Saturday 24th August 2024
I’ve recently spent a few days enjoying travelling on Scotland’s (indeed, Britain’s) renowned scenic railway lines with the freedom that comes with a Spirit of Scotland Travel Pass.
“Uncover the true spirit of Scotland – from the wilderness of the far north, to the urban delights of Scotland’s seven cities.” So says the headline on ScotRail’s webpage extolling the virtues of the Spirit of Scotland Travel Pass. At £149 it offers fantastic travel opportunities at a very reasonable price – and with most National Railcards that price comes down to just £98.35 for any four days travel in an eight consecutive day period. There’s also a longer option of any eight days travel over 15 consecutive days for £189.
Travel is included on all scheduled trains in Scotland (and as far south as Carlisle and Berwick-Upon-Tweed) as well as some buses, coaches, Edinburgh Trams and the Glasgow Subway with discounts on some ferries, local cruises, city bus tours, heritage railways and some car/taxi hire.
My plan was to travel up to Scotland on LNER’s direct 10:00 train from Kings Cross to Aberdeen (branded as the Northern Lights – if you know where to look) and begin my Scottish wander after an overnight stay in Aberdeen by taking the train over to Inverness followed by a ride on the Far North Line to Wick for day one.
After an overnight stay in Wick I’d return back down the Far North Line to either Dingwall or Inverness where I’d change on to the gorgeous line to Kyle of Lochalsh from where I’d take a CityLink coach over to Fort William (included in the Spirit of Scortland Travel Pass) for another night’s stay. Day three would begin with a trip to Mallaig and return, then south from Fort William to Crianlarich from where I’d head over to Oban and then back via Crianlarich and down to Glasgow. The adventure would end with an overnight journey on the Caledonian Sleeper back to London. (I didn’t plan to use the fourth day option but worked out it was still cheaper to use a Spirit of Scotland Travel Pass.)
I had it all planned out some weeks ago with hotels in Aberdeen, Wick and Fort William booked only to then hear news ScotRail was cutting its timetables to “restore reliability in the face of a shortage of drivers due to staff not working overtime and rest days to the extent they usually do”.
Luckily this didn’t have a devastating impact on my plans with only the Far North and Kyle of Lochalsh lines impacted by the reduced timetable but I worked out I could return from Wick to Inverness on Stagecoach’s route X99 and be in time to catch the first of only two daily journeys over to Kyle of Lochalsh. Despite paying for that bus fare it would still work out cheaper to buy the Spirit of Scotland Travel Pass.
Another preparatory matter was contacting CityLink to reserve a seat on the coach from Kyle of Lochalsh to Fort William as although that route is covered within the Spirit of Scotland Travel Pass, which you just show to the driver as you board, I didn’t want to risk the coach being full as I’ve known it to be on previous trips in the summer.
However rather than reserve a seat online or by email, it turns out you have to physically call into a CityLink ticket office in person when using the Spirit of Scotland Travel Pass which rather defeats the point of the ticket for those living away from the area – you can’t really guarantee being able to use it in the busy summer period.
I decided to forgo the inclusive travel the ticket offers and buy an online single ticket with CityLink so I was reassured I could make the journey as needed rather than be stranded in Kyle of Lochalsh – lovely place though that is. That cost £31.10.
As mentioned, I kicked off the adventure on the 10:00 LNER Kings Cross to Aberdeen train on Monday 12th August – a seven hour six minute delight up the east coast with particular highlights being the coastal views north of Berwick-upon-Tweed and north of Edinburgh. I treated myself to an advance single ticket in first class bought some weeks before travel, but still costing £145 with a Senior Railcard. However, easyJet were charging similar prices from Gatwick Airport to Aberdeen and you don’t get the gorgeous views nor the relaxing train travel experience.
It’s a very busy journey with first class coach L (where I was) full and the usual angst with luggage storage as we all boarded at Kings Cross, especially those who travel with wardrobes-on-wheels these days. Luckily one of the passengers was a professional baggage handler and rearranged the racks for maximum storage capacity.
That sorted, we left Kings Cross spot on time at 10:00 and it wasn’t long before the efficient catering crew had us all supplied with cold drinks, then hot drinks and, rather early in the day, something from the lunch menu (apparently 10:00 is too late for breakfast).
All went well on our non stop journey to York until we were approaching Newark at around 11:00 and I noticed on the online tracking website the Hull Trains train ahead of us had been sitting in the platform longer than usual. We came to a halt and sat behind it for quite a time as news came in “all lines are blocked at Doncaster due to a person being hit by a train”.
The signaller let us pull forward to sit on an adjacent platform to where the Hull Trains train was sitting and we sat it out including watching the only southbound departure that escaped the blockage by coming from Lincoln.
In the event it was only a 55 minute delay before one line was opened for bi-directional working and then not long after all lines were reopened. Those working at the incident in Doncaster must have been doing a very efficient job to get the lines open so quickly in the saddest of circumstances.
We got going again moving in fits and starts as far as Doncaster but then on the approach to York news then came through all lines were blocked at Darlington “due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge” – the East Coast Main Line wasn’t having a good day that Monday – but luckily after a prolonged pause in York, that matter was resolved before we reached the area.
On the one hand I was impressed LNER kept sending me texts to tell me by how much the train I was on was delayed, but on the other hand I was intrigued by the optimistic assessment of when we’d reach Aberdeen which gradually became more realistically pessimistic over the eight texts received.
For those with onward connections on the line to Inverness (which was operating a reduced 2-hourly timetable with no short journeys) it would bring false hope which was never going to materialise as subsequent texts proved.
It’s a lovely ride up the East Coast and a must to sit on the offside for the best views of the coast…
… including Holy Island…
… and from the Forth Bridge…
… as well as the Tay Bridge.
… and, of course, views overlooking Durham (Cathedral, Castle and bus station), the Tyne Bridge, Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Fife coast and so much more.
We finally arrived into Aberdeen 80 minutes late at 18.26 and passengers with connections had all missed the 18:15 departure to Inverness but all credit to LNER – the Train Manager got everyone to meet him on the platform at the front of the train and in liaison with LNER’s control staff, he was able to arrange onward travel “by road vehicles”. That’s taxis to you and me.
When I bumped into the Train Manager coming on duty the next morning and congratulated him on the way he handled the missed connections he told me seven passengers had missed their ferry to Shetland so had to be accommodated overnight in Aberdeen, which just goes to show how widespread the impact of one of these very sad and unfortunate incidents can spread.
Arriving into Aberdeen after eight and a half hours on the train I reflected on a long and enjoyable journey, despite the delay, with excellent service from the three different LNER crews that had looked after us (Kings Cross to Newcastle; Newcastle to Edinburgh; Edinburgh to Aberdeen) with very good information about the delays and the reasons for them and some superb views to enjoy out of the window.
And, with Delay Repay giving me a full refund on the £145 advanced single (due to being more than an hour late) it turned out to be a free journey. So not a bad start to my Spirit of Scotland adventure, which I’ll tell you about in Part 2 tomorrow.
Roger French
Blogging timetable: 06:00 TThS with Summer Su extras.
Comments on today’s blog are welcome but please keep them relevant to the blog topic, avoid personal insults and add your name (or an identifier). Thank you.
BusAndTrainUser 
I think you could have saved £30.10 on the Citylink coach by making a £1 online reservation as a Scottish over 60 (or under 23) passholder. No details have to be submitted at this stage. At least that was the case the last time I used Citylink. That gets you a place reserved if the bus is full – your name will be recorded. Then simply use your 4 day pass to “pay”.
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But it would not be a Scottish pass do presumably he would not qualify
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Yes, but the point I was trying to make is that paying £1 would secure him a guaranteed place on the bus. In my experience, if the bus is full, then names are checked off a paper list. If not full, no checks are made. His name will appear – it shouldn’t then matter that he is there with a different type of pass. Scottish passholders have to scan their card as they get on the bus in any event.
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Surprised such a jaunt was undertaken during what would have been the last week of the Scottish school holidays. Crowded public transport in all forms somewhat reduce the enjoyment of travel, and the following week would have seen reduced numbers.
The LNER journey is normal now on most rail journeys I undertake, both long or short, and a Plan B has been necessary for some time.
Terence Uden
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The All Line Rover tickets I bought in the late 1970s included many ferries and the Clyde estuary services too. Ardrossan – Brodick – Campbelltown – Wemyss Bay: a fantastic day at sea. Surrey to Dundee and back on a Honda CD-175 with L-plates was an achievement too! The following year with a full licence going north on the M6 was all rather dull. As a Thomas Cook air ticket clerk I certainly did “the high road” – free return travel between London and Glasgow by air as my staff discount. In my Rail Rover days the timetable book was so thick I used it as a pillow to sleep on carriage corridor floors.
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I was thinking the same, but what shocks me is that Delay Repay compensation is offered for journey delays caused by acts of suicide on our railways. It seems unseemly in the extreme that someone can financially be better off following such a tragic act. I think if I were in Roger’s position, I would have difficulty not justifying giving my £145 ‘windfall’ to The Samaritans.
It really isn’t in the same category as points failures, lack of crew, trespassers on the line etc etc
Dan Tancock
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When I was similarly affected on LNER a few years back I was given the option to divert the delay repay to a charity that specialised in suicide prevention. I don’t know if that option still exists.
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But Dan it has the same effect whatever the cause. The poor old passenger hasn’t had the benefit of £145 of his/her hard earned cash and deserves it back. These cases are sad (and I’ve dealt with a few on the tube) but my sympathy lies with the poor train driver most.
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With Delay Repay many passengers will have had free travel and with taxis for a dozen or more people plus hotel accommodation for 7 it will have been an expensive day for LNER and thus the taxpayer.
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@mclifford9 – as I understand it, those costs will be factored in to the performance payments from Network Rail (to whom at least one, maybe both, of the incidents will have been attributed). Still ultimately the taxpayer.
Malc M
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I’m envious! I didn’t know “Spirt of Scotland” was a thing, but I’m planning an adventure already!
John
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Interesting list of non-rail services on the Spirit of Scotland list. I remember something similar on the Highlands and islands Travelpass many years ago, but then you could also use Calmac sailings too. No mention of Calmac this time – are they so bad now that ferry travel is restricted to Stena Line to Belfast and Northstar to the Orkneys/Shetland? The routes out of Oban are on the map but no mention in the text so I’m not sure….
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If only the rail and shipping services were controlled by the same body, or in the same ownership. Oh…..
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The ferry subsidies are eye watering at nearly £1B a year
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An ambitious (and tiring!) schedule Roger. As ever, thank you for your stories. Am looking forward to the next SoS instalment(s) 😊. All best, John Pinfold, Cheltenham.
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There seems to be some ambiguity over the Scottish Citylink Kyle of Lochalsh to Fort William bus service being included in the pass. The map hints that it is but the text extract included by Roger doesn’t mention it. I checked three times, so I hope I’m not being excessively dim here! Logic suggests that the route definitely should be included as it fills the last side of the triangle of Fort William – Inverness- Skye.
I agree that it looks to be great value, and am now tempted to plan a similar trip to Roger’s (including 1st class from London).
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Hi Roger , very interesting blog ( as usual) but I couldn’t help wondering why the Inverness train could not have been held awaiting your train , as it was the last departure of the day ?
Gary T
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..because that sort of thing hasn’t been done on the railway for a number of years now… nothing waits for anything any more.. even if 90%+ of the passengers are known to be likely requiring the connecting service. But nobody cares, so it’s unlikely to change til we get rid of all the attribution nonsense…
Mackay.
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| I couldn’t help wondering why the Inverness train could not have been
| held awaiting your train
ScotRail may have been asked and refused, which is quite possible if the traincrew were close to maximum hours even if the train was running on time. Train companies do like scheduling crews where they can to the last possible minute of their working hours without any resilience for potential problems – while at the same time also producing duties which are less than 50% productive!
That said, the TOC-currently-known-as-LNER has form dating back to GNER days for neither asking for holds off other TOCs nor agreeing to hold for other TOCs, although that’s not to say it was the case on Roger’s journey.
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Like you Roger I find the estimated times of arrival on National Rail, Real Time Trains etc optimistic and rarely accurate. Our journeys on the Heart of Wales line from Bucknell often show a small delay, which increases before the train arrives and increases further during the journey. Thus expected connections end up being missed.
Brian Willson
Orpington and Bucknell (Shropshire)
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I know I’m very boring repeatedly saying the same thing but in any sensible European country the ticket would include ALL public transport.
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