIN WHISTLES

Four-and-a-half hours after leaving York,

Tornado is now steaming its way along the north-east coast

towards England's most northern town - Berwick Upon-Tweed,

where we cross the magnificent Royal Border Bridge.

Amazing.

What a view we've got.

It's fabulous. And they keep going out to sea.

TRAIN WHISTLES

We're on board the Edinburgh Flyer, pulled by the mighty Tornado,

as it powers up the north-east of England.

Our train has just crossed the towering Royal Border Bridge

and will now stop to take on water at Berwick Upon-Tweed.

Good afternoon, David.

Let go.

As Berwick is such an important crossing point,

its bridges are world-famous...

..and a lifelong passion for local historian Jim Herbert.

James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603.

On his journey down to London, he came through Berwick first,

and he had to cross this rickety old wooden bridge built in 1478

that had been badly damaged by ice floes,

and it's said he was so afraid for his life that he commanded

a new bridge for Berwick be built out of stone

as a symbol of his Union of the Kingdoms.

And it's still here today.

James I's solid 15-arch sandstone bridge

is now Grade I listed,

but for over 300 years, it was the main thoroughfare across the river.

The next bridge we're going to pass underneath is the Royal Tweed Bridge

and it was opened by the Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII, in 1928.

It's often thought as being the poor relation of the three bridges

but I think that's a great shame

because I think it's quite a wonderful structure.

The arch we're passing through, the nearest to Berwick,

is the longest of the four arches,

and at the time it held the world record for being the longest

concrete span in the world.

The Royal Tweed Bridge might have been experimental for its time...

..but nothing could beat the sheer beauty of the Royal Border Bridge.

659 metres long,

trains have been crossing it since 1850,

and even today, it still creates a wonderful sense of awe.

It's one of the greatest pieces of civil engineering

in the railways in Britain, it's that simple.

There's 28 arches in all.

The average height from the river is about 67 metres

and each arch is about 18 metres wide.

Of course, the really weird thing is it's called the Royal Border Bridge.

It's nowhere near the border.

You've got to go another three miles up the road to get to that.

Originally, it was going to be called the Tweed Viaduct,

but as it was opened by Queen Victoria,

that's why it was called the Royal Border Bridge.

And it truly is a thing of wonder.

Back on board Tornado, we're about ready to depart.

I suppose it's like a boy's dream.

I mean, I've been doing it quite a long time now,

so I've got used to it, but it's still an honour

to be able to operate steam in this modern railway.

At full power, Tornado will boil 300 litres of water

and burn over 23 kilos of coal a minute.

And it's Neil the fireman's job to make sure there's always

the right amount of steam, fire and water.

This lever is the throttle and that makes it go or stop.

This is the reverser, which we rotate to put into forward gear.

This is like the first gear of your car,

and as it gets faster, we slowly wind this out,

so it's like a variable gearbox until we're running about 15%

at 75 mile an hour, which means it's running really efficient.

Once you get used to it, straightforward.

One bit that makes it go, one bit that makes it stop -

can't be easier.

So long as he gives me steam, I'll go.

With a full tank of water, Tornado now roars its way north

along the Berwickshire cliffs...

Oh, yes.

Look at this go.

..and crosses the border into Scotland.

As our journey draws near to Edinburgh...

..our passengers look back at their morning.

It's been a lovely day out, and it has been a lovely day out.

Really enjoyable, really enjoyable.

Can't fault it one iota.

It's just before 1pm

and Tornado pulls into Platform 20 at Edinburgh Waverley Station.

If you want to leave anything, it's absolutely fine, just on the racks.

OK, good afternoon.

Our passengers have four hours to explore Edinburgh's historic sites

before their return journey to York.

Have a nice afternoon. Thank you.

Thank you. Are you all right, my love? Thank you.

Have a nice afternoon. See you later.

Take care now.

Tourists arriving at Waverley Station is nothing new.

In fact, it was designed for that very purpose.

When it was redeveloped in 1900, it was the largest railway station

in the United Kingdom,

with an enormous 30,000 square metre glass roof.

And the reason for all this grandeur?

The Victorian tourists' enthusiasm for Scotland.

Historian Tom Parnell

shows us what they would have been keen to see.

So it's only at this point that we begin to rise up

out of Waverley Station,

but we begin to understand how low down the station is.

And we see, coming up this ramp, in the same way as Victorian passengers

would have done a 120 years ago,

they come up from the smoke and the steam of the railway,

up into the fresh air, with this amazing panorama of the city

wrapping all the way around us.

And the first stop on their tour of Edinburgh

wasn't far from the station.

So here we are at the Scott Monument in East Princes Street Gardens.

It's a great Gothic rocket rising 200 feet into the sky.

It was built to commemorate Sir Walter Scott,

a great Scottish author who died in 1832.

He's celebrated all around the world for his novels, including,

of course, the Waverley novels.

When it was completed in 1846, it was as much a visitor attraction

for Victorian tourists as it is today.

As Edinburgh grew wealthier during the 18th and 19th centuries,

it decided to rebrand itself as the Athens of the north

and soon thousands of Victorian tourists were flocking

to Calton Hill to admire its stunning classical architecture.

So once you're up on top here on Calton Hill,

you can really understand what appealed

to Victorian visitors to the city.

You have this amazing 360 degree panorama of the entire city

all the way around from Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags,

the medieval old town reaching up to Edinburgh Castle

atop the volcanic plug.

And we see the Walter Scott Monument and the new town behind us

and then playing round to the Firth of Forth

and Leith Docks down in the distance.

So, visitors to Edinburgh and the city today still enjoy Calton Hill

for exactly that same reason - enjoying these views

and enjoying these great, great Greek Revival monuments.

That's why I'm so proud to call the city my home.

On our glorious, steam-powered journey

through north-east England to Edinburgh,

we've explored iconic cathedrals...

..and discovered local traditions.

We've stepped back in time to discover the wonders

that lie beneath the sand...

..and enjoyed one of Britain's most spectacular coastlines.

And all aboard the legendary locomotive Tornado.