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Famous people on trains

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backontrack

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According to Laura Kuenssberg, Tom Watson is currently 'on a train back from Glastonbury'. So if you're heading to London and your train called at Westbury or Castle Cary, then there's a good chance that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is on board (though don't go searching for him).

But has anyone on here seen someone famous on a train yet? Urban transport networks like the Tube and the Glasgow Subway count too.
 
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TheEdge

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I've sold Simon Farnaby a 1st class upgrade between Ipswich and London Liverpool Street and had Deidre and "Dear Deidre" on my train last week. One colleague had Cameron on his train last week while another had Boris.
 

sduob

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In all honesty I probably wouldnt recognise them if they did.

I have a friend who met Miliband and a squad of advisors once and heckled him though. Always thought that was a bit mean spirited.
 

cambsy

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Once on a train from London to Sheffield got chatting to all the members of Madness apart from Suggs, were going to a radio interview in Sheffield, was really interesting and made my day, was done in casual and interested way,
 

SouthStand

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Must've been about 27 years ago, but I was behind John Prescott in the ticket queue at Wakefield Westgate. He was giving grief to the lady behind the counter. I said get into government John and change the system. He just muttered a reply and wondered off to the platforms.

About 20 years ago I saw Craig Charles sat with a colleague in the buffet at Sheffield.

Cant think of any others at the moment.
 

Ianno87

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I once saw Jim Davidson with his hands in his pockets on Wolverhampton station, Hugh Dennis on he phone on the concourse at Waterloo, Nick Hewer pulling a suitcase at Milton Keynes Central, Princess Anne walking at Paddington and Lembit Opik on the Barkerloo Line escalator at Paddington.
 

Mag_seven

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Off the top of my head I've seen quite a lot over the years:
Princess Anne (plus husband)
Frank Carson
Robbie Coltrane
Graham Taylor
John Reid (when he was Labour Defence Secretary)
Roy Jenkins
Ken Loach
Alan Shearer
Judith Chalmers
Willie Whitelaw
Jilly Cooper
Ken Doherty
and a disgraced (now dead) BBC figure who used to advertise for British Rail
 

6Gman

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Enoch Powell on a train to Eastbourne

Clement Freud on a train to Westenhanger (Folkestone Races)

Clive Dunn on a train to Llandudno Junction (we shared a taxi thence)

Chris Balderstone (cricketer & footballer) on a train from Glasgow

Various rugby players at Cardiff

Once met Chris Huhne off a train at Crewe; once met Cyril Smith off a train at Crewe
 

tsr

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I'm not one of those people who goes out of their way to recognise celebs / famous people / call them what you will, but obviously I will recognise them if they've been on front-page news and so on. I've definitely seen a few major politicians here and there, including a highlight of having to move a stranded Boris Johnson around East Croydon during severe disruption a few months ago.
 

LNW-GW Joint

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I once saw Gwyneth Dunwoody, MP for Crewe and then Chair of the Transport Select Committee, angrily pacing the platform at Crewe during some typical WCML disruption.
I wonder what she would think of the railways since she died in 2008.
Her successor Louise Ellman has done pretty well I think.
 
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Where to start...charged the BBCs Laura Kuenssberg a new ticket as she was travelling peak on an off peak ticket, lovely lady I must say, came and found me to sort it all out! Jake Humphrey a la F1 is a regular to Norwich as is Delia. Lenny Henry often on the East Suffolk line to Saxmundham.

The local MPs are regulars too, I still have the upmost respect for ex Colchester MP Bob Russell.

They're everywhere, I always just treat them the same as everybody else as i'm sure they'd like.
 

district

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I released Paul McCartney's bag from a ticket barrier on early last week. Didn't realise it was him though until my colleague told me!
 

bb21

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Saw Rio once on a Virgin service, and the entire Everton team on another occasion.

Walked past Graham Norton at Leicester Square the other day, and my companion samgeorge965 went, "Who?"
 

Steveman

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Was very close to Jimmy Savile going to Leeds once and that's where it ends.
 

thenorthern

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Given where I work I regularly see famous people.

On the train however the only people I can remember seeing is Peter Crouch, Adrian Chiles and John Humphrys.
 

Johnuk123

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Given where I work I regularly see famous people.

On the train however the only people I can remember seeing is Peter Crouch, Adrian Chiles and John Humphrys.

Can't remember where I saw it but I will repeat it anyway.

Imagine you're on a slow empty train at night and you're in the buffet car and behind the person at the counter is a small dirty shelf and on it is a very old toby jug with the handle missing.

As you stand there slowly vibrating as you pass over the points this little toby jug starts talking to you, it's mouth is very slowly moving with the motion of the train but you have difficulty making out what it's trying to say.

Adrian Chiles anyone ?
 

Clip

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Saw Portillo filming when I was on the way to brighton last year and also had Sid little come sit opposite me on a train once and he fell asleep and snored
 

Ianno87

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Oh, I also once saw Rhys off one of the series of Junior Apprentice on the 1843 Euston-Wolverhampton Pendolino.
 

nicobobinus

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I saw Tom Watson late one Saturday evening late last year, alone, staring grimly at a cancellation-splattered departures board at New Street.

I was once almost run down in 1997 by Jimmy Savile and a member of Railtrack staff who were at the wheel of a mobility buggy at Glasgow Central. I can't remember who was driving..
 
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Mag_seven

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So far we have had among the sightings Jimmy Savile and Cyril Smith - not exactly the sort of people you want want to meet now!
 
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matacaster

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Clare Short at Leeds station. Quite surprised really, she looks better in the flesh than on TV (ok only a bit better!).
 

yorkie

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I can't recall seeing anyone famous on a train (I probably have, but just can't remember!), but I did once buy a ticket for John Humphrys.
Where to start...charged the BBCs Laura Kuenssberg a new ticket as she was travelling peak on an off peak ticket...
Unless the peak differential was huge (e.g. London to Manchester), wouldn't that be an excess fare?
 

midlandred

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In 1967 I regularly commuted Coventry-Liverpool Lime Street
One Thursday I was reading "Speedway Star" and the steward serving me coffee told me he rode speedway
More often than not, he was the steward on my train over the following months and we chatted regularly
He was Dave Parry, who had a decent, if short career, with Crewe Kings, whilst building up his coach travel business, which today is the highly-rated Parry's International
Maybe not "famous" but a well respected operator
 

argonaut56d

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Had a few celebrity (ish) people on my trains. Mostly round Hampstead Heath.

Anna Chancellor
Tim Dutton

Few so called leftie comedians that I couldn't name but recognised! Maybe John Thomson was one?

Also Andy Townsend and also Harry Redknapp at Imperial Wharf separate occasions.

John Inverdale at Richmond (blimey is that guy's head huge!!!!) :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Iskra

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I was in 1st on VTEC with the cast of Emmerdale a few Saturdays ago . They were on their way to some TV awards. I made a slight faux pas as one of my colleagues told me there were people from Emmerdale on board and I said 'I wouldn't recognise any of them' while some were sat directly opposite us (I don't really watch TV).
 
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