The best railway moments

[mrcheek]

Dawlish.

Also, one I didnt really notice for years, since its my local line and I travelled along it hundreds of times. Between yatton, and Nailsea and Backwell. The bit where there are some small cottages overlooking the line. Beautiful.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

The approach into London Bridge and the crawl around the corner into Cannon Street

 

[railfan99]

* Kalka to Shimla narrow gauge so-called 'toy train', India on the first day of snow in December 2019
* the Brisbane Water (note: no 's') on a sunny day between Cowan and Gosford, NSW, Australia
* the last section of the climb on Rothorn Railway, Switzerland in October on the last day of 2022 operations for this notoriously difficult steam railway to fit into a long distance holiday
* around Huancavelica, Peru but memory has dimmed
* Brenner Pass, Austria
* the steppes on a chilly but sunny day north of Harbin on the Trans Manchurian Railway, China to Russia: truly remote railroading
* the Bethungra Spiral near Junee, NSW on the Melbourne-Sydney line, Australia
* Belair to Adelaide, South Australia down the hill when 'The Overland' from Melbourne was an overnight train in pre-privatisation days
* West Somerset Railway approaching the quirky seaside town of Minehead
*another vote for the Coast Starlight, California USA but honourable mention to California Zephyr in the mountains
* descending into La Paz, Bolivia
* brief views of traditional British workingmen's double-storey terrace houses just on the Penzance side of Plymouth and also south IIRC of Warrington Bank Quay

 

[JamieL]

Dawlish to Exeter is quite nice.

 

[yorksrob]

Travelling along the Cumbrian coast in a storm !

 

[satisnek]

Dawlish.

Oh yes, definitely. Particularly on a railtour. Bag a seaward-facing droplight early and enjoy waving to the folks on the sea wall (particularly the young ladies). Glorious. But that was many years ago, do railtours allow you to stand at an open droplight any more? If not, then you might just as well do the journey in a voyager, it's cheaper.

What about shooting past all the traffic on the M1 at Watford Gap? And you really do shoot past it nowadays. Not only are the trains faster but the M1 is slower as a result of both improved speed management and sheer volume of traffic. Back in 100mph days you would regularly see some muppet keeping up with the train!

Locally, the SVR Victoria Bridge never fails to impress. It's not much wider than the train itself so you can lean out and look straight down into the water!

 

[75A]

Oh yes, definitely. Particularly on a railtour. Bag a seaward-facing droplight early and enjoy waving to the folks on the sea wall (particularly the young ladies). Glorious. But that was many years ago, do railtours allow you to stand at an open droplight any more? If not, then you might just as well do the journey in a voyager, it's cheaper.

What about shooting past all the traffic on the M1 at Watford Gap? And you really do shoot past it nowadays. Not only are the trains faster but the M1 is slower as a result of both improved speed management and sheer volume of traffic. Back in 100mph days you would regularly see some muppet keeping up with the train!

Locally, the SVR Victoria Bridge never fails to impress. It's not much wider than the train itself so you can lean out and look straight down into the water!

I was that muppet!

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Shortly after leaving Hope when, if you look to the left, the view down the Vale of Edale opens up before you.

 

[Pigeon]

Another vote for window-hanging on the Dawlish sea wall section. Especially with a Castle and a Hall on the front.

There are some mind-blowing views on the way up the Welsh coast from Machynlleth to Porthmadog, too.

 

[Bertone]

Paignton to Kingswear- sea on the left followed shortly by the river Dart and Dartmouth on the right (assuming sitting facing direction of travel!)

 

[andythebrave]

Crossing the Mersey Bridge out of Runcorn northbound after sunset.

And I concur with heading south from Girvan and countless bits of the far north line.

 

[stuu]

Arriving into Venice across the causeway. If you are on the eastern side you can only see water

 

[andythebrave]

Speeding through the short but numerous tunnels after Potters Bar southbound.

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Tay Bridge southbound sitting on the left as far back as possible.

 

[Markdvdman]

I say Llanelli to Carmarthen in the sun is beautiful! Ferryside is astonishing to look at passing. I know that well as it is very calm there. However, the way cancellations are going you could book a ticket and find it is cancelled! Especiialy the HoW line! It is diabolical and demoralising! Consumers of the rail are being treated like dirt and their excuses are utterly shambolic. the mantra, "Short Term Pain" for "Long term Gain" is more like, "Long Term Pain" for "Short Term Gain"! I just do not trust TFW on anythbing they keep moving the goalposts every week! Sorry about the rant but I stand by the LLanelli to Carmarthen route! A single is quite expensive but worth it for the views!

 

[TB]

For me, it has to be the moment when having travelled over from West Yorkshire on the Leeds to Morecambe train, you depart Carnforth and get the first view of the sea near Hest Bank.

 

[D1537]

The ECML north of Newcastle where it runs along the coast - preferably on a sunny or stormy day.
The Fife coast line which someone mentioned above.
LLandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Outside the UK, Dombas to Andalsnes in Norway. Hammering up the hill past the stunning scenery with a Di3 was so excellent that I went back and did it again a few days later!

 

[greyman42]

Speeding through the short but numerous tunnels after Potters Bar southbound.

I'm not sure what's good about that?

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Any London river crossing

The approach to Blackfriars from the south in darkness, with St. Pauls Cathedral and The City lit up. Or even the view down the river from Blackfriars itself.

 

[andythebrave]

I'm not sure what's good about that?

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It's the pleasant feeling of being almost home; a reminder that one is near journey's end

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The approach to Blackfriars from the south in darkness, with St. Pauls Cathedral and The City lit up. Or even the view down the river from Blackfriars itself.

Yes, changing trains at Blackfriars rather than any of the other core stations is a pleasure.

 

[InkyScrolls]

One not mentioned yet - the few, breathtakingly beautiful seconds passing over the bridge approximately one mile north of Armathwaite, especially on a summer evening, with the view down into the Eden Valley consisting of mountains, fields, a glistening river, conifer and deciduous forests, tiny cottages... So very quintessentially 'northern', and oft overlooked in favour of the S&C's more famous southern half.

 

[greyman42]

One not mentioned yet - the few, breathtakingly beautiful seconds passing over the bridge approximately one mile north of Armathwaite, especially on a summer evening, with the view down into the Eden Valley consisting of mountains, fields, a glistening river, conifer and deciduous forests, tiny cottages... So very quintessentially 'northern', and oft overlooked in favour of the S&C's more famous southern half.

I know where you mean but i always consider this to be much a part of the S&C experience as any other part.

 

[Bertone]

Ah yes, Blackfriars station, almost worth missing your train to take in the river view !

 

[150249]

Is this about the best journeys or the best railway related experiences?

I'm going to assume that it's the latter and I have two contenders.

Watching 37028 The Clan Line pass without warning on my first visit to Clapham Junction. It was a rainy December Saturday at around 5 which made it even better.

Seeing the Flying Scotman at Exeter St David's at 9 in the evening on 30th April. Best departure I've ever seen.

 

[Magdalia]

Speeding through the short but numerous tunnels after Potters Bar southbound.

In my commuting days I was usually asleep for that.

Coming out of Gasworks Tunnel into Kings Cross is good though.

 

[Silenos]

The approach to Blackfriars from the south in darkness, with St. Pauls Cathedral and The City lit up. Or even the view down the river from Blackfriars itself.

The DLR between Westferry and South Quay is also spectacular at night.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

The view to the right from Penistone viaduct heading north towards Huddersfield. Always looks a very long way down!

 

[Ken H]

The Ligurian coast route between Nice and Genoa. Its up there with Dawlish. The tunnels under Monte Carlo are just the icing on the cake

Coming out of London Bridge onto the multi track railway with loads of parallel moves. Blew my mind as a kid when getting a CX - Folkestone train to go to Grandads in the 1960's.

The Berlin cross city line (main line and S-Bahn) between Zoo and Ostbanhof. My special favourite station is Hackescher Markt, but Friedrichstrasse is nice too.

A Lille - Nice TGV that was going faster that aeroplanes taking off from Lyon airport.

 

[Neptune]

One not mentioned yet - the few, breathtakingly beautiful seconds passing over the bridge approximately one mile north of Armathwaite, especially on a summer evening, with the view down into the Eden Valley consisting of mountains, fields, a glistening river, conifer and deciduous forests, tiny cottages... So very quintessentially 'northern', and oft overlooked in favour of the S&C's more famous southern half.

Is that at Eden Brows where the landslide in 2015 closed the northern part of the line for 18 months?

 

[andythebrave]

Getting off at LlanfairPG and seeing the full name.

 

[JD2168]

Coming out of Totley Tunnel for a run through Derbyshire on the service towards Stockport is quite a pleasant experience.

Coming out of Hull after the Humber Bridge if you are sat on the near side of the Train you are sat very close to the River Humber in an evening after 7pm which is a very nice run.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Any London river crossing.

The Jubilee Line crosses the Thames multiple times - not much of a view, though!