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New trains from Spain and even Switzerland contributing to the destruction of our once proud train building industry. Our coal industry could have been downsized (reductions in usage of coal) rather than being destroyed completely. Britain is now importing millions of tons of coal per year. In...

Planning to take it between Sheffield and Doncaster (22:11 at Sheffield). I regret booking such a late train and if it is cancelled, things will get difficult as I am also booked on the 22:44 Doncaster to London King's Cross. I can get to Doncaster another way (extra £2.80) but that only kicks...

George Stephenson originally used 4 ft 8 in so where did 4 ft 8½ in come from? IKB favoured broad gauge, initially 7 ft and then 7ft ¼ in. What were the advantages of broad gauge? What would the implications have been if broad gauge had been chosen for nationwide use and the 4 ft 8½ in abandoned?

Several station closures between Peterborough and Spalding in 1961. What brought on this momentous decision? On the other hand, why were they built and opened in the first place as the sites of all of them seem to be in the middle of nowhere Two converging lines at separate locations closed in...

What can I expect in First Class? My first time in Cross Country 1st Class. Travelling a relatively short distance, between two Yorkshire stations. How full is the Edinburgh-Bristol service likely to be on a Friday night tootling through the Yorkshire countryside between 8PM and 9PM

Monday 24th June Train 1 18:21 Leeds-York - 20 minutes late at Leeds. Arrived York 19:11 Train 2 19:12 Grand Central service to King's Cross MISSED BY SECONDS (I saw it go) Phoned Grand Central at Leeds immediately I knew there might be a problem. Very unhelpful female insisting she couldn't...

As far as I know, on any occasion Marylebone is totally closed for engineering work, trains would be diverted to Paddington. Maintaining route knowledge was the primary reason for the former one train each weekday Chiltern service between South Ruislip and Paddington. Now that those trains...

The industry tells passengers that Season Tickets are heavily discounted in the sense that the passenger is getting 12 months for the supposed price of 10½ months. However if someone is paying £5K for an Annual, not only is the passenger paying way in advance for his/her travel, which should be...

I know it is not allowed, but exactly what would happen if I alighted at Wakefield Westgate on a Doncaster-Leeds ticket and tried to leave the station. What I would be hoping to do is head over to the bus station to take a 110 bus which drops me much closer to my actual destination in Leeds. My...

Taking my very first trip on Grand Central in May, a non-stop trip from London King's Cross to York. The morning journey is due to take 119 minutes. However, a similar LNER service but with a stop at Peterborough at a similar time of day takes only 111 minutes for the journey. Are the Class...

What is the southernmost point Pacers have been seen?

Is it true that Beeching wanted to keep the track beds intact on all the lines recommended for closure? Marples rejected Beeching's request apparently wanting the closed lines completely gone. Could it be surmised that Beeching was much less of a railway villain than Marples himself? Much like...

I'm just curious to know, hypothetically, how many season tickets, presumably long distance ones, would be needed to allow the holder validity to all stations on the network. Also, hypothetically, would the holder of these tickets be able to have them all linked to one NR Photocard. Feel free to...

Got a Standard Class single for the 06:05 London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street for early Monday morning travel in around ten days time. Is there any chance of being able to upgrade to First Class? I am hopeful as I am travelling against the flow.

Liverpool Street Station is a busy London terminus where platforms rarely remain empty for more than a few minutes before another train filled with happy eager commuters rolls in. However, prior to the 1960's there were direct trains from far flung places such as Lowestoft and Hunstanton...

Back in the 1950's and 60's, if a train had been delayed en route, the driver would ask his fireman to shovel some more coal on the fire and he'd floor it until his train was back on time. In this 21st Century, if a train leaves the origin station 17 minutes late, it will be 17 minutes if not...

This official RDG document indicates there is one but there is no human presence at all at Acton Main Line. The document is dated 2015 but there was no ticket office even then. https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/files/Publications/services/rsp/TSA_schedule_17_July_2015.pdf

In the early 1970's, certainly 1974, there were departures from King's Cross at 01:15 and 04:00 with beautiful red compartment style carriages. But what would have been on the front around 1974 hauling the train. I assume these were basically newspaper/postal trains with two or three passenger...

Maybe it's just me, but I believe that around six months prior to a franchise ending on a particular route, those using the route should be formally invited to give feedback about the operator and the service by means of a form distributed among passengers on the operator's trains. As things...

I just wondered.