A train on the platform at Etal Station, on the Heatherslaw Light Railway(Image: Daniel Hall/Newcastle Chronicle)

'I rode the heritage railway line that cuts through the North Northumberland countryside'

The Heatherslaw Light Railway is the most northerly steam railway in England and runs for almost two miles across the north Northumberland countryside

by · ChronicleLive

The Northumberland section of the East Coast Mainline is well known to be one of the UK's most scenic stretches of railway thanks to its views of coast and castles.

Fewer may be aware that the county is also home to England's most northerly steam railway, the Heatherslaw Light Railway. This fifteen-inch gauge railway runs from Heatherslaw to the village of Etal along the banks of the River Till deep in the north Northumberland countryside.

The railway is on the Ford and Etal Estates, along with Ford Village and the Lady Waterford Hall, and is one of several reasons to visit what remains one of Northumberland's best-kept secrets. In fact, it's probably the Estates' stand out attraction, with an estimated 30,000 people taking a trip on the railway each year.

That may sound a lot, but in comparison with Bamburgh, Seahouses and Holy Island, it's just a fraction. And if you brave torrential rain like I did, the chances are you might have one of the eight carriages completely to yourself.

Don, one of the railway's conductors, tells me on the platform before I board: "It's not the rain that will get you, it's the cold." Sounds ominous.

Formerly of the forces, Don took up the post as a conductor to keep him busy following his retirement. He also told me that people turn out for the railway rain or shine.

He said: "People flock to heritage railways, they love to see the engines and ride the trains. And where better would you want to do it than Northumberland?"

Don, who works on the Heatherslaw Light Railway in Northumberland(Image: Daniel Hall/Newcastle Chronicle)

Normally I'd be inclined to agree with him. But since it's raining sideways, I'm not so sure.

I make myself comfortable in a covered carriage. Not the best for taking pictures, but in an open-air one my hands will get so cold I won't be able to operate my phone (I later find out this is the case inside too).

The whistle goes to signal the train is ready to start its near enough two-mile journey, which takes around 20 minutes. The driver responds with what is a big horn for a little train.

We're off, and we're keeping up with the rushing, brown waters of the River Till. The clanking of the carriages mix with the sound of rain drumming on the roof as we chug along the riverbank.

The railway runs alongside the River Till(Image: Daniel Hall/Newcastle Chronicle)

Even with all the noise, you can't help but relax into the gentle swaying of the train. The journey itself is flat, but the Cheviot Hills are close by - though with the heavy weather they're just grey shadows on the horizon.

Barbed wire fences separate track and field, where sheep are unsure whether to run away or make a closer inspection of the train. After a gentle crescent where the tracks double to allow two trains to pass, I realise this is the first time I've been able to see a train clear a cattle grid.

The Heatherslaw Light Railway in North Northumberland(Image: Daniel Hall/Newcastle Chronicle)

The train then crosses a burn, spilling frothing water into the Till, looking ready to overwhelm the tracks (a few days after my visit, the railway would close due to flooding). And though on occasion it bends away, we're almost always by the side of the Till until the ruins of Etal Castle materialise out of the gloom.

The journey is short, sweet and enjoyable. The handful of other passengers head off towards Etal, but I watch the locomotive turn and get fixed back onto what was previously the train's rear end.

The return journey is busier - there's a jovial atmosphere as families chatter and enjoy sandwiches and flasks of tea. The gentle rocking sees dogs and young kids getting drowsy and nodding off, while parents and teenagers are content to look out of the window, demisting their sections of the windows.

Don had predicted earlier that it wouldn't be the rain that would get me, but the biting cold. He was absolutely right.

I can see my breath for a few seconds before it becomes part of the condensation on the windows. This isn't what I'd imagined when I planned my visit.

Nevertheless, it's a lovely journey. And when it comes to days out in Northumberland, you can't let the weather change your plans too much - within reason, of course.

The views will be better when it's clear, you'll be more comfortable when it's warm, but there is a certain charm to riding through the countryside feeling this little train is battling the elements. So whatever the weather, give it a go.

The Heatherslaw Light Railway runs seven days a week from March 28 to November 3 2024, with trains on the hour from Heatherslaw between 11am and 3pm, and return journeys from Etal on the half-hour. Return journeys for adults start from £9.50.

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