What train would you like to drive ?

[notadriver]

This question is for non railway staff please.

If you could choose to drive any scheduled UK train for a day what would it be ?

 

[Bletchleyite]

DMU on the Conwy Valley. One of my favourite scenic lines.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

DMU on the Conwy Valley. One of my favourite scenic lines.

I actually lived a dream and got to do this as a 10 year old many moons ago.

A friend of one of my parents was a driver and used to let me ride the cab up to Blaenau Ffestiniog and back with him if he was working the very early shift when it was almost always empty.

One occasion he let me stand and operate the gears and another the guard let me do the buzzer and buzz us straight through the request stops.

Wouldn't get away with it these days but was a dream come true and if I could do it again I would the same as you Neil choose a DMU up the Conwy valley.

 

[ComUtoR]

One of my favourite scenic lines.

Is it the train or the view ? What about any old DMU but still the same line ?

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

The 144E on the Cleethorpes to Sheffield Service.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Wouldn't get away with it these days but was a dream come true and if I could do it again I would the same as you Neil choose a DMU up the Conwy valley.

I've driven a Class 101 at Wirksworth. Strangely, I'd spent enough time sitting behind the driver around the North West and North Wales that it didn't take long to pick up how to do it. The brake was the hardest thing to handle properly.

A 101 down the Valley would be a dream. However, the only way of that actually coming true would be if the line were closed and preserved, and I could never support that; I'd prefer it to stay open and for it to remain a dream.

 

[najaB]

This question is for non railway staff please.

If you could choose to drive any scheduled UK train for a day what would it be ?

16:30 Euston to Glasgow Central - fast run up the WCML with only one intermediate stop to potentially mess up!

 

[Mintona]

Even though I am a driver, I wanted to answer anyway.

An HST from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington, before they're gone.

 

[LowLevel]

As a humble guard rather than a driver I'd love to take a 47 for a spin along the Chiltern mainline into Marylebone. I'm lucky enough to already see some brilliant stretches of railway from the back cab but I've only ever been at the controls myself on preserved lines.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Hull - London

 

[dave87016]

I would love to drive a HST anywhere on the GWR network though ideally Paddington - Plymouth

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Of course, if we can drive a scheduled train but with fantasy power, I'd take a 55 with a rake of MK III on the Hull - London service

 

[gtr driver]

All the empty ones.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The 144E on the Cleethorpes to Sheffield Service.

Having done a heritage DMU, I'll be quite inclined to do another heritage railway driver experience once the opportunity arises to do it in a 142. Not a nice unit in and of themselves, obviously, but a big part of my childhood.

For similar reasons I'd quite fancy guarding (not driving) a Merseyrail unit for a run up and down the Ormskirk line.

 

[Flintstone]

This question is for non railway staff please.

Why non railway staff ?

I drive mostly 14X, 15X with the odd EMU but I would much rather be driving a modern unit (17X or 18X) or a locomotive (particularly if it's not a 66)

 

[ainsworth74]

A 91 from Kings Cross to Edinburgh and then the Highland Chieftain up to Inverness.

 

[Mintona]

Maybe the Royal Train, or a 68 from Marylebone to Birmingham as well. It'd be nice to have a go on a high speed passenger loco.

 

[ComUtoR]

Maglev

 

[najaB]

A 91 from Kings Cross to Edinburgh and then the Highland Chieftain up to Inverness.

Why not a 43 all the way?

 

[rf_ioliver]

Class 70 (the new ones) around the Welsh branch lines and HOWL ...

Big front windscreen, possible to stand outside along the sides and great scenery, plus they sound great

t.

Ian

 

[headshot119]

Having done a heritage DMU, I'll be quite inclined to do another heritage railway driver experience once the opportunity arises to do it in a 142. Not a nice unit in and of themselves, obviously, but a big part of my childhood.

For similar reasons I'd quite fancy guarding (not driving) a Merseyrail unit for a run up and down the Ormskirk line.

The Midland Railway Butterly could offer you a driver experience on a 141 I'm sure.

 

[ainsworth74]

Why not a 43 all the way?

Need to stretch my legs at some point

But more seriously I would like to experience both of the current mainstays of ECML long distance services rather than just the one. Plus it would be interesting to compare an electric locomotive with a diesel.

 

[najaB]

But more seriously I would like to experience both of the current mainstays of ECML long distance services rather than just the one. Plus it would be interesting to compare an electric locomotive with a diesel.

Hmm... then maybe one of the 43/91 hybrids that were around while they waited for the DVTs. Best of both worlds and, more importantly, POWAH!

 

[Johncleesefan]

An XC voyager or hst straight out of Bristol to York just in time to get to the pub and have a nice pint ??????

 

[Antman]

I actually lived a dream and got to do this as a 10 year old many moons ago.

A friend of one of my parents was a driver and used to let me ride the cab up to Blaenau Ffestiniog and back with him if he was working the very early shift when it was almost always empty.

One occasion he let me stand and operate the gears and another the guard let me do the buzzer and buzz us straight through the request stops.

Wouldn't get away with it these days but was a dream come true and if I could do it again I would the same as you Neil choose a DMU up the Conwy valley.

I was about the same age when I had a drive of a loco in the sidings at Selhurst, my mates uncle worked there but again would never get away with that nowadays

 

[CharlieSpotted]

I wouldn't mind having a go on one of them fancy new Eurostars on a high-speed test run!



Too soon?

 

[racklam]

HST from Paddington to Penzance. Hustle and bustle of the city, out through the countryside at speed then trundling along the seaside.

Or a Class 153 on the HOWL. I like the idea of driving a lonely single carriage through the middle of nowhere

 

[onlinespotting]

A bus-seated 142 in one of its (ridiculously) longest routes, possibly S&C line , any suggestions of a longer route?

 

[hornbyfan99]

I would love to drive a class 170 from Holyhead to Portsmouth Harbour via the WCML and the WLL.

 

[Clip]

I'm with ainsworth74 here on doing the highland chieftain but Id probably get bored by Newark.