Spotting locations accessible by train?

[bhi156]

I'm not much of a rail enthusiast but have been developing an interest over the last couple of months, since I've been needing to use train travel a lot lately.

I'd really like to go spotting sometime, but I don't know where to go.

I'm looking for a train journey to get there for no longer than 2hrs, and my local stations are Solihull (Chiltern Mainline) and Birmingham International (WCML), so anywhere accessible from these 2 stations is fine (I don't mind changing at another station - the whole journey just needs to be under 2hrs).

I also want to keep the ticket price on the lower end - even with my railcard, Avanti prices are a nightmare.

I don't mind a little walk from the station to the spot at all. I don't have any preferences about rolling stock or anything technical - I just want to see trains up close and at speed. A generally natural/pretty area would be nice, too, but beggars can't be choosers, haha.

 

[CarltonA]

Didcot could be a good choice for you. Change at Banbury. Plenty of freight, XC Voyagers and GWR stuff as well as the Railway Centre for variety.

 

[midland1]

Nuneaton or Stafford plenty of freight and not far from home.

 

[50002Superb]

Water Orton

 

[68001]

rugby/northampton

 

[Bevan Price]

Tamworth - although having High Level and Low Level platforms sometimes causes slight problems.

 

[birchesgreen]

Well i don't live far from the OP. Stafford and Derby are my usual go-tos, they arn't that expensive.

Leamington Spa isn't bad. Didcot is mentioned above, unfortunately that is pretty pricy to go to from the West Midlands usually.

 

[DarloRich]

Tamworth - awful station but very busy.
Nuneaton

 

[birchesgreen]

Rugeley Trent Valley is good, you can get a good sight of approaching trains so seldom get caught out.