News from North America

If you are planning a trip to the USA make tracks to Amtrak. Amtrak is America's national intercity rail company. Timetables for individual routes have been available online for years but now for the first time you can download the entire system timetable which is usually only available as a printed book (see left). The timetable is more than just a list of when the trains are running. There is a guide to using Amtrak, a list of stations across the USA, a network map, details of how to buy tickets and special offers. I think this type of document is especially useful for overseas visitors who might be unsure of how to get about the US and want to plan their trip in advance. So where can you go? Well this year one of Amtrak's premier named trains, the Crescent is celebrating its 30th year of operation. It departs from New York (ideal for flights from the UK) and takes you to the southern states including Atlanta and New Orleans. Or how about taking the Empire Builder from Chicago to Glacier National Park or right through to Seattle? And what your travel agent probably didn't tell you was that you'd be much better flying to New York, staying a day or two and then taking the train to Florida. See a bit of America on your way! Trains in America travel over longer distances than our UK versions and tend to operate more like cruise liners on land. The most basic level of service is coach class - imagine a first class airline seat and you won't be far off what that means. Then you can go all the way up to your own cabin for two.

Further North in Canada, VIA Rail, has developed a blog called 'on the go with Vivian'. Like the US, Canadian trains are epic and sometimes once in a lifetime journeys.

Britain's first steam locomotive for 50 years

In 1966 British Railways were busy replacing their huge fleet of steam locomotives and in the rush to modernise much was destroyed. It is sometimes forgotten that it is not just steam locomotives that were lost. The modernisation plan abandoned nearly half the UK rail network. Stations too were lost including the magnificent Euston Station, and its even more famous arch. People too were lost. Many lifelong railmen and those setting out in their careers suddenly found that the railway no longer needed them. It is easy to look back and be critical of course and modernisation was badly needed. However there was a dark side which seemed to take pleasure in destruction.

1966 was also the year that the last class A1 steam locomotive was sent for scrapping. These magnificent LNER racehorses were gone for good. But not every sad story ends sad. A group was set up to build a new A1 and a few weeks ago their brand new steam locomotive named Tornado took to the rails. Tornado is the first steam locomotive to be built in Britain for 50 years and is currently the world's newest steam locomotive. This beautiful machine can now been seen on preserved railways and out on the mainline railway taking passengers for day trips. You can find out where it is operating by visiting the www.a1steam.com website.

What do you travel for?

When I last renewed my North Highland Railcard there was a short survey to ask why I use the train. There were options for 'business', 'personal business', 'shopping', 'leisure trips' and perhaps the most important of all - 'visiting friends and family'. I read this on UCB's Word for Today (www.ucb.co.uk): '

YOU WILL BE MISSED, BECAUSE YOUR SEAT WILL BE EMPTY.' 1 SAMUEL 20:18 When you lose a loved one, you realise that relationships are much more important than possessions, b. But we forget that in our scramble to the top of the heap. Being told you've only a short time to live puts you into shock, then re-orders your priorities. It makes you want to fill each precious moment with the words you've left unsaid and the things you've neglected to do. Don't allow self-centeredness, masquerading as ambition (or religious zeal!), to keep you from showing love to those who need it. Make that call. Send that email. Buy those flowers. Say, 'I love you.' In other words, 'be there.' Most of the time people don't need our wise analysis or brilliant answers, they just need our love and support and they'll find their own answers. If you are a leader, you're particularly at risk. Don't sacrifice your family on the altar of your career or you'll end up with regrets you can't resolve. ... Take a moment and think about these words: 'And Jonathan had David reaffirm his...love for him...Then Jonathan said to David...You will be missed, because your seat will be empty.'

Thinking of taking a journey? Make it a special one and visit that loved one you haven't seen recently. I can't think of a better reason to be taking a trip.

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.

Heritage Sites at Risk

The BBC had an interesting article today about heritage sites at risk which looked at six internationally important sites currently at risk. The Bowes Railway was one and you can see the video here. The Bowes was opened in 1826 and is not only one of the world's first modern railways but is also the only surviving rope operated line left in existence. If you are interested in visiting you can find out more on their website. By visiting you'll see something quite unique and help preserve a bit of history. The railway is located near Sunderland and there are good bus links from that station.

Summer Trip

Next Saturday I should be setting off on my longish summer journey. I'll be going to the Lake District in northern England for about a week with my work and then will hopefully take a few days on the Isle of Man as holiday. As well as some observations on these places I'll be reporting back on here about my journeys which will include the rail operators Scotrail, National Express East Coast, Transpennine Express, Virgin, Northern Rail and the Isle of Man Railways. I'll also be taking a ship in the form of the Isle of Man Steam Packet, so plenty of travel feedback for anyone considering using any of these services! My actual journey is for a conference in Keswick. Having never been before I have no idea what it will be like, where I'll be staying or what the work will be like. Nothing like going into the unknown....

Yesterday I found this interesting link to a survey conducted by the Transport Company Stagecoach. In case you are unfamilar with them they are a huge bus company in the UK who also operate some rail franchies and the Megabus (UK and USA) coach operation. Their research found a 10% change in travel habits in the last three years for health and environmental reasons, which is great news. Of those who had previously used the car, 36% had switched to the bus, 30% now walked and 5% change to travel by train. It is interesting that most chose the bus, this could be that buses provide a much higher range of journeys than rail - they really do go everywhere. Or it could be that rail is already very competitive on most commuter routes. Regardless of this, it does point to the public starting to change habbits.

Rail, bus and walking are good for the earth for more reasons that climite change. They save fuel, cause less congestion and noise and emit fewer nasty fumes which are bad for human health too. The other thing of course that we often forget is that they are good for our own health also. Walking is probably one of the best forms of activity there is. An hour in the gym at night is not going to make up for sitting on your bum in the car and office all day. And even if you take the train or bus instead of walking it is unlikely that you'll life outside, or work outside the station. The walk to and from the station or bus stop will do you a lot of good. Its amazing how many people tell me that I am so 'lucky' to be thin. The fact that I'm not glued to a car seat and go to the gym every day seems to have missed them....!