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Day 2 : Monday 27 August 2001

I wake a few times during the night. At one point, we're going quite slowly, at another faster than I expected. 06:15 and we're stopped at Carlisle. There's early morning mist in the valleys but the sun shines brightly for a while until it's hidden by clouds. We run slowly for a few miles up to Beattock summit. A heron watches us from the middle of a small stream. Even the lorries on the A74 are passing us. Once over the summit, we accelerate and start overtaking the lorries again. The sun is shining brightly above the clouds as I drink my morning tea. Further down toward Carstairs, there's bright sunlight in the valleys and on the lower hills, while the higher hills are crowned with clouds.

There's a lot of low-lying mist in the flat valley bottom just south of Carstairs. The sun glaring off it makes the buildings on the low hills look like they're next to a white sea. 90030 "Crewe Locomotive Works" waits for the Edinburgh portion. With our 16-coach train, we have to stand with the loco on the avoiding line to leave enough room for 90030 to couple on the rear. We arrive at Motherwell at 07:45. A couple of people get off. There are a number of people waiting, presumably for a local train. We pass a number of 334's stabled opposite Polmadie. South of the bridge across the Clyde, we wait for an 156 on an East Kilbride service before we arrive in platform 11 at 08:04. Old and new buildings overlooking the river catch the sun as we cross the bridge.

47726 "Manchester Airport / Progress" follows us in to hook on to the rear of the sleepers. 156's, 314's and 303's come and go. 43084 and 43062 make a smoky exit with the 08:20 to Bournemouth. 86242 "John Kennedy G.C." is at the head of the 08:40 to Penzance. Freshly painted 86258 "Talyllyn" has brought in the stock. Glasgow Central station is impressive - no scaffolding, clean and airy. Just the opposite of Euston and New Street.

The sun is shining brightly as we depart, at the same time as 314206. It shines on the suburbs, spread out along the Clyde valley. We're signalled through the platform lines at Carstairs. The station is deserted, a far cry from the days when Edinburgh and Glasgow trains divided here. The sun has burned off the mist, although clouds still cling to the tops of the higher hills ahead. The wide valley gives way to bare rounded hills. Then we're climbing, curving continuously, one way or the other. The ascent is more rapid than my descent two hours earlier. As we climb higher, the hills are covered with plantations. Now we are overtaking the cars on the A74. We whiz through Lockerbie with its red stone station buildings and impressive town hall. Some of the curves south of Lockerbie seem quite sharp, especially as we fly round them in the last carriage!

As we approach the Solway Firth, we are still in bright sunshine, but I can see cloud over the hills of the northern Lake District. As we approach Carlisle, we pass two 66-hauled freights - the first trains for a while. At least eight 20's, 4 37's and a couple of tatty 33's are on the DRS shed at Kingmoor. 31459 "Cerberus" and 31601 "Bletchley Park/Station X" are in Carlisle station - on a Green Express train, presumably to Edinburgh via the Settle and Carlisle. We come to a stand under the impressive main roof of Citadel station, where we have a few minutes to wait before our 08:59 departure.

We wend our way through the gently rolling country between the northern Lake District and the northern Pennines. There is a gap between the clouds here and the sun shines brightly on green fields. The sun is still shining when we arrive at Penrith with its ruined castle. The station is brightly painted - red and grey ironwork and flowers go well with the pale red stone of the station buildings. There's low cloud to the east over the Eden valley, the tops of the hills again obscured by clouds. A gang is working on pointwork at the entrance to the quarry at Shap. Heading down from the summit, there are spectacular views across the valley toward the Lune Gorge. Like the descent from Beattock, we have to brake to negotiate the curves. We wind through the scenic Lune Gorge. The must be one of my favourite stretches. Pity about the M6 though!

The announcement for Oxenholme is "Change here for Kendal and Windermere", but you'll have to wait, as 175104 was leaving as we arrived. Flatter country now. D9000 is visible at Carnforth. The tide is out as we get a brief glimpse of the west coast at Hest Bank, and the southern edge of the Lake District across Morecombe Bay. Across the Lune and past old warehouses and we come to a stand at Lancaster. The ironwork here is painted beige to match the stonework of the castellated station building. There are quite a few people waiting for a northbound train. It's quite a slow start from Lancaster. There are lines of new rail ready on the down line. I spot a couple of narrowboats on the canal a few miles south. An old mill with a tall chimney, a slender church spire and we come to a stand just outside Preston. After a minute or so, we head on. Voyager 220017 is stabled just outside the station. 86242 comes off and is replaced by 47747 "Graham Farish", paintwork gleaming. The sun is shining brightly - it's hot now.

11:49 and 86207 "City of Lichfield" arrives on the 11:55 to Bournemouth. There are lot of people waiting on the platform. Even Club class is almost full. After Preston, we finally leave the hills to the east behind and head out onto the Chesire plain. Lots of people waiting at Wigan too. Then past the hulks at the CRC. Round the curve at Golbourne Junction and then industry and housing herald the approach of Warrington. We pass a 66 on MGR's north of the station, 66241 stabled in the bay at the south end of the station and then a number of 66's, 60's and 37's stabled to the east. 60049 is waiting to leave the yard southbound with blue (ARC?) hoppers. A power station and the bridge at Runcorn as visible to the southwest as we cross the bridges here. The Chester line leaves to the east and crosses over, heading toward the impressive water tower near Runcorn East.

We start to overhaul a car-carrying train as we near Crewe. However, we're slowed for the junctions north of the station, and it disappears into the underpass for the avoiding lines. The station is quiet. A pair of 90's and lines of derelict locos are visible outside the diesel depot. There's a Freightliner 47 in the old carriage sidings and a pair of 86's at the south end of Basford Hall yard. South of Crewe, we wind through gently rolling countryside. Norton Bridge Junction, the M6, the castle, then Stafford. It's quiet too. Stafford has another ugly '60's concrete and brick station. 47798 "Prince William" comes through platform 4 on the car carriers - presumably those that I saw at Crewe - and heads in the Birmingham direction.

First North Western's 13:17 is announced as 11 late off Crewe. I hope it doesn't hold us up. It arrives at 13:25 - it's 175009. As expected, 47747 arrives on the 13:22 to Penzance. We leave on time but come to a stand before the junction for Wolverhampton. After a few minutes, we set off. A narrowboat is negotiating the flight as we pass over the canal at Wolverhampton. There are a few fishermen on the banks of the Wyreley & Essington Canal as we leave Wolverhampton. We cross the BCN main line at Rushills stop lock. No boats in sight. Industry and ex-industry abounds. We cross the BCN main line again and then pass the junction of the Wolverhampton and Birmingham levels.

We're meant to leave Birmingham at 14:07, but it's 14:18 before we get moving. We take the Camp Hill route out of New Street, swinging sharply right over a canal and joining the Midland lines. A 47-headed VT rake crosses us as we come onto the straight. We cross over the line from Snow Hill to Banbury and the canal and head past back gardens. The university clock tower is visible - the line that we're heading for runs that way. We join it shortly at Kings Norton. Soon after Barnt Green, the brakes come on for the Lickey incline.

A few miles after Bromsgrove, we come close to the Birmingham and Worcester canal. On the hillside overlooking both canal and railway is a half-timbered row of houses, next to an old stone church. A very pleasant setting! A little further on, the Malvern Hills are visible, the Servern runs just this side of them. We also pass a radio telescope pointing skyward. A number of boats are moored as we cross the Avon.

After Gloucester, the line to Swindon branches off. Not long afterward a monument is visible on the hillside to the east (north of Wickwar). After Yate, we slow as we leave the Midland line to Bristol and Bath and curve left and right to join the GW line. A single rusty track leads south on the old track bed. Bristol Parkway brings the new Royal Mail depot and the PW yard. The station is an inviting place though. After Bristol Parkway, we curve sharp left and head down through the Bristol suburbs. A few 47's and 67's at Barton Hill and to the arched train shed at Temple Meads. The Avon suspension bridge is visible as we depart Bristol. The train is emptier now.

Across the Somerset levels, through Cogload Junction and to Taunton, past the folorn freight depot water tower. The island platform has been refurbished and is now in use. The landscape gets more hilly after Taunton - there's a fair climb to Whiteball summit. Another tall monument is visible to the east. We outpace the traffic on the M5 past Taunton Parkway. Approaching Exeter there is embankment work in the fields - the only evidence of last years' floods.

The 17:05 is shown as 9 late and the W&W 17:10 to Paignton as on time. The W&W train arrives from Central and departs first. The 17:05 arrives at 17:14, with 47816 "Bristol Bath Road" on the front. I think that I prefer the VT MkII refurbs - at least the seats line up with the windows! A comorant or shag watches us as we cross the River Exe. Lots of people enjoying the sunshine and taking a walk alongside the estuary. A couple of yachts are sailing in - there's not much wind though. The tide is part way out, so there are lots of waterfowl in evidence. We slow down to a crawl before Dawlish Warren - presumably we've caught up the Paignton train. We have, but it's held in the platform loop for us to pass.

The view is magnificent, blue sea, blue sky (hardly a cloud in sight). There a lots of people on the beaches still, and a few boats on the water. We startle 4 or 5 herons on the Teign estuary. With the glorious weather over the weekend, the trains are packed. The guard says that the trains heading east are full before they arrive at Plymouth! There are quite a few people waiting to head east at Newton Abbot. We leave the Paignton line and start to climb. Speed falls as we twist and turn. I can see the exhaust smoke in the air even 6 carriages back. Then over the top and immediately braking down the other side. Past the South Devon Railway and Totnes station and then climbing again. Through the tunnel and down the other side. Further on, over lofty viaducts across lush wooded valleys. Freshly painted in EWS livery - 08499 stands in a yard along with another in mucky EWS livery. Lots of carriages and a few power cars at Laira. The guard announces the W&W connection to Penzance at 18:30 and reels off a litany of Cornish names.

47816 runs round ready to head back. The 18:30 is 158869. 47816 departs at 18:38. It's then quite quiet apart from seagulls until 43179 "Pride of Laira" arrives with the 18:51 to Penzance. Leaving the station, we pass the remains of the viaduct to the dockyards. Then there's a section of jointed track - it's a long time since I've heard the clackety-clack noise. There are a few ships at the dockyard. Over the line to Plympton, the Royal Albert Bridge and into Cornwall. Again, a couple of yachts make their way up river. From back in coach G, I can see the sun glinting off the lead power car as we twist through the cornish landscape.

We are brought to a stand at Liskeard's home signal. The branch line to Looe winds below as we cross the viaduct. There's a grey squirrel shaking the branches of a tree overlooking Bodmin Parkway. The sea is visible again briefly after Par. Truro with its impressive cathedral. The Atlantic visible from Redruth and again at Hayle. St. Michael's Mount is lit up. We wait here for an outbound service before continuing to Penzance. 43037 is on the rear of the train from Plymouth. 47830 has charge of the sleepers. The steward has a strong scots accent.

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Day 3 (Tuesday)

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Introduction Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Timetable Mileages

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Text and photographs Copyright J.D.Coleman 2001.

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