General Chat

(non-contentious thread of the day ) ;-)

I love train journeys ( I don't drive) and always rather fancy the Orient Express ( when I win the lottery that is) , but even the little journeys are fun, being able to look out at the countryside or 'alternative view' of cities as you go through.

Have you been on a long train journey that you enjoyed or small trips out that gave you a chance to see aspects of the countryside you might not otherwise see?

I like the view of the Llangollen aqueduct on the route to Chester, as far as I know you can't get that view from a road. Ditto a long time ago when I went from Cornwall to London and the train went right by the sea.

Are you old enough to remember the steam trains?

Or have you never been on a train :-0

How frightening it was to stand on a footbridge when those steam trains went underneath. And stand on shaking platforms when trains approached the station.

One of my memories is siting on a window sill and watching trains whooshing past at night. The glowing of the coals, the noise :-D

If this gets as many hits as your bread bins, and we donate 10p a hit - you will get your dream of going on the Orient Express :-D :-D

When I was little my friend had the train track at the bottom of her garden, I loved watching them there. And back then they were steam trains, and with individual compartments I remember the trip to Barmouth on holiday, where the train ran by the estuary ( before Beeching got to it) and the sheep running when the whistle blew lol happy days.

Hi RR

As a youngsterI remember going from Manchester to Lancaster on the steam train to visit an Aunt who was in Lancaster Moor Hospital. I loved the smell and sounds of the station.

Just recently OH and myself went from Perth (WA) to Adelaide on the Indian Pacific, which was a two day journey. We now have the opportunity of going on the same train either to Sydney, or from Sydney to Perth, which is a three day trip, or on the Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin, also a three day journey. All these at a massive discount as we have a seniors card issued by the company operating the train service.

I used to work in London and went on a bus, two trains and two undergrounds each way every day so trains became just a way to get to work. We do not have any trains here so I seldom go on them these days

I still do have my train of thought...just

My husband is a train nut and helps run the Somerset and Dorset restoration project at Midsummer Norton.

A number of years ago he presuaded me to go to Canada and travel on the Rocky Mountainer with its glass top domed carriages. Best holiday ever.

Passing through amazing scenery in an armchair with allround vision and wonderful food. Can throughly recommend it

I LOVE - yes shouting, Rose :) - trains!! :)

And I have travelled at the front of the steam train, with the driver and fireman, of the Dart Valley Railway :)

We used to have a railway line at the back of our garden :)

Read this fascinating article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/technology-obituaries/9587996/Bernard-Holden.html a railway man from a railway family :)

I just love trains and have very happy memories of them. Going way way back :-D we, as a family, often travelled from Dublin to Co Clare by steam train and the journey took us most of a day. Now, I can do the same journey in several hours, which is progress I suppose, but lacks the mystique and excitement and smell of those wonderful old trains. The highlight of the trip was being met by my Grandma at the station where we all piled in to her pony and trap, luggage and all!

Another memorable journey was on a train from Moscow to Leningrad, not much scenery to see as it was mostly at night, but great fun as every time we went out to the loo we were followed by a KGB man and escorted back to our compartment. This was also way back in the days before Perestroika.

Ohhh I feel a train journey coming on!

BC XX

I absolutely love steam engines and the smell of'em.
We also had a railway line at the bottom of our back garden and as children always waved to the folk who'd travelled from Newcastle and going to the coast.

Have travelled on the Bluebell line but my most memorable journey was on the Scotttish Western Highland railway,it was fabulous and the scenery magnificent. When we stepped down onto the platform there was a lone piper playing his bagpipes....fab :-D
I would like to go through the Rockies too, perhaps one day :-

Exciting journey on a Russian train BC could have met James,he would have looked after you again. :-D

Good thread Rose thanks
Mau XX

I have no feeling regarding trains, I neither like them or dislike them, BUT, I do like traveling on them. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

George :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

we often travel to york on a weekend by train
see the sites a bit of shopping

i really like train travel though think its getting far to exspensive :-(

Thankyou all for replies ( and the link Joy that was really interesting) ...now I know what I am going to do when I get rich lol, lots of train journeys! :-D :-D :-D

the OE was stationary on our local line once for pickup passenger break,,,,,,,oh the people were dressed all in 1920/1930s style glamorous and so stylish,,,fab,,,,,,OE would be my choice for rail journey,,,the little table lamps,waiters wore gloves and the decor from what I could see was wonderful.

AS YOU ALL KNOW I TRAVEL BY TRAIN ON MY OWN,BUT COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT HELP OF STAFF,I EVEN HOLD TRAINS UP WHILE THEY GET THE RAMP OUT SO I CAN GET ON,

ONLY DOWN BIT IS THE DISABLED CARRIAGE IS AWFULL ,UNCOMFORTABLE
A ND I WON'T MENTION THE TOILETS,,,,, , :-(

YES, Rose!!

I like train journeys because, as I drive most of the time, sitting in a train offers a chance to see the countryside and time to relax and think/daydream.
Since living here, I've taken the train from Cairo to Alexandria and back a few times (just under 3 hours each way on the express) and I experience total contrast as I go from dry dusty desert through the Nile delta where all the crops grow in lush green vegetation. A funny little bloke comes along with an ancient trolley selling glasses of tea from a big samovar - one day I'm sure I'll see Michael Palin as a fellow passenger!!

When I was little we lived outside Manchester and would get the train in from our village, or travel up to Edinburgh to visit grandma, and all the noise and the steam hissing from the engine used to frighten me terribly!! Other than that bit, I loved train journeys, the best bit was watching the cows and sheep running away!
Later, when I was older, I went every day to college by train, an hour each way, I loved it.

I've done some interesting journeys by train through Europe - tourist class, not in grand style, I haven't won the lottery yet! I'd love to have a trip on the Orient Express, which is on my Bucket List aswell as a trip on the Trans-Siberian Express which I'd like to take all the way to Vladivostok.
Oooh so many places to see, got to win that lottery :-)

Karen

For we Genealogists the train is massively important. The development of steam railways changed the face of Britain and the world.

Closer to our generation, yes i've had my face smutted by a steam train billowing under an iron bridge, seen the firemen throwing a few lumps of coal off as they passed the station house, remember the Beeching death warrant for local branch lines, but still thrill to the 300Km/Hr high speed train from Barcelona to Madrid.

The rails still thrill me. <3

i used to love the steam trains and still do
We, that is mum and dad and me used to go to (I think)
Kings Cross station and travel up to Sunderland .

and i still go to see the steam train when it comes from
Chester to Llandudno.
there is a crossing near where i live and a few people are always there to film it comming up /down the track.
Hazelx

BC you reminded me of a train journey that I took from Moscow to St.Petersburg.
We too traveled overnight but on lifting the blinds I could see some of the scenery as it didn't really get very dark.
Like you we were locked into a carriage and looked after by a lady who made us breakfast in the morning.
We were traveling with friends so a good time was had by all :-) :-) :-)
On arrival in St. Petersbug we heard music being played over the loudspeakers heralding the arrival of the train.

Another time I traveled to Valencia from London rather than fly. A not uneventful journey. When the ticket collector came round the man opposite me opened his jacket to get his ticket only to reveal a gun strapped to his body. :-0 :-0
At the next station a lady boarded with her chickens so a set of interesting traveling companions.
I was really pleased when we arrived at Valencia I can tell you.

As a child I regularly traveled on the 8.55am steam train from Paddington to Fishguard to visit my grandparents. It was always so exciting and sometimes we went by ourselves but were put in charge of the guard who looked after us.

Last year we went from San Francisco to San Jose on the Cal train. (Grandchildren thought it was called the Cow train :-) :-)
Not a very long journey but very interesting and exciting for the children aged 3,4 and 6 yrs old.
So in answer to your question Rose I love train journeys.
Take care
Von

I remember sitting in class and watching the steam trains let off steam which went up and became a cloud.

We travelled on the Desert Express from Swakopmund to Windhoek in Namibia and would not recommend anybody else do it unless a radical change has been made.

It is a luxurious train built in Namibia but run by a european company,Sodhexo,who were out to make the optimum profit.

We still laugh about being able to see through the slice of cheese. Cutbacks in running time meant that the train was stationary for most of the night when we were all trying to get to sleep on hard beds which were comfortable for the short time it was on the move.

Sodexho. French based catering company. Still run the café in the Scotlands People at Edinburgh. Still basic profit led business. I'll check out the cheese in November! :-0