General Chat

John the OE is £400 each for a day trip across Uk country side,,,,,fab.

We both LOVE trains!!

I took the train from Manchester to London several times back in steam train days.


Longer trips include ...............

To Kitzbuhel in Austria Christmas 1957/58, and return

A school trip in summer 1958 from Manchester to Lake Bled in Yugoslavia and then on to Ljubljana and other destinations in the same country. I remember being held up in Munich on that trip ....... the train we were to catch was held up in Hungary because of the Russian Invasion

From Manchester to Mallaig in 1959, then on the ferry to Raasay, and return to Manchester same way


Bloemfontein to Capetown overnight in 1975

Across Canada from Vancouver to Moncton, New Brunswick in 1972

Frankfurt to Berlin, then East Berlin to Leipzig and return in 1985. Followed by West Berlin to Dover and London

The Rocky Mountaineer between Christmas and New Year 2003

Through Europe from Frankfurt to Salzburg to Vienna, to Frankfurt to catch a plane to Manchester, in 2005.

Perth to Adelaide on The Indian Pacific, then Adelaide to Darwin on The Ghan in 2006


and now ..............

........ 8 trips since 2004 across Canada, from Vancouver to Halifax or Halifax to Vancouver.

Trips 9 and 10 will be over Christmas time.


The Canadian trip now take 6 days and 5 nights ............... with at least 4 star meals.



I thought the Rocky Mountaineer was way overpriced when we did it ... we paid a reduced rate, and I thought that was about right!

They have just indulged in union bashing ......... their employees were walking the line for over 12 months. Most tourists just crossed the line. The owner has close relations with the government, and was allowed to hire scab labour. The workers settled just last month, having gained nothing. In fact, most of them are now earning less money than they did before. Most locals will not take that trip

Unfortunately, it is the only train that takes the southern route from Vancouver to Banff and Calgary, and also only travels in the day time ........... you spend one night in a hotel in Kamloops. Thus it is very attractive to tourists.


The Canadian VIA Rail train takes the northern route from Vancouver to Jasper and then Edmonton, but travels through the night as it really is a service train.

It still uses the stainless steel cars first built in the 1950s ................... so it really is like going back in time!

......... and the food is really superb! We spent New Year on the train 2 years ago (and will be doing the same thing this year) .............. the meal on New Year's Eve was equal to anything you would get in a 5 star restaurant. And, it is all cooked to order in a little tiny galley kitchen!




always happy to ride a train!!




sylvia

Kay :-P :-P :-P I have never been on the OE - hard to believe, I know. But I have stood on the edge of Lancaster station, probably with little Allan, and had steam blow right up my first pair of long trousers. We were on our way to Lakeside station, followed by that lovely boat ride up Lake Windermere. Aaahh! Really in my anecdotage :-D It was so peaceful then, before that horrible Kaiser started his nonsense ;-)

thank goodness you aint got a teeshirt for train hopping John and someone has done somat you aint,,,,,,,, ;-) ;-)

What a lovely thread. I am quite sure I have done more and seen more than anyone else who has contributed to Rose's OE treat (joking, I assure you).

So many have been on lines or trips I would dearly have liked to have done. Allan in particular makes me so jealous. Yesterday he was telling us all about fresh prawns in WA, and salmon in Tasmania. Now it is fantastic train rides at bargain basement prices all across Australia

I am just so jealous, Allan :-P :-P :-P ;-) :-D :-D

Well if I ever find a job...or alternatively win the lottery :-D

Cat, I'll meet you at platform '9 and 3 quarters' lol Oh I'd love to go on the Hogwart's Express! :-D

Thanks to all for your interesting replies, who remembers the machine on the station where you used to be able to punch your name on a little strip of metal to put on your luggage? I thought that was magic when I was little <3

Rose, I'd say that Thomas et al were teacher's pets and Diesel was definitely misunderstood ;-)

The Hogwart's Express is one I would love to travel on :-D

In general I do like train journeys so long as I get a seat. I don't drive so rely on public transport but do enjoy longer train journeys were I get to read/listen to music or just zone out.

A number of years ago I travelled by train through Europe to Berlin (when the wall was in existence). It entailed travelling through many different countries including the eastern bloc and was absolutely fascinating. I have travelled through most of Europe by train and have always thoroughly enjoyed it because of the opportunity to experience so many conflicting vistas and cultures.

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

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.

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 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

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

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

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,,,,, , :-(

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.

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

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 :-(

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 :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)