Tuesday 17th December 2019
To all those reading this to whom I should have sent a Christmas card, either, it’s apologies, or it’s in the post! Being prepared for the celebrations of this time of year has never been a strong point. I’ve no excuse, I am retired and thus savouring a “blank canvass” life style where I get up whenever I feel like it, and see what the day has in store.
Two or three weeks ago, I learned that a farewell to the High Speed Train was planned over a four day period, the week before Christmas. Normally, I would be content merely to read about it in the railway press; I have travelled over all of the route sometime in my life, and if I really wanted to, could do likewise, using my rail pass. Two things attract me to this journey, 1) it is in aid of a worthy charity, C.A.L.M., and 2) and this is the real reason, the entire train is being repainted in the colours it received when it first went into service in the mid 1970s. This must be a very expensive exercise and whether or not an extravagant waste of money, it makes this four day trip extraordinarily special. As soon as I received the booking details, I contacted U.K. Railtours who were running the trip presumably at the behest of L.N.E.R., the Train Operating Company for the East Coast Main Line. In less than a day, seats available were in single figures, First Class only available from Edinburgh to Inverness. I booked the last Standard Class seat between Leeds and Kings Cross. Eventually, somebody’s spectacular cancellation freed up First Class accommodation for all four trips and I was on the phone immediately.
Indeed, as far as I can make out, this journey covers the entire L.N.E.R. network, as well as the Scotrail section between Aberdeen and Inverness, where the information states that HSTs have never ventured. From Inverness, just after midday, the train continues south back to Edinburgh over the Highland Main Line. I was there, I think in 2013, steam hauled. That was a journey steam hauled throughout from London with overnight stops in Stirling and Edinburgh.
I started my journey on 17th December taking the 12.02hrs from Buxton to Piccadilly, where an almost 90 minute connection allowed for a leisurely and unhealthy lunch at Carluccio’s, Manchester Piccadilly, a regular haunt during the latter days of my employment with Northern Rail. At that time, a generous discount for rail staff was too good an opportunity to pass by. It was always the first place people would look for me if I wasn’t where I was supposed to be…!
The short period between my retirement and today has seen enormous changes both on the railway and in Manchester’s evolving landscape. Only the miserable December weather and the occasional familiar building gives a clue to where actually I am. Unfamiliar high rises dominate the sky-line, some with cranes high up indicating they are not yet complete. In some ways, it’s very good that Manchester is up there with the other large cities, not only in the U.K. but world wide. Sadly, much of the character is lost, but in reality, would the character of a city unaltered from the mid 20th century be attractive anyway?
My next train was a Trans Pennine service through to Edinburgh. A nice window seat with ample legroom negated any excuse for upgrading to First Class. A three car Class 185 formed the service which, thankfully, was not overcrowded. However, things started to deteriorate somewhere around Penrith, no Driver was available to work the train forward from Carlisle. The next available direct service to Edinburgh was what turned out to be an 18 minutes late Avanti West Coast 5 car Voyager. This had to accommodate passengers from my train, and an L.N.E.R. service, as well as those already on board. Horses on the line and a delayed freightliner train (hauled by 88003 “Genesis”) added to the delay. First Class beckoned and I await the Conductor, credit card at the ready! The train is packed, understandably.
Despite a few frustrations, I have enjoyed my train ride, particularly over the sections I once would work trains. The line is newly electrified from Manchester through to Preston and Blackpool North, as well as, already, to the north. Another vast improvement since retirement!
My usual mid-afternoon fatigue did not materialise, and probably, I will sleep well tonight. Being winter, it is dark early and there is thus very little to see from the train. Nevertheless it is good to remind myself of the joy’s (and irritations) of rail travel and I have no misgivings about crossing the U.S.A. on Amtrak in August. Although already booked and paid for, there is disquieting speculation about the immediate future of long distance services on United States railways. This brings to mind my trip over there in 1971 when Amtrak had just been established. My booked round trip between Chicago and New Orleans had to be truncated to a one way trip, and a terrifying flight back from Louisiana to Chicago’s O’hare airport. However, the spectacular sight of a night time Chicago from above made up for any disappointment and the alarm of very bouncy turbulence.
I imagine we must be in Scotland now. A newly liveried Pendolino trundled into Platform 1 at Carlisle while I was waiting. I prefer this to the garish red of Virgin although I did feel Branson brought a lot of fun and imagination during his 22 years in the railway industry. I shall miss that. There were a lot of irritations as well; gimmicky, and far too many on-train announcements come to mind. But three trains an hour, instead of just one, between London and Manchester, that remains impressive.
We shall soon be at Edinburgh Waverley and hopefully, my accommodation at the Ballantrae is not too far off.
(Above) Carlisle, a glimpse of Avanti’s new livery, as well as a Class 156 in very vintage First Group colours.
Thanks for reading,
David.
David's Cruise 