Famous people / celebrities using trains

[NightatLaira]

Alan Davies (a.k.a. "Jonathan Creek / Q.I.") was on the 0840 Glasgow Central to London Euston service today. He had no companions or body guards and was actually supposed to sit opposite me on my table in a reserved seat (J10), I was in J13 and had a fair bit of stuff spread out over the table, I started packing it away as he began to sit down - but before I had a chance to finish, he had already politely told me not to worry about it and relocated himself to J2 which was unreserved and unoccupied. He remained very quiet and level-headed throughout the rest of the journey. He boarded at 1037 at Lancaster and stayed on till Euston - I last saw him heading in the direction of the taxis.

I didn't really say a whole lot to him, kind of couldn't quite believe it was him at first. But as odd people started to go up to him and ask for autographs during the journey it soon became obvious that this chap was 'the' Alan Davies.

The staff (understandably) made sure he was well looked after, he declined all offers of free food - choosing instead to have a few coffees and listen to his ipod.

It got me thinking about the other 'famous people' I'd seen personally on trains in the past; and it's quite a short list.

Alan Davies [Jonathan Creek] (2011) VT Lancaster to London
Clarissa Dickinson-Wright [one of the two Fat Ladies] (2007) GNER Berwick-upon-Tweed - LKX (first class again)
Mark Owen [Take That] - (2004) was seated in the near-deserted rear-most first class carriage of a Virgin Trains mid-afternoon Euston - Manchester service (87 + mk3s), this was back in the days of Project Rio where WCML Manchester services were frequently sent through Stechford and Bescot, and took 3hrs to reach Piccadilly. Quite incredulously he seemed to be good friends with train manager / conductor - and the two of them were chatting away for ages before they both disappeared off into the DVT for a smoke! Owen departed at Stockport and the conductor then proudly told me this whole story. (I at the time, wasn't sure who the obviously famous person was!)

It's given me a curious buzz all day knowing I was supposed to sit opposite Alan Davies! I thought about writing this at the time it was happening using the onboard free first class wifi - but then thought against it, primarily out of concern for his personal safety. Now that the train journey is over and he is safely wherever he is! I can tell you all!

Does anyone else have similar stories of spying a celebrity on a train or similar?

 

[LE Greys]

Not exactly a celebrity, but I ran into Chris Garnett, in full GNER uniform, on the platform at King's Cross once. It just so happened that I was sending letters to him (or more likely one of his secretaries) at the time and getting replies, so I said hello and reminded him of that. He was quite taken aback.

 

[ainsworth74]

My list is exactly one person long and that person is Janet Street Porter. She boarded a GC service at Thirsk in first class. I did a bit of a double take as she walked past and ended up sitting a few seats behind me and a crafty check as I left the train at York confirmed that it was indeed her.

Not very exciting I know but oh well...

 

[LE Greys]

The time I sat in a Chinese restaurant with my back to Cliff Richard (not having any idea who it was) does not really count, but makes an aunt of mine very jealous every time I mention it.

 

[Nightrider]

Once met a chap called Bill Shankly on a train from Cardiff many years ago.

Nice man.

 

[davido38]

Stephen Tompkinson leaving Manchester Piccadilly Station.
Amanda Barrie (RIP) Alma in Coronation Street. Manchester Piccadilly.
Lesley Dunlop. (where The Heart Is) on the East Coast service to Glasgow Central.
Siobhan Redmond. Glasgow Queen Street.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Barrier staff at London terminals are going to win this game, arent they?

In my time I have seen: Kate Winslet, Jimmy Nail, Noel & Liam Gallagher (regulars at High Wycombe once upon a time), Dennis Wise, Steve Stone, Andy Townsend, Manchester United FC (well, most of them), half the cast of Hollyoaks, Boris Johnson, Mark Kermode, Alan Ticthmarsh, Michael Fish & Cilla Black. Probably some others that slip my mind too.

 

[ainsworth74]

Actually you can add most of Middlesbrough FC (though I'm not sure they're celebrities ) to my list as I saw them at Darlington heading southbound to a fixture in London whilst I was waiting for a train northwards.

 

[yorksrob]

Michael Fish & Cilla Black. Probably some others that slip my mind too.

Were Michael Fish and Cilla Black together or was that just a figure of speech (might be one for the gossip columns ).

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

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

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall boarded a GC at Kings Cross, only to get back off when he realised it wasn't the EC service he was after...

Victoria Beckham on the London Tube back in 2004ish? Had to double take on that one!

 

[allticketspls]

Right, here we go. In the past few weeks at Euston we have had:

Nick Hancock
Mark Lawrenson
Janice Long
Lily Allen
Fulham FC
HM Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Phillip
Princess Eugene

to name a few...

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I once boarded a CIG at East Croydon for Victoria and found myself sitting in a four seat bay with the astronomers Dr Sir Patrick Moore and Dr John Mason.

On another occasion, at Waterloo for Epsom, the late Sir Norman Wisdom got on and sat down opposite me.

There was an occasion where I boarded a Mk 4 at Newark Northgate for King's Cross, looked across the aisle and there was James McPherson ( who was still in Taggart at the time ).

Several times I have come across Lord Ashley between Epsom and Waterloo, in both directions.

Last year I noticed Trudie Goodwin on a Southern 455 of all things!

There have been a couple of other encounters, but rather embarrasingly the names now escape me!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Victoria Beckham on the London Tube back in 2004ish? Had to double take on that one!

Saw her a number of times in a newsagent in Epsom before she was famous...

 

[Captain Chaos]

I have met the following celebrities eithier whilst working or travelling:

Gillian Anderson (2009) When travelling to Reading on the 14:53 from Newbury. She had boarded at Bedwyn travelling to Paddington in 1st class. Must say that this encounter really took me by surprise! (She gave me her autograph too!)

Leslie Phillips (2008) Sat next to him on-board a HST from Reading to Newbury. He was going towards the West Country somewhere in STD class.

Chris Eubank (2006) Saw him at Paddington boarding a train to Bristol Temple Meads.

Kris Marshall (2006) Not a great encounter this one. Was working a train to Maidenhead from Paddington and came across him without a ticket. A PF was issued.

Steve Ryder (2007) Met him at Maidenhead in the ticket office and remember selling him a STD single to London. Said he was off to help out with Comic Relief iirc.

Stuart Pearce (Various) Met him several times. Once in 2006 boarding a train at Reading to Thatcham for a music festival. Another time in 2008 he boarded at Hungerford going to Paddington. I have also seen him in the local Tesco's.

Matt Allwright (Regularly) Travels often from Newbury going towards Paddington usually on the 06:12. Always travels in STD.

Now that I come to think of it. That is actually quite a list!

 

[RichmondCommu]

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

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall boarded a GC at Kings Cross, only to get back off when he realised it wasn't the EC service he was after...

Victoria Beckham on the London Tube back in 2004ish? Had to double take on that one!

I saw Vicky Beckham at Marylebone station around that time. For the record she had red trouses on.

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

I saw Vicky Beckham at Marylebone station around that time. For the record she had red trouses on.

Can't say I remember it that much to be able to say what colour trousers! Does she have an admirer?

 

[Clip]

Not exactly a celebrity, but I ran into Chris Garnett, in full GNER uniform, on the platform at King's Cross once. It just so happened that I was sending letters to him (or more likely one of his secretaries) at the time and getting replies, so I said hello and reminded him of that. He was quite taken aback.

He turned up one night when GNER were up **** creek. NR staff sorted out everyone when the last train came in and he never said thanks.

Though i know Harry Enfield always passes through Marylebone

 

[RichmondCommu]

Can't say I remember it that much to be able to say what colour trousers! Does she have an admirer?

OMG no! Sorry couldn't resist! It was actually my wife who spotted her and i remember her remarking on her trouses. Later on i found out that she was being interviewed by Q magazine in the station concourse which seemed rather odd at the time. If i remember it was for "Cash For Questions".

 

[Poggs]

Not exactly a celebrity, but I ran into Chris Garnett, in full GNER uniform, on the platform at King's Cross once. It just so happened that I was sending letters to him (or more likely one of his secretaries) at the time and getting replies, so I said hello and reminded him of that. He was quite taken aback.

I saw him on a train up to Darlington once, in 1st Class, but helping out on-board. I remember the look on my girlfriend's face of "Who the heck is Christopher Garnett?"

I've also sat opposite Jo Whiley on a Northampton - Euston train.

 

[Ibex]

Nobody interesting at Watford Junction really unless you're into football. Seen Pete Waterman board a few Euston to Crewe LM services, also had Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Stoke FC boarding chartered Pendolinos.

 

[scotsman]

Not rail related, but I was taught drama by none other than Gary McKay, who played "Gary" in a 1993 episode of Taggart ..........

 

[yorksrob]

Not rail related, but I was taught drama by none other than Gary McKay, who played "Gary" in a 1993 episode of Taggart ..........

Murrrghdurrgh

 

[VideozVideoz]

Only person I've seen is Kate Ford (Tracy on Corrie) at Piccadilly station. She did not look impressed... prob in a bad mood!

 

[Johnny Lewis]

I was with my family travelling from London back to Bradford one Saturday evening. We were on the only direct service of the day, and, departing from Leeds, there were the four of us and one other lady left in First Class.

Arriving at Bradford, I offered to give the lady a hand with her bags... and it turned out to be none other than Wendy Craig! It was a few years ago now (still in GNER days); she was staying in Bradford to film some scenes of the then new to ITV series "The Royal"; scenes which were filmed at one of the Bradford hospitals. She couldn't find a taxi at a somewhat deserted Forster Square station, so we ended up giving her a lift to the Hilton Hotel!

That was on the same day that we'd seen Clive Mantle (he played Dr Mike Barratt in Casualty) on the train going down to London.

I've also seen more recently (and only briefly) the guy that played John-Paul in Hollyoaks (and is now in Emmerdale) - I got on a train at Manchester Oxford Road and he got off the same train at Manchester Piccadilly. I'm pleased to say he too had been travelling in First Class!

 

[Pete2210]

I got on a Central line train at Lancaster gate and found myself looking at Angela Lansbury (Murder she wrote)standing by the next set of double doors, I got a beautiful smile in return!

 

[fgwrich]

Around the summer of 2008, i once saw Comedian Danny Wallace board one of First Scotrails Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley services - was just about go over and speak to him and then his phone rang -Doh!

Though interestingly, Danny must somehow rate railways, as on his 2008 Book Friends Like These, the advert had various different pictures of various things, with one of the main pictures being 47832 In First Great Western Green, in use by Frangonset, passing through his other hometown of Loughborough! Fair play to danny for that!

I got on a Central line train at Lancaster gate and found myself looking at Angela Lansbury (Murder she wrote)standing by the next set of double doors, I got a beautiful smile in return!

Hope she wasn't planning another exersize video...It'll end up on Charlie Brooker You Have Been Watching within no time!

 

[NXEA!]

Only met one celebrity on the train, and that was Jarvis Cocker and his wife and kid on a service from Plymouth to Paddington last summer. It was a fairly late service, as we didn't arrive in Paddington until midnight. Rather surprisingly he bought tickets in Standard, and only decided to upgrade when he started getting badgered by various people on the train for an autograph! when he upgraded to First, he sat down on the table opposite the table of two I was sat at with my Grandmother, and at first I couldn't quite believe it was him. I managed to pluck up the courage later on just before we got off at Paddington to ask him for an autograph, and surprisingly he let me have one!

 

[RichmondCommu]

Only met one celebrity on the train, and that was Jarvis Cocker and his wife and kid on a service from Plymouth to Paddington last summer. It was a fairly late service, as we didn't arrive in Paddington until midnight. Rather surprisingly he bought tickets in Standard, and only decided to upgrade when he started getting badgered by various people on the train for an autograph! when he upgraded to First, he sat down on the table opposite the table of two I was sat at with my Grandmother, and at first I couldn't quite believe it was him. I managed to pluck up the courage later on just before we got off at Paddington to ask him for an autograph, and surprisingly he let me have one!

Top bloke is Jarvis. I met him in the Peak District on Stanage Edge five or six years a go. Can't wait to see Pulp later this summer. What a band!

 

[Blindtraveler]

gordon brown a few times on Fife circle runs to/from EDB in his number 11 days. More interestingly for me and any other radio enthusiasts, I w

ated at the buffet and later had a beer with radio Scotlands garry robertson on a then national express glasgow central run.

 

[Nightrider]

I was with my family travelling from London back to Bradford one Saturday evening. We were on the only direct service of the day, and, departing from Leeds, there were the four of us and one other lady left in First Class.

Arriving at Bradford, I offered to give the lady a hand with her bags... and it turned out to be none other than Wendy Craig! It was a few years ago now (still in GNER days); she was staying in Bradford to film some scenes of the then new to ITV series "The Royal"; scenes which were filmed at one of the Bradford hospitals. She couldn't find a taxi at a somewhat deserted Forster Square station, so we ended up giving her a lift to the Hilton Hotel!

Very kind of you.

 

[Mintona]

Manchester Utd, Kerry Katona, Ian Lavender, John Bishop, Kelly Brook, some bloke off Location Location Location (apparently) and one of the cheeky girls.

It's an illustrious list.