Today, I went for a rare journey completely by train - 495 miles to be precise. The aim was just to scratch 95 of those inbetween Dunbar and Newcastle.
This morning, Queens Park in London had a sneeze with signalling problems so Virgin Trains caught the flu meaning my 0938 was cancelled and became a requisitioned Blackpool North bound service which arrived at 0952.
After Lancaster, some guys in suits did the tried and tested technique of grabbing a table seat by claiming it was their reserved seat. As I was caught unawares and the other person moved, there was no chance to double-check by asking if they did have their coupon with them. The train service was brand new from Preston so all of the electronic reservations would be void. I did move and as I did, a baby started wailing in the carriage. Do enjoy chaps.
Edinburgh was reached pretty quickly at about 12.30 allowing about 40 minutes to have a little walk around and encounter a rip-off artisan baker trying to flog pastries for £5.60 each!!
My XC bound train left promptly at 1307 calling at Dunbar, Alnmouth and Newcastle. I enjoyed the view of the East Coast to go with Morecambe Bay earlier. In particular, Lindisfarne, Bammburgh Castle and the town of Alnmouth are a delight.
We get to Newcastle and I aim for my kind of price and pay for a pastry and latte in Greggs opposite. I pause my journey more by having a quick walk to Manors and the Tyne Bridge. I note Manors having a much better service than I recall as I was at the platform with 3 commuters.
On my way back, I spy a LNER service heading towards the station so I try and catch it with a couple of minutes to spare.
The journey feels long because I'm not sure how faraway Durham, Darlington and York are from each other.
No sooner am I off the train at York, I am sprinting to P4 for the Transpennine Crawler to Manchester Victoria which becomes a Sardine Can on departure at Leeds. We crawl until Mirfield and after Huddersfield, wait at Marsden before we get the nod for another 3/4-pelt into Manchester. I feel for these commuters.
At Manchester Victoria, I have my choice of crush-loaded delayed platforms to despair on. In about 17 minutes, I have seen the first train heading to Salford Crescent which arrives with a same-platform exchange to a Piccadilly-Southport service that gets me back to Wigan by 1947ish.
Not bad for £73.15 or ~14p/mile.
This morning, Queens Park in London had a sneeze with signalling problems so Virgin Trains caught the flu meaning my 0938 was cancelled and became a requisitioned Blackpool North bound service which arrived at 0952.
After Lancaster, some guys in suits did the tried and tested technique of grabbing a table seat by claiming it was their reserved seat. As I was caught unawares and the other person moved, there was no chance to double-check by asking if they did have their coupon with them. The train service was brand new from Preston so all of the electronic reservations would be void. I did move and as I did, a baby started wailing in the carriage. Do enjoy chaps.
Edinburgh was reached pretty quickly at about 12.30 allowing about 40 minutes to have a little walk around and encounter a rip-off artisan baker trying to flog pastries for £5.60 each!!
My XC bound train left promptly at 1307 calling at Dunbar, Alnmouth and Newcastle. I enjoyed the view of the East Coast to go with Morecambe Bay earlier. In particular, Lindisfarne, Bammburgh Castle and the town of Alnmouth are a delight.
We get to Newcastle and I aim for my kind of price and pay for a pastry and latte in Greggs opposite. I pause my journey more by having a quick walk to Manors and the Tyne Bridge. I note Manors having a much better service than I recall as I was at the platform with 3 commuters.
On my way back, I spy a LNER service heading towards the station so I try and catch it with a couple of minutes to spare.
The journey feels long because I'm not sure how faraway Durham, Darlington and York are from each other.
No sooner am I off the train at York, I am sprinting to P4 for the Transpennine Crawler to Manchester Victoria which becomes a Sardine Can on departure at Leeds. We crawl until Mirfield and after Huddersfield, wait at Marsden before we get the nod for another 3/4-pelt into Manchester. I feel for these commuters.
At Manchester Victoria, I have my choice of crush-loaded delayed platforms to despair on. In about 17 minutes, I have seen the first train heading to Salford Crescent which arrives with a same-platform exchange to a Piccadilly-Southport service that gets me back to Wigan by 1947ish.
Not bad for £73.15 or ~14p/mile.
