Railway Herald
On 14th September 2019, due to engineering works at Calton Tunnel at the east end of Edinburgh Waverley Station, ECML Services had to be diverted via Carstairs, Carlisle and the Tyne Valley. Here, nine-coach LNER 'Azuma' Bi-Mode Class 800/1 No. 800106 passes under the 1870's Passenger Footbridge on its sedate journey through Hexham station (which opened in 1835 and is one of the oldest railway stations in the world, built to link the lead mines of the North Pennines to the Tyne Docks at Blaydon), working the 13:42 Edinburgh to London King's Cross Service.
With the introduction of the Azuma sets on Edinburgh - London King's Cross Services, enough crews work this new traction to allow them to be used as part of the diverted service.
The unit would have worked north from London King's Cross to Newcastle Central on electric power, swapping to diesel power across the Tyne Valley and returning to electric power from Carlisle onwards, proving the versatility of these new Bi-Mode trains.
Mike Brook
