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Shred`s UK trips.

shredder1

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Joined
23 Nov 2016
Messages
3,147
Location
North Manchester
Glad they were of some interest! You fitted a lot in and I enjoyed reading about your strategy for an all night summer wait over between days of activity.

I managed to go and see the sleeper waiting to leave Glasgow as I was based a short walk away from Central station - and fitted that in after a late evening circle round the subway to see how it was with the new subway trains, and also a trip to the pub.

The section of HST route I didn't manage to fit in (but could have done with more focus) was the Edinburgh to Stirling leg of an Inverness - Edinburgh service (or vice versa) - so I'll have to try and fit in another visit whilst they are still operating - which might be for a fair time period given the delayed and slow roll out of the new trains on EMR midland main line which is what will facilitate the cascade of trains from EMR to replace the Scotrail HSTs, as you probably know.
Great stuff, glad you enjoyed it, yes I managed to do everything I set out to do, it was a very enjoyable trip, Im just planning for an Irish trip now starting at the end of the month, I still need a few lines over there
 
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RailUK Forums

shredder1

Established Member
Joined
23 Nov 2016
Messages
3,147
Location
North Manchester
Devon and Cornwall (Day 1). Wednesday 30th September 2026.

I had only been back from my Czech Republic trip for 7 days, before I was off again, but with my son this time. He had booked a week for us in a house in Bude, a place I took him to as a child back in the early 1990s, and each day we were to explore a different town driving down as far as Penzance and the Lizard, he was doing the driving. For my part I wanted to explore a few railways in the area and also check out what was left of the railways and remains of the Atlantic Coast Express routes. My son isn’t a rail enthusiast, but didn’t mind dropping me off at a few places while he went exploring further afield, so it worked out well for both of us.

I set off from Manchester, driving down to my son`s house in the Fens, a 3-hour drive for me, but because I was taking a few things with me, it was better than struggling on the train, although I’m not a great fan of long drives these days. On arriving in the region, I usually call in at the Nene Valley Railway at Wansford. The Danish tank locomotive, 656, was in the yard in steam under test and also one of the bookshops was open, so I spent an hour on site, before I continued to my sons.

 

shredder1

Established Member
Joined
23 Nov 2016
Messages
3,147
Location
North Manchester
Devon and Cornwall (Day 2). Thursday 1st October 2026.

I had only been back from my Czech Republic trip for 7 days, before I was off again, but with my son this time. He had booked a week for us in a house in Bude, a place I took him to as a child back in the early 1990s, and each day we were to explore a different town driving down as far as Penzance and the Lizard, he was doing the driving. For my part I wanted to explore a few railways in the area and also check out what was left of the railways and remains of the Atlantic Coast Express routes. My son isn’t a rail enthusiast, but didn’t mind dropping me off at a few places while he went exploring further afield, so it worked out well for both of us.

I had a free day at my son`s, so decided to drive over to Whittlesea on the Hereward line. The weather was glorious and I settled down on one of the level crossings in the area, which proved to be quite busy for the few hours I was there. Locomotives passing were 66749, 66020, 60026, and 66106. I later drove over the Railworld in Peterborough and was just in time to see a special coming off the Hereward Line at Peterborough East junction, with two-tone green liveried D1935 and Intercity liveried 47593 to the rear.

Finally, I visited Trains4you in Fengate, a great model railway shop, which appears to be much cheaper than the shops I use in my own area of North Manchester.

 

shredder1

Established Member
Joined
23 Nov 2016
Messages
3,147
Location
North Manchester
Devon and Cornwall, (Day 3). Saturday 3rd October 2026.

I had only been back from my Czech Republic trip for 7 days, before I was off again, but with my son this time. He had booked a week for us in a house in Bude, a place I took him to as a child back in the early 1990s, and each day we were to explore a different town driving down as far as Penzance and the Lizard, he was doing the driving. For my part I wanted to explore a few railways in the area and also check out what was left of the railways and remains of the Atlantic Coast Express routes. My son isn’t a rail enthusiast, but didn’t mind dropping me off at a few places while he went exploring further afield, so it worked out well for both of us.

On the Friday morning, we drove down to Bude from the Fens, a drive of just under 6 hours, my son was doing the driving all week though, as I had left my car at his house in the Fens. After doing some shopping for the week, we retired to our accommodation for the night, a beautiful house just a five-minute walk from the beach and town.

The next day however, we decided to spend exploring Bude. We took breakfast in the town, called at a few shops, took Layla, (my son`s dachshund), to the beach, visited the excellent museum, which had plenty of railwayana and a model of Bude railway station and one of the Bude Canal incline planes and sand sidings, and I also spent some time on the Bude Canal and sea lock, a fascinating piece of engineering.

We spent a full day around Bude, such a shame it’s no longer rail connected and it use to be one of the destinations of the Atlantic Coast Express.

 

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