The best railway moments

[TT-ONR-NRN]

For me, nothing was better than leaving London Euston on a weekday morning Virgin Pendolino, sat my usual First Class window seat under the pantograph at the back of Coach H, table for two on the right, forward-facing with a nice long view of the carriage.

The Onyx motors kick in and the Pendolino makes its trademark ghost-like oooooohhh whine as it begins to accelerate very rapidly. A host comes through with a kettle in each hand, one tea, one coffee, and pours whichever one I fancied into my china mug. Another comes through with the big wicker bakery basket and puts a croissant and brown toast on my china plate, with marmalade.

I've ordered my eggs Benedict and can smell it coming even though it's being cooked in another carriage. By the time it comes, the 390 is at 125mph and tilting its full eight degrees - one window has beautiful countryside, the other you can only see the sky. The bacon is crispy, the hollandaise rich and glossy, and the egg is perfectly poached. It pairs very nicely with the cloudy apple juice they bring me.

I recline the seat and prop my legs up on my jacket which is on the unoccupied facing seat, take out my laptop in case I later feel like doing some writing, then enjoy 4.5 hours of total comfort on the fast ride up to Glasgow. Usually it would have only been £12 to be in first, thanks to Seatfrog. I miss this so much.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Bolton to Manchester is quite nice, particularly around Clifton, with pleasant views of Winter Hill.

 

[ar10642]

The combination of a thread about the worst rail journeys and a Michael Portillo re-run prompted me to ask what are readers’ best railway moments.
I’m not thinking of complete lines or journeys, just very short sections or quick views from the train. Excluding views from outside the train such as Ribblehead etc.
A few to start:
ECML Durham Cathedral.
The exit from Dalkey Tunnel going south.
Vale of Rheidol horseshoe curve.
The vista of Eigg, Rhum etc from the Mallaig line.
Sydney Harbour and Hawkesbury River bridges, plus the Zig Zag railway now happily open again.
Tenterden bank.
Must be plenty more especially in countries like Switzerland etc.

In my corner of the world I'd nominate:

Lewes - Polegate, lovely views of the South Downs on a clear day
Normans Bay - Hastings, the train travels right next to the sea
Winchelsea - Rye, great views across the levels
London Bridge - London Blackfriars, I love how the train carves its way across the rooftops of the city, finishing with a view of St Paul's and straight down the river to Tower Bridge

 

[zwk500]

Lewes - Polegate, lovely views of the South Downs on a clear day

Although this view has moments I personally don't find it too interesting. But that might be because the moment I love is as you've passed through Hamsey LX, Mount Harry and the Landport estate on the ridge up on your right as the line stays on the floodplain and the Ouse sits gently on your left. A lovely moment of 'home' to me and then the train dives into Lewes Tunnel which is the warning to check you belongings and start moving towards the door.

 

[ar10642]

Although this view has moments I personally don't find it too interesting. But that might be because the moment I love is as you've passed through Hamsey LX, Mount Harry and the Landport estate on the ridge up on your right as the line stays on the floodplain and the Ouse sits gently on your left. A lovely moment of 'home' to me and then the train dives into Lewes Tunnel which is the warning to check you belongings and start moving towards the door.

Ah yes that section is nice too. I lived in Landport for quite a few years and you can get a brief glimpse of my old house from there. I keep hoping one day we'll see a branch off the line near there going towards Uckfield but I don't think it will ever happen.

 

[zwk500]

Ah yes that section is nice too. I lived in Landport for quite a few years and you can get a brief glimpse of my old house from there. I keep hoping one day we'll see a branch off the line near there going towards Uckfield but I don't think it will ever happen.

Having lived in Ringmer (my Dad still does), I personally hope that if there's ever a branch off to Uckfield it'll be from just East of Glynde station.

 

[JamieL]

For me, nothing was better than leaving London Euston on a weekday morning Virgin Pendolino, sat my usual First Class window seat under the pantograph at the back of Coach H, table for two on the right, forward-facing with a nice long view of the carriage.

The Onyx motors kick in and the Pendolino makes its trademark ghost-like oooooohhh whine as it begins to accelerate very rapidly. A host comes through with a kettle in each hand, one tea, one coffee, and pours whichever one I fancied into my china mug. Another comes through with the big wicker bakery basket and puts a croissant and brown toast on my china plate, with marmalade.

I've ordered my eggs Benedict and can smell it coming even though it's being cooked in another carriage. By the time it comes, the 390 is at 125mph and tilting its full eight degrees - one window has beautiful countryside, the other you can only see the sky. The bacon is crispy, the hollandaise rich and glossy, and the egg is perfectly poached. It pairs very nicely with the cloudy apple juice they bring me.

I recline the seat and prop my legs up on my jacket which is on the unoccupied facing seat, take out my laptop in case I later feel like doing some writing, then enjoy 4.5 hours of total comfort on the fast ride up to Glasgow. Usually it would have only been £12 to be in first, thanks to Seatfrog. I miss this so much.

The current First Class menu is clearly a shadow of its former self! Coach H isn't even First Class anymore

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The current First Class menu is clearly a shadow of its former self! Coach H isn't even First Class anymore

Quite.

 

[Dave W]

The Bernina Express trip I did about a month ago taught me a lot about how rail travel could be - the way back across the snowfields in the sunshine, with high peaks all around, was a lifetime highlight.

On a slightly less salubrious note, this is a very personal one to me and I can't imagine any others think it! But the evocative feeling of being "home" when emerging from Old Hill tunnel into the welcoming bosom of the Black Country really resonates with me, and has done ever since I first moved away from home almost 16 years ago. There is nothing pretty, or exhilarating, or special about the line or train I'm in - something just sticks about it. Then the train stops at Lye and all is forgiven...

 

[Dr Hoo]

Whaley Bridge to Buxton has some good views.

And the Manchester Sheffield line between Cowburn tunnel and Grindleford has good views of the Peak District hills

Definitely. The Peak District is lovely.

Personally I most appreciate the exit from Sheffield through the slightly 'meh' Sheaf Valley; plunging into Totley Tunnel and (after a suspenseful interval) emerging into the 'Hope' (actually Derwent) Valley at Grindleford. To me it's like finding a hidden Narnia or Brigadoon. Needs some sunshine, of course.

 

[Trackman]

Bolton to Manchester is quite nice, particularly around Clifton, with pleasant views of Winter Hill.

Did you ever do it when Agecroft power station and colliery was open? Forest bank prison is there now.
A couple of years ago, I did a ‘Lines I’ve not been on in 35+ years‘ tour. Bolton - Clitheroe was an eye opener especially after Blackburn.

 

[75A]

Certainly wouldn't be able to see it from the Eastbourne-Ore line, it's well west of the town and faces north, in a bit of a hollow so you can't see it from too wide an angle. I used to be able to see it from my School, almost due north on a line passing about halfway between Berwick and Polegate stations. You'd get a lovely view from the cab of a London-Eastbourne train though.

You are quite right, age and time don't mix well do they?

My memories were from the early 80's in the cab of a 73 on the 3-27 Victoria - Eastbourne newspaper train, which on that rota we picked up @ Lewes, went into Eastbourne, ran round and took off the back van which we then took to Hastings were it was unloaded. Carried on to Ore, ran round, then back to Eastbourne to pick up the other vans and the BSK (for the 2 or 3 passengers carried), then back to Brighton.
Later in the day it would be taken to Hove then ultimately Victoria (via Redhill) for the next day, this route was taken so that the BSK was next to the loco, couldn't have the passengers without heat & light could we?

 

[SuspectUsual]

I’m assuming a “best railway moment” doesn’t necessarily need to be best from a visual perspective.

In which case, Queen Street to Cowlairs behind a 37 in about 1981. Never heard a noise like it since, and realistically probably never will

 

[ar10642]

Certainly wouldn't be able to see it from the Eastbourne-Ore line, it's well west of the town and faces north, in a bit of a hollow so you can't see it from too wide an angle. I used to be able to see it from my School, almost due north on a line passing about halfway between Berwick and Polegate stations. You'd get a lovely view from the cab of a London-Eastbourne train though.

You can still see it quite clearly if you've just passed Berwick on your way to Polegate. Train is usually travelling at quite high speed at that point.

 

[StephenHunter]

London to Berlin by Eurostar and ICE, First Class, in a day to go to Innotrans in 2016.

 

[Aviator88]

For me, nothing was better than leaving London Euston on a weekday morning Virgin Pendolino, sat my usual First Class window seat under the pantograph at the back of Coach H, table for two on the right, forward-facing with a nice long view of the carriage.

The Onyx motors kick in and the Pendolino makes its trademark ghost-like oooooohhh whine as it begins to accelerate very rapidly. A host comes through with a kettle in each hand, one tea, one coffee, and pours whichever one I fancied into my china mug. Another comes through with the big wicker bakery basket and puts a croissant and brown toast on my china plate, with marmalade.

I've ordered my eggs Benedict and can smell it coming even though it's being cooked in another carriage. By the time it comes, the 390 is at 125mph and tilting its full eight degrees - one window has beautiful countryside, the other you can only see the sky. The bacon is crispy, the hollandaise rich and glossy, and the egg is perfectly poached. It pairs very nicely with the cloudy apple juice they bring me.

I recline the seat and prop my legs up on my jacket which is on the unoccupied facing seat, take out my laptop in case I later feel like doing some writing, then enjoy 4.5 hours of total comfort on the fast ride up to Glasgow. Usually it would have only been £12 to be in first, thanks to Seatfrog. I miss this so much.

Somewhat unrelated, but I had a lovely morning journey from MK - Manchester with Avanti recently when the line outside of Euston was completely shut due to engineering works. I was in standard class and had the entire carriage to myself as we glided through the Northamptonshire countryside, the morning fog still sitting over the canal between Blisworth and Weedon - it was very surreal!

Another train journey that stands out was on Renfe from Tarragona to Barcelona - you have an almost uninterrupted view of the Mediterranean the whole way as you make your way past the various creeks and coves

 

[AJM580]

Locally I always enjoy the glimpses of the sea from the train between Cromer and Sheringham, then onto the North Norfolk Railway for the thrash up Kelling Bank