Would I be correct in thinking you are using an All Line rover?
Indded you are. Presently between Carlisle and Oxenholm on the 09:40 Glasgow - Euston, having demolished a smallish Great British Breakfast. My alarm didn't wake me up this morning, so plans have changed and instead of Changing at Crewe, and going Stoke, Derby Nottingham, Peterborough and Norwich, I am going all the way to London and then back up Norwich to do my East Anglia section that way. One of the benefits of a Brit Rail Pass.
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Day 2 (With apologies for the delayin Posting)
Good nights sleep at the hotel: I needed it. I stayed at the Spilman Hotel, not too far from the Station at Carmarthen. Beware if you ever decide to stay there. It is quite an uphill walk from the station. Very decent small bar and restaurant and a good full breakfast thrown in for good measure. So This morning, awake at 07:00 prepared for the day and went down for said breakfast and walked downhill for the 08:30 ATW service to Bridgend. On the train I was told I could get to Bridgend by taking the FGW service and get there faster. As I have a First Class rover, I decided to take advantage of a free cup of coffee and shortbread for free. I noticed that the doubling work at Gowerton was very well n hand. The Station is also being developed too. Crossed the platform at Swansea.for the FGW and had a decent and comfortable ride to Bridgend on the St Davids. At Bridgened, had just over half an hour to type up a few notes and get a few supplies for later. Looking to see how to cross over from Platform 2 to Platform 1 for the Maesteg service with baggage. Due to take the 11:45 ATW up to Maesteg and then return and then go via Roose to Barry for Barry Island, and Grangetown for Penarth.
All well with a good ride along the coast with great views now and again of the Somerset coast. Friendly crew on board. Bit of a bummer having to lug my baggage over the bridge at Barry, but I have now finally covered the Barry Branch. Back up to Grangetown and a ride up and down the Penarth branch for the first time. Then back to Queen Street and a check in at my hotel. Unfortunately the Cardiff traffic was so bad; I missed my ride on the Cardiff City line. This gave me a few extra minutes to check over my plans for the Valley lines.
I decided to drop my rides through the City lines and pick up my schedule on the Valley lines. Silly me, I left my camera behind at the Hotel, so recording of Unit numbers has been left out.
I made my way to Queen Street and bought myself a large coffee to keep me warm for the ride up to Merthyr Tydfil on the 15:30 service. I was glad I had the coffee as the units were really cold. This is something I have noticed over the last few days on certain lines during the rides over the last few days, the lack of sufficient heating in the carriages and a lack of complaint to train staff about the level of heating. Arrival at Merthyr was on time and I took the return ride at 16:38 to Abercynon. Ten minute wait at a very cold platform, thence to Aberdare. Back to Pontypridd on a cold but largely empty service and up to Treherbert on yet another uncomfortable freezing cold train. How do commuters put up with it? Dark thoughts on the journey back to Cardiff Queen Street as to if I really wanted to do the late night ride on yet another bouncing noisy cold diesel up and down to Rhymney. The decision was easily made on arrival at Queen Street. Get off the trains and back to the hotel for a decent meal, a good warming soak in a bath, and a large B&C followed by a cognac in my room and to get myself up to Scotland the next morning. I can make it back to Wales again to do Rhymney, Ebbw Vale and the Cardiff City Lines another time.
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Day 3
Awake early at 6:45 to prepare the day for the slog from Cardiff to Oban. Breakfast delivered promptly at 7:10 and I checked out the hotel at 7:45 and made my way to Cardiff Central. Nodded through the barrier and again lugged my baggage up the staircase to Platform 1. NO ELEVATOR FOR PASSENGERS TO LONDON AND MANCHESTER AND THE SOUTH WEST? Poor show Cardiff. The Paddington service ahead of mine left on time, then there was an announcement that the service to Paignton was cancelled. Four minutes notice and just after the FGW train had just left with a stop at Bristol Parkway, which may have connected to the South west. Passengers told to wait for the 08:30 to Portsmouth and to change a Bristol TM.
My train the 08:05 to Manchester came in and it was stuffed full. 2 coaches. I was lucky to get a handicapped seat and sat uncomfortably to Shrewsbury when a seat became vacant. We trundled in slowly into Manchester Piccadilly 6 minutes late. Bought a few snackettes for the journey to Leeds and was fortunate to get the earlier 11:27 Trans Pennine service to Leeds rather than the 11:42 Hull service. This would give me a few extra minutes in Leeds to connect to the 12:49 ride to Carlisle. A good ride in First Class across the Pennines, and a good can of Strongbow to wash down an M&S Prawn sandwich.
At Leeds, across the bridge and down to Platform 5C for the Carlisle service. This was a great ride. I had a 4 seat table all to myself and had selected the right side for the Ribblehead Viaduct. It was a decent run on the S&C, though the carriage was a bit on the cool side, and more than a handful of my fellow passengers where putting back on their jackets. Managed to take a few snaps of the stations along the way. Arrived in Carlisle on time and took a couple of snaps of the train. Over the bridge to Platform 1 to connect with the 15:49 VT to Glasgow Central (Named Beth Tweddle MBE) and again in First Class sipping some R Whites lemonade as I type up some notes. Just one more ride today, after crossing Glasgow to get the 18:21 to Oban and my hotel for the night.
Unfortunately the ride to Oban was in the dark, but it was very comfortable ride, and arrival was on time and I made it to my hotel safely in spite of a fellow passenger with a very large bottle of vodka who couldnt understand why I was only spending the night in Oban and not staying longer. The Ranald Hotel is about 150 metres from the station. The rooms are comfortable but not large, basic is the term Id use. There is a decent bar and they provide either a cooked breakfast or a packed breakfast if you need to catch the early train.
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Day 4
Oh what a GLORIOUS DAY! The weather in Oban was cold but good and excellent visibility for the 08:11 to Crianlarich. As we headed into the mountains the weather turned cloudier and duller, and indeed, at Crianlarich it was very lightly snowing. I watched and took some photos of the connection of the service from Mallaig and Fort William. Saw the Train off Southwards to Glasgow and had a good wander around the station surroundings. Met a couple of guys from yorkshire? who were very interested in my TrackMaps atlas, and indeed took a snap (if thats what its called) of the barcode and could find, to my disgust, that they could buy a copy on Amazon for £9:95 when I bought my First Edition for £24:95. Good luck gents if you read this post. Anyhow the 08:21 ex Glasgow QS came in on time, split nicely and in the few minutes remaining I explained to other fellow passengers the advantage of a Brit Rail Pass and that I was covering many lines I had not done before and some I hadnt covered in 30 years or more. I was able to get a table and window seat facing forward leftwards, and I was joined by a gentleman who came to sit with me and started to explain a few things about the construction of the line, the distance between Tyndrum Upper and Lower Stations and running between them to catch the Oban train etc., to look out for the loco that slipped down to the Lock last June, the best side to see Glenfinnan viaduct etc. Wonderful advice and I did see all he recommended. He left the train at Bridge of Orchy, opening up the Station buildings. A really nice guy. As we got to Rannoch Moor, the weather really cleared and it was Glorious for the rest of the day until dusk. I glimpsed the tarpaulined loco, on its side, and after Fort William the Glenfinnan Viaduct. The views all the way from Oban to Crianlarich to Fort William and Mallaig were the most wonderful I have seen. Really Stupendous even in late February. At Mallaig, I had nearly 3 hours to kill and I had a wonderful meal at The Cornerstone with a great view of the Harbour and local shipping, before riding back on the 16:05 back to Glasgow QS. Passing Bridge of Orchy, I saw the gentleman in the Station building who was looking out for me and I exchanged a wave. The service had really filled up at Corrour, but the ride was comfortable, even in the dark. Then at Dumbarton Central we were delayed by 3 troublemakers who decided to confront the train conductor/guard/manager by not buying tickets, so we were delayed nearly an hour whilst we waited for the Transport Police to arrive in investigate on train rather than removing them off the train and letting the fare paying passengers travel on. No we had to wait until the rozzers decided that they were guilty, ejected them off the train and we got absolutely no apology or full explanation as to what was happening. In the meantime, trains heading from Dumbarton Central to Glasgow passed through the station, but the 200 or so passengers who had sat on the train for 5 hours from Mallaig had to sit out the argument between the train staff, police and the troublemakers. I got to my hotel in Glasgow, too late for my evening meal and was truly pee-ed off after what had been a really magical day!
BTW does anyone know the guy who lives Bridge of Orchy station or how to contact him?
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Fifth Day.
South of the Clyde today, and after a decent breakfast at the hotel, take a taxi to Glasgow Central early on a Sunday Morning to find the Station practically empty both in the forecourt and on the platforms. I made my way to the platform for the 08:20 to Gourock. One thing I noticed about all the Scotrail trains this day was how clean they were both internally and externally. Glasgow is one of my favourite cities to ride trains from. It seems not too long from the city centre before you see hills and mountains. The same today on the ride to Gourock. Prompt arrival at the terminus to take a few photos of the station and area in the 12 minutes before the departure at 09:23 back to Port Glasgow. 39 minutes at Port Glasgow to wait for the connection to Weymess Bay.
Oh My! What a wonderful station at Weymess Bay. It is a classic and way worth the journey to see. I am determined to re-visit the area and spend time to have a meal there and to have a good rummage around the bookshop. The station is truly grand and deserves all the accolades it gets. The 10:55 from Weymess Bay takes me back to the re-vitalised Paisley Gilmour Street, and looking really good. A large coffee and chicken sandwich from the local outlet at the entrance to the station to sustain me to Stranraer, and to take a few snaps of the area and some of the services passing through the station.
Right on time, the 12:06 turns up to take me on the delightful line to Stranraer. A decent ride with a prompt arrival at the terminus. I had 35 minutes to wander around the derelict station and ferry terminal. It all looked very sad. To be very honest, there was not a lot to do around the station area and admittedly it was a Scottish Sunday afternoon. There must be a case for moving the station away from the harbour end and back towards the town interior, maybe close to the YMCA at Station Street? The half mile walk back into the town along a cold and windy open harbour must be most off-putting to both local traffic and visitors.
The 14:40 quickly got me back to Kilwinning for my exploration up and down the branches to Largs and Ardrossan Harbour before I returned to a much busier Glasgow Central station on the 18:00 service.
Day Six
I woke up 20 minutes after my first train of the day had departed. Never mind, having made so much of my First Class ticket on Second Class rail, I decided to make a day of First Class travel and use VT to Euston on the 09:40 and then cross London to Liverpool Street for the 15:00 to Norwich, rather than re-construct my journey to East Anglia via Crewe, Derby, Nottingham and Peterborough.
As I posted in another thread about my ride to London. It's not so much VT I have it in for but the Virgin group of companies in General. Bad experiences in the past rub off.
I did the VT 09:40 Glasgow Euston 1st Class on Monday, through gritted teeth as I really do not like the beared one who winges and moans and complains every time a decision is made against one of his companies, be it Virgin Trains, Airlines etc etc etc.
I have to say that I wasn't impressed. We were almost in Carlisle before the breakfast was placed in front of me, and I had larger and tastier offerings at smaller hotels during the last weeks romp around the UK. The first class was by no means even half full, as I took the chance to walk through the 3 carriage section. The seat was not the most comfortable though the ride was good. There was no explanation as to why we came to a halt 2 times between Wigan and Warrington.
Arrival at Euston was not too late, but no apology for the delay. OK I was travelling on a Brit Rail pass and not paying full 1st Class whack for the ride, but I had so much better service and customer satisfaction from the likes of other TOC's during my trips.
I was able to leave a bag at the left luggage at Euston, and took the tube from over the road at Euston Road to Liverpool Street, and catch the 15:00 to Norwich. The train was fairly full, but somewhat spoiled by a largish gentleman talking to an unsatisfied customer and trying to arrange a meeting at his office in Liverpool Street. If the person was with Greater Anglia or Network Rail, I was unimpressed by the tone used and the fact that the whole carriage could hear his side of the call at all!
Arrival at Norwich was timely and my hotel was just over the river and I checked in and made my way back to the station for the ride to Cromer and Sheringham and back to end my rides for the day. I took the very full 17:45 outwards and returned on the same units back to Norwich on the 18:55. A somewhat basic meal at the hotel rounded off the day, basic mostly as the burgers and steak were off the menu, mostly I suspect because of the horsemeat scandal.
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Day 7 - Penultimate Day
This day was dedicated to covering the lines in East Anglia I have never covered before. Last night I covered the Sherringham branch for the first time. The same conductor was on board my first journey. He recognised my Brit Rail pass and I got a welcoming nod. I liked the way he announced the stations on the lines.
Cromer. The next station, Cromer. I do wish all announcements were as subtle as that. The next station stop is
.. Yuk!
Anyhow, the first ride of the day was the 08:55 to Lowestoft with the single stop at Oulton Broad North. Great to see the swing bridges at Reedham and Somerleyton which I had only seen on video on the Norfolk Branches disc. Thirty minutes to walk up and down Lowestoft High Street and to take a few photos of the area before joining the 10:07 to Ipswich. A good brisk journey with a timely arrival on time at Ipswich and a warm up in the buffet before a chance to see a couple of freight trains heading south through the station as a couple of services heading to Cambridge and Norwich arrived at the station. A bounce up and down the Felixstowe branch followed, on the 11:58 to, and the 12:28 from. Only four minutes at Felixstowe with no chance to see much.
Then the 13:07 from Ipswich back to Norwich and the chance to help with some conductor on-board training. After my pass had been checked, I was asked if I could show my pass to a trainee conductor. Happy to do so and we had a bit of a chat about the pass and my past weeks journey. The young chappie recommended to me to do the Reedham branch. I hadnt the heart to say I had just done the line to Lowestoft and was just about to do both lines to Yarmouth from Norwich, though I was happy to help with his training. Arrival at Norwich gave me enough time for a decent lunch and to pick up my bags and make my way back to the station and to cover the Yarmouth line via Acle outbound and via Bernay Arms inbound. Bernay Arms is a request stop and the train did slow slightly on the approach. There appears to be absolutely nothing around the stop. Its a very small stop with a station sign almost as big as the station! Apparently its an area used by the RSPB for bird twitchers and as Lelant is my home station and there is an RSPB reserve on Hayle river, I felt an affinity as we passed through the halt. We were late back at Norwich and I missed the 15:40 Greater Anglia to Ely with the chance to sit in First Class for a while. Fortunately, there was the 15:52 East Midlands service which followed but no First Class service. Strangely, the EM service which followed only 12 minutes after the Greater Anglia service was very full, and for the first time in seven days the conductor asked to see my PASSPORT as evidence the ticket was mine! Passport duly produced, inspected and returned with a smile and I commented that it was the first time since I started my journey that I had been asked to show it. The conductor told me that he had used Eurail passes in the past and had seen fraudulent Eurail passes on his trains. So my congratulations to that EM conductor/guard/train manager.
My first time at Ely since 1974, when I did Birmingham NS to Cambridge changing at Leicester, Peterborough, March, and Ely. I remember thinking how dreadful the service was from the nations second capital to the largest university city.
Ely station was very busy, and I was very tired, so I decided not to run up and down to Kings Lynn but to run it back to London Kings Cross. I took the chance to watch the traffic through the station for a while and to enjoy the local announcements in a rather good East Anglian accent before catching the 17:08 service to London in First Class, where I had fun eavesdropping on two very pretentious barristers reviewing their case and how they were to cross-examine the witness the next day. It left me thinking that I should have found out who they were against and sell them what Id heard these Rumpoles had discussed. The train filled at Hitchin, and the first section was full at Kings Cross and for the first time in seven days my ticket wasnt inspected.
After arrival at Kings Cross, I walked back to Euston to pick up the bag I had left the day before, and rode back on the tube towards Paddington and my hotel. Just two more rail trips to do the next day, before finishing off my shopping, and flying back home to Bangkok!
Day Eight. Not much travel today but personally for me an important trip as I have tried to make this trip 4 times and the ride had previously been cancelled.
My ride? The 11:36 Chiltern Trains from Paddington to South Ruislip. I have longed to cover this line, and every time I have tried to cover it the train has either been cancelled or (way back when) I have missed the connection. So today, using my BritRail pass I have completed the line, making my way back to Marylebone on the return. So with a smug smile on my face, I completed my shopping with a visit to Ian Allens shop behind Waterloo, and after a very decent Cumberland sausage and mash with tons of gravy at the Mad Bishop and Bear washed down by a couple of pints of decent cider, I checked out my hotel and boarded the Heathrow Express to Terminal 3 to connect to my flight to bring me back to my home in Bangkok.
New lines covered in my journey
* denotes return journey
Tenby Pembroke Dock*; Whitland Fishguard Harbour*; Clarbeston Road Milford Haven*; Brigend Maesteg*; Barry Barry Island*; Grangetown Penarth*; Cardiff Central Treherbert*; Pontypridd Merthyr Tydfil*; Pontypridd Aberdare*; Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay*; Leeds Carlisle; Glasgow Queen Street Oban*; Crianlarich Mallaig*; Glasgow Central Stranraer*; Paisley Gilmour Street Weymess Bay*; Port Glasgow Gourock*; Killwinning Largs*; Ardrossan S Beach Ardrossan Harbour*; Norwich Yarmouth via Acle; Lowestoft - Ipswich; Ipswich Felixstowe*; Norwich Lowestoft; Yarmouth Reedham via Berney Arms; Norwich Ely; Acton Junction - South Ruislip; I reckon thats 747 miles of track covered for the first time (one way only)
Other Journeys on this trip: London Paddington Carmathern; Carmarthen Tenby; Cardiff Manchester Piccadilly via Hereford, Shrewsbury & Crewe; Manchester Piccadilly Leeds via Huddersfield; Carlisle Glasgow Central via Carstairs; Glasgow Central London Euston; London Liverpool Street Norwich; Ipswich Norwich. Ely London Kings Cross via Cambridge and Hitchen.
Total Cost of Rail Journey on BritRail Consecutive 8 day Rover 1st Class Low Season:
$429. At
todays rate that is £286. Bargain of the year and worth every cent, even though I missed out a few rides I had planned.
Other journeys made but not on BritRail pass. London Heathrow Terminal 4 London HeathrowTerminal 1,2,3: London Heathrow Terminal 1,2 3 London Paddington* Cost £32: Not such a bargain but its a useful ride.
Photos to come I promise. (Got to edit them)
