Well, here I am back home after my epic and thoroughly enjoyable round Britain rail trip for Whizz-Kidz. For those of you who wish to know, the all inclusive mileage (inc ferry, buses etc) is 2,649. Just the rail travel total mileage weighs in at 2,602. Not bad eh?
Considering this huge figure you may like to know that I didn’t encounter a single delay and all my planned connections were met. Well done to all the rail companies. (except the London Underground)!

On my travels I met with some great people, some donated some didn’t. Altogether they all made it worthwhile. I didn’t carry my collection box in view of the other train passengers, a) because rail operators and passengers take a seriously dim view to this kind of practise and b) well it just ain’t my style! I carried the money box in my bag in case people asked me and wished to donate, then they could see their money go into the official, sealed collection box rather than my pocket.

The start of my trip on Thursday 4th June was at a reasonably leisurely pace. The Northampton Evening Telegraph turned up at the station at Wellingborough to see me off and a picture for the paper only to be told no way josé – not on my station. So we took the photo outside by the entrance. Got on the 1032 to St Pancras. Over to Kings Cross and boarded the 1200 for Inverness. Arrived on time at 2008. Stayed the night with John Day, we were on the railway together for a spell in my Healey Mills days.

On Friday 5th June I went up, at an equally leisurely pace to my first compass point of Thurso on board the 1038 from Inverness.
I enjoyed the rugged beauty of this run with varying weather patterns and animal youngsters frolicking about all over the place.

Arrived at 1424, it was raining heavily. Visited ‘The Comm’ for a quick Deuchars IPA then got wet again from the other side making my way back to the station for the 1629 arriving back at Inverness at 2010.
On Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th were rest days – the calm before the storm as it would be flat out from now on.

On Monday 8th I was on the 0900 Inverness – Kyle of Lochalsh on a lovely sunny day. I can’t begin to express just how picturesque this wonderful 82 miles of track is. All old fashioned ‘clickety clack’ 60ft rail, though with ultra modern radio signalling. Arrived Kyle on time, though missed a bus by 5 mins. Had to wait 55 mins more for the next one. Taxis quoted me £30 for the 25 mile trip to Armadale ferry point. I waited for the next bus and paid the man the princely sum of £3.95! Repsons bus got to the terminal well before the departure time of 1425 so I bought my £3.65 ferry ticket and had a nice cup of tea.

A very pleasant, fuss free crossing arriving Mallaig at 1455. Just time for a quick Guinness and a sandwich before the 1605 to Glasgow. Just 15 mins later the train arrived at Arisaig – the most westerly station and the guard let me bail out for a swift photo.

 If you thought the ‘wee’ mountains were big on any of the other routes, then set your faces on stun for the monsters on this wonderful line. They make you feel so small that you feel they could reach down with a rocky finger and squash you like an ant!
The views all along this route are truly breathtaking! Then along the banks of the Clyde and back into startling urban reality and Glasgow Queen St station at 2129. I had 2 hours 10 mins to kill here, so I made my way over to Central station and on the way, called into Yates wine lodge for a swift couple of liveners before the sleeper train to London. There was a beer by Wells there made especially for Yates 125th anniversary, priced at £1.25!!! Result. Good Haddock and chips just outside the station and checked in on the sleeper train. I thank the Scotrail staff at Inverness for securing me this sleeper berth booking and knocking the price down to £21.40 – 33% off!
A very comfortable journey through the night to Euston, arriving there at 0635 – 11 mins early on Tuesday morning.
A quick dash on the tube, and £4 to Paddington from Euston Square, well in time for my 0730 departure to Penzance. No problems here either and, arriving at my most southerly point at 1315 it was time for another photo.

Then I nipped into town for a couple of Cornish pasties before my train left Penzance at 1400 back to Paddington. Yep, a 45 minute visit to Penzance!
Just approaching Taunton the guard kindly informed us all that the tubes would be on strike when we got into London. This, of course turned out to be true and just about then I received help from a very unexpected source. John Day, my mate from Inverness rang to ask if I was OK and how was I going to get to Liverpool Street from Paddington? I replied that my knowledge of buses and routes in London were zero, so he kindly told me to catch the number 23 on Praed St just outside Paddington which takes you directly to Liverpool St. I paid the driver £2 and had the scenic trip passing Trafalger Sq, Piccadilly Circus, St Pauls and others. Bonus time again as I had time for a quick pint and found a lovely pub right next to the station called the old summatorother?? Forgot the name, and Timothy Taylors was here! Spot on!
2100 out of Liverpool Street and on time at 2345 at my last and most easterly point, Lowestoft.
I had been told that I should go along to the bed and breakfast and just knock on the door and the night porter would see to me.
Four or five attempts at knocking and two unanswered phone calls seemed to me that there was no bed for the night here for me.
I wandered round for a bit and asked a police woman if I could just hang around till morning in the cop shop. She informed me that the station was closed but there is an all night ASDA over the way and I might try them.
I did this and the night supervisor there welcomed me and allowed me to sit in the closed for the night café. He even brought me a large cup of tea. I whiled away the hours reading my papers, writing a few letters and doing crosswords till daylight came and I thanked the staff at ASDA for their kindness and made my way to the railway station for the 0536 to Norwich.

I must say that I’m just starting to get tired and weary now. Anyway, arrival at Norwich and change trains. 0633 out to Ely and another change of train. 0815 to Leicester arriving at 0947. Just a short connection here for a train for Wellingborough, right? . . . . . WRONG!!!
0953 Direct to St Pancras.
0957 Market Harborough and St Pancras.
1025 Direct to St Pancras.
1033 Market Harborough, Kettering, WELLINGBOROUGH!
At last a train to Wellingborough!
Arrived on time at 1104 – mission accomplished.

A very special thanks to First Great Western for allowing me two standard return free rail tickets which I will be including in a forthcoming raffle. Also,

Café Bangla - finest Indian cuisine, Rushden for a free gourmet meal for two.

Thanks to Rushden Historical Transport Society www.rhts.co.uk for letting me have a space on the notice board for my cause and very grateful thanks to all who have donated. Good luck Guys for the resumption of train services after an absence of 50 years!

There is still plenty of time if you’d like to help me raise funds for Whizz-Kidz.
You can find a direct link from this website, or the safe and secure justgiving page which was setup for me by Kay at Whizzkidz. It’s ever so easy and for every £10, HM government give them 2.80p. Just visit www.justgiving.com/aroundbritainrailride

The raffle was drawn 9th July. Details and final fundraising figures to appear here in a very short while.

 

Page updated 10/07/09