Television host an presenter Bob Langley presents a railway journey along the Tyne Valley from Newcastle to Carlisle, Britain's first ever coast-to-coast railway. The film highlights Hadrian's wall, its forts, George Stephenson's birthplace and Prudhoe Castle and other key places to visit along the route. The film begins showing a wild open part of Northumberland and a rock face at a point along Hadrian’s wall. A lone figure walks over part of the wall at the top of the rock...

Television host an presenter Bob Langley presents a railway journey along the Tyne Valley from Newcastle to Carlisle, Britain's first ever coast-to-coast railway. The film highlights Hadrian's wall, its forts, George Stephenson's birthplace and Prudhoe Castle and other key places to visit along the route. The film begins showing a wild open part of Northumberland and a rock face at a point along Hadrian’s wall. A lone figure walks over part of the wall at the top of the rock face and stops to take in the view. Title: Discover the Tyne Valley on Britian’s Scenic Railway. A map appears on the screen showing the route of the railway, from Newcastle to Carlisle. A close up of the lone figure reveals Bob Langley from Tyne Tees and BBC Television who presents the programme. Title: Bob Langley On camera Bob talks about the significance of Hadrian’s wall in British history. Acknowledging the regions railway history Bob states that travelling by train is a convenient way to explore the region. An aerial view follows of a train speeding along, followed by views of ramblers walking along the route of Hadrian’s wall. General views follow of the Tyne valley and the river flowing towards the sea between Newcastle and Gateshead. More views follow of the Tyne Bridge and the quayside and of Newcastle’s keep as Bob gives a brief history of the city. An inter-city train pulls into the Central Station, followed by commuters coming out of the Metro Central Station exit. A Metro train traverses the Queen Elizabeth the Second bridge followed by one of the other attractions of Newcastle, the busy shopping mall at Eldon Square. Bob walks along the quayside continuing his Newcastle and regional history. He explains that the remainder of his exploration will go along the Tyne Valley westwards to where he lives now in the Lake district. General views follow of open countryside and the River Tyne flowing under a bridge and over a weir with walkers exploring Hadrian’s wall. The film shows a train pulling into the station at Gateshead’s Metro centre. Views follow of one of the largest shopping malls in the world. The Pacer train moves on to call at one of the oldest railway stations in Britain at Wylam. An aerial view of the Tyne running through Wylam, where visitors are shown enjoying the facilities of a country park. Bob walks by an information board at the station which gives details of places to look out for in the Wylam district. A view follows of a direction sign to the great railway engineer George Stephenson’s family cottage in Wylam. Bob, in the garden at the cottage outlines the story of the ‘father of the railways’ who was born in 1781. A plaque on the wall of the cottage celebrates his birth at the cottage and also perhaps one of his greatest achievements, the building of the steam engine ‘Rocket’. Bob continues the story inside the cottage. An aerial view is followed by closer views showing the ruined castle at Prudhoe. Bob outlines the history of border skirmishes that took place in earlier times. Bob moves on to the three-hundred-year-old bridge at Corbridge, which survived serious flooding in 1771. Bob outlines the attractions in the Northumberland village. At nearby Hexham Roman stones were used in the building of its abbey. Views follows of the town and the abbey. Near to the abbey a traditional market is busy with visitors and residents looking for bargains. Views follow of the old Moot Hall and the jail followed by the railway station at Hexham. From Hexham the film moves to Hadrian’s wall, with more aerial views of the wall snaking its way across the landscape. Bob tells more about the history of the wall while at restored fortifications at Vindolanda. Men dressed as Roman soldiers walk along the turret in order to keep watch for marauders from the north. With a special effect the film changes to a high contrast view of the Roman soldiers as they commence an attack on an unseen foe. Bob walks along the top of the wall, and the film moves to an aerial view of another fort while off camera Bob summarises the huge effort that went into building the wall. Bob visits an archaeological excavation at Vindolanda. Bob lists some of the finds made so far and an archaeologist pulls the remains of a sole from a sandal from the excavated site. More general views follow of the wall, with visitors exploring the stonework and some of the settlements. More aerial views follow of another Roman fort along part of the wall. Bob states the fort is at Housteads, he also goes on to illustarte a link between the fort and modern railways. He demonstrates this by showing the remnants of an ancient cart track measuring 4 feet 8.5 inches the width wheel to wheel of roman carts the same width as that used for the width of rail tracks. Bob goes on to say that Houseteads was a fortified town, and far from being surrounded by grey stones a plain walls, the Romans used colour for decoration. A view of a reconstructed temple to Mithras indicates the use of colour. An aerial view of a train on the line to Carlisle follows as it takes the journey along the Tyne valley further west. General views show more of Hadrian’s wall and nearby countryside. The film shows one of the stations on the line, with passengers many of them school pupils waiting on the platform. At the station at Haltwhistle you can board a coach to Alston and the headquarters of the narrow-gauge South Tynedale railway. A number of engines in full steam attracts visitors and enthusiasts. A travelling view from one of the trains follows the line close to the river. Bob Langley walks along a pathway next to a lake, and explains that there are parks and picnic places along the route of the line. Bob reveals that the lake is Talkin Tarn a glacial lake and an attraction for windsurfers. Bob explains it’s also paradise for bird watchers as he throws bits of food for some geese. General views follow of the tarn. Bob then reports from the river Eden where an angler stands in the river fishing. A passenger train stops at Wetheral station with its magnificent footbridge, before continuing across the 90-foot-high viaduct over the Eden valley. Not far from Wetheral is the red sandstone building of Corby Castle home to the Howard family. The next view shows Bob at Carlisle, with him are some children dressed in medieval tunics as they experience life in medieval times at Carlisle castle which is a stone keep and medieval fortress with gun emplacements. The film shows the tower where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. General views follow of Carlisle city centre, including a brief view of the Lanes shopping mall. A historic notice shows the tolls payable to the city of Carlisle for certain goods brought into the city and for goods taken out. A brief view follows of Carlisle Cathedral followed by a view of the railway station, with its clock tower. Outside the station Bob lists destinations to explore from Carlisle station. The programme closes as a Pacer train negotiates a level crossing near an imposing signal box. A view follows of the Swing Bridge in Newcastle, the River Tyne out in the country, children on Hadrian’s wall, the castle at Prudhoe, the bridge over the Tyne at Corbridge, trains on the South Tynedale railway and a view of the river Eden. Credit: Produced For British Rail Provincial by Central Advertising Services (East) The Production House © 1987