1Z10 Takes on the Tyne Valley
A weekend of diverted Azumas, unexpected discoveries and rather wet photographers
Over the weekend of 26–27 September 2026, engineering works closed the East Coast Main Line north of Newcastle, prompting LNER to divert its Azuma services over the Tyne Valley line between Newcastle and Carlisle before continuing north via the West Coast Main Line towards Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
For most travellers, this was an inconvenience to be endured. For 1Z10, it was an opportunity too good to miss.
A two-day photographic expedition was duly organised, with the intention of working gradually eastwards along the line on Saturday before retracing their steps on Sunday. The plan was straightforward enough: photograph as many diverted Azumas as possible, enjoy the scenery and good company and perhaps discover a few new locations along the way. What could possibly go wrong?
The participants for Saturday were Nigel Capelle, Rob Walton, Jim Knight, Andrew and Sharon Shenton, Steve Knight, Eddie Holden, Stephen Veitch and Bruce Galloway, together with Gavin Bland, who joined Stephen for the journey from the eastern end. Roger Sutcliffe and James Sutcliffe would swell the ranks on Sunday.
With cameras charged, memory cards cleared and the weather forecast studied with varying degrees of optimism, the weekend got under way.
Saturday – Day One: Finding Our Feet
Wetheral and the River Eden
Nigel had issued Rob and Jim with strict instructions to be at his house by 08:00. Miraculously, the orders were obeyed and the trio headed north up the M6 towards their first rendezvous at Wetheral, just east of Carlisle.
A couple of coffee stops were required along the way, one of which produced an unexpected meeting with Andrew and Sharon at Southwaite services. It was reassuring to discover that other members of the party were equally committed to the principles of caffeine-assisted railway photography.
Meanwhile, Stephen and Gavin had started from the eastern end of the line, heading westwards in search of suitable locations. Their first stop was Melkridge, where the remains of a former coal-loading siding recalled the days when coal from the vast Plenmeller opencast site was transported by conveyor from the hills to the railway. The industrial infrastructure has largely disappeared, but the surviving trackside features still offered some interesting compositions and their first diverted Azuma duly appeared.
The pair then moved on to Brampton station, once a junction for the branch into Brampton town and the Earl of Carlisle’s Waggonway. Although the station is now a relatively quiet outpost, its semaphore signal provided an attractive reminder of the line’s past.
At Wetheral, the main contingent arrived to find an Azuma passing through the station and Bruce already in position on the platform. Parking, however, proved less accommodating, so Nigel, Rob and Jim made their way down to the banks of the River Eden, where the impressive viaduct provided a suitably grand opening to the weekend.
The high stone arches made an imposing subject, although vegetation growth restricted some of the available views. A brief rain shower interrupted proceedings but, fortunately, did little more than dampen the enthusiasm of anyone who had forgotten their waterproofs.
Stephen and Gavin also arrived at Wetheral, where the growing group dispersed between the station, the viaduct and the nearby crossing at Corby Gates. Andrew and Sharon were spotted arriving by car, while Bruce and Steve appeared at various points around the location. With photographers scattered across the area, keeping track of everyone was almost as challenging as keeping track of the trains.
Stephen and Gavin dropped down to the riverbank for a couple more photographs. The first Azuma passed beneath a rather unpromising sky, but they decided to wait for another. A short but heavy shower followed, after which the sun emerged to illuminate the second train beautifully. Patience had been rewarded and spirits rose accordingly.
Before leaving Wetheral, Nigel, Rob and Jim explored the less frequently photographed northern side of the viaduct. The views looked promising enough to justify a return visit on Sunday, although they would have to wait to see whether the weather would cooperate.
The River Gelt – A Bridge Too Far for the Trees
The next stop was Gelt Viaduct, near Brampton, where the railway crosses a deep wooded gorge. It looked an attractive prospect on the map, although the trees had clearly been working overtime since the last visit by a railway photographer.
Finding a satisfactory view required a little persistence, but several promising compositions emerged through the foliage. The location also provided an opportunity for the group to demonstrate its ability to spread out over a surprisingly large area while pursuing essentially the same photograph.
Unfortunately, a large red camper van arrived and parked directly beneath one of the arches, seemingly with impeccable timing and a complete disregard for the photographic possibilities.
Nigel took the diplomatic approach, explaining the situation to the driver, who obligingly moved the vehicle. The railway photographers were grateful, although the resulting photographs were not quite the masterpieces everyone had hoped for. Still, the camper van had been defeated, if not the trees.
One particular composition involved the viaduct, a nearby house, a barn and an annoyingly parked car – for sure the resident didn’t think so!
Jim later discovered that Photoshop’s Generative Fill was not quite as cooperative as hoped when he attempted to remove the offending vehicle. Nigel’s subsequent results were apparently rather more successful, a development Jim could admire while quietly questioning his own software skills.
A little further west, at Cowran Cutting, the group found another opportunity to photograph trains passing through the brick-lined cutting. The location proved particularly useful for eastbound services and offered a change from the viaducts and open landscapes encountered earlier.
Denton and the Arrival of Tornado
Moving eastwards, the photographers arrived at Denton, where the railway follows the contours of the countryside through a series of attractive reverse curves. The sweeping alignment provided a natural setting for photographs of trains negotiating the bends and a steady succession of local services and diverted Azumas kept cameras busy.
However, the day’s supporting attraction was approaching.
Peppercorn A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado, a modern-built steam locomotive working a railtour from Carlisle towards Birmingham, was expected along the line. Although built in the twenty-first century using modern engineering techniques, Tornado recreates the appearance and character of the classic express locomotives of the past.
The prospect of a steam locomotive amongst the regular Class 156 and 158 diesel multiple units, together with the diverted Azumas, added a welcome extra dimension to the day.
Nigel, Rob and Jim found positions in a field, while other members gathered at locations along the length of the line. When Tornado appeared, the driver spotted the photographers on the hillside and obligingly opened the regulator, producing a fine display of exhaust.
It was one of the day’s memorable moments and a reminder that even a weekend organised around modern bi-mode trains could accommodate a little traditional railway drama.
Stephen and Gavin, meanwhile, had continued towards the Roman Wall crossing at Gilsland. Here the railway passes close to the remains of Hadrian’s Wall, with Poltross Burn milecastle providing a distinctive historical backdrop. Andrew and Sharon were already preparing their compositions when an Azuma appeared rather sooner than expected. Andrew and Gavin managed to secure their shots; Stephen did not.
Railway photography, as ever, rewards the prepared and occasionally humiliates everyone else.
Haltwhistle – A Welcome Cuppa
Haltwhistle became the next gathering point, with several members meeting on the road bridge overlooking the attractive station. The station’s setting and the surrounding hills offered further possibilities, while the nearby Watertower Café provided an opportunity to refuel.
Stephen and Gavin were fortunate to find the café still open. They settled down with a welcome cuppa, interrupted only occasionally by the arrival of another train that demanded immediate photographic attention. It was a difficult balance between enjoying a relaxing break and wondering whether the next Azuma might be the photograph of the weekend.
Nigel, Rob and Jim also spent time photographing from the bridge and station approaches before moving on. A further steam locomotive appearance was not required to justify the stop, although the prospect of another train was always enough to make everyone reconsider their departure time.
Ridley Viaduct and the Golden Light That Got Away
Stephen and Gavin continued to Ridley Viaduct near Bardon Mill. With the sun shining, they descended to the rocky riverbank and attempted to position themselves so that their shadows would not intrude into their carefully composed photographs. It was an exercise in flexibility, balance and, presumably, an occasional risk of discovering just how slippery a riverbank can be.
On their return to the car, Gavin spotted another possibility across a recently harvested field near Allen Banks. The low sun gave the landscape a warm, golden glow and the scene looked particularly promising.
Naturally, the sun disappeared behind a cloud just as the Azumas arrived.
It was perhaps the most frustrating photographic moment of the weekend: a beautifully prepared location, a train on cue and the light deciding that it had other commitments.
The Road to Gateshead
As the afternoon wore on, the group gradually turned eastwards towards Gateshead, where accommodation had been booked near the Metrocentre and dinner awaited at a nearby Italian restaurant.
There was, however, one final obstacle. A serious accident had closed the A69, forcing members of the group to divert along narrow country roads. The inconvenience had one advantage: the alternative route followed the railway for much of the way, revealing several possible locations for the following day.
By the time everyone reached the hotel, the light was fading and the day’s photographs were safely stored away. Eddie, who had followed his own itinerary during the day, was waiting at the restaurant bar to welcome the others.
At last, the full Saturday contingent was assembled.
Over dinner, the usual discussions took place: which locations had worked, which trains had been missed, where the light had been best and, inevitably, whose photographs were likely to require the most post-processing.
The first day had produced plenty of worthwhile images, a few new locations and several ideas for Sunday. The only question was whether the weather would continue to cooperate.
Sunday – Day Two: The Wrong Bridge and the Right Footpath
A Civilised Start at Wylam
Sunday began with a welcome departure from the traditional 1Z10 practice of starting at an hour when most sensible people are still asleep.
With the first useful train not expected at Wylam until around 08:30–08:45, there was no need for an alarm clock set to an unreasonably early hour. The relaxed start was appreciated by the regular participants, some of whom might otherwise have needed a little encouragement to leave their beds.
Wylam offered an attractive opening location, with its distinctive signal box suspended above the track and an impressive footbridge. Situated beside the River Tyne, the station provided plenty of possibilities for photographs of the diverted Azumas.
The group assembled, cameras were deployed and the first trains were recorded. Once the initial flurry of activity had subsided, however, there was a substantial gap before the next service.
The solution was obvious: McDonald’s.
Breakfast and coffee restored morale and the photographers resumed their duties with renewed enthusiasm. It was becoming clear that railway photography involved considerably more catering stops than the casual observer might imagine.
Prudhoe and a Helpful Elbow
The next stop was Prudhoe, another attractive station with an imposing footbridge, a signal box and an array of semaphore signals. The combination made it a worthwhile location and the group settled in for the next sequence of trains.
A local service towards Carlisle was followed by the bonus of eastbound and westbound Azumas crossing each other, providing an opportunity for some particularly interesting photographs.
Not everyone was equally fortunate. Stephen and Bruce found themselves caught out at the foot crossing by the timing of the trains, a reminder that even a well-planned photographic expedition can be undone by a few seconds.
Jim, meanwhile, had found himself rather uninspired by the station at first. A closer look at the entrance changed his mind. The partial view of the old footbridge, a whitewashed fence and an approaching Azuma combined to make an appealing composition.
There was just one small complication: Gavin was tucked into a tight position at the end of the fence and his elbow threatened to intrude into Jim’s carefully arranged frame. Gavin obligingly kept it out of view while Jim took the photograph.
It was a generous gesture, although perhaps not one that will feature in any future guide to best photographic practice.
A Wrong Turn Leads to a Hidden Gem
After Prudhoe, Nigel, Rob and Jim decided to investigate a location they had identified the previous evening: an attractive bridge over the River South Tyne.
Jim took responsibility for navigation, consulting the map on his phone and dropping a pin to guide the party to the desired spot. The technology worked perfectly in the sense that it took them exactly where the pin had been placed.
Unfortunately, it was the wrong bridge.
The view was disappointing and the anticipated photographic opportunity seemed to have vanished. The trio could have retraced their route and tried again, but instead they decided to explore the narrow country lane on which they had arrived.
They passed Bruce, who was also trying to work out where to go next and then encountered Roger and James heading in the opposite direction. All parties appeared to be navigating the same general area with varying degrees of success.
Eventually, the lane dwindled into a footpath and the car could go no further. The three photographers parked and set off on foot to see what lay ahead.
What they found was a gem.
The footpath ran alongside the railway, separated from the line by little more than a low stone wall. On the other side of the line, a corridor of tall trees, their leaves beginning to show the first hints of autumn colour. The railway passed through this narrow corridor, creating a succession of compositions that combined the moving trains with people out for a Sunday morning stroll or bike ride along the path.
It was precisely the sort of location that 1Z10 outings were designed to uncover: somewhere unexpected, away from the obvious viewpoints, with plenty of scope for creative interpretation.
The three photographers stayed for around two hours, photographing a procession of diverted Azumas as they passed through the woodland setting. The light, the autumn foliage and the close relationship between railway, river and footpath provided an abundance of opportunities.
In the end, the navigational error proved to be one of the weekend’s greatest successes. Jim might not be entrusted with the map on the next outing, but he had certainly earned his place in the photographic history of this one.
An Unexpected Celebrity Sighting
There was a further surprise on the return to the main road. The local farmer had been cutting the hedgerows, leaving the road strewn with the usual debris. A gentleman was sweeping up the mess outside his house as the photographers drove past.
He waved. They waved back.
Only after passing by did they realise that the man was the well-known actor Robson Green.
A golden opportunity for a 1Z10 group selfie had presented itself and promptly disappeared. Given the group’s enthusiasm for photographing passing trains, it was perhaps inevitable that a celebrity would escape before anyone could get a camera ready.
The episode provided another reminder that the best discoveries on a railway photography trip do not always involve railways.
Haltwhistle and a Change of Plan
By late morning, thoughts were turning towards lunch and Haltwhistle’s Watertower Café once again proved its worth. The group reconvened there, with Roger and James now joining the Sunday contingent, alongside other members who had been working independently along the line.
The café provided an opportunity to compare notes on the morning’s photographs and decide how best to spend the remaining hours. With the weather forecast looking increasingly threatening, some opted to concentrate on the line between Gilsland and Denton, where numerous promising locations had been identified on the previous day.
The return journey also offered a chance to photograph some of the infrastructure and landscape that had been passed over in the excitement of the Azuma diversions. At Gilsland, Rob and others managed to photograph Colas HST power cars working a Network Rail test train eastwards along the Tyne Valley, a welcome bonus among the diverted passenger services.
The afternoon was shaping up nicely. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas.
The Final Flourish – Rain, Hail and a Farmer's Challenge
Some members returned towards the Denton area, hoping to make the most of the remaining daylight. Nigel, Jim and Rob found themselves in a field near one of the locations where they had photographed Tornado the previous afternoon.
Jim’s recollection of this final photographic session was particularly vivid. Nigel and Jim had climbed the hill beyond a foot crossing, while Rob was positioned further down near the trees. Their attention was firmly on the railway, until a farmer appeared to challenge Nigel about their presence.
The conversation added a little unexpected drama to the proceedings, but the real excitement was still to come.
The sky darkened ominously. The first spots of rain appeared, followed by a sudden and ferocious downpour accompanied by hail. The photographers were stranded some distance from the car, with little shelter available and no realistic prospect of keeping dry.
Within minutes, all three were soaked to the skin.
Jim later recalled that his trousers were literally stuck to his legs. The journey back to the car became a rather undignified dash, followed by the logistical challenge of changing into dry clothes in the confined space of Nigel’s car.
Three grown men, several cameras and a collection of wet clothing made for a memorable exercise in automotive gymnastics. The interior of the car may never have been quite the same again.
For Stephen and Gavin, the previous afternoon’s disappointment over the lost golden light had been frustrating. For Nigel, Rob and Jim, Sunday supplied a different sort of photographic memory: one in which the weather achieved a decisive victory over the photographers.
At least the Azumas had continued to run.
One Last Look at Wetheral
With daylight fading and the prospect of a long drive home, the group began to disperse. Nigel, Rob and Jim made one final stop at Wetheral to revisit the viaduct over the River Eden, this time investigating the views from the northern side, identified the previous day.
A couple of hurried photographs were secured, but the weather intervened once more. The trio also investigated a possible view from the churchyard on the southern side, recommended by a fellow photographer the previous day, but it did not quite work for them.
It was one of those occasions when a location that looks promising in theory refuses to cooperate in practice. The view was duly filed away for another day with more time.
Cameras were packed into the boot, wet clothing was contained as best it could be and the party headed south towards the M6. A final stop at Killington Lake services provided the inevitable McDonald’s, since arriving home too late for a proper meal was not an attractive prospect.
A Weekend to Remember
The two days had delivered everything that makes a successful 1Z10 outing: an unusual railway opportunity, attractive locations, plenty of trains, good company and the discovery of places that might otherwise have remained unexplored.
The diverted Azumas had provided the main attraction, but they were far from the whole story. The dramatic viaducts at Wetheral and Gelt, the curves at Denton, the historical setting at Gilsland, the distinctive stations at Wylam and Prudhoe and the unexpected woodland footpath all contributed to a varied collection of photographic opportunities.
Tornado added a welcome burst of steam to Saturday’s proceedings, while the Colas HST power cars provided a bonus on Sunday. There were also the familiar frustrations: trees that refused to move, cars that parked in the wrong place, sunlight that disappeared at the critical moment, trains that arrived too soon and a navigation pin that led to precisely the wrong bridge.
Yet these were the incidents that made the weekend memorable. The wrong turn led to one of the best locations of the trip; a protruding elbow became part of a photographic anecdote; and an encounter with Robson Green almost produced a celebrity selfie.
Above all, the weekend demonstrated the value of exploring a railway line with friends who share a passion for photography. Each participant brought a different perspective, spotted different possibilities and contributed to the collective experience. The willingness to share locations, exchange ideas and enjoy one another’s successes is at the heart of what 1Z10 is about.
The railway may have been diverted, the photographers may have taken a few wrong turns and the weather may have launched a determined counter-offensive, but the weekend was an unqualified success.
There were plenty of photographs to process, new locations to revisit and stories to share. And, for three particularly sodden members of the party, a rather strong case for keeping a complete change of clothes permanently in the car.
Another brilliant 1Z10 outing, then. The Azumas delivered, the company was excellent and the Tyne Valley provided a magnificent backdrop. As for the rain and hail, they can consider themselves formally uninvited to the next trip.
Stephen Veitch
Jim Knight
Rob Walton
Nigel Capelle