Pleasant mini weekend break by train?

[Kid_of_the_80s]

Where in the UK might make for a good and relaxing say two or three day just for pleasure rail trip, rather like for instance Michael Portillo and his Bradshaw's guide book trips, or Michael Palin on his various around the world trips over the years?

The obvious would be anything 'as seen on tv' but then again a good 80% of the Portillo programme was not so much pleasant rail excursion during which to admire the views and read a book as more (condescending?) superficial interviews with prearranged folk enroute, topped off by a swanky hotel stay overnight at licence payers expense.

I suppose I'm thinking more of:

(a) old rolling stock with proper doors and bouncy carriages, not those eerily smooth plastic jobs with sliding doors. Any carriages still out there with the old compartments off a side passage?

(b) quiet route even perhaps at busy peak times so as to be sure to get a seat and not be squashed in the side or at the knees by others

(c) to and from interesting olde worlde towns such as York, or on a smaller scale Hastings, or Lewes, Chester and so on so as to have something to look at and explore upon arrival that day

(d) marginal to no risk of oiks getting on with mobile phones playing tinny music loudly through inbuilt speakers

I guess I'm thinking of some quaint old trip as if I were in an Agatha Christie novel, where there are maybe the odd quirky characters elsewhere on the train, maybe I’ll chat to retired vicar or a delightful young lady visiting her aunt, or a mad scientist or someone other than an idiot playing with their Blackberry.

I tried something similar a few years ago as a day trip on the Settle - Carlisle line, having heard it was a scenic and at-risk-of-closure line. A charming once in a lifetime experience was promised. What I didn't know was even on the Saturday I went it was packed as if a commuter train, dirty windows with heavy grime and condensation from all the passengers gasping for breath, and of course the best of the scenery is taken in from the countryside looking at the train. If you're on the train you don't get to see the viaduct, or sweeping landscape at all, and when you get to the mystical land at the end of the line … Carlisle … you find it has a Boots and WH Smiths just like anywhere else!

 

[WestCoast]

Unless you're going on a chartered rail tour using heritage stock I doubt you are going to get all of that in one!

(a) old rolling stock with proper doors and bouncy carriages, not those eerily smooth plastic jobs with sliding doors. Any carriages still out there with the old compartments off a side passage?

If you are excluding the First Great Western Night Riviera and the Scotrail Caledonian Sleeper, then there are non in scheduled service in the UK. I am not sure if they fit the requirement of bouncy carriages either! There are still examples of this in mainland Europe though.

 

[ainsworth74]

(a) old rolling stock with proper doors and bouncy carriages, not those eerily smooth plastic jobs with sliding doors. Any carriages still out there with the old compartments off a side passage?

The only place you're going to find compartment stock is either on railtours or on heritage lines like the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (there are others dotted around the country, just the NYMR is the biggest local to me). Otherwise compartment stock has been extinct on the mainline in everyday service since I think the old southern region slammers were scrapped in the early 2000s (and perhaps even before that).

To be honest to get what you want you may well be better off booking yourself onto a railtour, they operate throughout the year just about but especially during the summer. They sometimes offer more interesting locos (such as Deltics, 37s and such like) as well as normally covering interesting routes with a lay over at the destination sufficient to do a bit of exploring before returning. You can find information on some of the many railtour operators here, here, here and here.

 

[Kid_of_the_80s]

Hmmm, well I suppose I was looking for something special, different and cosy.

I tried the first class on a line from Kettering to London and back the other day on one of those prebook discount bargain tickets. In principle it would have been nice, apart from horrible flat (perfectly horizontal) seats that you just couldn't get happy in ... and a ghastly American woman's continual fussing and nagging around her 40-something son. Amusing though! Done the first class thing a few times and so often its actually surprisingly quite tatty and in the part of the train/carriage with the roughest ride.

 

[WestCoast]

Hmmm, well I suppose I was looking for something special, different and cosy.

A sleeper train is probably the closest thing in scheduled service, London Paddington to the West Country or London Euston to Scotland. Failing that, a heritage railway or a rail tour.

I tried the first class on a line from Kettering to London and back the other day on one of those prebook discount bargain tickets. In principle it would have been nice, apart from horrible flat (perfectly horizontal) seats that you just couldn't get happy in ... and a ghastly American woman's continual fussing and nagging around her 40-something son. Amusing though! Done the first class thing a few times and so often its actually surprisingly quite tatty and in the part of the train/carriage with the roughest ride.

Was it a 222 or a HST? Click for pictures

 

[Max]

Like ainsworth74, I would suggest the North Yorkshire Moors Railway as a decent option. It's a good length (nearly a 50 mile round trip including Whitby), you get to take in some brilliant scenery and pleasant villages and towns and you can even make the journey a little special with a trip in a first class compartment. Additionally, on Sundays throughout the summer, the National Park run special heritage buses from nearby Helmsley.

 

[Kid_of_the_80s]

Was it a 222 or a HST?

Well, wasn't an HST (on which to be fair are where I have had my tatty and bumpy first class experiences, or behind a Class 87 (?) Liverpool Street to Norwich a few years ago) so guess must be a 222 though am not that familiar with the modern classifications.

 

[WestCoast]

Well, wasn't an HST (on which to be fair are where I have had my tatty and bumpy first class experiences, or behind a Class 87 (?) Liverpool Street to Norwich a few years ago) so guess must be a 222 though am not that familiar with the modern classifications.

The East Midlands Trains service from Kettering to London St. Pancras would have been a 222, which is a DEMU with underfloor engines. I was just interested based on your experience.

 

[ainsworth74]

or behind a Class 87 (?) Liverpool Street to Norwich a few years ago)

If it was before 2005/2006 then it will have been a 86 and Mk2s but if it was after then it will have been a 90 and Mk3s.

 

[Bedpan]

Two of my favourite two or three day trips (from the London area) are:

1) GW Main Line, day 1 to Penzance or St Ives, then day 2 or 2/3 coming back with breaks of journey at a selection of Truro (looking around plus Falmouth branch and possibly a boat trip from there to St Mawes if you take 2 days to return, Liskeard for Looe branch and Plymouth for Gunnislake Branch, stopping off at Calstock to walk down to the River Tamar. then, if ticket availablilty permits (I have a freeling they show route via Slough), come back along the LSWR line from Exeter for a bit of variety. There's also the Newquay branch and the Barnstaple line to sample if you have time.

2) - One I did last year having been ableto take advantage of a cheap ticket offer was Day 1 - London - Inverness on the Highland Chieftain (gets to Inverness at around 8pm ish so all in daylight this time of year), Day 2 - Inverness Kyle of Lochalsh, Day 3 - Inverness to Thurso ( or Wick if you want to do the whole line, but the town of Thurso is 10 times nicer than Wick), Day 4 - Inverness - Aberdeen - Edinburgh via Tay and Forth bridges, Edinburgh - London.

Both of these will involve HSTs which are arguably loco hauled (top and tail) and the Scotland one in particular should produce a lot of opportunity fpr some chit-chat.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Where in the UK might make for a good and relaxing say two or three day just for pleasure rail trip, rather like for instance Michael Portillo and his Bradshaw's guide book trips, or Michael Palin on his various around the world trips over the years?

The obvious would be anything 'as seen on tv' but then again a good 80% of the Portillo programme was not so much pleasant rail excursion during which to admire the views and read a book as more (condescending?) superficial interviews with prearranged folk enroute, topped off by a swanky hotel stay overnight at licence payers expense.

I suppose I'm thinking more of:

(a) old rolling stock with proper doors and bouncy carriages, not those eerily smooth plastic jobs with sliding doors. Any carriages still out there with the old compartments off a side passage?

(b) quiet route even perhaps at busy peak times so as to be sure to get a seat and not be squashed in the side or at the knees by others

(c) to and from interesting olde worlde towns such as York, or on a smaller scale Hastings, or Lewes, Chester and so on so as to have something to look at and explore upon arrival that day

(d) marginal to no risk of oiks getting on with mobile phones playing tinny music loudly through inbuilt speakers

I guess I'm thinking of some quaint old trip as if I were in an Agatha Christie novel, where there are maybe the odd quirky characters elsewhere on the train, maybe I’ll chat to retired vicar or a delightful young lady visiting her aunt, or a mad scientist or someone other than an idiot playing with their Blackberry.

I tried something similar a few years ago as a day trip on the Settle - Carlisle line, having heard it was a scenic and at-risk-of-closure line. A charming once in a lifetime experience was promised. What I didn't know was even on the Saturday I went it was packed as if a commuter train, dirty windows with heavy grime and condensation from all the passengers gasping for breath, and of course the best of the scenery is taken in from the countryside looking at the train. If you're on the train you don't get to see the viaduct, or sweeping landscape at all, and when you get to the mystical land at the end of the line … Carlisle … you find it has a Boots and WH Smiths just like anywhere else!

i'm sorry but i've got to take you to task over your opinion on the S & C! Between Settle and Ribblehead you have fantastic views of Penyghent on the right hand side (try climbing it one day, you will be rewarded!). After bursting out of Blea Moor tunnel you have magnificient views of Dentdale all the way to Dent Station. After Ais Gill we have Mallerstang and after Appleby we have the beautifully lush Eden Valley. Take the trip again this summer and this time don't have a snooze!

 

[Bedpan]

Like ainsworth74, I would suggest the North Yorkshire Moors Railway as a decent option. It's a good length (nearly a 50 mile round trip including Whitby), you get to take in some brilliant scenery and pleasant villages and towns and you can even make the journey a little special with a trip in a first class compartment. Additionally, on Sundays throughout the summer, the National Park run special heritage buses from nearby Helmsley.

NYMR railway is also high on my list - stayed in Helmsley with the wife last year ands its a very nice little town.

PS I was in Ireland last week and IE are doing a "Trekker" ticket which gives 4 days unlimited travel for €100.

 

[RichmondCommu]

You also have to remember that the national network is a modern working railway and old bouncy bouncy stock is not appreciated by customers, irrespective of the reason for their journey! I personally do not miss the old slam door stock on my daily commute!

 

[Welshman]

I suppose I'm thinking more of:

(a) old rolling stock with proper doors and bouncy carriages, not those eerily smooth plastic jobs with sliding doors. Any carriages still out there with the old compartments off a side passage?

I guess I'm thinking of some quaint old trip as if I were in an Agatha Christie novel, where there are maybe the odd quirky characters elsewhere on the train, maybe I’ll chat to retired vicar or a delightful young lady visiting her aunt,

For a nice old bouncy carriage you can't beat a pacer. Try any on Northern!
Also suggest you journey around Scarborough or Lytham.
There are C.of.E. Retirement homes there.

 

[cuccir]

You'll find what you're looking for in the nostalgic mind of the worst sort of middle class snobs. Elsewhere I'm afraid that the real world will but its ugly nose in too much. Unfortunate isn't it?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Actually I was going to leave it at that. But my blood is boiling. {rant ahead warning}

How dare you come on here and describe someone you don't know as a 'ghastly American'? What was she doing that was 'ghastly'? Ghastly, meaning "inspiring shock, revulsion, or horror by or as if by suggesting death". Anyway, we all know those Americans don't we? Loud, thick, bet she was fat too eh? Is that what you found 'ghastly'?

And yes, how dare the people of Carlisle crave cheap shops that provide them with reliable goods to use in their daily lives? Why, they should fill their city with quaint sellers of nik-naks, so that you can descend on their town once a year and delight at its whimsy.

And as for thoise oiks? Gosh, I can't move for them on my train journeys. Demanding to use the rail so they can travel to their 'jobs' and 'schools', how dare they? And do you know what's worse - they talk to each other in public places. Nattering away and using their mobile phones of all things. Terrible devices.

If only the world were filled with good honest retired vicars, innocent young girls or hilarious scientists eh?

Please don't come on here and post as if the world were filled with scum, and then you above them. Some parts of the UK can be pretty unpleasant, but it's generally filled with decent people. Perhaps you'd enjoy it more if you allowed the country to be a real place, rather than expecting it to conform to some literary idyll that never existed to begin with?

PS Why would you want a scientist to be mad? You know they get to control volatile chemicals and expensive machinery, right?

 

[scotsman]

You'll find what you're looking for in the nostalgic mind of the worst sort of middle class snobs. Elsewhere I'm afraid that the real world will but its ugly nose in too much. Unfortunate isn't it?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Actually I was going to leave it at that. But my blood is boiling. {rant ahead warning}

How dare you come on here and describe someone you don't know as a 'ghastly American'? What was she doing that was 'ghastly'? Ghastly, meaning "inspiring shock, revulsion, or horror by or as if by suggesting death". Anyway, we all know those Americans don't we? Loud, thick, bet she was fat too eh? Is that what you found 'ghastly'?

And yes, how dare the people of Carlisle crave cheap shops that provide them with reliable goods to use in their daily lives? Why, they should fill their city with quaint sellers of nik-naks, so that you can descend on their town once a year and delight at its whimsy.

And as for thoise oiks? Gosh, I can't move for them on my train journeys. Demanding to use the rail so they can travel to their 'jobs' and 'schools', how dare they? And do you know what's worse - they talk to each other in public places. Nattering away and using their mobile phones of all things. Terrible devices.

If only the world were filled with good honest retired vicars, innocent young girls or hilarious scientists eh?

Please don't come on here and post as if the world were filled with scum, and then you above them. Some parts of the UK can be pretty unpleasant, but it's generally filled with decent people. Perhaps you'd enjoy it more if you allowed the country to be a real place, rather than expecting it to conform to some literary idyll that never existed to begin with?

PS Why would you want a scientist to be mad? You know they get to control volatile chemicals and expensive machinery, right?

I get your point completely, but I don't think his post should be taken at face value. He is clearly being nostalgic, and shows this by wishing that his journey could be part of an Agatha Christie novel. He continues this idea by saying that he wishes he could meet a typical character of one of these novels o his train journey. As for 'oiks', I'm pretty sure he's referring to folk who get on the train and start playing music on their phones - that's not class war, it gets on everyone's t*ts!

As for his attack on Carlisle, the point he makes is that he does not feel the destination is a fitting end for the beautiful journey the precedes it. His point about it having the same shops is not attacking the shops themselves, but the fact that they can be found everywhere. Tough.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Carlisle is one of the best cities north of Birmingham IMHO...

Dare I say that I think the S&C hype is overrated?

Anyway, in the NYMR area, try hull-Scarborough on a 158, sit on the right and there are some quite nice areas, similarly, try Middlesbrough-Whitby, that'll be a 156...

 

[scotsman]

Carlisle is one of the best cities north of Birmingham IMHO...

Dare I say that I think the S&C hype is overrated?

Anyway, in the NYMR area, try hull-Scarborough on a 158, sit on the right and there are some quite nice areas, similarly, try Middlesbrough-Whitby, that'll be a 156...

I thought it was quite nice, but it seemed like it was a bit run down in bits. Mind you, that was the end of the high street nearest the station - by the time I got up the other end it was dark!

 

[cuccir]

I get your point completely, but I don't think his post should be taken at face value. He is clearly being nostalgic, and shows this by wishing that his journey could be part of an Agatha Christie novel

Point taken, and its easy to deflate a bit of righteous anger However, I do wonder that if the OP opened their horizons a little then they might find a few more routes that they could enjoy. Otherwise, it's only railtours that will provide anything close to what they are looking for!

 

[Chapeltom]

Where in the UK might make for a good and relaxing say two or three day just for pleasure rail trip, rather like for instance Michael Portillo and his Bradshaw's guide book trips, or Michael Palin on his various around the world trips over the years?

The obvious would be anything 'as seen on tv' but then again a good 80% of the Portillo programme was not so much pleasant rail excursion during which to admire the views and read a book as more (condescending?) superficial interviews with prearranged folk enroute, topped off by a swanky hotel stay overnight at licence payers expense.

I suppose I'm thinking more of:

(a) old rolling stock with proper doors and bouncy carriages, not those eerily smooth plastic jobs with sliding doors. Any carriages still out there with the old compartments off a side passage?

(b) quiet route even perhaps at busy peak times so as to be sure to get a seat and not be squashed in the side or at the knees by others

(c) to and from interesting olde worlde towns such as York, or on a smaller scale Hastings, or Lewes, Chester and so on so as to have something to look at and explore upon arrival that day

(d) marginal to no risk of oiks getting on with mobile phones playing tinny music loudly through inbuilt speakers

I guess I'm thinking of some quaint old trip as if I were in an Agatha Christie novel, where there are maybe the odd quirky characters elsewhere on the train, maybe I’ll chat to retired vicar or a delightful young lady visiting her aunt, or a mad scientist or someone other than an idiot playing with their Blackberry.

I tried something similar a few years ago as a day trip on the Settle - Carlisle line, having heard it was a scenic and at-risk-of-closure line. A charming once in a lifetime experience was promised. What I didn't know was even on the Saturday I went it was packed as if a commuter train, dirty windows with heavy grime and condensation from all the passengers gasping for breath, and of course the best of the scenery is taken in from the countryside looking at the train. If you're on the train you don't get to see the viaduct, or sweeping landscape at all, and when you get to the mystical land at the end of the line … Carlisle … you find it has a Boots and WH Smiths just like anywhere else!

We'll pick this to pieces gradually shall we?

(a) old rolling stock with proper doors and bouncy carriages, not those eerily smooth plastic jobs with sliding doors. Any carriages still out there with the old compartments off a side passage?

In 2011, the smooth plastic jobs are generally the most efficient way of getting passengers on and off a train.

(b) quiet route even perhaps at busy peak times so as to be sure to get a seat and not be squashed in the side or at the knees by others

Quite a wordy sentence, but I'll decipher it. Busy peak times are not the best times to get a seat, the word busy does hint and there aren't many services that won't be busy at peak hours.

(c) to and from interesting olde worlde towns such as York, or on a smaller scale Hastings, or Lewes, Chester and so on so as to have something to look at and explore upon arrival that day

Chester and York are certainly wonderful places to visit, yes I agree.

(d) marginal to no risk of oiks getting on with mobile phones playing tinny music loudly through inbuilt speakers

These oiks you refer to are few in number. The majority of us have heard of the great invention, earphones and headphones. And as for the music, a lot of what is in the charts is rubbish. Please don't assume many young people play rubbish pop music through their phones, take a rural line like the Buxton and Manchester and these oiks are mostly non-existent.

I guess I'm thinking of some quaint old trip as if I were in an Agatha Christie novel, where there are maybe the odd quirky characters elsewhere on the train, maybe I’ll chat to retired vicar or a delightful young lady visiting her aunt, or a mad scientist or someone other than an idiot playing with their Blackberry.

I'm sorry but we do live in the 21st century now. This vision of Britain once existed many years ago and even then I suggest idiots still existed in some form or another. As for Blackberry users, I can't say I know many idiots who use these.

What I didn't know was even on the Saturday I went it was packed as if a commuter train, dirty windows with heavy grime and condensation from all the passengers gasping for breath, and of course the best of the scenery is taken in from the countryside looking at the train. If you're on the train you don't get to see the viaduct, or sweeping landscape at all, and when you get to the mystical land at the end of the line … Carlisle … you find it has a Boots and WH Smiths just like anywhere else!

The North has bad rolling stock and unfortunately many of us know this. Dirty windows and heavy grime is a bit extreme and I'll not both picking apart the rest of the spiel you've written.


I suggest you travel to mainland Europe, this country clearly isn't fit for you.

 

[scotsman]

I suggest you travel to mainland Europe, this country clearly isn't fit for you.

Class!

 

[Kid_of_the_80s]

Thanks. Looks like you got the point, and kindly used your time to submit a sensible answer!

Two of my favourite two or three day trips (from the London area) are:

1) GW Main Line, day 1 to Penzance or St Ives, then day 2 or 2/3 coming back with breaks of journey at a selection of Truro (looking around plus Falmouth branch and possibly a boat trip from there to St Mawes if you take 2 days to return, Liskeard for Looe branch and Plymouth for Gunnislake Branch, stopping off at Calstock to walk down to the River Tamar. then, if ticket availablilty permits (I have a freeling they show route via Slough), come back along the LSWR line from Exeter for a bit of variety. There's also the Newquay branch and the Barnstaple line to sample if you have time.

2) - One I did last year having been ableto take advantage of a cheap ticket offer was Day 1 - London - Inverness on the Highland Chieftain (gets to Inverness at around 8pm ish so all in daylight this time of year), Day 2 - Inverness Kyle of Lochalsh, Day 3 - Inverness to Thurso ( or Wick if you want to do the whole line, but the town of Thurso is 10 times nicer than Wick), Day 4 - Inverness - Aberdeen - Edinburgh via Tay and Forth bridges, Edinburgh - London.

Both of these will involve HSTs which are arguably loco hauled (top and tail) and the Scotland one in particular should produce a lot of opportunity fpr some chit-chat.

 

[WestCoast]

Carlisle is one of the best cities north of Birmingham IMHO...

Dare I say that I think the S&C hype is overrated?

The S&C receives so much publicity nowadays, yet at one stage it was hidden gem with barely two passenger trains a day. What makes the line special for me (beyond the scenery) is the fine quality of the restored stations (you just don't get that as much on other scenic lines) and the fact that it's actually a useful line for more than just sightseers.

As for Carlisle, it's a pleasant city, but beyond that it's not in the league of others I can think of.

I think the OP is looking for something that doesn't exist on the mainlines anymore. A HST is indeed loco hauled, but First Great Western's refurbished interiors don't exactly feel nostalgic, do they?

 

[vectra33]

Where in the UK might make for a good and relaxing say two or three day

(a) old rolling stock with proper doors and bouncy carriages, not those eerily smooth plastic jobs with sliding doors. Any carriages still out there with the old compartments off a side passage?




(b) quiet route even perhaps at busy peak times so as to be sure to get a seat and not be squashed in the side or at the knees by others

(c) to and from interesting olde worlde towns such as York, or on a smaller scale Hastings, or Lewes, Chester and so on so as to have something to look at and explore upon arrival that day

(d) marginal to no risk of oiks getting on with mobile phones playing tinny music loudly through inbuilt speakers

I guess I'm thinking of some quaint old trip as if I were in an Agatha Christie novel, where there are maybe the odd quirky characters elsewhere on the train, maybe I’ll chat to retired vicar or a delightful young lady visiting her aunt, or a mad scientist or someone other than an idiot playing with their Blackberry.

, and when you get to the mystical land at the end of the line … Carlisle … you find it has a Boots and WH Smiths just like anywhere else!

Think Ive got the perfect trip for you mate

the steam railway on the Isle of man.

(a) old rolling stock with proper doors and bouncy carriages, not those eerily smooth plastic jobs with sliding doors. Any carriages still out there with the old compartments off a side passage?


old stock --yes
bouncy carrages yes
no plastic or sliding doors---yes

old compartments off a side passage----actually old compartments each with a private door,even better.


(b) quiet route even perhaps at busy peak times so as to be sure to get a seat and not be squashed in the side or at the knees by others


yes on all counts

(c) to and from interesting olde worlde towns such as York

douglas ,castletown and many smaller villages.

(d) marginal to no risk of oiks getting on with mobile phones playing tinny music loudly through inbuilt speakers


As they still have the birch on the IOM Oiks are few and far between.


Final point,lots of retired types on the trains over there,cant guarantee they are all vicars though.

Thankfully (for you) manx telecom have a very limited service and thus blackberrys are quite rare on the island.


I must confess though if you look hard enough you might find the boots and whs in Douglas,but both are a long way from the station.

Dave

 

[samj1]

Blackpool!

 

[RichmondCommu]

The S&C receives so much publicity nowadays, yet at one stage it was hidden gem with barely two passenger trains a day. What makes the line special for me (beyond the scenery) is the fine quality of the restored stations (you just don't get that as much on other scenic lines) and the fact that it's actually a useful line for more than just sightseers.

As for Carlisle, it's a pleasant city, but beyond that it's not in the league of others I can think of.

I think the OP is looking for something that doesn't exist on the mainlines anymore. A HST is indeed loco hauled, but First Great Western's refurbished interiors don't exactly feel nostalgic, do they?

The point is there is no place for nostalgia on the modern railway and quite rightly so. As for the airline style seating in HST's, passenger numbers are rising all the time and the TOC's have a duty to make sure that as many people as possible get a seat, even if that means removing tables.

 

[Yew]

I would suggest the HST thats recently been transferered to EC. It has a nice interior (original seats, and will have at tsable service in first class)

 

[LE Greys]

I would suggest the HST thats recently been transferered to EC. It has a nice interior (original seats, and will have at tsable service in first class)

Please let that be working to Aberdeen on either the 27th or the 30th (I'm going up there then).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The S&C receives so much publicity nowadays, yet at one stage it was hidden gem with barely two passenger trains a day. What makes the line special for me (beyond the scenery) is the fine quality of the restored stations (you just don't get that as much on other scenic lines) and the fact that it's actually a useful line for more than just sightseers.

As for Carlisle, it's a pleasant city, but beyond that it's not in the league of others I can think of.

I think the OP is looking for something that doesn't exist on the mainlines anymore. A HST is indeed loco hauled, but First Great Western's refurbished interiors don't exactly feel nostalgic, do they?

Yes, it is a nice line with some wonderfully-restored stations. However, the OP does have a point about the quality of some of the trains, my last run up Mallastang was in a 153 coupled to another,, both in equally shabby condition. A 158 would do fairly well on the mixed-speed service there.

As for what he's actually looking for, even the Lymington CIG has gone now. I'm afraid the majority are right here. Wish there was something we could do about it, but I doubt we could raise enough to bid for the East Coast franchise.

 

[ian959]

I tried something similar a few years ago as a day trip on the Settle - Carlisle line, having heard it was a scenic and at-risk-of-closure line. A charming once in a lifetime experience was promised. What I didn't know was even on the Saturday I went it was packed as if a commuter train, dirty windows with heavy grime and condensation from all the passengers gasping for breath, and of course the best of the scenery is taken in from the countryside looking at the train. If you're on the train you don't get to see the viaduct, or sweeping landscape at all, and when you get to the mystical land at the end of the line … Carlisle … you find it has a Boots and WH Smiths just like anywhere else!

Pretty much describes every attempt I have ever made to do the S & C. Usually ends up ****ing down with rain too. I will keep trying as I do every visit to the UK but I am beginning to wonder whether the spectacular scenery is a myth! Carlisle to be fair is quite an interesting place to wander around.

Broaden your horizons - The Indian Pacific either way would suit you down to the ground (well apart from the olde town bit - Sydney and Perth are not that old).

 

[Squaddie]

I suggest you travel to mainland Europe...

I'd agree with this sentiment.

Britain's rail network is now suitable only for getting from A to B, and is most definitely not something to be enjoyed for its own sake. Dirty and overcrowded trains, grumpy staff, undecipherable ticket conditions and inconsiderate fellow passengers make a journey something to be endured rather than enjoyed.

Get a cheap flight to Switzerland (£50 on easyJet should do it, and it can be under £100 even on BA), book into a small, family-run hotel somewhere in the mountains (even at the current exchange rate, you can find one for under £100 for a double room, with a standard of service and care that far exceeds a British B&B) and get a regional rail pass (again, cheaper and better value than a British rail pass). And rediscover the sheer joy of sitting in a train.