Which UK train journey/s would you most like to make?

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 2:21 am

For me, a train journey I'd give my back teeth to travel on is the First Great Western London Paddington-Penzance sleeper service onboard a Class 57. Departs London at 2350, arriving Penzance 0821. A journey time of some 8 and a half hours onboard a Class 57! This would be a FANTASTIC journey!

Unfortunately though, it's very unlikely I'll ever travel on this train because of the route it takes and because of the timing of the service. It's just not convenient to me. It doesn't operate via Bristol for a start which is a shame.

If only FGW ran Class 57's in the daytime. I'd be travelling to and from London every week!

Post by **martinhodgson** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 8:40 am

I'd like to take the Aberdeen-Penzance service through the length of the route - something like 12 hours!

simont · Post by **simont** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 8:54 am

I'd like to go on the Caledonian sleeper, and also a loco-hauled Euston Glasgow VWC service while I still have the chance.

eddief · Post by **eddief** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 10:46 am

Deltic2002 wrote:For me, a train journey I'd give my back teeth to travel on is the First Great Western London Paddington-Penzance sleeper service onboard a Class 57. Departs London at 2350, arriving Penzance 0821. A journey time of some 8 and a half hours onboard a Class 57! This would be a FANTASTIC journey!

I wouldn't say that would be so good, you'd miss some of the good scenery as it is dark, but that is my opinion.

The best run for me would be the Jacobite positioning run from Carnforth to Fort William, to go over that stretch over the West highland line behind a steam engine would be incredible (I went from Fort William to Crainlarich on the sleeper behind 37426 and that was great, I had the window right behind the engine with my head out all the way

).

doownyl · Post by **doownyl** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 11:22 am

The West Highland has to be the greatest rail journey in Britain.

With my last GCSE on Tuesday, a few days ago, I rewarded myself with a trip on the Fort Bill sleeper that evening, the Jacobite on Wednesday, and the sleeper home on Wednesday night.

I gotta say, I think that the sight, sound and smell of a (rather unhealthy) 37/4 climbing out of Rannoch station on a misty early morning is in my opinion the most beautiful thing in th world.

Lots of fun and shenanigans on Weds night, though, with 37421 failing at Tulloch, 406 coming to the rescue and then having problems with its brakes, and leaving Tulloch eventually 3 hours late. The Inverness and Aberdeen portions were long gone my the time we got to Waverley (3.30) so we were hooked up to the shore supply and left to sleep until the 0550 to King's X was ready to go. First Class down the ECML... nice.

All part of the fun...

simuk · Post by **simuk** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 11:25 am

Deltic2002 wrote:For me, a train journey I'd give my back teeth to travel on is the First Great Western London Paddington-Penzance sleeper service onboard a Class 57. Departs London at 2350, arriving Penzance 0821. A journey time of some 8 and a half hours onboard a Class 57! This would be a FANTASTIC journey!

Well I bet you're glad you didn't plan on doing that last night, as they were all cancelled due to a lineside fire, and were replaced by HST's starting at Reading!

I've done St Neots to Inverness and back before first class both ways, in almost an empty carriage - when the Intercity's used to pick up/set down at Huntingdon, in 1986. Also done Inverness to Kyle (and then the chain ferry across to Isle of Skye with a bus around the island) and then Mallaig to Fort William (with a bus back... seem to remember I wasn't too well on that bumpy bus back... don't think anyone was... really not the sort of bus for that sort of distance/road

and I blame the speed bumps on the entrance to Inverness bus station!)

Ideal train journey would be a week long rail rover ticket, to just go anywhere. I'd try and plan a route which went to all of the main rail locations, and as far across the country as possible so as I could travel on all/as many operators services as possible. Nearest I've got to doing that was the old Network South East days where travel was Â£1 anywhere on the network, and we went to London, Brighton, Portsmouth, up to Reading I think, and even got a HST back in to Paddington as the trains were so packed they decided to let people on the Intercity's... lovely

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 1:03 pm

eddief wrote:
Deltic2002 wrote:For me, a train journey I'd give my back teeth to travel on is the First Great Western London Paddington-Penzance sleeper service onboard a Class 57. Departs London at 2350, arriving Penzance 0821. A journey time of some 8 and a half hours onboard a Class 57! This would be a FANTASTIC journey!
I wouldn't say that would be so good, you'd miss some of the good scenery as it is dark, but that is my opinion.

With it being dark wouldn't spoil my enjoyment of the journey. With it being an overnight sleeper service, chances are they'll have all the lights turned out so I'll be able to look out the window without those horrible bright lights causing reflections on the windows. (remember that topic last year when I complained about the bright lights of today's trains compared to the dimmer lights on the older trains).

Also, it arrives at Plymouth at 0508, and in the Summertime it will pretty much be bright daylight by then. And then you've got just over another 3 hours to enjoy the journey in daylight, because the train is not scheduled to arrive in Plymouth until 0821!

Yep, that would be a great journey without a doubt! What a shame it operates via the Westbury and Castle Cary line instead of the Swindon and Bristol route though!

Fodda · Post by **Fodda** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 3:48 pm

Give me the original Orient Express any day. London to Istanbul (or vice versa) behind a Golsdorf (for most of the journey), would be fantastic. Throw in a murder for Poirot to solve and Sean Connery smuggling an enigma machine too and my trip would be complete.

Fodda · Post by **Fodda** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 3:49 pm

DUH! Didn't see the UK bit in the heading until after I'd posted... In which case, it'd have to be behind a King on the GWR.

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 4:53 pm

I did the overnight Paddington to Penzance from Bristol to Truro in 1978 and thought you might be interested in the following ....

Swindon 0050 to Bristol Class 101 DMU.

46023 passed Bristol on mixed freight to Severn Tunnel Junction.

0005 Paddington to Plymouth sleeper depart Bristol 0220 behind 50047.

Passed 2x45 with freight Cogload 0320.

Stopped for 'cow on line' between Taunton and Exeter.

Exeter Stabling Point 50023 and 08641 2 Class 117's (suburban units) and Class120 (Cross-Country DMU).

Class 118 DMU with tailload (GUV van) to form 0405 to Barnstaple.

Teignmouth sea wall 0400 on a summer's morning .... wonderful ....

Newton Abbot Stabling Point 45, 50, 47008, 50048

Plymouth 0530 Change loco 50025 Station Pilot 08945

Lostwithiel 0630 50015 shunting milk tanks

Par 0645 P556 (Class 120 Swindon Cross-Country DMU) to work 0705 Newquay Class 25 St. Blazey to Burngullow empty clay with 47 at rear to avoid run-round at Par

St Austell 0700 08377 Pilot

Truro 0730 25058 shunting the rear of a train hauled by 46028 50032 Up passenger P556 to work Falmouth train P552 47101 Up passenger

Then return to Par, a look around St. Blazey roundhouse and then back to Swindon

37296 passed through Par .... 37's had only arrived in Cornwall a few weeks earlier.

The best sighting was 08113 passing Par with 11 vans and a brake forming the return trip from Wenford Bridge to St. Blazey.

As I was modelling the area, I took notes

The sleeper consisted of Mk1 stock including sleepers and a lot of sailors heading for Plymouth

In answer to the question, overnight to Fort William .... the best journey I've ever had as far as scenery is concerned

simont · Post by **simont** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 6:33 pm

The Great Western sleeper does go through Bristol, doesn't it? I'm sure it did the time I went on it.

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 7:25 pm

I believe I read that from the summer timetable the sleeper stop at Bristol had been omitted.

That would mean it could take the Berks and Hants route and would have a very leisurely journey.

Over 4 hrs from Paddington to Exeter ....

philbozz · Post by **philbozz** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 7:42 pm

Anythin on time'd do me!!!

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 7:45 pm

Nah it doesn't operate via Bristol. Leaves Paddington at 2350, calls at Reading 0035, and next stop after that isn't until Taunton at 0330.

doownyl · Post by **doownyl** » Fri Jun 20, 2003 9:34 pm

I believe it's actually routed via Westbury (east avoider), Trowbridge and Temple Meads, with a crewing stop at Temple Meads.

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Which UK train journey/s would you most like to make?

Which UK train journey/s would you most like to make?

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