Best railway moments of 2018

[Entertexthere]

What was your favourite moment of 2018 regarding the UK railways? One of my favourite moment s for example was when the GWR reached broadway.

 

[Mag_seven]

87002's run down the GWML from Didcot to Paddington on the GBRf tour:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/class-87-on-the-gwml.170024/

 

[Re 4/4]

My first journey on a Class 800. It was during the summer, hot outside but everything from AC to wifi worked perfectly and the train was clean, new and on time.

 

[Fearless]

The Mazey Day Cornishman railtour in June, two Class 50s and a rake of 1980s Mk 2s (I think!). Glorious weather, the locos didn't miss a beat, I had so many great conversations with like-minded folk. Perfect day.

 

[Ianno87]

Boarding a train at Cambridge, and still being on same said train on the Brighton Main Line at Gatwick Airport.

 

[backontrack]

Going on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway (or 'La'al Ratty') in the summer.

 

[yorksrob]

Going past Dawlish in a thumper.

 

[Iskra]

Although I've had a quieter year on the rails, I still have a few contenders, so one of these:

1) Double headed class 73's out of a snowy Inverness on the Caledonian Sleeper. Sitting in the lounge car with a cheeseboard and a real ale. Then scoring a 92 later in the trip.
2) The Diamond 20's railtour: my first class 20 haulage and a total of 5 winning loco's plus some new lines.
3) Getting the train from the bottom of Italy back to Sheffield. The highlights being the TGV through the Alps or the Italian LHCS between Reggio Calabria and Naples which is a stunning run.
4) Class 37 around the Cumbrian Coast

So it's been a year of quality rather than quantity for me!

 

[The_Train]

The moment my pen hit paper and wrote a train number down for the first time in nearly 20 years

 

[fishquinn]

My first trip over into the continent was this year so my first one of those for sure, a 5 day interrail back in June with @cactustwirly, taking me all over and seeing sights you just can't experience over here.

 

[johnr57]

Shaking the hand of the esteemed Mr Cameron on the footplate of No. 9 at Edinburgh Waverley

 

[cactustwirly]

My first trip over into the continent was this year so my first one of those for sure, a 5 day interrail back in June with @cactustwirly, taking me all over and seeing sights you just can't experience over here.

Fully agreed! Thanks for coming along! Definitely the best moment of 2018!

 

[DavidGrain]

May, when I completed travel over every line in both directions within the Birmingham city boundary when I took a train from New Street to Nuneaton via these lines:

Lifford Curve usually used only by ECS workings
Camp Hill Line usually only used in passenger service by XC trains to/from Bristol and South West
St Andrews Junction Landor Street Junction normally freight only

Within the West Midlands County I still have to do Wolverhampton to Walsall line but at present there is only the 'parly' train very early one morning each week.

 

[HowardGWR]

Seeing four tracks through Stapleton Road again, at last!.

 

[Trainfan344]

Being in the front coach of Double headed Class 42s from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster in May.

 

[adamedwards]

Getting off the train at Lymington Piet and going straight on to the ferry car deck with bike in stunning sunshine.

 

[Morris Dancer]

Fulfilling a childhood dream and going on top of the Forth Bridge on a sunny afternoon in September. Best £50 (donation to Barnardo's) I've ever spent!

 

[Cowley]

Going past Dawlish in a thumper.

Chatting to Yorksrob as he passed through St David’s on his beloved Thumper.

 

[xotGD]

Has to be the loco-hauled services on the Windermere branch. Dreadful!

On a personal level, scratching my first 37s for haulage in around 15 years. I've been away, you know!

 

[bspahh]

In the summer, I had an afternoon to get from Munich to Mannheim. I had an ICE ticket but broke my journey in Ulm for dinner and a walk by the Danube. The next train to Stuttgart was an Intercity. I had a whole coach to myself, with a metre wide drop window, a warm evening, sunset and a line that wiggled up a valley.

 

[cactustwirly]

In the summer, I had an afternoon to get from Munich to Mannheim. I had an ICE ticket but broke my journey in Ulm for dinner and a walk by the Danube. The next train to Stuttgart was an Intercity. I had a whole coach to myself, with a metre wide drop window, a warm evening, sunset and a line that wiggled up a valley.

That sounds awesome!

 

[LOL The Irony]

Going on a school trip to Crewe with Virgin and getting to sit in a Voyager cab after a ride to Chester.

 

[E_Reeves]

Riding the Norwich - Gt Yarmouth in a MK2 behind an immaculate 37 in wonderful weather... A brilliant day out!

 

[185143]

The day I started working on it.

 

[yorksrob]

Chatting to Yorksrob as he passed through St David’s on his beloved Thumper.

And likewise, chatting to your good self through the droplight

 

[mrcheek]

when the snow started to melt at the beginning of March, and I was able to resume my 14 day All Line Rover after the first 3 days were ruined

 

[43096]

Has to be the loco-hauled services on the Windermere branch. Dreadful!

Yep! Certainly a highlight from the UK point of view.

Other than that, really enjoyed a first trip to Slovakia and Czech Republic, with ČD restaurant cars recommended.

 

[700007]

Probably being able to clear the East and West Coastways is up there for me - East Coast way is a brilliant line and I did it on a beautiful warm day and enjoyed a day out in Hastings. West Coastway had a line possession when I did it Chichester <> Littlehampton but because I did it at dusk the bus service actually went through the beautiful seaside town of Bognor Regis and all the Southern guards that day were friendly and funny. It makes you appreciate the little things that people do but it puts a great big smile on your face and you do remember that.

 

[TRAX]

The IEP tearing wires down.

 

[43096]

The IEP tearing wires down.

Certainly a contender for funniest moment of the year, along with other IEP farces like the multiple hour Hele & Bradninch one.