Famous people on trains

[HMS Ark Royal]

The only one I can think of is Derek Thompson, who plays Charlie Fairhead in Casualty.

Didn't he play an IRA terrorist in The Wild Geese 2?

 

[lyndhurst25]

Jeremy Corbyn buying some stuff in W H Smith at Liverpool Lime Street.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Jeremy Corbyn buying some stuff in W H Smith at Liverpool Lime Street.

Was it a new shadow cabinet?

 

[londonbridge]

I was coming back from a Sunderland game and spotted Kieran Richardson, who was playing for us at the time.

Also, not on a train but at a station (Marylebone), I once had a rather pleasant chat with the actor Peter Dinklage.

 

[Ianno87]

Another one: I spotted the late Charles Kennedy twice at railway stations - Glasgow Queen St and London Victoria. He was in a visible hurry on both occasions.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Didn't he play an IRA terrorist in The Wild Geese 2?

Yes, he played a character called Patrick Hourigan.

I haven't seen the film, but I have heard that it wasn't a patch on the original.

 

[theageofthetra]

Seen Trevor Mcdonald numerous times at Oval station after Surrey matches also John Prescott at KX on his way back to 'ull. Once had the pleasure of encountering the holy trinity of all things camp by sharing a Thames Clipper with Sue Pollard, Lionel Blair & Christopher Biggins.

 

[W230]

B list celebs for me:
Mark Little.
Liam Dutton.
Stanley Johnson was outside the depot the other day...

 

[Tetchytyke]

I once shared a first class carriage down to Cornwall with Anne Widdecombe, and the snoring was unbelievable, she was like a pneumatic drill. Also saw David Walliams in first class on East Coast; he was really very good to the crew, happy to pose for selfies, etc.

 

[girothedog]

Met Richard Briers on the district line about 8 years ago at Stamford Brook. My son had pulled the communication handle from the comfort of his push chair and Mr Briers was very amiable and joked whilst we waited for the driver to come and check everything was OK.

Also saw the Queen board the royal train at Euston late one evening about 25 years ago. I'd followed her motorcade up Gordon Street, across the Euston Road into Melton Street, where her car turned into a side entrance of the station. Most memorably she stepped from the car and then onto the train. As the train door closed a signal was given and the train departed immediately.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Arthur Scargill on the Circle Line many years ago - got off at Barbican on a winters night - he looked very tense....

Many others , but I will not bore you.

 

[shaun]

1) Alan Rickman at Paddington station back in 1999.
2) Paul Nicholls (Famous for Eastenders) on the tube around 2006
3) Patrick Stewart in 2012 at the buffet car on a HST out of Paddington
4) Dave Hill of Slade sat opposite me on a Voyager from Birmingham to Euston in 2014.

Also used to live down the road from Daniela Denby-Ashe (My Family), I'd see her on the tube all the time.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Almost forgot - once shared a W&C tube carriage with the Duke of Wellington

 

[100andthirty]

Sat opposite Jasper Carrott, saw Bernard Cribbins (The Railway Children film) and Nick Hewer (Apprentice/Countdown) all some years ago.

 

[43106]

Over the years, I've bumped into...
1) Zia Mahmood (Bridge Champion) and Vic Reeves on GNER trains in 2002/3.
2) Max Clifford on the concourse of Waterloo Station in mid 2001.
3) Union leader Doug MacAvoy on Kings Cross station in 2002/3.
4) Comic actor Arthur Mullard on a District Line train near Mansion House,
5) Politicians Charles Kennedy and Malcolm Rifkind (then Minister of Defence under John Major) at Euston Station as all 3 of us were waiting for our respective night trains to Scotland on a Friday night before Xmas 1991. Kennedy was smoking like a chimney!

 

[6Gman]

I once shared a first class carriage down to Cornwall with Anne Widdecombe, and the snoring was unbelievable, she was like a pneumatic drill. Also saw David Walliams in first class on East Coast; he was really very good to the crew, happy to pose for selfies, etc.

I thought first class sleepers were single occupancy? So why were you sharing ...

No, maybe not.

 

[Martin66]

Arthur Scargill on the Circle Line many years ago - got off at Barbican on a winters night - he looked very tense....

Many others , but I will not bore you.

I saw Arthur Scargill many years ago (just after the miners strike) on a train from Kings Cross (he got off at Doncaster) he was in standard class and there was a queue of people wanting to shake his hand or get his autograph.

 

[43096]

Moira Stuart on a Chiltern Mark 3 set last year (never knew she was a 68 basher, did you!?).

Iain Duncan Smith on a Padd-Plymouth HST many years ago when he was Tory leader.

 

[Busaholic]

An extraordinary coincidence that I didn't realise at the time : I had purchased the recently-released DVD of the long-banned 'Straw Dogs' film from a HMV store in Croydon, then boarded a train at East Croydon station bound for Victoria. The train was slam door, previous stop Gatwick, and on opening one of the doors I found a man with his legs stretched over the seats opposite, surrounded by suitcases. I recognised him immediately as the well-known character actor Peter Vaughan, but what I didn't then appreciate was that he played quite a big part in that film. He didn't offer to move his legs, by the way, so I chose a different door to enter through!

 

[Groningen]

and a disgraced (now dead) BBC figure who used to advertise for British Rail

At this moment in time i believe that can only mean 1 person.

 

[Scotty]

At this moment in time i believe that can only mean 1 person.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvI5mp_8g1w

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Moira Stuart on a Chiltern Mark 3 set last year (never knew she was a 68 basher, did you!?).

She does have a bit of a like for trains... It was mentioned on a discussion panel she was a member of - she likes the mystery of travel

 

[47271]

Edinburgh to Kings Cross with Michael Palin, Euston to Runcorn with Johnny Vegas.

 

[thenorthern]

I have seen the Royal Train a couple of times if that counts.

Saying that I saw a well known actor the other day eating lunch at a pub and I said to my colleague later who I saw and they asked if it was at the pub and I sad yes and they mentioned it was no big deal as they see him there all the time. I felt rather embarrassed after that.

Saying that I was in a meeting the other day at a meeting for reducing climate change in the entertainment industry and they mentioned about talking famous people on the train to shoots and they told me why trains aren't always the most suitable way of traveling with celebs particularly when its children's television.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

The best I can manage, both on VTEC trains between Leeds and London are the actor Ralph Ineson (Finchy from The Office) and the late David Gest.

Both looked rather disappointed that no-one seemed to recognise them.

 

[trainophile]

Sat across the aisle from Nick Robinson and his minder, plus the MP for Ludlow (where they all boarded) in 2103, when they were on their way to the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.

He didn't have a ticket, but showed the guard an A4 sheet of paper, and the guard said "you can get your ticket at Piccadilly then". I presume BBC employees have some sort of arrangement with TOCs as they must sometimes have to travel at very short notice?

He seemed like a nice, friendly chap, no airs or graces and kept the surrounding passengers entertained with quips about the vagaries of his job, mentioning no names of course!

 

[hounddog]

I once left the Oval at the end of the day's play to see Phil Tufnell (who was playing in the game) already on the platform. Clearly making sure he didn't have to go in to bat as nightwatchman.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Over the years I have had the following "celeb" passengers....

Gerry Marsden (Gerry and the Pacemakers)
Martin Bashir
Charlie Dimmock
Tammi Grey Thompson
John Bishop
Jimmy Saville (oh!...)
Richard Branson
John McKrick (the scruffy looking C4 horse pundit)
Chris Green (NSE and VT boffin)
Stephanie McGovern (BBC Breakfast Business correspondent)
Some of the cast of Geordie Shore (dont watch it, didnt take note)
James May
Roberta Blackman Woods MP (fortunately before she nailed the Durham Free School coffin shut, otherwise I might have had words!)

There will be others but I dont have a tendancy to name chase or get starry eyed. Having worked in showbusiness I have seen the human and business side but I will still say hello to anyone if I recognise them but I wont advertise their presence.

A colleague of mine had buffoon BoJo on his train recently, another one was in the company of Justin Fletcher (Mr Tumble) while a (single) female colleague was taking great delight taking selfies with one of Newcastles more well known players. There are celebs travelling all the time, but the majority just want to be discrete while travelling so most traincrew will leave them to it.

 

[Pseudonym]

John Sergeant - thoroughly nice gent.

 

[thenorthern]

He didn't have a ticket, but showed the guard an A4 sheet of paper, and the guard said "you can get your ticket at Piccadilly then". I presume BBC employees have some sort of arrangement with TOCs as they must sometimes have to travel at very short notice?

As far as I know no and when most television presenters/staff traveling by train pay full fare. Whenever any filming on trains takes place all production crew are required to have tickets as well. Most of the time though sorting out travel is the role of a production manager who is normally someone who doesn't know much about trains except going on thetrainline and paying the first fare that comes up.

The amount broadcasters spend on travel is very high last time I checked the allowance for mileage is 45p per mile. Not so long ago I had to do a 140 mile round trip each day for 5 days and which I think worked out at £315 overall but I felt guilty as I drive a low emissions car and I think it only cost me about £40 in fuel.