An HST on the S&C
Thursday 22nd July 2021 It’s wonderful to see the ‘Staycation Express’ run by Rail Charter Services back again on the Settle & Carlisle Line for the summer. And even better … Continue Reading An HST on the S&C
More mixed messaging on the railway
Tuesday 20th July 2021 I made six train journeys on Saturday and experienced more mixed messaging leaving me wondering whether our Government controlled railways along with the train companies really … Continue Reading More mixed messaging on the railway
The Heart of Wales
Wednesday 7th July 2021 It takes around four hours to travel by train between Swansea and Shrewsbury via the Heart of Wales railway line. You can shave a good hour … Continue Reading The Heart of Wales
Travelling across Wales with Gerald
Tuesday 29th June 2021 Gerald of Wales was an Archdeacon of Brecon born in 1146 in Pembrokeshire who travelled extensively in his life, not least all over Wales. He’s given … Continue Reading Travelling across Wales with Gerald
Electrified Corby
Saturday 5th June 2021 There was only one development of note introduced in last month’s timetable change on Great British Railways (I know I’m premature but just seeing how it’ll … Continue Reading Electrified Corby
Outpaced
Friday 28th May 2021 This weekend sees the withdrawal from service of Britain’s last Pacer trains. Northern Rail did the decent thing to their Pacer fleet last November while Great … Continue Reading Outpaced
First Group v Serco. Sleepers compared
Saturday 15th May 2021 Night Riviera and Caledonian Sleeper both conjure up romantic images of wonderful train travel through the night whisking you from one end of the country to … Continue Reading First Group v Serco. Sleepers compared
A first class scam?
Thursday 10th December 2020 Have you heard of ‘Seatfrog’? It’s been LNER’s way of offering upgrades from standard class to first class on its trains since 2017. More recently it’s … Continue Reading A first class scam?
Eploring the Abbey Line
Tuesday 27th October 2020 I recently had the pleasure of exploring the Abbey Line with my friend Geoff Marshall. Geoff’s a professional and brilliant YouTube Creator producing engaging videos about … Continue Reading Eploring the Abbey Line
Walking Wherryman’s Way
Friday 18th September 2020 Wherryman’s Way is an eight-and-a-half-mile footpath along the north side of the River Yare between Great Yarmouth and Reedham. Half way along the River Waveney joins … Continue Reading Walking Wherryman’s Way
Miss Marple and the disappearing trains: part 2
Monday 14th September 2020 Readers will recall we left part 1 of this intriguing tale with the tantalising prospect of West Coast Railways stepping in from today running a replacement … Continue Reading Miss Marple and the disappearing trains: part 2
Miss Marple and the disappearing trains: part 1
Friday 4th September 2020 ‘Miss Marple’ ….. as in residents of the Manchester suburb by that name will soon ‘miss’ their hourly Northern run train service. The Rose Hill Marple … Continue Reading Miss Marple and the disappearing trains: part 1
Berney’s back in business
Monday 24th February 2020 The rail line between Reedham and Great Yarmouth, on what’s known as the Wherry Lines, closed back in October 2018 to allow for upgrade work on … Continue Reading Berney’s back in business
Revolutionising the Harrogate experience
Friday 17th Janurary 2020 Last month’s timetable change saw a greatly improved train service for Harrogate with LNER introducing direct trains to and from London Kings Cross every two hours; … Continue Reading Revolutionising the Harrogate experience
Two different train journeys
Friday 10th January 2020 I took a couple of train journeys today to catch up on two recent rail industry developments. First up was SWR’s newly refurbished Class 442 trains … Continue Reading Two different train journeys
Power failure empowers staff
Wednesday 18th December 2019 There’s never a good time to have a complete signal failure at East Croydon but for the power to go down just as the evening peak … Continue Reading Power failure empowers staff
Bristol Fast to Warrington West
Monday 16th December 2019 One of two brand new stations opened for business on the rail network yesterday, Warrington West; so I took a ride there today to take a … Continue Reading Bristol Fast to Warrington West
TfL reaches Reading
Thursday 28th November 2019 The rail industry’s fond of slipping in new developments before they’re officially due to start; they call it a ‘preview service’. It’s just happened again on … Continue Reading TfL reaches Reading
AZUMA reaches Lincoln
Monday 21st October 2019 LNER’s flagship AZUMA trains started running between Lincoln and London Kings Cross today. They’re journeys which previously just ran between Newark North Gate and Kings Cross … Continue Reading AZUMA reaches Lincoln
A south Suffolk saunter
Friday 26th July 2019 I incorporated Wednesday’s ride on Buckland Buses’ splendid 1929 Dennis on route 250 between Aldeburgh and Thropeness into an enjoyable couple of days saunter around the … Continue Reading A south Suffolk saunter
Three Staffordshire bus rides
Tuesday 9th July 2019 Welcome to a fourth day of travelling to tick off various ‘to do’ routes, destinations, new buses and trains which began with an early start from … Continue Reading Three Staffordshire bus rides
Devon’s top circular bus and train tour is back
Sunday 7th July 2019 Here’s a great way to spend five hours on a summer Sunday: enjoy one of the best circular journeys in Devon, if not the whole of … Continue Reading Devon’s top circular bus and train tour is back
New sleeper turns into a bad dream
Tuesday 25th June 2019 There’s something seriously amiss with Caledonian Sleeper’s train service. I’ve blogged about the new Mark 5 coaches a couple of times recently (here and here) highlighting … Continue Reading New sleeper turns into a bad dream
LEJOG: As it happened
This is the story of how a journey on the Longest Day of the year from Lands End to John O’Groats by ground public transport (that’s bus and train) unfolded … Continue Reading LEJOG: As it happened
LEJOG: The plan
Wednesday 19th June 2019 To celebrate a year of blogging and the upcoming Longest Day of the year I’m heading down to Cornwall on GWR’s Night Riviera sleeper train tonight … Continue Reading LEJOG: The plan
All steamed up in Ongar
Sunday 9th June 2019 The Epping Ongar Railway is having one of its popular steam weekends this weekend and I took a ride to the end of the Central Line … Continue Reading All steamed up in Ongar
A day in Stranraer and The Rhins
Thursday 6th June 2019 It may not rank as high as the West Highland Line, the Kyle of Lochalsh Line or the Far North Line in the great Scottish Scenic … Continue Reading A day in Stranraer and The Rhins
Sleeping Beauty (not quite yet)
Monday 3rd June 2019 It was meant to be the grand launch night, last night. Serco owned Caledonian Sleeper had planned to begin running their much delayed smart new Mark … Continue Reading Sleeping Beauty (not quite yet)
Medway Valley by train
Saturday 1st June 2019 There’s a lovely railway branch line which heads in a north/south direction across the centre of Kent where Southeastern trains shuttle up and down all day … Continue Reading Medway Valley by train
May’s new timetable on track: Part 3
Thursday 23rd May 2019 I headed north from Newcastle to Edinburgh with Cross Country first thing yesterday. It’s always a pleasure to travel on this stretch of the East Coast … Continue Reading May’s new timetable on track: Part 3
May’s new timetable on track: Part 2
Wednesday 22nd May 2019 I left you yesterday morning in Sheffield about to head west on the delightful Hope Valley line (No 12 in My 100 Best Train Journeys) with … Continue Reading May’s new timetable on track: Part 2
May’s new timetable on track: Part 1
Tuesday 21st May 2019 First improvement in the May 2019 rail timetable I experienced yesterday on my tour around was from my own local station, Hassocks where our disjointed two … Continue Reading May’s new timetable on track: Part 1
All Line Rove Around
Monday 20th May 2019 Mid May’s always a good month to buy an All Line Rover and have a wander around Britain’s rail network taking a look at new initiatives … Continue Reading All Line Rove Around
Farewell HST
Saturday 18th May 2019 Today’s a poignant day on the Great Western. The much loved HST trains are running their last journeys across the network to and from London as … Continue Reading Farewell HST
New trains in 2019 Part 4: Azumas
Friday 17th May 2019 Let’s get the usual bit out of the way first …. “at last, after many delays” etc etc. Same old story, of course, and in the … Continue Reading New trains in 2019 Part 4: Azumas
Alderney’s Northern Line
Wednesday 8th May 2019 I spent last weekend’s Bank Holiday break on beautiful Alderney, one of the Channel Islands. Alderney’s not renowned for its public transport – there are no … Continue Reading Alderney’s Northern Line
Breich, Borders, Bike Buses and Berwick
Friday 3rd May 2019 Finding myself in Glasgow at 7.30am yesterday morning (after my inaugural Caledonian Sleeper Mark 5 journey) I thought it would be an opportunity to continue the … Continue Reading Breich, Borders, Bike Buses and Berwick
New trains in 2019 Part 3: Sleepers
Thursday 2nd May 2019 The long awaited Caledonian Sleeper CAF built Mark 5 coaches began running on the Lowland route last Sunday night. I booked myself a ticket and travelled … Continue Reading New trains in 2019 Part 3: Sleepers
Cumbrian travels between LNER and Virgin
Tuesday 30th April 2019 My Funday in Furness yesterday exploring three small islands off England’s north west coast came sandwiched between two other great travelling days. I travelled up the … Continue Reading Cumbrian travels between LNER and Virgin
Funday in Furness
Monday 29th April 2019 Today’s been a fascinating day visiting three tiny islands off England’s north west coast alongside Barrow in Furness. Until a few months ago when planning this … Continue Reading Funday in Furness
