Newcastle - York
History: The Newcastle to York line is a section of the UK’s East Coast Main Line. The entire line was built by a number of smaller companies gradually merging their operations to form one route. This meant that by 1860 only three companies controlled the route north to south, the North British Railway, the North Eastern Railway and the Great Northern Railway. Operating the northern tip, the North Eastern Railways Company had its headquarters in York. This prestigious station eventually became the centre of operations for the entire East Coast Mainline. The present station (although greatly expanded over the years) was opened on June 25th, 1877. The entire track complex into and out of York Station was controlled by a 295 lever signal box, the largest manually worked signal box in Britain. The operation of this was so complex that it was eventually replaced by the introduction of computer technology. Towards the northern end of the line, Newcastle station was built in collaboration with Robert Stephenson and opened in 1850. This building has a classical styled frontage with its train shed featuring three distinctive arched spans — one of the first examples of its kind in the world. The East Coast Mainline has always had a reputation for speed and even boasts the location of the current world speed record for a Steam Powered Locomotive, set on 3rd July 1938 at Stoke Bank just south of Grantham. Throughout its history, the line has featured several kings of speed. Even today, the high speed Intercity 225 trains thunder up and down its rails. Focus Time Period: The route has been constructed around a popular period set in the mid 1970’s. During this era, the line reached an all time high for freight traffic volume, mainly due to nearby coal reserves and the north’s’ abundance of industrial and manufacturing based commerce. Also fondly remembered from this time is the Class 55 Deltic Napier Locomotive, regarded by many as the greatest diesel engine to grace British Railways. |