Famous people on trains

[Turbocharger]

Sorry if this has been done before, but couldn't see any threads like this one.

Who's the most famous person you have seen on a train?

Best I can do is Mike 'Stevo' Stephenson in FC going from LDS to KGX. But then he used to drink in my local across the road from Leeds station anyways.

 

[ainsworth74]

This does crop up from time to time and we had it a month or two ago I think. Anyway famous people I've seen are Janet Street Porter boarding a GC service at Thirsk heading towards London and Middlesbrough FC boarding an EC service at Darlington heading for London.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Nigel Lawson, John Prescott, Frank Carson, Tygers of Pang Tang, Brian Bond

 

[shedman]

I once had an 'incident' with John Inman on a St Pancras-Piccadilly service. Got a photo with me and Sir Timmy Mallet. Upset Prunella Scales (that woman off faulty towers and the tesco advert) when I asked her for her senior railcard. She said 'do you know who I am' I didn't, she was snotty for the rest if the journey and after she got off I walked passed her table and she had left a newspaper open on a tesco advert with a picture of her! One of the Dick and Dom guys, Gail Porter smooching with her boyfriend who was a rugby player. There has been loads more.

 

[class57basher]

David Dimbleby at Totnes I have seen and John Burton Race (The Chef) on a XC srvice

 

[Bedpan]

I went to a Manfreds concert in Croydon a few years back and got talking to Tom McGuiness and Chris Farlowe who was also appearing with them at East Croydon station afterwards. We travelled back to London with Chris Farlowe who was a very nice man, not at all presumptuous. Chatted to him about 60s music etc till we got to St Pancras (or was it Kings Cross Thameslink then?) after which he got off so we were "Out of Time" (BOOM BOOM).

Also sat across the aisle from Michelle Bass and her then boyfriend Stuart from BB5 on a train from St Albans to London, but would you incliude thenm as "famous people". Oh, and in the next bay to Minnie Caldwell of Coronation Street from Liverpool to London in the 70s, and even before that I must have travelled on a train with Joe Strummer at some point, as he was a school friend of mine, although he wasn't famous then of course.

 

[saracen43]

Going back a few years when i was just a kid at the time, i was on a holyhead-euston service when low and behold there is Ted Kennedy (brother to JFK) sitting in first class surrounded by burley men in white shirts and black ties. Apparently he was coming back from a funeral in north Wales, even
got an autagraph.

 

[Matt Taylor]

The Queen, senior politicians (cabinet members), lots of actors, TV personalities & sports people. Plus various micro celebs from the minority channels/talent shows etc.

Most recent cop was one half of Dick & Dom on a Kingston rounder a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Yorkswatcher]

Sorry if this has been done before, but couldn't see any threads like this one.

Who's the most famous person you have seen on a train?

Best I can do is Mike 'Stevo' Stephenson in FC going from LDS to KGX. But then he used to drink in my local across the road from Leeds station anyways.

Seen him myself a few times. Have also seen Martin Kelner. Claire Balding. Bob Geldolf and that tall bloke who plays for Ireland and now runs Sunderland.

 

[Simon11]

A few football teams use virgin trains.

Manchester united hire a carriage or 2 when travelling for a london match.
I believe teams like arsenal or spurs use virgin too.

I was walking from platform 1 when man u players were boarding their coach- no press or security and nice to see them in a relaxed environment

 

[BestWestern]

Also sat across the aisle from Michelle Bass and her then boyfriend Stuart from BB5 on a train from St Albans to London, but would you incliude thenm as "famous people".

Err, NO!!! Not to undo your celeb spotting efforts, people like that just irritate me! Grrr

I've only managed Dom Littlewood (does all those consumer shows and things like Cowboy Builders etc) and Gyles Brandreth so far. Mr Brandreth cropped up at Gloucester - does he live that way? - wanting to know if my train was for Swindon. Alas, it wasn't :cry:

And Dom appeared, rather randomly I thought, at Frome. Slightly oddly he asked me which platform the Paddington would leave from - Frome only has one platform!

 

[90019]

I've seen Fred MacAulay once, and that's about it.

 

[IanPooleTrains]

I've travelled with Alistair Stewart, the newsreader in First Class on the way back from Euston to Trent Valley, he moaned all the way about how his broadband connection was rubbish!

Also met Fergal O'Brien, the snooker player, at Chester station on his way to qualify for the world championships, he didn't get through!

 

[43106]

1) Charles Kennedy at Euston at Xmas 1991. We were both booked on the same sleeper. I was going to Edinburgh - he would have been going to Inverness. I had 4 cans of MacEwen's Export with me - I don't know what he had in his briefcase! Malcolm Rifkind (then the Tory Transport Minister) was also on the train, but he boarded the train out of the sight of us mere peasants.
2) Vic Reeves (nee Jim Moir) on a GNER service in 2003. I think he wandered up to the A-coach for a fag.
3) Arthur Mullard (comic actor of the 1960's) on a District Line train.
4) Max Clifford at Waterloo. I was queuing for a train that he got off.
5) Zia Mahmood (famous contract bridge player) as he got on a GNER train at KGX.
6) Doug MacEvoy, NUT boss, as we were both queuing for a train at KGX.

 

[quarella]

A few weeks ago travelling from London to Cardiff an attractive young lady got on at Paddington with a man and sat across the aisle. From their conversation with the lady already at the table it transpired that they worked for the BBC and knew a lot about music. As I picked up my bags on the approach to Cardiff to make the run for a tight connection I realised that the lady I had been sneaking glances for the past 2 hours was Cerys Matthews.

 

[lookingforit35]

The annoying one from "Loose Women" (used to be married to Chris Evans) was on a service from Charing Cross, presumably after having filmed said show.

She was squawking loud enough for the whole carriage to be aware of her star-like presence, and had two fawining hangers-on with her.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

i seen lucy meacock in first class on a london-holyhead service
about a year ago now
EDIT: i went on a pendo from runcorn once and there were loads of police and security guards and it turned out it was the liverpool squad getting on and they sat in first class. they were getting the train to a match coz of the dust cloud thingy

 

[TomBoyRacer]

Tony Blair at Kings Cross 2 days after he stood down as PM. With a few bodyguards. Took him about 20 seconds from the train stopping to him being out of the station.

 

[premier01]

This does crop up from time to time and we had it a month or two ago I think. Anyway famous people I've seen are Janet Street Porter boarding a GC service at Thirsk heading towards London and Middlesbrough FC boarding an EC service at Darlington heading for London.

I have seen Jimmy White on a VT London to Preston service in 1st about 10 years ago, also seen Graham Norton On at VT Manchester to London train in 1st-it was about 6 am and he and some friends were drinking red wine!

Very recently-early July-have seen Simon Gregson who plays Coronation Street's Steve McDonald getting off a TPE 185 at Manchester Deansgate station.

There are similar threads on other forums that are kept open logging when famous people have been spotted e.g 'just seen Joe Bloggs at the 1st class lounge in Euston-had a quick chat at the bar!'

I think if it's linked to the railways it would make an interesting topic to keep open-perhaps as a sticky in this section.

 

[krisk]

David Dimbleby at Totnes I have seen and John Burton Race (The Chef) on a XC srvice

Bet that was a shock for his tastes

 

[Turbocharger]

I think if it's linked to the railways it would make an interesting topic to keep open-perhaps as a sticky in this section.

I am sure newbies would like to add their encounters.

Oh forgot to mention I was traveling with Craig Charles in FC on a Virgin service from Euston to Glasgow in 1999. Very funny man. He had the crew crying with laughter and signed autographs by the shed load.

 

[krisk]

This does crop up from time to time and we had it a month or two ago I think. Anyway famous people I've seen are Janet Street Porter boarding a GC service at Thirsk heading towards London and Middlesbrough FC boarding an EC service at Darlington heading for London.

JSP is the rudest celebrity I've ever met, horrible rude woman

Nicest and most polite were Roy Keane, Eamoln Holmes and Howard and Jason from TT who were really good with our staff

 

[Stonesourscotty]

Manchester United and TNA Wrestling Company are the two ive seen on Pendolinos

and Wigan Warriors Player Paul Deacon on a 150/2 heading towards Manc Complete with a bit of grey hair

Ex Wigan player Andy Gregory used to be a Regular on Alcoholic ****head early morning Bolton-Wigan trains.

 

[millemille]

The Queen. Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his missus.

I was the fleet support engineer for the cl365's for 5 years and the royal family on occasion would use a scheduled service from Cambridge to London when they were staying at Sandringham.

The TOSL would get locked off for them and their security people and there'd be an RSI from WAGN/FCC and a Bombardier Technician as well as myself, on occasion, on board in case anything went wrong.

Stephen Fry would also use FCC 365's regularly.

 

[185]

John Prescott, (quite often, both seats); David Blunkett, (with Jess); Tim Healey (trolley ran out of whiskey); Michael Palin, (twice, both times stuck up and miserable as sin); Frank Carson (does this go to London Eusless?!); Patrick Stewart (bladdered); Jimmy Saville (regular, first time I actually thought he was a tramp ) , El Haj Diouf (was actually a really nice bloke), Yvette Cooper MP (the day Blair stood down), Paul Whitehouse (Even said Oooh! Suit You Sir!), David Davis MP (MP for Haltemprice - Alan B'stards seat, I reminded him every time), and many, many more.

 

[RobShipway]

Years ago when the Mk1 trains where still running the services between Brighton and London Victoria, I was waiting to use the lavatory when I nearly got knocked over by Steve Ovett, who I think was travelling up to London to help with the commentary with an Athletics event from the BBC studios.

Another time on a train from London Euston to Birmingham, I met Barbara Windsor who I think was travelling up to Manchester. I could see she was struggling to open the door of the MK2 carriage on the train so with the spare hand I had opened it for her, for which she gave me a kiss to thank me.

Another time years ago, although not on a train I met Dennis Healey at Lewes Station who I think was looking in the book shop before, going down to get his train to London. Dennis has been one of the kindest Celebrities that I have met and I have met a few one way or another, including the likes of Status Quo, Dave Lee Travis.

Dave Lee Travis was for me the rudest celebrity who when I asked for his autograph, told me to F### OFF.

 

[valenta]

Though not particularly famous, I saw Sammy Ameobi (brother of Shola) on the T+W Metro today!

 

[jon0844]

and a Bombardier Technician as well as myself, on occasion, on board in case anything went wrong.

Shouldn't every Bombardier train have a technician on board?

 

[Liam]

I'm currently sitting across from Marvin and Dana off The Scheme on a Kilmarnock-Glasgow train.

 

[deltic1989]

Bumped into Roy "Chubby" Brown at Blackpool North once, dispite his reputation hes quite a nice guy. and saw Billy Connolly on a Euston-Glasgow service a couple of years ago, he as funny off stage as he is on stage and such a lovely fella. Got both thier autographs too.