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Most interesting Intercity line

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cactustwirly

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Apologies if this has been covered before.

Here's the scenario: Which Intercity line out of London has the most interesting journey?
 
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najaB

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Apologies if this has been covered before.

Here's the scenario: Which Intercity line out of London has the most interesting journey?
Since 'interesting' is purely subjective, it is impossible to get a definitive answer. Each line will have things that are of interest to different people.

A better question would be: "Which is your favourite line and why?"
 

47802

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Well it also depends what you mean by 'interesting', and by route out of London do you mean the route that's say the first 30 miles out of London or the whole journey? From a scenic viewpoint overal I think it would be difficult to beat London - Penzance, London - Inverness, London - Holyhead, London - Fort William if you include Sleepers, but of course those routes are not that interesting scenic wise for the whole route.
 
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yorksrob

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Travelling to and from Leeds regularly, I tend to find the scenery of the Midland Mainline more interesting than the EC as its more industrial in nature.

The Penzance route is good, although I tend to miss out the first section as I prefer the route from Waterloo to Exeter.
 

Saint66

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Travelling to and from Leeds regularly, I tend to find the scenery of the Midland Mainline more interesting than the EC as its more industrial in nature.

The Penzance route is good, although I tend to miss out the first section as I prefer the route from Waterloo to Exeter.

Despite travelling between Leeds and London regularly, I've never taken an early or late service from EMT, is it worth a change up from the usual EC experience?
 

yorksrob

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Despite travelling between Leeds and London regularly, I've never taken an early or late service from EMT, is it worth a change up from the usual EC experience?

I would say so, particularly in the summer when you can see everything.

I find 1st in the EMT HST's preferable as well.
 

TheNewNo2

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I can't say I've ever been a fan of the Midland Main Line - when going to Nottingham from London, I generally preferred to take the East Coast route.
 

cactustwirly

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I find the GWML quite scenic especially around Bath and Chippenham.

But the ECML I find quite boring, as it is very flat and the scenery looks the same
 

richieb1971

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ECML is fantastic up north.

Midland Mainline has quite a bit of twisting and turning north of Bedford with rivers, bridges, sidings etc.
 

Iskra

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GWML Exeter-Penzance
WCML Lancaster-Glasgow (Fort William)
ECML York-Aberdeen/Inverness
 

randyrippley

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back in the 1970's, the MkII's used on the Weymouth Boat Train were "Inter-City" branded, so on that basis the Weymouth harbour tramway could be the "most interesting", especially when pulled by a Class 03 shunter
 

Ash Bridge

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The Penzance route is good, although I tend to miss out the first section as I prefer the route from Waterloo to Exeter.

My favourite of all too.

I must agree with your good choices there gentlemen!

The scenery on the LSWR route especially after Salisbury as it becomes more "switchback" in nature going towards Exeter, is very underrated in my opinion.
 
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6Gman

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Well it also depends what you mean by 'interesting', and by route out of London do you mean the route that's say the first 30 miles out of London or the whole journey? From a scenic viewpoint overal I think it would be difficult to beat London - Penzance, London - Inverness, London - Holyhead, London - Fort William if you include Sleepers, but of course those routes are not that interesting scenic wise for the whole route.

And if you're on the Sleepers you have the added problems:

1. You're sleeping
2. It's dark!

:D
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I was once travelling on a Euston - Holyhead train with a group of American tourists. They had heard a lot about the Welsh scenery and insisted that I let them know the moment we crossed the border.



It would be fair to say that they were a little underwhelmed by Mold Junction, Shotton and Flint!
 

dgl

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Yes, London waterloo to Exeter is really nice, plenty of open countryside, farms and suchlike mixed with some larger conurbations, going through some properly rural places at a decent speed is nice.
But then Waterloo to Weymouth (well if the WoE line is counted this should be even more so) has a real mixed selection of views, from the New and Wareham forests, the view over Weymouth, running right by the sea at Poole to the cruise ships , and acres of containers and cars at Southampton.
 

61653 HTAFC

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And if you're on the Sleepers you have the added problems:

1. You're sleeping
2. It's dark!

:D
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I was once travelling on a Euston - Holyhead train with a group of American tourists. They had heard a lot about the Welsh scenery and insisted that I let them know the moment we crossed the border.



It would be fair to say that they were a little underwhelmed by Mold Junction, Shotton and Flint!

Were you tempted to shout "Passports please!" after leaving Chester? An American ex and I had a weekend in Conwy once, I waited until we were next in the queue at the Post Office before admitting that we didn't need to change our money to Welsh "Llachs"!
 

RichmondCommu

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After dark anything out of Euston because you get to see the Wembley Arch all lit up.

Other than that York to Edinburgh is very good. I've heard that north of Edinburgh is also very good but I've never had any need to travel on that route.
 
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It's amusing that the MML was suggested so early on. With the exception of ratcliffe on soar power station (yes really!) It is mainly flat midlands agricultural land. I would say that all of the XC routes within 150 miles of Birmingham fit into the same category.
 

yorksrob

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My favourite of all too.
The scenery on the LSWR route especially after Salisbury as it becomes more "switchback" in nature going towards Exeter, is very underrated in my opinion.

Indeed. Worth the extra couple of hours IMO.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
It's amusing that the MML was suggested so early on. With the exception of ratcliffe on soar power station (yes really!) It is mainly flat midlands agricultural land. I would say that all of the XC routes within 150 miles of Birmingham fit into the same category.

I wouldn't say so.

Derby's quite interesting, and the MML north of there goes through some nice countryside. Leicester and Loughborough add a bit of urban interest.

The crooked spire at Chesterfield's worth looking out for.

Then there's always the potential excitement of getting diverted through Sharnbrook tunnel !
 

Clansman

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Out of London you say...
Aberdeen to Penzance as you'd get to see a little bit of everything :D
Only downside is 13 hours on a Voyager...
 
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D1009

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Were you tempted to shout "Passports please!" after leaving Chester? An American ex and I had a weekend in Conwy once, I waited until we were next in the queue at the Post Office before admitting that we didn't need to change our money to Welsh "Llachs"!
That story reminds me of a journey into Cornwall on a Cross Country HST where the guard decided to amuse us. He made an announcement as we were approaching the Royal Albert Bridge that we were about to cross from England into Cornwall, and that a passport examination would shortly take place. This was taken seriously by a group of Americans sitting near to me!
 

Bletchleyite

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Apologies if this has been covered before.

Here's the scenario: Which Intercity line out of London has the most interesting journey?

I'd go for the WCML. Scenic almost throughout, and some interesting city vistas on approach to the various big cities (Liverpool Lime St aside) as well.

Other lines have some spectacularly scenic bits (ECML north of Newcastle, GWML in Cornwall/Devon) but the rest of the lines are mind-numbingly boring.
 

superted81

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My favourite would be the WCML. London to Glasgow - particularly between Lancaster and Motherwell, little bit of everything. Nothing like sitting in 1st class having a drink shooting up Lune gorge
 

me123

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Aberdeen to Penzance as you'd get to see a little bit of everything :D

Although not very much of London ;)

It is going off the scope of the initial post, but if we look at Intercity routes that avoid London, Aberdeen-Penzance would be a brilliant journey to see the variety that this island has to offer.
 

GRALISTAIR

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My favourite would be the WCML. London to Glasgow - particularly between Lancaster and Motherwell, little bit of everything. Nothing like sitting in 1st class having a drink shooting up Lune gorge

It comes high up my list also -but I tag on the Preston -Lancaster section also. It passes right by my UK home just before Crow Hall Railway bridge 1 mile south of Barton.
 

HowardGWR

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Although not very much of London ;)

It is going off the scope of the initial post, but if we look at Intercity routes that avoid London, Aberdeen-Penzance would be a brilliant journey to see the variety that this island has to offer.

Well he did write 'out of London' and that line is that (well out of it). I agree with the choice, as one misses East Anglia, the whole of the SE and indeed London itself.<(<D
 
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