Weather warnings!

Posted on 9th Feb 20249th Feb 2024 by insightndes

A journey to the south which almost didn’t happen. It’s Monday 5th February. The last train of the day from the far north already cancelled the previous day, in anticipation of bad weather. The early afternoon train also gets cancelled on the day, due to landslides on the Far North line. No trains from Inverness to Edinburgh due to flooding near Kingussie. All looking bleak for a journey south.

This is the result of the rain forecast, the first yellow weather warning of the trip.

A lift to Inverness followed by a replacement bus to Edinburgh means I get to board the sleeper just before midnight. I am then woken up for breakfast at 0415 ready to get off at Crewe. Sleep deprivation!

More weather warnings: rain in South England, snow in mid to North England, snow in North Scotland, ready for the return trip.

The cycle to Didcot on Thursday is wet, as is the ride across London from Paddington to Euston. My feet are soaked.

Outside the new Caledonian Sleeper guest lounge.

This is my first time in the Caledonian Sleeper guest lounge. Limited choice of food, but some is complimentary. A chance to change to dry footwear and use the toilet. There is also speedy boarding passes, making getting on the sleeper far easier. A big plus.

I wake up to have breakfast in the snowy Highlands.

On with the journey on the far north line, which appears to be running. There are more snowy views.

Despite the multiple weather warnings the trip back is without issue.

Travel

Frosty Elgin-Inverness-Far north

Posted on 2nd Dec 2023 by insightndes

A beautiful frosty day.

At Elgin station there was no sign of the 1236 train to Inverness on the displays and confusingly the ScotRail app showed the train already at Forres. It turns out that the train shuttles back and forth between Elgin and Inverness.

The Inverness train arriving at Elgin from Inverness .

The frosty journey continues from Inverness

Travel

Edinburgh-Aberdeen-Elgin

Posted on 1st Dec 2023 by insightndes

The racks on the Edinburgh trams being put to good use.

Crossing the Forth

A cold morning in Edinburgh, cold in Aberdeen and even colder in Elgin.

Uncategorized

Birchwood-Manchester-Edinburgh

Posted on 30th Nov 202330th Nov 2023 by insightndes

As I waited the predicted arrival time of the train got later and later. Would I make the connection in Manchester?

The train arrived. Traveling to Manchester Piccadilly the train got even later. On arrival it was a case of stepping across the platform straight onto the Edinburgh train.

Just before Lancaster the driver announced that the train had been slowed down by a series of red lights to allow another train to pass. The driver said that this made no sense. Arrived in Edinburgh over 30 mins late.

Only 300m bike ride from the station to the Premier Inn hub.

The Brompton drawer

Light show

Uncategorized

Didcot-Birchwood

Posted on 30th Nov 2023 by insightndes

The Oxford to Manchester train I was intending to catch was cancelled.. The latter train was getting in too late so took an earlier one. Due to connections not being so good and an additional change I was only 20 mins earlier than originally planned , despite leaving an hour early,

Travel

Far North to Didcot via Inverness, Aberdeen and London

Posted on 27th Nov 202327th Nov 2023 by insightndes

A beautiful day in the far north of Scotland as I set off.

Arrived in Inverness in the dark- took the train to Aberdeen to catch the sleeper service there as no cabins available on the service from Aberdeen.

Each time I come to London the traffic flows a bit better and the air tastes better. ULEZ doing its job.

Environment, Travel

Kings Cross to the Far North

Posted on 29th Jul 2023 by insightndes

Stayed at the Hub by Premier Inn at Kings Cross. Small but perfectly fine.

The room has a Brompton drawer.

First time of traveling from London to the Far North on daytime trains, starting at Kings Cross.

A long day on the train. Scheduled times, 4:42 Kings Cross to Edinburgh, 3:35 Edinburgh to Inverness and the final leg 3:51. Distances 631km, 181 km and 130km. Trains getting slower as I travel north.

Environment, Travel

Didcot to Paddington plus ULEZ

Posted on 28th Jul 2023 by insightndes

Caught a long delayed train instead of the one that I was meant to catch so I thought I’d get to London early. But further delays due to signal issues resulted in long delays on the way into London. But got there in the end. The train was 47 mins late according to the announcements. I was only 20 mins late.

Anecdotally the ULEZ is a success. London smells better. The traffic moves more freely. Pollution has reduced in London and I wonder if the pollution outside London has reduced. Pollution rises into the atmosphere in London and then comes down in Oxfordshire. Has anyone measured this?

In last weeks election the Conservative Party made much of the ULEZ. Unfortunately the primacy of the car still exists for a lot of people and is considered a vote winner. To me health and the environment trumps-why do we still think that poisoning people is acceptable?

Travel