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Location notes
A rural location on the ECML about 15 miles north of Berwick-Upon-Tweed where the line sweeps through the Berwickshire hills.
Railway type and traffic
Regular East Coast expresses throughout the day to and from Edinburgh worked by either class 91s and 225 sets or HSTs. There are also regular Arriva Cross Country services to and from Edinburgh worked by Voyager units, although there is the odd service worked by HSTs. Charter services to and from Edinburgh also regularly use this stretch of the ECML.
Freight services currently include at least two Freightliner Heavy Haul coal trains per day to and from Leith Docks. A Freightliner HH cement working from Oxwellmains to Seaham and return also runs at least once a week.
DBS operate an steel service between Teeside and Dalzell, plus a couple overnight freights. GBRf are also soon to take over the Alcan traffic between North Blyth and Fort William. The Network Rail NMT is also a semi regular visitor to the line, as well as other test trains from time to time heading to or from Scotland.
Freight services currently include at least two Freightliner Heavy Haul coal trains per day to and from Leith Docks. A Freightliner HH cement working from Oxwellmains to Seaham and return also runs at least once a week.
DBS operate an steel service between Teeside and Dalzell, plus a couple overnight freights. GBRf are also soon to take over the Alcan traffic between North Blyth and Fort William. The Network Rail NMT is also a semi regular visitor to the line, as well as other test trains from time to time heading to or from Scotland.
Environment
It is a very rural area in the Berwickshire hills, although there is a small village nearby. You will have to walk through a field, across the Eye Water, go under the railway and up the hills on the other side to reach the classic photo spots. Occasionally, there may be farm animals in field where you take the northbound shot.
Road directions
Houndwood is on the A1 about about 15 miles north of Berwick-Upon-Tweed and about a couple of miles south of Grantshouse.
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Houndwood map co-ordinates
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Houndwood map co-ordinates
Parking
Parking is best on the verge at the end of the dual carriageway heading west.
Descend into the field here and make the first crossing of the Eye Water by means of the steel girder, cross this field to the second stream of the Eye Water crossing on another steel girder. Cross this field crossing under the railway by means of the gated underpass. Turn right for the best position for northbound shots and left for the better vantage point for southbounds, both involve some climbing plus the northbound position requires yet another burn (stream) to be crossed that has no means of crossing other than jumping or at times getting your footwear wet!
Descend into the field here and make the first crossing of the Eye Water by means of the steel girder, cross this field to the second stream of the Eye Water crossing on another steel girder. Cross this field crossing under the railway by means of the gated underpass. Turn right for the best position for northbound shots and left for the better vantage point for southbounds, both involve some climbing plus the northbound position requires yet another burn (stream) to be crossed that has no means of crossing other than jumping or at times getting your footwear wet!
Public transport
Perryman's buses do operate a limited service between Berwick-Upon-Tweed and Edinburgh that goes through Houndwood.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
There is very little in Houndwood apart from a few houses. There is a pub in Grantshouse a couple of miles to the north, but the nearest place for major facilities is Berwick-Upon-Tweed about 15 miles to the south.
Accommodation
The closest hotels and B&Bs are in Berwick-Upon-Tweed.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Houndwood
Streetmap links
Houndwood general view map
Houndwood close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Houndwood
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Houndwood
Googly map
Houndwood general view map
Houndwood close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Houndwood
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
For the southbound shot, the light is generally good in the morning up until mid afternoon when the sun starts to move too far around.
Obviously, this means that the northbound shot is not so good in the morning, but gets better as the afternoon goes on as the sun travels further around.
General views - All photographs © Steven Brykajlo unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking east
Fig 2 - Looking west - Image © Peter Kellett
Fig 3 - Looking south - Image © Peter Kellett
Fig 4 - Looking west - Image © Peter Kellett
From over the hill from the Fig 1 shot position.
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
