A Day on the Heatherslaw Light Railway

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Filmed on 19th July 2021.

The Heatherslaw Light Railway is a small, family-owned attraction in north-Northumberland.

The 15-inch narrow gauge railway runs between Heatherslaw Mill and the village of Etal, which is just a couple of miles shy of the Scottish border. It has a length of 2 miles and skirts the eastern bank of the meandering River Till, which is a tributary to the mighty River Tweed.

As you will see from my footage, my visit took place on a blisteringly hot summer's day, with barely a cloud in the sky. I am not built for such extremes of temperature! Fortunately I was able to quench my thirst with a couple of refreshing pints at The Black Bull public house in Etal.

Steam locomotive "Bunty" was on duty on the railway today. The railway also has two diesel locomotives, "Clive" and "Binky", which were parked up at Heatherslaw Station.

The journey to Etal takes just under 20 minutes. Etal village is small and perfectly formed, with bright-white painted houses, thatched rooves, pristine gardens, a friendly pub and relaxing cafe. Etal is also home to the ruins of a 14th century castle, which was built to defend the English border for the rampaging Scots.

The locomotive runs around at Etal before making the reverse journey back to Heatherslaw. My footage includes the full journey from Etal to Heatherslaw.

A return journey on the Heatherslaw Light Railway, at the time of my visit, costs £8.50 for an adult. They do not offer single fares. There are concessionary fares for seniors and young children. The railway welcomes well behaved dogs, which are carried free of charge. There is ample free parking at Heatherslaw Station and in Etal.

Despite the heat I really enjoyed my visit to the Heatherslaw Light Railway. The fares were good value, journey scenic and staff very helpful and friendly. Like many tourist attractions, the railway has really struggled financially during the coronavirus lockdown. I would encourage people to support the railway by taking their families along for a visit.

More information on the Heatherslaw Light Railway website: https://www.heatherslawlightrailway.c...

Footage was captured using a Panasonic HC-VX1; https://amzn.to/3vJnqNJ; fitted with a Rode VideoMic Go; https://amzn.to/3rpMeIA