Edinburgh to London train cab journey: sunrise from the Flying Scotsman

Edinburgh to London train cab journey: sunrise from the Flying Scotsman

Hello and welcome onboard this LNER Azuma to London King’s Cross We will call at Newcastle and London King’s Cross The next station will be Newcastle The Calton tunnels run through the remains of a long-extinct volcano which formed Edinburgh’s Calton Hill, Castle Rock, and Arthur’s Seat. The older southern tunnel dates to 1846 however the parallel northern tunnel wasn’t built until 1902. The train’s speed drops off here as the Driver performs a running brake test, reducing from around 40 to 35mph. This is in addition to a static brake test before departure. Craigentinny first opened its doors in 1904. It is the home of our Azuma fleet in Scotland and the main depot for the northern end of our route, although we also have Clayhills depot in Aberdeen. The Flying Scotsman service originated in 1862 and officially acquired its name in 1924. It began as the 10:00 express each way between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverley, but has been the 05:40 fast southbound service since 2011. The angular footbridge at Drem was installed during electrification work in 1989 as the first example of a new template design. The original Victorian footbridge it replaced was later re-erected in 1993 at Settle in North Yorkshire. The remains of the original East Linton station (which opened in 1846 but closed in 1964 amidst the “Beeching Axe”) can be seen shortly after the present station which opened in 2023. Dunbar opened in 1846 with two platforms and a simple roof, however the station was reduced to a single platform in the 1970s. It wasn’t until 2019 that a second platform was restored to allow trains to stop without needing to cross over. Dunbar quarry is home to the only cement factory in Scotland. It opened in 1963 and now produces 700,000 tonnes each year, utilising its location for direct rail freight. The colossal Torness nuclear power station on the horizon to the left generates enough clean electricity to power 2 million homes from its compact site. It’s been operational since 1988. Can you see the red signal ahead? The two preceding signals indicated it approaching with the sequence of double yellow to single yellow, allowing the Driver to slow well in advance. Dunglass Viaduct was designed by John Millar and opened in 1846. It crosses Dunglass Burn over seven arches. The railway and the A1 road were diverted here in 1979 following the collapse of Penmanshiel Tunnel during enlargement works. Above the site is a memorial to the two workers who lost their lives. There’s a pair of signs either side of the track ahead, marking 350 miles to London. You can spot these traditional line-side signs all the way up the East Coast Main Line. Reston is the newest station on the LNER route. It opened on 23 May 2022, acting as a hub for multi-modal journeys from the local villages. The fog rolling over the fields is formed by the cooling of the land overnight reducing the ability of the air to hold moisture close to the surface. There is another pair of traditional line-side signs ahead, this time marking 50 miles to Edinburgh. Nestled amongst the dramatic cliffs to the left is the ruined smugglers’ bothy, once used to smuggle tea under cover of fishing to evade punitive taxes in the 18th Century. You can catch a glimpse from the side windows when passing. The third set of line-side signs for this journey is just ahead. This pair marks the boundary between Scotland and England. Berwick-upon-Tweed is the most northerly station (and town) in England, built on the site of the great hall of Berwick Castle. Ahead of the station, on the left, are another line-side sign and a disused platform from the former goods yard. The Royal Border Bridge was opened by Queen Victoria in 1850. It was designed by the legendary Robert Stephenson and consists of 28 arches crossing the River Tweed at a height of 38m (125ft). The circular white ‘W’ sign is known as a whistle board. These signs instruct the Driver to sound the horn, in this case to warn any users of the level crossing. Out to sea here is the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. The original Abbey was founded in 634 AD at the request of Saint Oswald, King of Northumbria. More recently it served as the setting for ’28 Years Later’ with its iconic causeway. The alert that sounded there was the vigilance alarm, which the Driver must acknowledge with a foot pedal colloquially known as a dead man’s switch. The train will apply the emergency brake if it is not acknowledged. Alnmouth Viaduct opened in 1849 and crosses the River Aln. Like the Royal Border Bridge to the north, it was also designed by Robert Stephenson. Alnmouth station originally opened in 1847 and once served connecting trains to nearby Alnwick (famed for its castle which was a filming location for Hogwarts) on the defunct branch line. The station was rebuilt in its current form in 1987. The next pair of line-side signs ahead marks 300 miles to London, 50 miles on from the last distance marker. Coquet Viaduct crosses the River Coquet north of Acklington. It opened in 1850 and, like its neighbours, was designed by Robert Stephenson. Bothal Viaduct crosses the River Wansbeck near the village of Pegswood. It’s another bridge designed by Robert Stephenson which opened in 1850. Morpeth station was opened in 1847 by the Newcastle & Berwick Railway which would go on to form part of the London & North Eastern Railway. The tight curve following the station has a speed limit of 50mph. Plessey Viaduct crosses the River Blyth north west of Cramlington. It also opened in 1850 with another design by Robert Stephenson. It was strengthened in 2023 with concrete and steel underpinning. The Northumberland Line, utilising the former route of the defunct Blyth & Tyne Railway, joins from the left after we pass under the steel Metro bridge and stone road bridge ahead. Heaton TrainCare Centre celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2025, having first opened in 1875. We currently keep up to ten Azuma trains stabled here overnight. You can also see Chillingham Road Metro station just to the left ahead. Approaching next station stop. Train length: nine The alarm that just sounded warns the Driver of an upcoming station stop, with a reminder of the number of coaches on the train (nine). It will be repeated in a short while, with another reminder of the train length on approach to the platform. We will shortly be arriving at Newcastle The former Heaton station once stood here. A wooden building dating to 1887 bridged across the cutting, with glazed canopies over its platforms down at track level. It closed in 1980 and was demolished during electrification. A set of three viaducts cross the Ouseburn Valley in parallel here. This bridge opened in 1839, designed by father-son duo John & Benjamin Green. The elegant Metro viaduct to the left opened in 1982, while the road bridge beyond opened in 1878. Approaching next station stop. Train length: nine You can see the Metro route diverge to the left where it dives underground into Manors station and continues on to St James where the Yellow line terminates. Manors was once a major station for local services but only two platforms remain in use, with the underground Manors Metro station just to the north handling most passengers. A station entrance remains blocked off down at street level. The Tyne Bridge (glimpsed to the left) is an icon of the North East. It opened in 1928 and its sister, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, was built by the same firm from Middlesbrough. The castle keep gives the city of Newcastle its name. It was built in the 12th Century by King Henry II to replace an earlier castle, itself on the site of a Roman fort. The railway later bisected the castle grounds in the 19th Century. Train length: nine Newcastle Central Station was opened in 1850 by Queen Victoria. The arched roof was the first of its kind in the world, and was extended in 1894. It was designed by engineer Robert Stephenson and architect John Dobson. We are now at Newcastle This is the only scheduled stop on our Flying Scotsman service. A Newcastle Driver takes over from the Edinburgh Driver to take the train the rest of the way to London. The video is muted for the Drivers’ handover. The Class 43 High Speed Train to the left was transformative for Britain’s railways in the 1970s. The last HST left service from the LNER fleet in 2019, and the example here is used by Network Rail to assess track conditions across the route. The Train Manager sends two buzzes to advise the train is ready to depart, which the Driver confirms with another two buzzes in return. You may hear the exchange from the vestibule area onboard. Hello and welcome onboard this LNER Azuma to London King’s Cross We will call at London King’s Cross only King Edward VII Bridge was opened by the King himself in 1906. It is one of seven bridges across the Tyne from central Newcastle, and spans 350m (1150ft) at a height of 34m (112ft) over the water at high tide. The route to the left is the Tyne Valley Line, running between Newcastle and Carlisle. It dips down and crosses underneath us on the ECML then continues in parallel with the River Tyne as far as Haltwhistle. 15.7 billion tonne-kilometres of freight was transported by rail across Great Britain in 2022-23. The majority of rail freight in the North East of England passes through Tyne Yard. This viaduct was completed in 1868. It crosses the valley over Chester Burn (a tributary of the River Wear) across eleven brick arches at a height of up to 27m (90ft). Durham Cathedral and Castle stand on the hill to the left in the centre of the city. Together a UNESCO World Heritage Site with architecture largely dating to the 12th Century, the site succeeded Lindisfarne after it was lost to Viking raids. Durham station originally opened in 1857 but in 1871 it was redeveloped into its present form. It is of an impressively grand scale for a station with just two platforms. Durham Viaduct opened in 1857 with the original station. It was designed by the Chief Engineer of the North Eastern Railway, Thomas Harrison, and runs for 253m (830ft) at a height of up to 23m (76ft). Croxdale Viaduct crosses the River Wear half way between Durham and Spennymoor. It was built in 1872 and consists of eleven brick arches at the same height as Durham Viaduct. The next pair of traditional waypoint signs is coming up on either side of the line, this time marking 150 miles to/from Edinburgh. Aycliffe Viaduct dates to 1843 and crosses the River Skerne. The river is so meandering that the East Coast Main Line crosses it seven times between Durham and Darlington. Did you spot them? The Driver sounded the horn for the orange-clad track workers ahead, who will raise a hand to signal their awareness of the train approaching. Another traditional sign ahead on the right marks the route of
the Stockton & Darlington Railway, the world’s first passenger railway which opened two centuries ago in 1825. Part of the route remains in continuous use on the Tees Valley Line. The present Darlington station opened in 1887. It was known as Darlington Bank Top until it was renamed in 1934. You can see the new island platforms and additional station building under construction on the left hand side. The Tees Valley Line to the left runs through Middlesbrough, Redcar, and on to Saltburn-by-the-Sea, with branches off to other routes through County Durham and North Yorkshire. The River Tees runs under Croft Viaduct ahead. It marks the boundary between Durham and Yorkshire. The next lineside sign is on the left immediately after the bridge, welcoming trains into the county. The beeps are from the TMS (Train Management System) which the Driver is using to adjust the electronic speed limiter, so applying more power won’t take the train beyond the speed set by the Driver. The line to the right leads to the volunteer-led Wensleydale Railway. It dates to 1848 but closed to passengers in 1954. Heritage diesel trains now operate along the route, as well as freight including military transport for Catterick Garrison. The Durham Coast Line (which we use as a diversionary route to Newcastle via Hartlepool) joins from the left on approach to Northallerton. The station originally opened in 1841 but was redeveloped in the 1980s. As a non-stop service after Newcastle, the Flying Scotsman overtakes other LNER trains en route to London. In four-track sections of the route, the inner lines are designated Fast and the outer lines are designated Slow. Thirsk station is 2km (1¼mi) from the town itself. It was originally known as Newcastle Junction when it first opened in 1841. Up ahead are the next traditional line-side signs. This pair marks the half way point between Edinburgh and London. They were hand made in 1938 and recently restored in 2022. Just before the bridge ahead is the next pair of traditional line-side signs, marking the point 200 miles from Edinburgh. Skelton Bridge crosses the River Ouse. The name of the river is thought to have Celtic origins (meaning water) which is why it pops up in various different places from York’s Ouse, to Newcastle’s Ouseburn, to Cambridgeshire’s Great Ouse. Leeman Road depot services TransPennine Express trains including the Class 185 and Class 802. It opened in 2007. The National Railway Museum is home to legends of LNER such as the world’s fastest steam locomotive, Mallard. We marked the museum’s 50th anniversary this year with a new name and livery for one of our Class 91 locomotives, 91105. The Flying Scotsman is the only LNER service through York which doesn’t stop here. The present station opened in 1877 but there is an older station within the city walls, dating to 1841, which is now home to LNER’s head office. York ROC (Rail Operating Centre) on the right is home to the LNER Service Delivery Team, responsible for every one of our train services from London all the way to Inverness. The line to the right leads to Leeds, with other operators’ services continuing on to cities such as Manchester and Liverpool, as well as to Birmingham and the south west. This section of route is the Selby Diversion. It opened in 1983 as the first purpose-built high speed railway in Britain, funded by the National Coal Board. It was designed for 125mph running but has the potential for upgrades up to 160mph. This is Temple Hirst Junction, where the East Coast Main Line rejoins its original route with the line from Selby. The bridges cross the River Aire, which flows directly underneath Leeds station some 45km (28mi) upstream. You may notice the zig-zag of the overhead electric lines. That’s to distribute wear across the pantograph which draws power above the train. If it were a straight line then the cable would quickly carve a groove into the equipment. The line merging from the right is the West Yorkshire branch of the East Coast Main Line, which carries our services from Leeds and other destinations such as Bradford and Harrogate. Doncaster station originally opened in 1850 but it was rebuilt with Art Deco features in 1938. A refurbishment in 2020 restored the appearance of the concourse and frontage. The connected bus interchange opened in 2006. Doncaster Carr depot, to the left, is the central maintenance depot for our Azuma fleet. It was rebuilt and came into use together with our new trains from 2019, although the site dates back to 1876 as a locomotive shed and sidings. This inconspicuous bridge carries the Great North Road overhead. It was once the main route between London and Edinburgh, dating back to medieval times, and likely inspired the Kingsroad in ‘Game of Thrones’. Retford station first opened in 1849 but the present buildings date to 1892. It was listed at Grade II in 2020 for its surviving refreshment rooms. The station also has two perpendicular low level platforms serving the Sheffield-Lincoln line. The level crossing is on Church Lane, which gets its name from St Wilfrid’s Church visible to the right with its stone tower. The church building dates back to the 13th Century. Both Muskham Viaduct and Newark Dyke Bridge (known to locals as the Tubular Bridge) cross the River Trent as it diverges from the south west before coming back together. Newark Flat Crossing is the last of its kind on the network, with trains between Nottingham and Lincoln crossing directly over the East Coast Main Line. The crossing was renewed in 2019 as part of the East Coast Upgrade programme. Newark North Gate station opened in 1852. All unclaimed lost property from LNER stations makes it way here for storage. The town has another railway station, Newark Castle, managed by East Midlands Railway. Grantham railway station opened in 1852. It replaced an older terminal station (known retrospectively as Old Wharf) which opened just two years earlier. The beeping noise is an inbound call for the Driver from the
Train Manager. Our Azuma trains have two handsets in the cab: one for internal communication and one for external calls to the signaller. Ahead on the left is the next of our old line-side signs. This one marks the site of the LNER’s Class A4 Mallard setting its 1938 speed record of 126mph (203km/h), becoming the fastest steam locomotive in history. Stoke Bank is the site of other speed records including the LNER’s Class A3 Papyrus (younger sister of Flying Scotsman) reaching 108mph (174km/h) in 1935, and the Class 91 (91010) peaking at 161.7mph (260.2km/h) during testing in 1989. The flashing green signals on this stretch of route (indicating another green signal ahead) were installed as part of high speed testing up to 140mph (225km/h) in the 1980s, but it was found that in-cab signalling would be required for safety. Both our Azuma and InterCity 225 trains are capable of regular operating speeds up to 140mph (225km/h), but the maximum line speed limit remains at 125mph (201km/h). Werrington Dive-Under, the sunken section to the right, opened in 2021. Construction involved pushing a pre-castcurved tunnel under the main line, allowing freight traffic to cross over without obstructing passenger services. Peterborough station opened in 1850. It was previously known as Peterborough North and was rebuilt in stages over the 1970s to form the present station buildings. Additional platforms were added in 2013. The line speed limit is indicated by the white circular signs with a red border and a black number. This section is now back up to 125mph but the whole train must be past the sign before exceeding the previous limit of 105mph. Ahead on the right is the next traditional line-side sign. This one marks 50 miles to London. The large bridge overhead is the Hitchin Flyover, connecting the Cambridge line with the East Coast Main Line. It was built between 2011-13 and runs for 2.3km (1.4mi). Stevenage station opened in 1973. It replaced an older station
1.5km (0.9mi) to the north, to serve the new town centre from the modernist redevelopment of Stevenage as the first designated New Town of the post-war period. The line to the left is the Hertford Loop. Although primarily served by commuting services to London, it is a valuable alternative route for our services on the East Coast Main Line during times of engineering work or other disruption. We apologise, this train is being held at a red signal. Please listen for further announcements while we try to determine the cause. Digswell Viaduct, also known as Welwyn Viaduct, crosses the Mimram Valley over 40 brick arches up to 30m (100ft) high. It opened in 1850, designed by William and Joseph Cubitt, and runs for 475m (1560ft). The ‘bell’ sound is part of the Automatic Warning System (AWS) and indicates a green signal ahead. It is triggered by the yellow magnet box on the track which you can see regularly along the whole route. The ‘horn’ is the counterpart to the bell in the AWS, indicating a restrictive signal (the double yellow ‘preliminary caution’) ahead. The train will apply the emergency brake if it is not acknowledged by the Driver within 2.7 seconds. Potters Bar is the longest tunnel on the East Coast Main Line at 1.1km (0.7mi). The first tunnel was dug in 1849, and the second running in parallel opened a century later in 1959. Hadley Wood marks the administrative boundary between London to the south and Hertfordshire to the north. Bounds Green is the London home of our Azuma fleet. The depot was rebuilt in 1977 to service High Speed Trains, and was home to our InterCity 225 fleet before the remaining trains relocated to Neville Hill depot in Leeds. Hornsey depot can be found at the other side of Ferme Park sidings, servicing Thameslink EMU (electric multiple unit) sets including the trains seen to the left. We apologise for the delay to your journey. This is due to congestion caused by earlier delays. We’re being delayed by late running local services in the area; unfortunately a consequence of our mixed-use railway in contrast to a dedicated high speed line. Digital signalling is being introduced to mitigate delays such as these. Approaching next station stop. Train length: nine The Emirates Stadium, to the left, is the sixth largest football stadium in England and the home of Arsenal Football Club. The stadium opened in 2006. We will shortly be arriving at London King’s Cross. If you enjoyed your journey or have any comments, please let us know. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or visit LNER.co.uk Approaching next station stop. Train length: nine Copenhagen Tunnel is 0.5km (0.3mi) in length, consisting of a set of parallel bores, with the oldest dating to 1850. The name comes from running under what were the gardens of the Danish ambassador’s residence in the 17th Century. The enclosed bridge above carries the HS1 high speed line from London St Pancras, with services travelling into Kent and on into Europe through the Channel Tunnel. Gasworks Tunnel is a set of three parallel bores, also 0.5km (0.3mi) in length. The third bore (to the left) was previously removed from use but the tracks were re-laid together with a realignment of King’s Cross in 2021 to increase capacity. The central bore is the oldest, dating to 1852, followed by the eastern in 1878 and western in 1892, all crossing under the Regent’s Canal. We installed new antennae in 2024 to prevent the loss of mobile signal and WiFi when passing through. The building to the right will soon become Google’s new UK headquarters. It has been under construction since 2018 and is longer than the Shard is tall at 330m (1080ft). It’s expected to be Europe’s eighth largest office building by floor space. Train length: nine The fenced-off York Road tunnel to the left was built in 1863 and closed in 1977. It connects to what is now the Thameslink route to Farringdon and recently made an appearance with Tom Cruise in ‘Mission: Impossible’ as a secret hideout. London King’s Cross is our busiest station with 60% of LNER customer journeys beginning or ending here. It was designed by the architect Lewis Cubitt and opened in 1852. A major refurbishment project was completed in 2012. You can hear the rumble strips on the tracks for the final approach toward the buffers. The Driver will soon release the doors using a pair of buttons in the cab. On our InterCity 225 trains, the doors are released by the Train Manager. Welcome to London King’s Cross where we finish our journey today.

Take a seat alongside the Driver of the iconic LNER Flying Scotsman service for a real time journey up the full length of the UK’s East Coast Main Line from Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross, taking in a picturesque sunrise from darkness into light onboard our Azuma train.

You can enjoy a cinematic widescreen look at the landscape of the ECML from the Scottish Borders and Northumberland Coast, through Durham and Yorkshire, to the fields of the south of England — with a unique view of our cities like Newcastle and York along the way.

Plus, experience full cab sounds and a HUD showing:
• Location (stations and landmarks)
• Speed in mph*
• Distance travelled in miles*
• Clock time and timetable variance
• Interesting facts along the route
• Unit number, train photo, and recording date

We’ve got just what you need whether you want to feel the speed at the controls or take it slow with the perfect British railway ASMR style background noise.

🎫 Book your tickets to travel with us for real at https://bit.ly/LNERonYT

This journey was recorded from the south cab of a 9-car Class 801 train on a GoPro Hero 13 and driven by Brian and Alex!

*approximation based on GPS recording

Stations:
00:00:00 EDB-DUN
00:20:21 DUN-RSN
00:34:09 RSN-BWK
00:41:49 BWK-ALM
00:59:40 ALM-MPT
01:11:13 MPT-NCL
01:26:00 NCL-DHM
01:37:03 DHM-DAR
01:50:39 DAR-NTR
01:58:00 NTR-YRK
02:14:34 YRK-DON
02:32:44 DON-RET
02:41:44 RET-NNG
02:51:09 NNG-GRA
02:58:49 GRA-PBO
03:13:41 PBO-SVG
03:39:00 SVG-KGX