Test Train Driver's Eye View: Preston to Edinburgh (including new Carstairs Layout)

Welcome aboard 1Q18, the 0613 departure from Derby RTC to Edinburgh Waverley on 02/01/2024. This train is a PLPR service formed of 4 coaches and two powercars (43272 and 43357). This train departed the RTC 4 hours late due to a technical issue with 43357 but made up this time en route through a combination of not stopping in loops where it was timed to, and through missing the Glasgow portion of the journey and instead using the new much improved curve from the West Coast Main Line to the Midcalder line to Edinburgh. This curve used to be 15mph and very cumbersome, but experience the new 40mph curve from the front!
Note: I've not included EPS speeds for pendolinos in this video as they add a lot of time to my editing and they aren't relevant to any trains which I drive.
Enjoy!

[@mr2gti]

Drivers who recognise and toot the enthusiasts taking photos and footage on the stations, are alright in my book. Great stuff.

[@FlyingPhysicist]

I cannot put into words how much I wish I had this driver's job.

[@stevehull787]

Like wise

[@MC-dn3of]

I’m a driver on this route 😍

[@matty99]

It’s called envy 😂

[@FlyingPhysicist]

@@matty99 i wasn't sure that there even was a word one could use to describe this, but this invaluable education will change my life. Thanks mate.

[@juniorbramble7760]

WORDS....You mean [the] £60,000+ [av] *P.AY, *G.OLD *PENSION etc and *A.LWAYS on *S.TRIKE.......hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...✍🏿🇻🇨🇬🇧

[@davidaarthur]

I appreciate how you handle the on-screen graphics - telling us what we need to know, without being visually intrusive.

[@RandomGrinch]

Thank you Ben. That was a brilliant example of your route knowledge and craft - "i've already got the trainspeed under control to stop at that signal" - loved it! 😊

[@andrewholloway231]

I enjoyed that too. Thank you so much and to the crews involved.

[@tomward3656]

Well that was an Adrenaline rush , great. Nice to get another drivers perspective. Thank you Ben & Thank-you to our driver for permission to film Thanks.

[@DJFace147]

These are the clearest drivers eye views I have ever seen that you produce and the sound captures are perfect. You are lucky this would be a dream job if I had the opportunity! This route makes my local Cornish main line look painfully slow.

[@davidfarrow44]

Superb ride along. Interesting at Carnforth and nice look at The Travellers Choice depot. Thank you for posting.

[@jezm1703]

Absolutely fascinating approach to Waverley at the conclusion. Interesting video throughout.

[@duainesimpson274]

Amazing! Just incredible! Thank you so much. AWSOME ❤

[@ramonwilliams5721]

I enjoyed your video very much,as a ex Fireman/Driver we never dreamt the speeds you drivers would work with in the future.Kind Regards 🚂🚂🚂

[@brianknowles7130]

Many thanks to one & all who made this vid. possible. Really enjoyed watching it. Greatly appreciated. cheers

[@Adullamite]

Excellent! Enjoyed that. Thanks!

[@Phil3756]

Another wonderful video Ben! My many thanks!! Love the landscape around Beattock, truly stunning. Ive photographed the area around Shap many times over the years but never Beattock. I understand this was filmed January 2nd but these recent video's show how very little rail traffic there seems to be especially freight in either direction. Once again my many thanks for allowing us this view.

[@bonetiredtoo]

Anyone else get a slight shiver when the Quintinshill loop was used?

[@JamesWillson-x2p]

I did. My thoughts are with those who perished at this location. May they never be forgotten. Rest in peace

[@PrimalIceAlpha]

I love your videos and I think its amazing you were able to negotiate a contract where you only have to work when its raining!

[@jamesmullen22]

Brilliant video. I’ve worked all along that line from Carstairs Junction to Cobbinshaw reservoir through to Edinburgh. Weird seeing it in daylight lol !

[@paulmallett3576]

Fascinating! Thank you so much. So *THAT* is where Bay Horse is!! I missed the old Garstang & Catterall junction. I was particularly interested in the conversations you had with the controllers, in relation to stopping in loops, or not. Clearly your instructions should be followed, but its just interesting how you can query details with control! (eg Oxenholme, and Quintinshill). More, please!

[@epj900]

Thundering up Shap at 105mph in the pouring rain, just awesome!

[@beneliastrains]

Well, only 100mph on this train but yes it's a good little bit of route.

[@ianclarkson2251]

Ben Wicked vid sir, showing Driver route knowledge and individual skills with the weather, Brilliant concentration in sometimes difficult driving situations. More please rivetting stuff.......Cheers IAN

[@Ron-u1z]

At least Ben told the signaller, for a 2nd time that he needed diverting to survey a different road. He brought the train down to about 60 mph ( double yellow aspect speed) when it was green, so the signaller wouldn't / shouldn't throw the signal back on him. What a switched on driver. Also noticed that Ben has signed for a lot of roads. Well done.

[@davidoswald9253]

Great video. I used to farm in Cumbria so some happy memories particularly of Penrith. When it got too much , I used to cart myself off to Carlisle station on a Friday afternoon for a few hours R and R!!

[@gerrynewnham9932]

Thanks very much. Wonderful trip - even in the rain!

[@rickschell7874]

Another nice video. Thanks.

[@ceanothus_bluemoon]

Really enjoyed this journey. Thanks for sharing.

[@martinmarsola6477]

A nice long train ride. Always enjoy them. See you on the next. Cheers Ben! 🇬🇧👍🙂🇺🇸

[@montyburnsgaming3609]

That train accelerates quite quick for a HST. Nice video, shame about the miserable weather though.

[@jakeb2982]

Was working at Penrith when you came through, thanks for the toot. 👍

[@beneliastrains]

My pleasure!

[@KeithJones-yq6of]

Fantastic quality. Many thanks for that, Ben

[@dolanbaker]

Great video, first time I've ever seen a route refused and a red directly following a green.

[@beneliastrains]

That's why route knowledge is important!

[@Bvetube101]

Also for the signaller they cancel the route so the signal is set back to red but whilst we see a steady red, they see a flashing red with maybe an approach locking of 120 seconds for the locked route to reset before they can set the correct route. Pretty awesome seeing it in real life though

[@bobcannell7603]

I once employed an ex HST driver. He left to sell photocopiers (infamously difficult job) because it was 'less stressful'.

[@ChangesOneTim]

Some might say that selling photocopiers is at least less boring than driving some of today's train types 😉

[@MM0IMC]

Thanks for the informative cab ride, your work and videos are appreciated!👍

[@Mortimer50145]

Ben, when you made your call to the signalman at 30:30, how did you know that far back that he'd wrongly routed you on the main instead of the Windermere line? Was it the absence of a more restrictive signal, or should there have been a feather signal giving you advanced warning as well as the one at the signal where you stopped? Does it often happen that you have to ask/tell the signalman to route you onto a different track? I suppose it's more common with a track-surveying trains where you specifically don't always want the most commonly-used track, in order to survey the lesss-common route. Would the signalman normally have been provided in advance with a schedule of which tracks you wanted to be routed over at places like Oxenholme, or is it commplace to have to be routed off the normal route?

[@beneliastrains]

When I got onto the straight just before I made the call I should have seen restrictive signals, hence how I knew. It's not a big deal as it didn't cause any delay. They are given a schedule and should know but mistakes do sometimes happen and that's why it's my job to know where I'm going 😊

[@stevekilburn1]

Brilliant video - many thanks!👍

[@Peter-f1w]

Another great ride, thanks Ben, keep em coming.

[@jamfjord]

Seat of the pants train driving, going this fast in a fibreglass cab. Almost looked like you got air a couple of times 😂

[@daviddobson6108]

Thank you from USA. Great camera work and helpful subtitles.

[@12crepello]

Great video, thanks Ben. I have to listen on mute or headphones as the sound of the DSD sends my dog wild!!

[@richardgriffiths5920]

Another great video Ben and I do enjoy these maintenance or test rides with the 'retired HST's'. I was wondering if the pine trees on the Down Midcalder section of the route about 2h.13m.10s into the video were planted purposely or have been self sown as it would create problems later when these trees have fully grown. These trees grow all the time where I live in Canada and not being deep rooted evergreens could create havoc along the tracks at a later time with low branches jutting out over the tracks. One day I shall enjoy watching a run from Preston to Edinburgh in glorious sunshine, so I can take in the glorious scenic views the WCML has to offer us. Thanks again Ben and a very much belated Happy New Year to you.

[@mikkie444]

Always look forward to your new videos

[@DavidJones-lz4io]

No silly and annoying music as well! Perfect.

[@Johnny16781]

Another great one Ben every drive up there and it always rains lol Keep up the great work also😁

[@keithphillips7320]

Is that the nostalgic sound of jointed track that I hear in those loops?!

[@beneliastrains]

It sure is. It's lovely isn't it?

[@mattaikay925]

Thanks for sharing the awesome video

[@JOJO4655]

Nicely done Ben!

[@jasperj1000]

Smashing video ! Many thanks !

[@thegreyfolk]

Excellent video.

[@rabizzleful8072]

I drive trains on this route and it's my favourite to drive.

[@rolf69ful]

Can someone explain why there are sometimes two rails in the middle when going over long bridges like Lune viaduct 20:12 and Docker 40:12?

[@johnbelcher1267]

Excellent video Ben.

[@formidable38]

Back in the day when 40's plied this route, they were down to around 25 mph at Shap summit with 12 or 14 coaches on the hook! Progress eh!!

[@ChangesOneTim]

Thanks Ben, another blockbuster 👍When the NMT consist is just three or four coaches, is it max 100mph? It's always good to see what an improvement LED signal heads have made to the clarity of flashing yellow aspects; by literally switching off rather than just dimming the lights they are much sharper. Also Carstairs curve and new layout look much better than the old, guess being able to do 40mph must save a whole minute on Edinburgh journey times.

[@dlevoy]

great ride… with the usual february weather in northern england and scotland 😂

[@roboftherock]

Interesting to note the changes on the route since the days of the 50s and 87s when I would traverse the route. Jan 02 was not a nice day anywhere in Scotland. sham about the fly-spots on the windscreen, esp the one almost dead centre.

[@johnbrown9092]

Excellent video.😊

[@robertturner4526]

Such a picturesque part of Britain between Preston and southern Scotland.

[@keystonedriving8180]

The only thing which could have improved this video for me would have been a Valenta soundtrack. The MTUs are more efficient but somehow lack the drama. Happy to hear your conversations with signalers and on train crew to ensure that you were routed over the desired tracks. It sure beats having to stop at the signal to 'have a word with the Bobby'. It was sobering to see you backing off the power to loose speed for the summits at Shap and Beatock, in days of steam they'd have been happy to be making half that speed. I'm looking forward to the next one(s).

[@jessicamorgan3073]

Thanks Ben, COLAS n all!

[@train_paul9478]

Hey Ben great video. A quick question what type of camera do you use? 😊

[@717007]

Any chance of doing a video of the driver's eye view of the journey from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street?

[@ryan1mcq]

Brilliant video and incredible footage! Can i ask what the frequent multi beep alarm is that sounds like its being reacted to really quickly?

[@beneliastrains]

Certainly. That's the vigilance which has to be cancelled within 6 seconds to make sure the driver is still awake/alive.

[@wrigjo101]

Another very nice video

[@Cashpots]

Next time please make sure it is snowing. 😂 Thank you for this video. Rob.

[@derekking5386]

People today, would never realise that in an area of such beauty 2 tragic events in history took place in lockerbie and quintinshill with huge loss of life. On another note i loved life driving trains first passenger then freightliner trains from crewe to carlisle. When the rail conditions were bad in the winter pulling these heavy trains uphill thro windemere to penrith was an ordeal for the engines lol. Stopping these trains on the way down in bad conditions was another story. I hear certain media having a go at train drivers and others on the railway, well theres one thing i can say. Its the one job where you can say most staff started as teenagers and its normal for them to have completed 40 years service. I was a fireman in glasgow for 11 years and i enjoyed it, but to be a traindriver you have an awful lot more to learn. Great job if you can handle the shifts. They cant show you videos at night in the dark and the fogs down, you cant see past the windscreen. You still go at the full speed for that part of the track lol, relying on route knowlege and the inbuilt safety systems. Id love for the members of the public to sit up front in these conditions, im sure you would be shocked and your heart race a bit

[@ericc3963]

I drove the 325 postal units. Coming back from lowfell depot Newcastle to Shieldmuir. A novice fitter never been up front b4 had permission to travel with me as he was to monitor previous booked faults with the pantographs. It was thick fog almost all the way Never forgot the state of him as we sauntered along at speeds upto 100mph😅

[@paparobbo62]

Given their record in Scotland this driver must have nerves of steel travelling at these speeds on a track maintained by Network Rail.

[@DownTheLineASMR]

Network Rail aren’t the only company that maintains the tracks.

[@aro4491]

Quintinshill, the site of the worst railway accident in UK history. Seeing the view from the drivers cab as we entered the infamous 4 track section made my spine tingle. Over 500 soldiers on their way from Glasgow to take ship to fight at Gallipoli died at this spot due to an inexplicable signalling error that caused their southbound train to collide headlong at speed with a stationary passenger service heading north that had been brought to a stand on the tracks to the right of our train. Wooden coaches with highly varnished wood caused a funeral pyre for many; some men hacked off limbs to escape the flames. A third train collided with the wreckage shortly after, causing more casualties. The signalmen on duty were blamed; unapproved and dangerous operational practices, including falsifying the train record book, and changing working hours without authority were part of the problem, but ultimately it seems that the signaller simply forgot that the passenger train was stationary directly in front of his signal box when he set the signals to allow the troop train to continue at speed into the Quintinshill loops.

[@robertjones-eb4xo]

Grand, with Captions as well. Pity about weather.

[@martyn6792]

I always remember HST's accelerate well but two power cars and four coaches it motors

[@stephensutcliffe1555]

Thank you very much for the upload

[@josephinebennington7247]

Your train seems to be travelling faster than the passenger expresses I see negotiate Lune Gorge and Shap. Yes /no? If yes, Any interesting details?

[@Graham-w9i]

Can any tell me the reason why they call it Down main when they are going up north to Edinburgh. Also, when they are going down south to London, they say up main fast. You don't say oh I'm going up to London or I'm going down to Edinburgh." Could someone explain it 🤔 😕

[@sigil5772]

Wasn't paying attention to driver's voice, so what was the reason for the little dogleg manoeuvre south of Oxenholme? Something similar happens up at Beattock too. Is it just to prevent you getting too close to regular services much further up the line? (when i say 'up' I should probably say 'down' haha)

[@beneliastrains]

It's a track recording train and the train was booked to record the track on the Down Windermere

[@sigil5772]

Thanks!@@beneliastrains

[@CosmicPrawny]

Every so often there is a yellow marker on the track followed by a chime. Why?

[@martinjh999]

Quintinshill - Wasn't that the location of a big accident in WW1 with a troop train collided with another with loss of life?

[@beneliastrains]

It was indeed.

[@jonathanparry9505]

Excellent thank you

[@ianhenson724]

Ben can i ask please, if your journey here was going up north, why is the Line called Down Fast if heading up the railway?

[@beneliastrains]

@@ianhenson724 down is away from London, up towards

[@jimififul]

Watching you hammer up Beattock at 95mph I was thinking of the old firemen shovelling coals and the drivers trying to keep a train going in all weathers with double-headers and bankers, then thinking of you sitting in a warm cab with the power set a couple of notches higher. Does that ever cross your mind?

[@Rabchog]

Just love the sound of that engine, so much better than a "66". Do you like driving the older traction or is it not as great as it sounds?

[@52robbo]

Absolutely take my hat off to these train drivers; I think they deserve every penny they get plus some. Seems to me much more arduous than flying a plane, where there is so much automation and really the only times of real concentration are largely during takeoff and landing. By contrast, train drivers must concentrate the entire time to ensure they don’t miss a red light, no obstructions on the track, etc. And all whilst belting along on old narrow track with trees and hedges alongside and even occasional level crossings to confront. And quite possibly 1000 folks on board. (I appreciate there is more to flying than just take off and landing and that a lot of expertise is required in setup, etc, but you hopefully see my point.)

[@imogenharrison3432]

Interesting that you are having a conversation on GSM-R with the Carlisle box about being routed onto the down Windermere. I assume you were wrong routed?

[@jamescrawford2042]

if I had my life over I wish I been a train driver

[@Cal1gula666]

When you're on a stretch of track with a 110 mph speed limit and you get double amber lights, how much should you slow down?

[@beneliastrains]

@@Cal1gula666 double yellow. Slow down as much as is needed to stop at the red. Entirely depends on the location. It's all in the driver's route knowledge

[@dhaynes4515]

keep hearing rapid 3 to 7 high pitched beeps. Please tell me what they mean. BTW really enjoy you videos. Dee in Alabama

[@memediatek]

Its the driver vigilance device, the driver has to acknowledge with a pedal that they are still awake otherwise the brakes will apply

[@screwdriver5181]

All UK cabs have a “deadman’s pedal” which when released applies the brake after a few seconds. Because of incidents where the pedal has either failed or the driver has collapsed with his weight on the pedal, there is a separate “vigilance” sequence in that if the pedal is held down for more than a certain time ( or distance on a lot of mainland Europe) and none of the other driving controls have been moved, the system beeps to ask the driver if he is ok. If he does not then release and rede press the pedal the brakes will apply. I designed a lot of these systems.

[@Stanofborth]

Was this film made on day of train strike no trains going south

[@370DatsunZed]

Does "down main" mean down towards our destination? Forgive my ignorance..

[@DownTheLineASMR]

Down lines tend to travel away from major cities (most lines here tend to centre on London and Edinburgh) while ups travel towards them

[@BradRae188]

Is that real time or is the video speeded up? Looks super fast

[@Ztbmrc1]

Great video! I have enjoyed it! I have one question: At the OHNS (neutral section) there are signs indicating the point where to switch off the main power, but no signs where to switch it on again. How does a traindriver know when to switch it on again?

[@Grid56]

Line power light will go off during neutral section and come back on at end. The dead section is not usually that long.

[@Ztbmrc1]

@@Grid56 Ok, I see. So when the main switch is in the off position, the line light will still indicate whether there is electric power on the line? Than indeed it is simpel, when the power light goes on, you can set the main switch back to on. Here in the Netherlands we have signs after the neutral section (and also moving bridges where there is no overhear wire over the moving part) indicating where to switch on the main power again. And for the emu's with more than one pantograph there are more signs with a number underneath it indicating the number of cars of the train. On the highspeed line with ETCS this switching off and on at a neutral section goes all fully automatic. And even at the current changes, the panthographs are lowered and raised automatically!

[@longbar2344]

How long do you drive for in one stint?

[@pranowobaris94]

Nice videos

[@iszraelschuyler3387]

Hey Mr. Elias, I was curious, what class are these locomotives? Also, are you driving 43272 or 43357 in this video?

[@DownTheLineASMR]

Class 43 HST’s

[@markcoleman9792]

Is there a reason why it had to go through the passenger loops without stopping ?

[@beneliastrains]

Yes, those loops were being recorded.

[@michaelvyse9728]

Thank you for this, and for all the info on lines and speed limits. Are the speed limits given those for ordinary rolling stock?

[@beneliastrains]

Yes, the speeds are for ordinary passenger trains, not Pendolino or Voyager trains which can travel faster. You will see these on lineside signage marked as 'EPS'

[@karolymikulecz8420]

nagyin klassz video❤❤❤

[@firestarter1888]

Does the driver of these maintenance trains need local route knowledge off all the different sections of track?

[@raymondflanagan9355]

Still can't understand why they didn't reinstate the old Carstairs chord to Edinburgh. Surely that would have enabled a higher speed.

[@beneliastrains]

It was a significantly more expensive option. This option was cheaper and has sped the journey up immensely. The old chord would have been better but it would have required significant land purchase from the farmer and extensive offline works.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Or even better, the Waverley route right through to Carlisle 😁

[@duncanrogers5762]

hi thank you vell good duncan

[@danielkingham9045]

,,,,, the question being why was number 38 signal changed before the drivers face just before Oxenholme ? The signal prior to 38 was obviously displaying green,, if any he should have been displayed a 2 yellow ,, then 1 yellow and THEN a red signal ,,,,,, or have the rules changed in the last 20 years ? Otherwise a good vid clip

[@beneliastrains]

It's not a silly question but I'm guessing you missed the GSM-R call between myself and the signaller on the approach to said signal 😜

[@danielkingham9045]

@@beneliastrains ,,, Sorry.. I didn’t hear it,, I only hear about something the wasn’t announced in the paper,, ,, anyway,, thanks for your prompt reply,,,, happy driving

[@jug6760]

brilliant

[@jimscott7136]

Why does the train go into passing loops when nothing is passing it?

[@memediatek]

Its measuring the track over them

[@paullbennett2923]

So down is up and up is down , is that right ? Being from the south i would be going up to Preston and if i were in Preston i would be going down to London. weird that !

[@beneliastrains]

No, you have got that 100% wrong 😂 Up is generally towards London with a few exceptions. So if you were from South of London you are up to London then Down from London to Scotland.

[@hardlines5472]

No. London centric ballix. Depends where you are! Unless you are compass neutral, and I'm being trainsphobic!