Stopping for passengers between Birmingham and Crewe, the train speeds north and the countryside unfolds as we leave the industrial heartlands of the north west behind. Glimpse the coast at Morecambe before views across to the Lakes herald the start of the steeper climbs along this route. The overall climb from sea level to Shap Summit takes over 30 miles, with the last four miles at 1-in-75 on Shap Bank itself being particularly challenging – it's a hard slog for the locomotive and its crew! Over the top, it’s on to Carlisle and beyond to the Scottish border near Gretna, but no time to pause and get married on this train!
Our journey then takes us racing through the Scottish Lowlands, with their breath-taking wilderness as we traverse pine forests and rugged heathland, before tackling the formidable climb to Beattock Summit. Not content with one notable climb on this journey, Beattock’s formidable fifteen mile climb to the summit required a banker locomotive in the days of steam as its challenging gradient is as steep as 1-in-69. We must hope that Tornado has what it takes to climb it solo on our tour! Incidentally, Beattock’s 1016ft above sea level is over 100ft higher than its counterpart at Shap and marks the highest point on the West Coast Main line. As we pass the summit, we can celebrate by reflecting on a famous moment of railways within the arts. The well-known 1936 GPO film Night Mail featured the route of the northbound postal service along the West Coast Main Line in LMS days and Beattock gets a special mention in the sequence where the poetry of W H Auden is recited to scenes of the Mail train climbing the incline.
'Over the top', and hopefully on time, it’s an easier run for the locomotive as we make our way from Carstairs to Haymarket and into Edinburgh. Arriving via the route adjacent to Princes Street Gardens, it’s possible to catch a view of the imposing castle before arrival at Waverley.
Passengers have just under 3 hours to explore Edinburgh, with its many historic and gastronomical attractions, before the return journey, hauled by modern traction to speed us home.