Famous people on trains

[Dren Ahmeti]

Michael Portillo at Oxford once the above extension had been completed.

Met him at the entrance of Tilehurst station yesterday, spoke to him on the platform and was even invited to watch him record some of his new series!
I got off at Reading, but his eventual destination was Henley-On-Thames via Twyford!
Note: This was the train in question: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C43037/2018/10/03/advanced

 

[johntea]

I saw Christa Ackroyd from BBC Look North fame outside Leeds station once doing a piece...she didn't seem too cheerful!

 

[Southwest93]

Moons ago, Vinnie Jones and the rest of his football team at Platform 10 at Kings Cross. What a moby, look at me girls!!

 

[silverfoxcc]

Katy Manning fell on to me as she jumped off a tube train years a few years back.

We have a winner


you lucky boy..i still lust after her from her Dr Who days

 

[gordonthemoron]

All of the Tygers of Pan Tang and Brian Bond (Punilux) on two different Newcastle-London service in 1982/3

 

[gordonthemoron]

Jarvis Cocker on many occasions at Old Street

 

[gazthomas]

I once took a GNER train north from London in first class. A blind passenger who was sitting in the wrong seat was asked to move by the antique expert and rail enthusiast Paul Atterbury who the seat was reserved for. I thought it a little petty as almost every other seat was unreserved and the carriage was pretty empty!

 

[gazthomas]

I also recently too a train to Aarhus in Denmark to watch Wales play Denmark in football. I was sitting in 1st while former Premier League player and Welsh international John Hartson sitting in 2nd!

 

[43055]

I saw Boris Johnson at Derby last year getting off the train. Apparently he fell asleep on the way up from London according to the train crew.

 

[The Prisoner]

He may have had a point - he also appears to have a potty mouth. Foul language on public transport [the clue is in the name] is a pet hate of mine.

Rupert Everett apparently has a reputation for being...shall we say...firey.

My children were quite scared until I pointed out he was one of the voices in Shrek.......

 

[adamello]

Katy Manning fell on to me as she jumped off a tube train years a few years back.

is that what you told the officer

 

[greyman42]

I saw Gareth Southgate heading to Kings Cross from the North East travelling standard but that could of been before he got the England job. Sting and Jimmy Nail also use the trains to visit the North East but are always first class. I also saw David O'Leary boarding at York going to Scotland with his golf clubs. Also first class.

 

[MotCO]

Or Jedward even?

I was probably thinking of deadwood!

 

[leightonbd]

Sat across the aisle from Sir Kingsley Amis, on a HST down to Swansea from London, probably summer 1991 or so, and I swear he was re-enacting for personal amusement the opening Alun Weaver scene from The Old Devils. I had read only a couple of his books at that time but was slightly aware of the Swansea connection.

 

[NoOnesFool]

I saw Ryan Hawley once, getting off a train at Sheffield.

 

[Mikey C]

I saw Boris Johnson at Derby last year getting off the train. Apparently he fell asleep on the way up from London according to the train crew.

He's obviously been busy the night before and was feeling tired

 

[43055]

He's obviously been busy the night before and was feeling tired

Must have been. His blazer was all creased as well

 

[Esker-pades]

I saw Ben Willbond (I recognised him as one of the regulars on Horrible Histories) at my local station in London a few years ago. And again feeding a baby (who I assume was his) in a local park.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Sat across the aisle from Sir Kingsley Amis, on a HST down to Swansea from London, probably summer 1991 or so, and I swear he was re-enacting for personal amusement the opening Alun Weaver scene from The Old Devils. I had read only a couple of his books at that time but was slightly aware of the Swansea connection.

Very good - around the same time I ran into Wynford Vaughan Thomas (ex BBC and journalist) , - the ultimate Welsh ambassador , and on the same theme - Hywel Bennett (aka "Shelley") - all known to the staff of course....

 

[AndyB28]

I used to commute between Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy about the time that 'Monarch of the Glen' was on TV and once saw Susan Hampshire on an Inverness service. She was in standard class too which, for some reason, struck me as odd...

 

[70014IronDuke]

Very good - around the same time I ran into Wynford Vaughan Thomas (ex BBC and journalist) , - the ultimate Welsh ambassador ,.... ....

Indeed. And a 'famous person' worthy of the accolade. I remember a film series about his life on Welsh TV in 1975, Sunday evenings. His account of the British Army liberating the Bergen-Belsen death camp is seared in my memory. He said something like: "What I witnessed at Bergen-Belsen meant I knew that whatever the cost was fighting this war, it was worth it."

For an older generation: I was on Didcot station one day - probably Easter time 1964 - there was a gaggle of spotters there at the eastern end when a Hymek pulled in heading west and promptly failed. (I have no idea why, but I suspect today it was a boiler problem.) As the train waited for a Hall to be commandeered off shed, one of the gaggle was a gal - a rarity to have a spotter of the fairer sex, but there she was - and she came running up the platform to say: "Adam Faith is on the train." Well, Mr Faith was definitely close to being a has-been in terms of pop stars by that time - I mean, it was the middle of Beatle-mania - but we all trooped down the platform to goggle through the window. I doubt he was aware his Hymek had failed, but he graciously signed some autographs in our books. I still have mine somewhere.

 

[yorksrob]

Indeed. And a 'famous person' worthy of the accolade. I remember a film series about his life on Welsh TV in 1975, Sunday evenings. His account of the British Army liberating the Bergen-Belsen death camp is seared in my memory. He said something like: "What I witnessed at Bergen-Belsen meant I knew that whatever the cost was fighting this war, it was worth it."

For an older generation: I was on Didcot station one day - probably Easter time 1964 - there was a gaggle of spotters there at the eastern end when a Hymek pulled in heading west and promptly failed. (I have no idea why, but I suspect today it was a boiler problem.) As the train waited for a Hall to be commandeered off shed, one of the gaggle was a gal - a rarity to have a spotter of the fairer sex, but there she was - and she came running up the platform to say: "Adam Faith is on the train." Well, Mr Faith was definitely close to being a has-been in terms of pop stars by that time - I mean, it was the middle of Beatle-mania - but we all trooped down the platform to goggle through the window. I doubt he was aware his Hymek had failed, but he graciously signed some autographs in our books. I still have mine somewhere.

I seem to recall he had a decent career as a TV actor up until his death in the 90's

 

[70014IronDuke]

I seem to recall he had a decent career as a TV actor up until his death in the 90's

Could well be. I think even then he was getting into pantomime or stage acting. Nothing against the bloke. His pop career was a bit too early for me. My older cousin was a bit gaga about him. (Female, you understand )

 

[yorksrob]

Could well be. I think even then he was getting into pantomime or stage acting. Nothing against the bloke. His pop career was a bit too early for me. My older cousin was a bit gaga about him. (Female, you understand )

Yes, he was a bit too early for me too. But funnily enough Tony Blackburn played a song of his on "sounds of the sixties" this morning which was pretty good !

 

[westv]

I'm often asked by people for an autograph and am always happy to oblige. Nice to give ordinary people a hand.

 

[HH]

Must have been. His blazer was all creased as well

He'd probably been to "The Pig's Head" pub.

 

[fowler9]

I have been on many Merseyrail Wirral Line services with members of extreme metal bands Carcass and Cathedral.

 

[XDM]

I saw the Queen leave Cambridge station platform via a side gate on the country side of the main building a few years ago.

I had been tipped off by a railway colleague & it was confirmed she was due by the sight of black CIA type 4x4's & a limo waiting outside the gate, & just one uniformed policeman there.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Yes, he was a bit too early for me too. But funnily enough Tony Blackburn played a song of his on "sounds of the sixties" this morning which was pretty good !

Gosh, I hardly associate Adam Faith with the 60s, but I suppose he had some hits in 60-62. He may have still been releasing stuff in 63-64, but with the Beatles et al tsunami washing almost all (previous stars) before them from early 63 onwards, I don't remember any. ISTR Cliff Richard, Adam Faith and Billy Fury as a sort of Holy Trinity of 1st gen GB pop stars. DUnno what happened to Mr Fury.

 

[yorksrob]

Gosh, I hardly associate Adam Faith with the 60s, but I suppose he had some hits in 60-62. He may have still been releasing stuff in 63-64, but with the Beatles et al tsunami washing almost all (previous stars) before them from early 63 onwards, I don't remember any. ISTR Cliff Richard, Adam Faith and Billy Fury as a sort of Holy Trinity of 1st gen GB pop stars. DUnno what happened to Mr Fury.

I always think of "What Do You Want", however I see that that was released in 1959.