Читать книгу Railway Day Trips: 160 classic train journeys around Britain - Julian Holland - Страница 5

For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed taking railway day trips. As a young child I went nearly everywhere by train and the smells, sounds and sights are still vivid in my mind. The musty, stale-smoke smell of carriage compartments coupled with the rhythmic clickety-clack of the wheels on the rail joints, the whistling of the steam locomotive as we rushed through sleepy country stations and the stifling roar as we burrowed through dank and dripping tunnels will be with me forever. As I grew older, my interest in railways led me into the wonderful world of trainspotting and consequently my forays took me to some pretty amazing places all around Britain – my knowledge of the geography of our country has stood me in good stead ever since.

However, as we can’t turn the clock back, it is heartening to know, despite the best efforts of certain politicians and dear old Dr Beeching, that railway travel is not a thing of the past. In recent years our railways have enjoyed a renaissance that would have seemed like a pipe dream back in the 1960s – closed railways and stations are being reopened and a vast amount of taxpayers’ money is being invested in a transport system that was nearly killed off by the powerful road transport lobby 50 years ago. Passenger numbers are at their highest since the 1920s and, suddenly, Britain’s love affair with the car and lorry seems to be on the wane – increasing road congestion and huge hikes in fuel prices have put paid to that. As the Father of Railways, George Stephenson, prophesied in 1825:

I think you will live to see the day, though I may not live so long, when railways will come to supersede almost all other methods of conveyance in this country … what I have said will come to pass as sure as we live.

Despite a few hiccups along the way, it looks as if he may have been right.

A steam train on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway between Goathland and Pickering.

This book is not just aimed at die-hard railway enthusiasts – there are already enough books on the subject to sink the Titanic – but at a much wider audience who are now discovering the joy of leaving the car at home, sitting back, relaxing and watching Britain’s ever-changing landscape unfold instead of hurtling to oblivion, stressed out along our multi-lane highways. While, in my mind anyway, a railway journey is in itself a voyage of discovery, the destination at the end is often the icing on the cake. For such a small country, Britain probably has more to offer the traveller or visitor, whether from home or abroad, than any other place on Earth – admittedly the weather can sometimes be inclement but that one factor surely gives the British so much of their resilient character.

The list of fascinating destinations that can be reached on a day trip by train in Britain is practically endless. In this book I have put together 160 of these trips, chosen with one eye on the journey itself and the other on the cities, towns or villages that are visited. From major historical sites, architectural gems, museums, gardens, historic pubs, boat trips and country walks to film and TV locations, seaside resorts, rides on heritage railways, festivals and markets there is something for everyone. A few of the trips also involve using a bus, ferry, catamaran or Shanks’s Pony to complete the journey, but it is well worth the effort. It doesn’t take a major leap in imagination to string some of these day trips together to make a long weekend break or even a week’s railway holiday – the permutations are simply endless.

The spacious modern passenger departure concourse at King’s Cross station was opened in 2012.

Now to more practical matters. Do your homework and always plan your journey in advance, and if you are of a certain age take advantage of the Senior Railcard (over 60s) or, if in Scotland, ScotRail’s Club 55, both of which offer amazing savings on rail fares. While many of the routes featured in this book are served by a frequent service of trains, some, in more rural or remote areas, see only a few trains each day. Trips along scenic routes such as the Esk Valley to Whitby in North Yorkshire, the Heart of Wales Line in Central Wales and in the more remote parts of Scotland need to be planned well so that the last train home is not missed. Although there are several online timetables with a ticket and seat booking service such as National Rail and the Train Line, these are computer generated and can often produce some mind-boggling results culminating in much lengthier journeys from A to B via X, Y and Z. A printed version of the National Rail Timetable is only available by mail order from Middleton Press. Alternatively the National Rail Timetable is available online, free of charge and in easy to download sections. Sadly, on-train catering is not what it used to be. Apart from a handful of long-distance train journeys where silver service is still offered, passengers now have to put up with a budget airline-style trolley which is trundled up and down the train offering not very much for rather a lot of money – my advice is simple, take your own picnic with you.

In conclusion, when you are next planning on a day out, please remember to leave your car at home or at the station car park, catch a train and go out there to discover this wonderful country of ours.

Julian Holland

This second edition has been fully updated with revised journey details and the inclusion of ten brand-new Railway Day Trips for your discovery and enjoyment.

Each route featured in the book is illustrated by a location map:

The following information is also given:

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS ideas of things to see and do at the journey’s end

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS indicates how often services run – but please check with the operator before travel

DISTANCE

JOURNEY TIME one-way; includes time for connections, unless journey legs are shown separately, e.g. 5+10 mins

NUMBER OF CHANGES noting interchange stations, where applicable

Vintage luggage cases at the restored Sheringham station on the North Norfolk Railway.