Train or Coach

I recently had to head down to Dundee for a conference. The train fares were high (peak summer time) so I decided to look at coach tickets instead. So the final journey ended up being Megabus from Inverness to Perth, Citylink Coach from Perth to Dundee and back and then train from Perth to Inverness (National Express East Coast). Arriving at Inverness Bus Station I was looking forward to the journey as Megabus from Inverness uses new coaches that look pretty nice. My departure time was booked at 13.12 and since the coach is coming right from the bus depot, rather than other journey, you can be sure it will be on time...I thought. The tickets ask you to be there 30 minutes early for boarding. So at 13.00 there was no sign of the coach. At 13.10 it arrived. Ah well two minutes for us all to get on then. Only there was a problem. It sat there with the door closed. It seems we had the wrong driver. So when the right one arrived he got on and started checking tickets while the other driver helped us all load our luggage. So at 13.37 we left, very late. Before everyone thinks this is me being critical of Megabus let me explain. I understand Megabus to be a very reliable company, but in Inverness it is operated by Stagecoach Inverness a company that can't even get the first bus of the day out on time (0810 service to Dingwall - on time less than 50% of the times I've rode). On board my nice new coach was pretty good except the individual air vents were switched off. On a summers day with fellow passengers who perhaps are in need of a shower this was an issue. The journey was a long two hours.
Citylink was much better, for one thing the coach wasn't packed. So even if some of my fellow travellers had skipped the shower that morning I didn't notice. Plus the air was on, thank you Citylink. A pleasent journey to and from Dundee - and on time both ways.
Having enjoyed the conference it was time to head home and this was my train portion of the trip. Perth to Inverness first class on National Express. Well, you have to treat yourself after saving on every other bit of the trip! I was sitting at Perth thinking of dinner looking out over the Highland mountains. The Highland Chieftain is one of the few UK trains that still has an on board restaurant and the food is something else. The train was late, so I had lots of time to think of my dinner and to be honest I thought of very little else. Even after 30 years in service the HST still looks like a new train and I doubt there is anything more comfortable on the rails. I jamp on when it arrived and took a seat. Oh, it was a little hot. This reminded me of Megabus. The air conditioning was not working right. That is very unusual on the HST, its pretty reliable. Never mind dinner was about to be served. They always have the last serving just north of Perth from Monday to Friday. It was Saturday. Yes I had forgot that in my planning. Thoughts of a bowl of porridge and some toast were on my mind for the journey north.
Conclusions: avoid services run by Stagecoach Inverness. Citylink is pretty good if you are on a budget. Ask your Megabus driver (the one in the seat not the jolly yellow one painted on the side of the bus, to turn on the air), and check the day of the week before spending all conference thinking of your on board dinner.

Back from Glasgow

I had to travel down to Glasgow for a meeting last week and took the opportunity of being in that direction to take a detour to St Andrews to visit my brother. In all I was on six trains. All of them were Scotrail Turbostars (comfortable and spacious), clean and run to time. Plus I got to travel over the Highland Mainline in daylight in both directions. This far north it has only a few weeks ago been getting dark at half past three so now that it is bright till nearly 5 you can make something of your journeys! I never tire of that line. I think it is perhaps that it is one of the few railways where you can go for mile after mile and not see any sign of human habitation. Even most of the towns along the way are small and don't seem to impose too much on the surrounding scenery. I also love the hills. Some would call them mountains and they do rise up on either side of the train but I would regard mountains as the things you find in Canada and Switzerland. These are hills, but impressive hills anyway. On Friday with the landscape covered in a blanket of pure white snow, the train almost silently and effortlessly gliding through this winter wonderland with me cosy in the warm carriage I was a contented worker. Yes, I was getting paid to sit there. I suppose the only people luckier than I were the driver and the conductor, they get paid to be there every day!

Of course every trip has its downside. For me it was when I arrived at the hotel, dropped off my bags and then proceeded to make my way out to the station to catch my train to Dundee. The only problem was I couldn't the hotel door key! I searched the ensuite bathroom, all the drawers, every pocket twice, looked under the bed and everywhere else I could think of. But the clock kept ticking. With only ten minutes to go before the train departed I offered up a prayer and hoped it would be answered soon. It was, my hotel key was under my hat which I put down on the bed with the key. I was thankful for that, and that I was staying in the Station Hotel directly next door to the Station for it was now seven minutes till departure time.

At times like this you just have to run for it. Or walk very fast. I am always wary of running in towns were people might wonder why. Has he just committed a crime and is running away? Why is he running if he is not dressed for running? Maybe it is just me but I always feel self conscious about running in a town when in a hurry. Thankfully there is always the fast walking option which probably looks just as crazy but at least I got my train. Now to be able to walk fast you have to, walk fast, and often. No use being a couch potato and then hoping your body will spring into action when you need it most. While I enjoy outdoor exercise, for something a bit more intensive and all round beneficial gyms have their place. Unfortunately when travelling they are hard to come by. However when in Perth I have found the perfect gym for the train traveller, The Body Academy. It is located in South William Street, about three minutes walk from the station. It is really well equiped, the staff (and even the other users!) are very friendly and it is open to non members. I am actually tempted to say if you want to visit a great gym and get yourself all motivated to fitness, make a special journey to go there! I had a great workout in there last week and can't wait to go back next time I'm changing trains in Perth.

Isle of Man with the Steam Packet

You can get to the Island by rail and sea from Heysham (best for the north of England and Scotland), Liverpool (best if coming from the rest of the UK), Dublin (Republic of Ireland) and Belfast (Northern Ireland). Heysham however is perhaps the most convenient journey of them all for the train traveller. Heysham Railway Station could not be closer to the sea terminal (as seen in the photo to the left). In fact the terminal and the station are the same building. Heysham Port on first impressions is an industrial landscape next to a power station. It couldn't be less scenic, however it is not our destination and the Steam Packet has provided a comfortable terminal with check in desks, waiting area and a snack outlet. After check in you are free to wait for the boarding call. All luggage is checked in (a bit like flying) so you don't need to worry about your belongings while on board, just pick them up from the luggage point at the other end.

The Steam Packet is the world's oldest passenger shipping company established in 1830. However it is an up to date transport company with a fleet of modern ships. All the routes now use high speed ferries with the exception of the Heysham link which makes use of a traditional ferry which was built especially for the service a few years ago. The company has not forgotten it's routes though and has re branded earlier this year with traditional Manx names, livery and style. My ship, the Ben-my-Chree was looking excellent in its new black and white livery with bright red funnel. It replaced the King Orry and to be honest I preferred the 'King'. It was a dedicated passenger ship while the 'Ben' is a combined freight and passenger ship which has the feeling that the emphasis is definitely on the freight. Having said that it has all the facilities you would expect. On boarding I headed up to the main passenger lounge. I found a reserved seating lounge, the restaurant, a small shop with Manx souvenirs, a pub, a 1st class lounge and open air deck. I headed straight for the open deck and despite crossing in a storm that had the fast ferries stuck in port, remained their for almost the entire journey. There is something very special about sailing outside. On the inside you could almost imagine you are on shore, except for the constant movement. But outside is the real experience. There was enough shelter to make it possible in the high winds and I even got a few interesting photos! I was also very impressed with how the Ben-my-Chree handled the Irish Sea. At almost 12,000 tones even someone prone to sea sickness like me was feeling nothing! There is something very relaxing about sitting on deck and watching the ocean slowly glide by...

Arriving at the Isle of Man was an equally special treat. From out of the sea far in the distance I became aware of the hills of the Island. Gradually they came into focus and out of the sea rose Man. By this stage in the journey the weather had calmed and it was a brilliant summers evening on the island. The ferry arrives right in the heart of the capital and from the sea you can see the rows of promenade hotels, the hills behind them and the buses and cars taking commuters home from work on this miniature country. There is no mistake, this is an island and a very special one at that. The island is very green and the countryside is there right in front of you inviting your interest. First though, there is arrival. The Douglas Sea Terminal has been modernised and now resembles an international airport more than the sort of small ferry terminals of western Scotland. This IS an international transport terminal though as the Isle of Man is a self governing territory. Passing through Customs reminds visitors that they have left UK mainland. This is no ordinary international sea terminal though. Reminding everyone that this is the Isle of Man are the island's symbolic three legs, seen everywhere from flags to logos around the building, together with government, of the Isle of Man that is, offices. And how many international terminals greet visitors with a sign of 'this way to local buses, taxis and ...horse trams.

More of that though on my next post. The journey home was very similar to my outward journey except for one very significant point. I had a treat and travelled first class. Is it worth it? Yes, a definite yes! This is the Britain by Rail blog and you will forgive me for being rather enthusiastic about trains most of the time, but if I could just be a little critical. UK rail companies, airlines, visit the Steam Packet and learn how to do first class. The first class lounge is located at the front of the vessel with a forward view similar to what they must have from the navigation bridge upstairs. A friendly stewardess who told me that she lives on the Mersey but makes her home in Douglas for work greeted me by name and took me to a comfy leather seat for the journey. Compared to the rest of the ship which was a little noisy, the first class lounge was an oasis of calm and relaxation. We left bang on time and I watched the birdlife of the Irish Sea as we gently made our way towards England. When I was thirsty I ordered a complementary fresh (note restaurants, shops and airlines I now know what fresh really means!) orange juice. There were newspapers and DVD's, but really the show out of the front windows was far more relaxing. Why pay to travel across the sea and read a paper!? Then when it was time for lunch there was no lining up with the masses in the self service restaurant, rather my stewardess took my order back to the lounge for me. My rating, ten out of ten. If I could have gone all the way home by ferry and missed out on the train I wouldn't have thought twice! Of course every cloud has a sliver lining, in my case at least I was heading home by train and not by car as some of the other ferry passengers had decided to do! Did they not know about the rail terminal?

Overall both journeys were excellent. It is really a pity that they are so short, there is not nearly the time to fully enjoy the sea travel experience. However for anyone wondering whether a trip to a UK island is worth the journey, I would highly recommend the experience. Forget flying, and experience a great British way to get to our islands with the local ferries. First class or open deck it is a travel experience not to be missed.

Keswick, the Lake District

I am now back from my week's work at the Keswick Convention in the Lake District. I was there as an assistant on a stand with my employer, the Highland Theological College. Keswick is small town in the very scenic north Lakes in northeast England. The town used to have a railway station but the line closed many years ago and it is now a bus link from Penrith Station. Don't let that put you off visiting though, the bus link is easy to use and rover tickets are available for unlimited travel by bus and rail in the area. My own journey from Inverness, via Edinburgh was with one ticket all the way to Keswick. On arrival at Penrith railway station I simply walked outside to the waiting bus (clearly marked as the rail link bus) and showed my through train ticket to Keswick to the driver, it couldn't have been eaiser, unless there was still a train of course. The picture above is off the old Keswick station which I saw on a walk one evening. It is now (well) preserved as part of a hotel and the old trackbed is a cycle and walking path. I explored for a few miles east of Keswick and it looked like a very scenic walk.

Now for the trip report on my journey to Keswick. There is a choice of two rail companies between Inverness and Edinburgh - Scotrail and National Express, both of which I am very happy with. Between Edinburgh and Penrith (for Keswick) there is the option of Crosscountry, Virgin or Transpennine Express. I chose Transpennine Express and their service from Edinburgh to Manchester Airport. On a busy summer Saturday this was a mistake. The train was full of people heading off to their week of sun and beer with plenty of kids and luggage with them. Not the most enjoyable journey experience I've come accross! The train as a result was pretty crowded, not everyone got a seat and it was lacking in luggage space. However I was not altogether put off using Transpennine Express. The class 185 trains have powerful engines which get them along at a good pace. The interior is bright, clean and spacious enough. The seats are comfortable enough but look pretty ugly. They are down to the 'bare bones' to save space. My only negative comments would be that there was not enough luggage space and the train was simply too small for the numbers they tried to cater for. Next time I'll book a first class upgrate or travel on a less busy day!

Keswick itself is an attractive town. The first thing I noticed was that the businesses are local. Try visiting almost any UK town and every shop and business you will find is a national chain. The local store is all but extinct. However in Keswick they survive and thrive. The town is situated right beside the Derwentwater Lake (pictured left) which is ideal for watersports. It is also amongst some impressive hills which are popular for handgliding, walking, running and cycling. There is also a leisure pool and gym which I went to a few times. Unfortunatly if you are seriously into your gym it was not at all well equiped and a bit of a disapointment. As for the swimming, the strange 'leisure' shaped pool meant that anyone who actually could swim would probably find it inadequate! Doing lengths or even widths seemed out of the question so the few swimmers in there seemed to make do with swimming round the pole at the end - the only deepish part of the pool!

Older people though who might not want it quite so active will also find plenty to do. Overall I'd rate it highly as a holiday destination. I didn't come accross any unpleasent areas on the Friday and Saturday nights and it was for the most part clean and well kept. I ended up staying in a self catering cottage while mile co worker was in a local Bed & Breakfast which although clean and tidy didn't seem to like spending any money on the breakfasts. Unfortunatly there is no way to rate hotels so you just have to make the mistakes and make sure not to return again!

The next stage of my visit was on to the Isle of Man, which will come in my next post.