Great British Railway tour

[milkman matt]

As a few of you know, back in Jan 2017, This little black duck had a heart attack. Not the "Clutches chest and falls to the ground" sort but more the "Gee my chest hurts, maybe I'll get that looked at." type. 

 

Two things came of this.

 

1) if you have chest pain, don't wait a day and a half before getting it looked at. (DO IT NOW). 

 

2) Trauma insurance is a very good idea.

 

Thanks to point 2 I am now booked to spend 4 weeks travelling the UK by rail in June. The plan is to fly into Lille in France (ok Paris and then train to Lille) and spend a couple of nights there before travelling to London via the Channel tunnel. We will spend a night at St Pancras hotel before heading to York for three nights at the Principal Hotel. After that, it's three nights in Edinburgh before we then head to Carlisle for two nights. Next up, it's Chester (2 Nights), Bath (5 Nights), Brighton (3 nights) and Paddington (3 Nights).

 

The main idea of the trip is to cross a number of things off my bucket list. These are, Channel Tunnel, Take my wife to the Shambles and NRM, Visit Alnwick poison Gardens, see the Forth and Tay bridges, Travel the Settle and Carlisle line, see Bath, see Stonehenge and the white horse, See the Brighton Aquarium and stay at the GWR (Hilton) hotel in Paddington. 

 

Apart from these "Must do" items, I was wondering if anyone has any other suggestions of things to see and do in these places. Of course, any model/hobby shop suggestions would be accepted too.

 

Looking forward to your suggestions.

 

[Redkiterail]

Take a bus from Brighton to the bluebell railway if running. Route 270 will you get to horstead keynes, Scarbrough not far from york to have a day visit also the DVLR is a bus ride away from York. Edinburgh  castle and palace of hoyrood is worth a visit both old and new towns in Edinburgh are worth a walk around. during your bath visit if you are up to a day trip to Dawlish or Netwton Abbot. ROyal crescent and the roman baths are worth a look.

[Nearholmer]

While in Brighton: the Pavilion, bus up to Devil’s Dyke, and the Volks Electric Railway. You can do these justice in two half days, so still time to go to the bluebell.

[Kris]

Salisbury is easy to spend a few hours in, and if you take the train there from Bath you will go through Westbury. There is a white horse 2-3 miles from the station. The view from the top above the horse is rather nice. 

 

You could head to Minehead via the West Somerset Railway. 

[009 micro modeller]

The city walls are a nice walk in York and get you round to see plenty of the city, and of course pass conveniently close to Monk Bar model shop en route . I have a feeling the DVLR is only open on summer Sundays which could present problems depending on what days of the week you are in York. Along the river near the Millennium Bridge (Fulford Ings) there is a nice obscure bit of railway history - the remains of the 18” gauge Imphal Barracks line. The Shambles are also very nice.

Edited January 8, 2019 by 009 micro modeller

[milkman matt]

Salisbury is easy to spend a few hours in, and if you take the train there from Bath you will go through Westbury. There is a white horse 2-3 miles from the station. The view from the top above the horse is rather nice. 

 

You could head to Minehead via the West Somerset Railway. 

Thanks for that. We will be hiring a car in Bath for the duration so will be driving to the White horse and Stonehenge. Will also be touring a fair bit over the week so the WSR could be on the cards.

[milkman matt]

The city walls are a nice walk in York and get you round to see plenty of the city, and of course pass conveniently close to Monk Bar model shop en route . I have a feeling the DVLR is only open on summer Sundays which could present problems depending on what days of the week you are in York. Along the river near the Millennium Bridge (Fulford Ings) there is a nice obscure bit of railway history - the remains of the 18” gauge Imphal Barracks line. The Shambles are also very nice.

We arrive in York on Thurs 6/6 and leave on Sun 9/6. So I think the DVLR may be a miss. Will see if I can get to the Monk Bar model shop and check out the Imphal Barracks line. I like finding obscure bits of railway history. On my first trip to the UK (1986) I was lucky enough to visit Wylam and found out about George Stephenson's birthplace just down the road. This was in a time before the internet so it was quite fortuitous that my Brother's sister-in-law was living there.

[45156]

Don't forget C&M Models in Carlisle, run by our own 87029,

 

https://candmmodels.co.uk/

 

It's just off the city centre, and is upstairs. 

[LNER4479]

Whilst in Carlisle, C&M Models is 3 mins walk from railway station. (edit - beaten to it whilst I was typing!)

 

On your S&C day, you could make it a round trip by getting off at Hellifield (allow time for tea room, admiring beautifully restored station canopy and observe operational semaphore signalling) then travel to Lancaster (scenic run) before returning over the Shap route (noting that you'll be doing Shap on the day after anyway). As a further variation, alight at Carnforth for the Brief Encounter tea rooms. Carnforth to Lancaster is a more frequent service so shouldn't get too stranded - and there is a model shop on Carnforth station. Finally, you could always investigate doing Carnforth to Carlisle via the coastal route as an alternative to Shap?

Edited January 9, 2019 by LNER4479

[Zomboid]

If you want to *see* the Forth bridge, then taking the train across it is not a great way to do so. Flying in/out of Edinburgh airport is a good way to understand the scale of it, but that's probably a stretch... Maybe get a bus across the road bridge to North Queensferry? I've never tried that so no guarantees.

 

I don't know if a day trip from Chester to the Ffestioniog railway is workable (or even better, to Bangor, bus to Caernarfon then the WHR/ FR trip back to Blaenau and then back to Chester), but I'd certainly look at whether it's possible.

[45156]

 

On your S&C day, you could make it a round trip by getting off at Hellifield (allow time for tea room, admiring beautifully restored station canopy and observe operational semaphore signalling) then travel to Lancaster (scenic run)

I agree, but beware as the service from Hellifield to Lancaster is very infrequent indeed, and the coastal run to Carlisle takes over three and a half hours and often needs a change at Barrow.  If changing at Lancaster and there's time to spare, there is a pretty good pub to while away the time, the Merchant's Arms, which is about 300 yards from the station.

[96701]

I wondered how long it would be before somebody mentioned a pub. Speaking of which, York Tap is a handy place to wait for a train. If in Edinburgh, I can recommend Glasgow - plenty to see there even if it is from a tour bus.

[phil_sutters]

Thanks for that. We will be hiring a car in Bath for the duration so will be driving to the White horse and Stonehenge. Will also be touring a fair bit over the week so the WSR could be on the cards.

While out and about in Somerset don't forget Wells with its beautiful Cathedral, Bishop's Palace and Vicars' Close. Please bow to no.15, where we lived when I was about seven and my Reverend father was chaplain to the theological college that was there then. Wells had two stations then, but none now. That's the only reason railway-mad Dad retired to Oxford not Wells.

Edited January 9, 2019 by phil_sutters

[009 micro modeller]

We arrive in York on Thurs 6/6 and leave on Sun 9/6. So I think the DVLR may be a miss. Will see if I can get to the Monk Bar model shop and check out the Imphal Barracks line. I like finding obscure bits of railway history. On my first trip to the UK (1986) I was lucky enough to visit Wylam and found out about George Stephenson's birthplace just down the road. This was in a time before the internet so it was quite fortuitous that my Brother's sister-in-law was living there.

http://www.dvlr.org.uk/dvlr%20time%20tables.html

 

It does look as though I was right about their opening times although they’re open on bank holidays as well. I’m still hoping to visit later this year if I’m free on a day they’re open. You may be able to see some of the line from the adjacent roads but probably not worth visiting just for that.

[caradoc]

Personally I would recommend taking the train from Edinburgh to Dundee (preferably on an LNER or Scotrail HST), while you won't necessarily see the Forth and Tay bridges in all their majesty the view from them (especially the Forth Bridge, now with two adjacent road bridges) is wonderful. Then train Dundee-Glasgow Queen St (hopefully another Scotrail HST) and the short trip back to Edinburgh, with an incredible choice of routes; 4 electric trains an hour via Falkirk, 4 electric trains an hour via Bathgate, or if you fancy, the 10 minute walk across to Glasgow Central to view that magnificent station, then Scotrail or Cross Country from there to Edinburgh.

 

Whatever you decide to do, have a great time !

[phil_sutters]

While in the Brighton/Sussex area and if you like a mix of industrial items Amberley Museum is one we have returned to several times. They have a good website so that you can see the mix of different technologies on display.

You can see some of my snaps at http://www.ipernity.com/doc/philsutters/album/504335

Edited January 9, 2019 by phil_sutters

[milkman matt]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks. I should probably have mentioned in the OP that we will be hiring a car in Edinburgh and Bath. 

 

In Edinburgh, the intention is to drive to Alnwick Gardens on day and the Forth and Tay on the other. Of course, the may be some exploring between those destinations. 

In Bath, we will be driving to Stonehenge and the white horse as well as possibly re visiting Swindon (we were there in 2012) among other little explorations. 

 

Settle and Carlisle will be part of the trip from Carlisle to Chester. I know it's a bit of a roundabout way to get there but the Passes I have (pictured in the op) allow unlimited travel on British railways for 8 days in a month so I planned it as one of those trips plus it seems a good way to see a bit of the country.