Teach Me Some Northern Words - Episode 47, Day 87 - Middlesbrough / Saltburn / Whitby

[@Mortimer50145]

Whitby has great significance for me. Six years ago I had a massive heart attack and wasn't expected to survive. But I did, thanks to my wife (who was my girlfriend at the time) who remembered how to administer CPR from the first aid training that she'd done years ago. When I eventually came out of hospital, the first place we went was to Whitby (we like the seaside) and I proposed to her under the whale's jawbone arch, looking across the Esk and the town to the abbey on the opposite cliff top. A memorable view for a memorable day. The Magpie Restaurant and takeaway is legendary in Whitby, though we actually prefer Mister Chips on the opposite side of the river, near the bridge with the polar bear at 6:39. They do unusual fish as well as the standard haddock and cod. I imagine that the scaffolding outside The Magpie is for renovation work after the restaurant part recently suffered *two* fires on consecutive days: I think the fire brigade hadn't quite put out the first fire and it flared up again. You did Whitby proud with your coverage of it - definitely more than a passing mention. Did you notice the impressive brick viaduct that you went under, as the train runs along the bank of the Esk a mile or so from Whitby? That is Larpool Viaduct on the disused Saltburn to Scarborough line which is now open from Whitby to Scarborough as a cycle track. The view of the abbey and the sea from that viaduct is superb.

[@gobears6487]

Mortimer50145 wow... amazing. And all kinds of good info in your comment too! (as usual 👍)

[@CastorRabbit]

I too had a heart attack in Whitby. Induced by the crystal methamphetamine I believe.

[@dellzincht]

Cool story, props to you for mentioning Mister Chips as the superior chippy as well. As is well known, footballers and tourists go to The Magpie, but locals and "people in the know" go to Mister Chips!

[@declanagar530]

Wow, watching this video made me realise how lucky I actually am to have lived there. I'm in Newcastle for university now but you never forget where you are from. Love North Yorkshire, it's so beautiful.

[@张申杭]

Well, you can find both natural and historical sites in North Yorkshire

[@jeffallinson8089]

Thanks for a brilliant upload. As a proud local to this area it was a joy to watch. North Yorkshire has it all. Moorland coastal resorts and superb scenery in abundance and I couldn't live anywhere else.

[@borderlands6606]

The stretch of coastline round Whitby is lovely, as are the nearby North York Moors. Don't tell everybody!

[@neildahlgaard-sigsworth3819]

It's single track all the way with a few passing places. This limits the line these days to 4 trains per day along the line between Nunthorpe and Grosmont. There are more commuter services between Middlesbrough and Nunthorpe and NYMR services to Whitby. In the 1970s there were 7 trains each way, but due to costs its been reduced over the years down to 4 trains today. Battersby used to be a junction, the mainline used to go west to Picton on the line between Eaglescliffe and Northallerton (closed in the 1960s) meaning all trains to Whitby had to reverse at Battersby and travel on the former branch line via Great Ayton to Nunthorpe and Middlesbrough. Battersby was also the junction with line to Rosedale.

[@jamesballantyne8349]

Love that you're showing the north east in such a positive light, this is a fabulous video

[@srfurley]

And a fantastic area. I like to stay in Middlesbrough or Bradford. What with Covid, and then lack of money, no chance of a holiday at the moment, maybe next year.

[@olwynyoung6499]

I'm delighted to see your journey of my beloved areas. Stars indeed. Stay safe!

[@TheFlyingBusman]

Welcome to my neck of the woods. I moved up here coming up seven years now and consider this area home. Pleased you discovered class 37’s Vicki. They are fab, just love the noise you make. I’m currently binging on this series to get me through the rigours of lockdown and finding your vids couldn’t have come at a better time. Hope you are staying safe down in London if you get this and I’m looking forward to more from this series.

[@Roblilley999]

2 years ago today and still one of my favourite episodes

[@LeeRender1980]

The Whitby branch was saved by pure chance from the Beeching cuts due to the main high school in the Esk Valley being at Whitby and winters past have seen the roads in the Esk Valley closed and guess what continues to run - yep the train. In fact two trains a day run with the title of 'Hooligan Express'

[@allenwilliams1306]

I've been on these!

[@johnchalmers3389]

Thank you so much, Vicki, Geoff and the Team for your wonderful All The Stations.

[@Ray29153]

Whitby is also very significant for Australians, it is where Captain James Cook sailed from when he "discovered" Australia and New Zealand

[@lcmortensen]

There is a suburb in Porirua, north of Wellington (NZ), called Whitby. All the streets have nautical-themed or Captain Cook-themed names.

[@neildahlgaard-sigsworth3819]

Tina Onions - was a Marshall once. He worked in a grocery shop as a lad in Staithes.

[@neildahlgaard-sigsworth3819]

Ray29153 he learnt how to be a sailor in Whitby. His journies of exploration started in the south.

[@Ray29153]

Tina Onions - was a Marshall once. He was, he was speared to death in the Sandwich Islands, what we call Hawaii now I think.

[@sognsvann3]

Ray29153 They also talk very much about whitby in the british tvseries "heart on the rigth place"(I think thats the name, at least it is transelated from what it is in norwegian), filmed in rural yorkshire. Remember I loved that series when I was a little kid, just because it was an adult-thing.

[@deejayholliday]

The bit where they are talking about the heavy industry (1:35ish) is Dorman Long, that company made the steel that built Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia and Newcastle Tyne Bridge, they are the same design.

[@richierex]

not really the same design as one is about 6 times the size of the other but they are similar

[@Ravingamer1981]

My neck of the woods in all its beauty. Thank you guys

[@lawrencehearn2000]

Enjoyed every single video...you've become the main videotrack of summer of 17. The fabulous chemistry you two have is compelling and a great counter to all the madness of trumpiteism. Have you considered assembling episodes into 30min pieces for regular broadcast tv, like Knowledge Network here in BC or other public broadcasters...I'm certain it would be a great hit.

[@nidostar2013]

I love the way Vicki so delicately closes the old carriage doors. When commuting we used to slam them hard - possibly to relieve the frustration of having completed a tortuous journey with Connex South Central! A pleasure now denied those travelling on Southern!!

[@allenwilliams1306]

When Dad lived in Lealholm, he trapped his finger in a slam door of the DMU and practically severed the top joint: the train conductor applied first aid, and took him on to Whitby, where there was a ambulance waiting to take him to Whitby Hospital, where they sewed it back on again.

[@inkyscrolls5193]

"To the bus!" *Shows clip of Pacer*

[@LemoncloudGT]

Pacer is bus on rails

[@a_eastcoast.pacer1]

Well.... They're not wrong!

[@luketaylorsversion13]

Because there about to go on a bus

[@pagrant]

Whitby one of my favourite seaside places

[@briocheoleary5043]

Best video so far: charm, and stunning shots..

[@robbybobbyhobbies]

Our family has a cottage in Lockton, other side of the hill from Levisham (couple of stops further on the NYMR, towards Pickering). Whitby pier on a Sunday morning, before the people arrive, is about my favourite place in the UK. Nice drive across the Moors, avoiding the sheep. Walk to the end of the pier and back, up to the abbey and back down, grab a coffee in town and Sunday's started perfectly. Not much I'm missing in lockdown, but this routine is one of them.

[@RickyNowis]

Gothland and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is also home for the famous TV series, Heartbeat. One of the very scenic railways there is

[@lancastrian123]

Wonderful shot at 12.35, showing the cottages at Esk Valley. I have been holidaying in one of those cottages since 1999. I really lovely place to holiday.

[@TheFlyingBusman]

Pleased you did the NYMR. Love Goathland station. Some of my fave walks around there. The Esk valley line is great. In August they put on special Band and beer trains on Friday nights. The Battersby junction line carried on west and joined the ECML just north of Northallerton.

[@bobly]

Goathland is not just Harry Potter Geoff and Vicki but there was a TV drama serial shot there also the name is from a very famous Buddy Holly And The Crickets hit the name? Heartbeat

[@Bartlebooth23]

I do love a bit of industry. And the music continues to delight too.

[@barvdw]

I like the music, too, but if I can be a bit picky, I found the sound level a bit too high compared to the conversation, I couldn't understand most of what they were saying when music was playing...

[@casualonion]

Legend has it that just like Isle of Wight, they didn't visit South Yorkshire

[@robz7846]

casual onion that Legend is probably false because they been to the IOW. Go to Geoff's channel to see the video. GEOFF I PLUGGED YOU HAVE FUN.

[@Sulzer24]

Was only at Whitby yesterday, love it there

[@louispoche4312]

THis is the best one yet! Beautiful!

[@janb1982]

Used to go to Glaisdale every summer as a child. Whitby is very nice, and also is notoriously chocka with tourists so its a good point about the train service.

[@induceddemand]

I'm from Ontario, Canada and It's so weird to see somewhere else with a Scarborough, Pickering, and Whitby so close...

[@chrismatthews2579]

Those are a bit closer to Newcastle than their English counterparts.

[@induceddemand]

We also have a Newcastle in the area. And a York. We "borrow" a lot of British names, clearly.

[@geordieal]

And also Sunderland, Durham and Northumberland!

[@vprincessfan12]

There's a Scarborough, New York, too!

[@flufmuffinz5734]

I was about to say something because i live near oshawa and im like omg Newcastle, Scarborough, Whitby, Pickering, only if there was an Ajax somewhere then my life would be complete and GO TRAINS!!!

[@JaffaGaffa]

Oh No, Only one episode behind (found out about ALL The Stations just 2 weeks ago) Love it & want to be 35 episodes behind again.

[@garywoolton1875]

Travel to Whitby..surprising number of car parks..but a bus route from either Scarborough, York or Leeds serve the town. And a truly lovely bus ride it is. Should be done at least once.

[@JohnTaylor-bf6ll]

On one bus I once took in that area, as we headed north I heard the accent change at least three times. Amazing!!!! Unfortunately, you won't get that in rail travel because the general inter-social contact is much less, and the speed is too fast to identify regional identities, to the same extent.

[@wotchermuch]

I mean are you really having a british railway experience if you haven't had to take a replacement bus? 😂

[@adolflenin4973]

Yeah course

[@harrytodhunter5078]

The magpie? Nah mate, you want Mr Chips across the water.

[@peteryoung1902]

Lovely to see the Whitby area again.

[@hellaroh6053]

5:50 I have driven that ship before, it’s called the bark endeavour and is a replica of Captain James Cook’s ship, the Endeavour, which he used to discover Australia and New Zealand.

[@McGubbins42]

1:30 - you have a Sprinter on board a Pacer.

[@hunkhk]

Im so in love with Vicki - she is amazing

[@bridgetmclaughlin251]

Love the music!

[@KevinRBoyd]

British Rail re-signalled the Whitby to Middlesborough line just before the service was thinned. The capacity that the re-signalling was therefore never used to the full. To enable NYMR trains to get to Whitby, this required changes to the token block locking. Before this change, NYMR used to run trains as a shuttle from Grosmont to Whitby to connect with the main NYMR service.

[@alfiestewart6312]

My grandad used to have the privilege of painting Saltburn Pier.

[@benivanphillips]

When you miss some uploads and then binge watch five!

[@cowscrazy]

I waiting till almost sunrise for this video. Totally worth it.

[@Oliver-ub1mb]

I am from middlesbrough and went to the station yesterday and travel to Whitby every summer

[@DavidShepheard]

I really enjoyed the way that Vicki started randomly posting food into Geoff's mouth to derail his ability to speak.

[@trainiactom9774]

just noticed that, i was in this video twice, whilst you had your visit at grosmont station, i was unaware at the time you was making thia series but if i had know i would have definitely taken a selfie with you. ive loved watching thos series. OMG i am on youtube in all the stations, by luck thank you. Geoff and vicky.

[@flare2000x]

Whitby, Pickering, it's like you've been to Ontario!

[@Scud_and_thesTig]

Did you notice that the line at Saltburn continued for 100 yards through the station, right up to the rear of what was the Zetland Hotel. It’s why the line was built; to take the wealthy industrialists and higher classes to a coastal resort. You could stay in a classy hotel or decamp you family and servants to take over one of the 3/4 storey houses built alongside the station and hotels

[@williamg209two]

glad to see u two have shown your together more

[@MichaelStephens1997]

Originally the NYMR and National Rail had to share the one platform at whitby and NYMR trains had to shunt the train back out of the station after the passengers alighting, the loco to run around its train and then shunt back into the station for the return journey. however, a while ago the platform on the left (nearer to the sea) was refurbished for NYMR trains and a new passing loop was installed.

[@arthurvasey]

The other Transporter Bridge is in Wales! Gotta have fish and chips in Whitby! I had some lovely scampi and chips from Catnab in Saltburn in May of 2021! As for Goathland, you might have seen some old train carriages on the left side of the platform as you approach from Grosmont - these are let out as holiday homes - we stayed there in 1977! Hard to believe that I spent a week in both Hogsmeade and Aidensfield - Goathland is also Aidensfield - although neither Heartbeat nor the Harry Potter films had been written at the time! Hogwarts itself is mainly Alnwick Castle, several miles north in Northumberland! Did you ride the open topped buses up to Whitby Abbey? Two of my uncles set those up!

[@michaellee8410]

Hi, Vicki with 9 3/4 on right ear. Liked the shot of Saltburn Railway Station! Now thats what I call proper trains, one pulled by a Standard tank, an LNER B1 and last but not least an LMS Black 5. So Geoff watches corrie with reference to Les Battersby Great.

[@MianCowell]

imagine paying for that kickstarter reward and then not getting there on time!

[@gobears6487]

Mian Cowell or making it and being there on a day that includes a rail replacement bus! 😉

[@TomsPhotos]

Another great episode, but a shame there wasn't a bit more about the beautiful 80 minute run along the Esk Valley Line from Nunthorpe to Whitby. The layout at Battersby Station is particularly unusual. It's the only intermediate station where trains can pass each other. Not sure if David told you the story of The Magpie Cafe catching fire twice in 24 hours at the end of April. That's why all the scaffolding is up.

[@ryanparker4996]

The line at Battersby used to run on and connect to the current line between Yarm and Northallerton, but that connecting stretch was removed for some reason, making the station a V junction

[@lgchiller6682]

Wonderful video!

[@Alice-sp5jd]

You should definitely go back to whitby, I go a lot and you find something new every time. And you've gotta do the 199 steps to the abbey

[@TransitQuebec]

I only know one Northern word : PACER

[@allenwilliams1306]

What about “cancelled”?

[@buksi6342]

Had the bus issue happened here in Finland, you’d have had some problems, because you can only take the stopping bus if you’re going to/from one of the intermediate stations. The stopping bus’s driver would’ve denied you entry onto the bus.

[@Aesthetic_Princess667]

from Scarborough to Middlesbrough Railway Station. go down A171 towards harbour town of Whitby, then go down B4116 past Ruswarp, go down A171 again towards Middlesbrough then we join the A66 towards Darlington, take join the A19 road, take the exit towards the railway station

[@alfiestewart6312]

You wouldn't join the A19 for the station. You'd just take a junction off the A66 which brings you out right next to it.

[@markstramtrainbuscapades1729]

The ironic thing about Whitby is that the least used line survived! There was once a more direct, coastal line to Middlesborough, as well as going in the other direction to scarborough, both went under Beeching, as did whats now the NMR, which was very much the easiest way to reach Whitby from London & the South. The surviving branch was also meant to go but it was difficult to route school buses into some of the villages, so the main reason for the lines survival, is school kids travelling to Whitby, the timetable being very much based around that!

[@neildahlgaard-sigsworth3819]

Mark Fitchew the line north from Whitby along the coast closed in May 1958, long before Dr Beeching came along. It was closed due to the expense of maintaining the iron and steel viaducts and tunnels along the route. The line that became the NYMR closed then re-opened the following winter to get school children to school in Whitby.

[@adrianshephard5251]

I think the northern route also closed because of the bit that goes right to the cliff edge. Apparently freight still runs. Will be staying nearby soon so will have to find out.

[@chris075uk]

WOW, I was in Saltburn only a couple of months ago and they weren't on the pier then, so very recent. Also did the 199 steps in Whitby the day before :)

[@neildahlgaard-sigsworth3819]

Chris W they the yarn bombers were there last summer. I wonder if they get removed for cleaning.

[@stevieinselby]

The Whitby line was only saved from the Beeching Axe because the roads through the Esk Valley are narrow lanes, not always suitable for buses, and can suffer badly from winter weather, so the railway was the easiest and most reliable way to maintain a transport service to those villages. It doesn't get more trains because, as a transport link (rather than a scenic day out) it's rubbish! Not only is it single track with very few passing loops, but it's painfully slow. The express bus to Middlesbrough is *half an hour* quicker than the train, the coast bus calls at sizeable towns like Redcar, Saltburn and Loftus while the train only calls at tiny villages, and Middlesbrough is a poor interchange for the rest of the rail network. As nice as the Esk Valley line is, I still think the best route to Whitby by public transport is the deouble-decker Coastliner bus (upstairs, of course) over the moors from Pickering, it's absolutely stunning.

[@allenwilliams1306]

In the Esk Valley, people live in the villages, at the bottom of the valley, where the railway line goes. There are only minor, mostly unclassified, roads, that twist and turn up and down the hillsides connecting them. They frequently are impassable in winter. The railway is the only practical form of public transport which could serve them, as such buses as there are stick to the A road on the hilltop which is far too far to walk to regularly. While there are primary schools in the villages, there is only scope for secondary schools in the towns, which (being in North Yorkshire) means Whitby. Hence the railway is indispensable. It is also essential for commuters to Middlesbrough if they don't have access to a car. However, as Geoff points out, there is certainly scope for an expansion of the service beyond the absolute minimum which now prevails. Certainly in the Summer, when tourists are active.

[@NorthernStar1982]

I can't believe you went to Whitby on the same day I was there for a day out as well! Would loved to haved chatted to you. And it was Yorkshire day as well!

[@TheBing221]

It's weird seeing you film somewhere that I see every day 😂

[@Ulleskelf]

And you would have called at Ruswarp, where the dog you talked about on the Settle and Carlisle video got its name

[@andrewmonument8847]

"Why aren't there more trains to Whitby ?..." The problem is... Thanks to one Dr. Beeching, the line is single track for much of the route, with passing points only at stations. That restricts the number of trains in each direction.

[@rickleidig5774]

3:53 "bus" is to "motor coach" as "DMU" is to "train".." may be a stopping bus but interior is much more upscale and comfortable-looking than the Pacers

[@lrp_745]

When you finish your journey in Wick, Could you ask all the people that backed you on Kickstarter to come and meet you

[@airplaneplustrainguy8143]

Chiltern006 yeah boi

[@will_levitt926]

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is the best heritage railway in the world. You should do the full route from Grosmont to Pickering and back on a steam locomotive

[@lionvillelion]

loves me some station clocks. Lots of them in this episode.

[@YorksLancsTransportHub]

Whitby actually technically had a 2 hourly service as the 3 trains were 2 hours apart.

[@simonwest9450]

One of the problems at Whitby is that the line from Middlesbrough is single track. It takes 90 minutes to travel from end to end so you can only get 4 return services in. There used to be a second station in Whitby and the line continued up the coast and joined up near Saltburn (a short stub is still open for freight to Boulby potash) and in the opposite direction the line went down to Scarborough so it you used to be able to travel from Middlesbrough to Hull along the coast.

[@allenwilliams1306]

Trains can pass at Glaisdale, Battersby, and Nunthorpe, so several more trains than four per day could be run. Indeed, four per day used to be the Winter Timetable, with at least three extras in the Summer daytimes.

[@robjohnston61]

On your way to the highlands, if you happen to be stopping at Aviemore be sure to check out the Strathspey Steam Railway and also the funicular railway going up the Cairngorms!

[@stevecampbell7589]

battersby station used to be unique where a middlesbrough bound train would run to the far end of the platform and wait until a whitby bound train pull in behind it on the same platform using the first in, last out. also, i was in the first Harry Potter movie. we also filmed in grosmont a little and tynemouth station on the metro. the tynemouth parts werent used. not sure about the grosmont parts as i still not seen the film lol

[@JCCC1609]

I know it wasn't till 2 years in the future but you hadn't seen the West Somerset Railway till 03/08/2019. I still can't wait to see your joint opinions on the West Somerset.

[@chrisbagshaw6378]

They filmed heartbeat at goathland station

[@thehostproductions]

Saltburn is my home town such a lovely place highly recommend you return one day if your in the area, Theres a little miniature railway too :)

[@johnlister]

Indeed. Taking the train to the Italian Gardens and then having an ice cream as a kid. I lived on Marske Mill Lane as a teenager. I still regret not trespassing on the railway which wasn't in use at the time and walking over the Saltburn viaduct.

[@robnorth480]

Two must visit hidden gems in the North East, Saltburn and Seaham. If you get the chance go to both of them.

[@andymccabe6712]

Staithes....!!!

[@robnorth480]

@@andymccabe6712 ..and that's another. Stayed there on a week long school trip back in 1972.

[@benivanphillips]

I went to Whitby abbey when I was three. It was windy it made a soooky noise as it came through the windows. I screamed because I thought it was a ghost. Then I saw a dead pigeon, obviously attacked, and I screamed some more!

[@shaunhouse8634]

Newport isn't in England, unless the second was the Warrington one that's been closed for 50 years.

[@disphoto]

The title of this episode should have been, "We're going to Hogwarts!" Vicki made me laugh.

[@CaseysTrains]

Getting off a Pacer to ride a bus, is like getting out your own car to take Uber lol.

[@SM-Flyers]

I am so happy you got to go to Hogsmeade Station! I was afraid Geoff would not allow it, for some reason he seems not enthralled with Harry Potter as Vicki and the rest of the planet. Tell us Geoff, why do you hate Harry Potter? ;-)

[@SteamboatWilley]

If a Sprinter/Pacer combo turns up, I will choose to sit in the comfy half of the train every time.

[@moritzl7065]

10:38 Does the Jacobite (Fort William --> Mallaig) also count as a heritage service operating on NR tracks, or is it simply a unique tourist train?

[@judgedredd8657]

you guys should do all the routes! Canada!

[@neilwilson5785]

Or the Mega City One Skyrail and zoom-system?

[@judgedredd8657]

of course, but as long as they stay out of trouble!

[@CattoRayTube]

13:25 What a happy light!

[@SteamboatWilley]

All the heritage stations!

[@TheWacoKid1963]

Goathland is more famous as the filming location of Heartbeat rather than that of Larry Botter. The Sir Nigel Gresley used to run on that line, Not sure if it still does.

[@geordieal]

All the transporter bridges....there's three of them, not two, so you'd have your work cut out! Middlesbrough, Newport & Warrington..Middlesbrough one is the best though!

[@Mortimer50145]

And contrary to rumour, it *wasn't* sold to someone abroad, as the caption at the end of the final episode of Auf Wiedersehen Pet explains :-)

[@thryduulf]

Nearly 4. The footbridge over the Royal Victoria Dock in London was designed as a transporter bridge as well, but they didn't actually get round to building the transporter bit, so it's only a very high footbridge.

[@Mortimer50145]

I'd have thought it was highly likely since Billy Elliott was set in the north east.

[@emmajacobs5575]

And the Middlesbrough one is (probably) the only one where comic actor Terry Scott drove his car off the end of the gondola

[@Tevildo]

Tina Onions - It was, but, assuming Billy lived in Easington (where the main part of the film was shot), he and Mrs Wilkinson would have to take a 20 mile detour to use it.

[@bender7565]

I hadn't seen Vicki in a year.

[@ashleywilson8033]

What episode did you Middlesbrough to Newcastle via Hartlepool?

[@Freddie.minton3256]

The reason it is so limited is the fact is it a single line

[@scullytawoody4852]

Love the old style train's . That's the reason why Vicky has got a Hogwarts t shirt on .

[@interestingspagetti]

I Thought that you were doing all the stations? What happened to Marske? It was shame that you didn't get to spend anytime in saltburn. There is a miniature train that runs up the valley gardens and around a mile and a half up it. There is an amazing railway viaduct

[@andymccabe6712]

Really...STILL...??!!

[@Hi-by2pt]

Redcar British steel station is now closed until further notice

[@tfkfunguy9109]

See if you can take the Jacobite train over the Ft William to Mallaig line ( Glenfinnan Viaduct ) You'll see some very quaint stations as well as it is the Harry potter train

[@SeligsTrainsandTravels]

tfkfungu y The Jacobite isn't the actual Hogwarts Express, even though it runs over the route that HP was filmed.

[@grahamlive]

Geoff. I will donate £20 to your project if you promise NEVER to attempt my accent again! 😉😀😉😀...... "Scotland "

[@rhodrage]

I've been looking through these videos, can anyone tell me which video the Stoke and Longton stations are in please?