General Chat

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 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 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 :)

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 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

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.

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.

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

(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