Famous people / celebrities using trains

[The North Briton]

Sven Goran Ericsson on a GNER Leeds- London service, with a group of other football-related people I didn't recognise.
Jenny Bond walking up platform 8 at Kings Cross.
Actress Sharon Small on Finsbury Park station (making an appointment with her hairdresser on her mobile).

Quite nice to see Christopher Garnett is regarded as a celebrity. Do I get a brownie point for NOT having seen Elaine Holt on an East COast service?

 

[ANorthernGuard]

As I just do local I tend not to see that many but the ones I have seen are...

Bez & Shaun Ryder from Happy Mondays fame on a late night from Hadfield to Picc

Hayley Cropper (Julie Helmonshaigh) from Corrie going home towards Broadbottom

Ryan Thomas also from Corrie going to Stockport

Gordon Brown leaving Manchester for the last time as PM on the train opposite to mine (XC to Birmingham I think)

Manchester United FC at Stockport on numerous occasions

David Dickinson at Bramhall going to Stockport

John Stape The latest Murderer from Corrie (can't remember his name) going to Levenshulme)

Terry Christian (DJ and The Word Presenter) going from Cheadle Hulme to Picc

Numerous actors/actresses and MP's at Picc

If thats what I get on Stoppers hate to imagine what 1st class in Virgin trains are like lol

 

[Gibby26]

Rob Brydon on a SWT fast service from Woking (he was already aboard) to Waterloo.

 

[SteveP29]

Alan Shearer boarded Newcastle - London EC a few years back, with his friend Michael Owen... quite surprised to see them in Standard!

Don't be surprised, Michael Owen is well versed in TAKING lots and lots of money for little return!!

Can you tell I'm bitter with him after his time with NUFC?

Oh, and Robin Gibb got off the train I was on to Edinburgh the other week, walked past him and the 3 people he was with, who I dare say were carrying his bags for him

 

[43106]

Something I've just remembered. I was on a training course at Bracknell just before Xmas 1991. My company thought it cheaper to return me to Edinburgh by sleeper train than flying me (tight sods, but what can you expect from the NHS!) Anyway, I was hanging around Euston waiting for the Edinburgh train when a small cavalcade drew up. Out stepped Malcolm Rifkind MP, who was the Transport Minister under John Major, and was whisked onto my train. Also watching him was a young Charles Kennedy (then President of the Lib-Dems), who was waiting for the Inverness sleeper. I can only assume that both politicos were heading home immediately after the Xmas recess.

 

[Masbroughlad]

I helped Graham Norton at Leeds station. I recommended a GNER service over a MML for London travel

Also served Jimmy Saville, Andrew Sachs, Loraine Chase over the years

 

[Bittern]

I'll never understand this obsession people have with celebrities.

 

[HST Power]

I'll never understand this obsession people have with celebrities.

I fully agree with you.

 

[Masbroughlad]

I saw David Blunkett MP get off for a few mins at Tamworth to let his dog have a wee!

 

[PinzaC55]

Working at Paddington Underground station I had Arthur Brown (of The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown) come through the barrier and Leslie Philips of the Carry On movies, whose wife got PF10'ed

 

[Striker]

He had no companions or body guards.........He remained very quiet and level-headed........The staff (understandably) made sure he was well looked after,

Good grief, you make him sound like a major celebrity. Why would Alan Davies need a bodyguard? He remained "level headed"? What? What did you expect? It's not exactly Charlie Sheen.

I've seen two celebrities on trains. Both relatively recently. Vic Reeves and Rory Bremner both on East Coast. Vic Reeves was busy drawing for some reason and Rory was just happy to look at the view. He did keep doing impressions which helped pass the time.

 

[OxtedL]

I've seen two celebrities on trains. Both relatively recently. Vic Reeves and Rory Bremner both on East Coast. Vic Reeves was busy drawing for some reason and Rory was just happy to look at the view. He did keep doing impressions which helped pass the time.

For some reason, I recall that too!

Ah yes! Vic, Rory

 

[ANorthernGuard]

could have sworn I saw Martin O'Neill at Picc on Monday either that or he has a double lol

 

[dickdarlington]

When I was younger I was coming back from London with my mum. And sitting all around us were the cast of Byker Grove. Being 11 or 12 at the time, I remember being quite exciteable. Especially as I had a huge crush on one of the girls. Can't remember which one now.

Years later, one the way back from uni, I was walking off Darlo station and Tony Blair (still PM back then) was waiting to board a London bound train. He was talking to fellow passengers but as you could imagine heavily protected.

 

[Striker]

He was talking to fellow passengers but as you could imagine heavily protected.

Not surprising considering the riff raff that must hang around Darlington.

I saw Gail from Coronation Street asleep on a Euston to Piccadilly Pendolino in first class a few months ago. I took a photo of her if anybody wants to see it. The Sun weren't interested.

 

[Keele13]

Christopher Eccleston. I was on a very crowded Cross Country service to Birmingham New Street, and ended up standing in the vestibule between first class and the last standard class carriage (with about 6 other people). Mr Eccleston came out to use the loo - queue many jokes about it being bigger on the inside, etc. He got off at New Street too, and was trying to fend off an overly-helpful man who offered to walk with him to Snow Hill, where he was catching a connection. His offer was, unsurprisingly, turned down!

 

[Martin nx]

I met the late great Tommy Cooper many years ago when I was train crew at OOC. He came up to the head of the train, which was the Penzance beds, and introduced himself and asked for a nice smooth ride then got on the train! I looked at my mate, now a bit worried as we had got a battered 1000 on the front (1976) wondering how the hell we could promise that! Luckily it was summertime as the bloody boiler kept locking out and we took it easy to Exeter and baled out as he was well over 6ft tall! Ahh, happy days, a knackered hydraulic and a long rake of Mk1's.

 

[PinzaC55]

"Originally Posted by dickdarlington
He was talking to fellow passengers but as you could imagine heavily protected.
Not surprising considering the riff raff that must hang around Darlington."

I'd have been concerned for the riff raff having to meet Blair :roll:

 

[ivanhoe]

Met Gordon Banks at Loughborough a few times in the past. Always acknowledged anybody who recognised him.

 

[boing_uk]

I also sat opposite Alan Davies on a train - between Newcastle and York in first class on East Coast one Monday morning a few months ago. He was travelling from Edinburgh to London.

I seem to recall a programme (four-parter I think) from the mid to late 90's about the Tube (not the later series called The Tube on the same subject) and I am damn sure that it was Alan Davies that was asleep at the end of the line and was shown sloping off down the platform. Obviously this was long before he was more famous.

Frank Carson is often found at Blackpool North, with blokes fussing all around him. He's actually a nice bloke to be fair and I respect the massive amount he does for charity. Sounds drunk all the time though.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Something that also popped into my memory today was seeing Alun Armstrong and some woman of Spooks on the same Glasgow-Euston train last year.

 

[amcluesent]

Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper on EC 1st class (champagne socialists!) KGX-LDS a while back. The kiddies were with them, otherwise I expect they'd have been abused, if only verbally.

 

[HST Power]

Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper on EC 1st class (champagne socialists!) KGX-LDS a while back. The kiddies were with them, otherwise I expect they'd have been abused, if only verbally.

The next time I'm up in Westminster and get haggled by Labour members over spending cuts I'll have some interesting news for them.

Thank you amcluesent!

 

[Real Ale Rider]

Not surprising considering the riff raff that must hang around Darlington.

Oi,some of us live ten minutes walk away from the station and use it every day!

I saw Gail from Coronation Street asleep on a Euston to Piccadilly Pendolino in first class a few months ago. I took a photo of her if anybody wants to see it. The Sun weren't interested.

She isn't the prettiest of women though is she?

My spots:

Durham Station- Tony Benn, Bob Crow and Ken Livingstone on the southbound platform (after the Miners Gala-so not that surprising)

York Station- Harriet Harman in WH Smith and the actor who played "Tony" in Dinnerladies.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

My Dad once saw Alan Johnson (former Labour Health (?) Minister) on York station.

 

[Real Ale Rider]

It's obviously the place for former Labour ministers!

 

[CarterUSM]

See Andy Goram kicking around Central regularly , a few Msp's , and some non entity Scottish actors. And Chick Young.......

 

[amcluesent]

Oh yeah, John 'two minutes' Prescott storming off a well late EC service at KGX

 

[HST Power]

Oh yeah, John 'two minutes' Prescott storming off a well late EC service at KGX

Prescott!

MattE2010 is his biggest fan.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Prescott!

MattE2010 is his biggest fan.

He has actually complained about Hull Trains for their lack of onboard service I think... To be fair if I was HT I would get that sorted out sharpish in case he gets so hungry he starts eating seats...