Trip Report Community End of Year Review 2020

[Iskra]

It's that time of year again...

It's been a strange one, but here is the annual thread for sharing your achievements and reflecting on your travels. Did you still manage to get out on the rails? Did you make the most of whatever chance you did have to get out and about? What are your dreams for next year?

Please feel free to respond however you like, we know that some people like to take very numerical approaches to clearing classes, while others just like sharing their travels- all formats and responses are welcome

 

[Kite159]

Down to only needing 191 stations for photographs (which are mainly in the south of England, plus Wales with a handful in Scotland/Northern). Although tier 4 means the plans I had for the next week have been put on hold.

Hopefully next year that will come down once leisure travel is allowed again (and Wales reopens the doors). In terms of new units, I had hoped for a couple trips earlier this month to Manchester/Leeds which would have hopefully put a good dent in my 195/331s (making use of RTT).

Travelling since the summer certainly has been strange, trains generally quieter, hotels being cheaper.

Although this is the first year I haven't been able to clear the 159s for the year as 159007 kept on avoiding me.

 

[Iskra]

For me it's been a fairly successful year and although I've lost time due to lockdown, I've made the most of the opportunities to get out that have arisen. I've not been able to hit the rails since September and it doesn't look like I will anytime soon either.

Countries Networks visited:

Ukraine (New)
St Kitts & Nevis (New)
UK

UK Locomotive Classes for haulage on the mainline:

20 (2)
37 (2)
40
47 (3)
57 (3)
68

New Haulage:

195
331
40
802
33

New Route Coverage:

Derby-Stoke
Gainsborough Central-Barnetby
Brough-Church Fenton
Selby-York
Nottingham-Skegness
St Erth-St Ives
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (preserved)

Highlights:

Ukrainian Railways
St Kitts & Nevis Scenic Railway
DRS Class 20 Farewell Tour
Class 40 on the Settle & Carlisle
St Erth to St Ives coverage
Final year of HST's to Skegness
Night Riviera Sleeper Train
Brigg Line

So all in all for me, it's not been a bad year despite the fact I've not been able to get onto the rails as much as I would have liked. The good news is a few railtours I'm booked on have been re-dated to next year.

 

[Iskra]

Down to only needing 191 stations for photographs (which are mainly in the south of England, plus Wales with a handful in Scotland/Northern). Although tier 4 means the plans I had for the next week have been put on hold.

Hopefully next year that will come down once leisure travel is allowed again (and Wales reopens the doors). In terms of new units, I had hoped for a couple trips earlier this month to Manchester/Leeds which would have hopefully put a good dent in my 195/331s (making use of RTT).

Travelling since the summer certainly has been strange, trains generally quieter, hotels being cheaper.

Although this is the first year I haven't been able to clear the 159s for the year as 159007 kept on avoiding me.

It's good to see you're still going strong Kite. Quiet trains and cheap hotels are at least positive from an enthusiasts perspective

 

[backontrack]

New line coverage:
- Doncaster-Wakefield Westgate-Leeds

New stations:
- Appleby
- Chartham
- Wye

 

[Peter C]

I've barely been out and about this year, but upon looking through my photos it turns out I went to Didcot Parkway near the end of January
Here are a couple of photos:

I also went trainspotting a couple of times in that period between the first and second lockdowns:


I'm not sure if these will be of interest to anyone. I didn't visit any new stations this year but did see some interesting things such as the Midland Pullman HST and a few Chiltern Class 165s on the Cotswold Line. My main aim for 2021 is to get out and about much more!

-Peter

 

[xotGD]

The year started off well. Got my last Chiltern 68 for haulage on a work trip to Birmingham and picked off a couple more on TPE services. But then 9 months without being on a train. Indeed I have only seen one locomotive in that time - 37075 on Haworth shed!

 

[superalbs]

It's been a pretty good year, if a little tame.

Visited four new countries, bringing me to 29. These were:

• Georgia
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Vatican City

In total I went abroad ten times this year, on these trips:

• Germany
• Italy, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Italy, France
• Belarus (transit via Austria, return transit via Germany)
• Czechia
• Poland
• Poland, Germany, Poland
• Italy (and Sicilia), Vatican City, Italy, Switzerland, Italy, France
• Germany
• Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Poland, Germany
• Spain

And there were also plenty of UK trips too.

In total, I managed over 34,000 miles, on around 600 trains. A lot of new routes and trains covered too, but too much to list here. I couldn't even name the highlights, there's so much. I've also managed to film lots of content for my Youtube channel about reviewing different trains in the world, so quite a productive year in that regard too.

So not too bad, but nowhere near as ambitious as I had wished it to be. Still, very enjoyable.

 

[NorthWestRover]

I went on 62 trains this year, 39 were new for "haulage".

From Wigan, I went to Bridlington on 7th March and Knaresborough on 14th March (both on the Northern Newspaper Ranger).

I had post lockdown 1 day trips to St Annes, Alderley Edge and Buxton (the latter two on GM Wayfarer returning via Stalybridge Buffet Bar).

I had a Northern Complimentary Pass for my holiday travel to Scarborough in August. 5 hours each way... I stayed a couple of nights.

All 62 trains were units. 11 were electric - 6 x 390, 1 x 333, 2 x 331, 2 x 323.

The DMUs were 1 x 142 (in October), 12 x 150, 1 x 153, 2 x 155, 3 x156, 8 x 158, 7 x 170, 3 x 185, 13 x 195, 1 x 221.

If possible, I intend to travel a bit further afield in 2021.

 

[pieguyrob]

For me I have cleared the 3 car 331's for sight, at Blackpool North.
I managed to see 37025 for the first time also at Blackpool North.

 

[Kite159]

It's good to see you're still going strong Kite. Quiet trains and cheap hotels are at least positive from an enthusiasts perspective

I made use of the Travelodge BOGOF deal they ran over the summer time, although some of the hotels I won't necessarily use again (Leeds Central is great for train spotting, not so for sleeping!)

Highlight being to score my last GWR IET back in March, a couple days before the first lockdown when it was working a service to London calling at Didcot around 7pm.

Also I've flown for the first time in a few years with a bargain priced flight from Edinburgh to Gatwick, which is something I will consider doing again in the future.

 

[Iskra]

I've barely been out and about this year, but upon looking through my photos it turns out I went to Didcot Parkway near the end of January
Here are a couple of photos:
View attachment 87756View attachment 87757
I also went trainspotting a couple of times in that period between the first and second lockdowns:
View attachment 87758View attachment 87759View attachment 87760

I'm not sure if these will be of interest to anyone. I didn't visit any new stations this year but did see some interesting things such as the Midland Pullman HST and a few Chiltern Class 165s on the Cotswold Line. My main aim for 2021 is to get out and about much more!

-Peter

You did well to get a shot of the Midland Pullman

 

[Iskra]

The year started off well. Got my last Chiltern 68 for haulage on a work trip to Birmingham and picked off a couple more on TPE services. But then 9 months without being on a train. Indeed I have only seen one locomotive in that time - 37075 on Haworth shed!

Well done on completing the Chiltern 68's. I've still not managed to even get on a TP 68 set yet Do you live at Haworth? As far as only seeing one loco goes, a 37 isn't a bad class

 

[Iskra]

It's been a pretty good year, if a little tame.

Visited four new countries, bringing me to 29. These were:

• Georgia
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Vatican City

In total I went abroad ten times this year, on these trips:

• Germany
• Italy, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Italy, France
• Belarus (transit via Austria, return transit via Germany)
• Czechia
• Poland
• Poland, Germany, Poland
• Italy (and Sicilia), Vatican City, Italy, Switzerland, Italy, France
• Germany
• Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Poland, Germany
• Spain

And there were also plenty of UK trips too.

In total, I managed over 34,000 miles, on around 600 trains. A lot of new routes and trains covered too, but too much to list here. I couldn't even name the highlights, there's so much. I've also managed to film lots of content for my Youtube channel about reviewing different trains in the world, so quite a productive year in that regard too.

So not too bad, but nowhere near as ambitious as I had wished it to be. Still, very enjoyable.

No too bad! That's amazing! Where is your favourite place to ride trains then so far?

 

[Iskra]

I went on 62 trains this year, 39 were new for "haulage".

From Wigan, I went to Bridlington on 7th March and Knaresborough on 14th March (both on the Northern Newspaper Ranger).

I had post lockdown 1 day trips to St Annes, Alderley Edge and Buxton (the latter two on GM Wayfarer returning via Stalybridge Buffet Bar).

I had a Northern Complimentary Pass for my holiday travel to Scarborough in August. 5 hours each way... I stayed a couple of nights.

All 62 trains were units. 11 were electric - 6 x 390, 1 x 333, 2 x 331, 2 x 323.

The DMUs were 1 x 142 (in October), 12 x 150, 1 x 153, 2 x 155, 3 x156, 8 x 158, 7 x 170, 3 x 185, 13 x 195, 1 x 221.

If possible, I intend to travel a bit further afield in 2021.

Very good, you have managed a wide variety of travels and units across the North at least

 

[Peter C]

You did well to get a shot of the Midland Pullman

Haha - thanks
A friend of mine saw the service online and then worked most of it out: it did involve waiting for a while though!

-Peter

 

[xotGD]

Well done on completing the Chiltern 68's. I've still not managed to even get on a TP 68 set yet Do you live at Haworth? As far as only seeing one loco goes, a 37 isn't a bad class

I'm just a few miles from Haworth, so you could say that it is my local depot.

Hopefully once I've had my vaccination I can get back out on the TPE 68s after Easter.

 

[Iskra]

I'm just a few miles from Haworth, so you could say that it is my local depot.

Hopefully once I've had my vaccination I can get back out on the TPE 68s after Easter.

Very good, all my family originate from Oakworth and my grandparents still live there so it's an area I know well. I've subsequently spent a lot of time on the KWVR.

 

[Techniquest]

Strictly speaking I'm not part of the trip reporting community these days, I retired from that earlier this year. I've also recently increased my available time, with the withdrawal from Facebook and Instagram made official yesterday. So I have a lot more free time now Which has led me to this thread, and while I veg out after some much needed cardio, it feels necessary to respond.

For a year of lockdowns, physical distancing and all that, I've managed to get quite a few winners. I don't make a big effort to keep track of how many per month or whatever these days, that's far too much effort. I tried to get everything logged on RM, oh my days I got bored of that in no time so I happily chucked away the month's subscription for £5. Logging mileage is far too boring, it was a huge thing for me in the past but it is what it is! The hours I wasted...

I also don't do station visits these days, but I did have a train day in LA with Metrolink. That was pretty fun, as was the Metro over there. Tap with pride, every time you ride! I covered the majority of the LA Metro, couldn't be bothered to finish it.

For obvious reasons, the other love of my life, aviation, has been put on hold and it may never come back! I took up cycling in the early part of 2020, getting more serious with it by the spring. I subsequently was off the bike for a lot of time, having caused an injury but that's a whole other story. As of today, I'm only 46 miles off clearing the bike for 1,500 miles and I am very pleased with that.

Sticking with that theme for a bit, I did my first cycling holiday in October! That took in bits of London (yes really), Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow, Strathclyde and the North West. I also mixed in some trains, more than originally planned due to the weather, but I did finally get to try the 385s which I love. I also cleared the 380s, which was fantastic On the same trip I got to try my first 397, I didn't find them too bad overall.

Just before lockdown in March I got my last GWR 800 by chance, the 802s just don't come my way much now so they remain irritating. I had my first 769 the other week, and a renewed Pacer farewell at the same time. Oh, I cleared the 166s early on in 2020 too, and had my last GWR 165, so I've not done too badly there.

On 2nd January 2020, after an excellent day with the legend that is Kite in Birmingham, I had my last ever beer after a change of trains in Worcester. I don't know what happened, it was a known favourite beer, but just like that I decided it was time to quit alcohol forever. It was actually nice and easy, and remains one of my highlights of 2020

Flying my first ever Boeing 747 in January was a big highlight too, and I am very glad I didn't leave it until another time after all. Kraków was also an enjoyable time, and it still seems incredible those were my only non-UK destinations in 2020. I look at it as validation for all the rushing to see the world for the last few years. I still have places I'd like to see, whether I will get to do them or not is another thing altogether now.

So all in, that's a selection of highlights of 2020 for me. In some ways, I've been very fortunate this year. I've had a lot of adventures, albeit not the sort I expected, I'm in a good place financially which I definitely didn't expect to happen until next year and I've met some amazing people. I've disconnected from a lot of people, and I am much less social than I ever used to be, but I prefer it this way. I have a very small group of friends, and that's really good, I don't have patience for too many people now. I just don't have much in common with the average person, so I'd rather connect with those I do!

As I look at my local cycle map, I do look forward to 2021 and whatever it may bring!

 

[superalbs]

No too bad! That's amazing! Where is your favourite place to ride trains then so far?

Now that's a tough question!

The place I kept going back to, thanks to the country itself being great, the fantastic stock, and the more permissible restrictions has to be Poland. Normally I would visit Czechia a lot too, for the first two reasons, but that wasn't very feasible in the latter part of the year. Somewhere I really need to get back to is Ukraine - was meant to happen a few times this year, but never could sadly...

Another thing I really like is something new and different. Being far from home and hopping on some bizarre train really is interesting to me! Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is a major focus for me, hopefully in 2021.

 

[_toommm_]

It’s not been too bad of a year for me - luckily I’ve been in a position to continue to use trains throughout lockdown. As such, I’m ending my year on roughly 23,000 miles covered.

I went on my first railtour (BLS Merseyrail tour in January) and my first loco-hauled railtour (Doncaster to Carnforth via everywhere in March). I’ve finally covered lines down to Portsmouth, Brighton, Seaford, covered some of suburban Glasgow, and finally done the GEML in it’s entirety.

Still no foreign travel (I was planning on doing an Interrail before COVID got serious), but hopefully that will be for 2022.

 

[alexf380]

2020 was shaping up to be a great year for me, with just over 1,500 miles by the end of February. A trip up to Inverness in the first week of March was my last before I had a day or two in July and another in September and that's been it. Just 2,200 odd miles and 52 haulage winners is the final total for the year.

The only way is up for 2021, as I continue to move away from "bashing" and spend more time travelling to a specific location and going further than the station concourse when I get there!

 

[Iskra]

It's good that a number of longstanding contributors have been able to 'check in'

Strictly speaking I'm not part of the trip reporting community these days, I retired from that earlier this year. I've also recently increased my available time, with the withdrawal from Facebook and Instagram made official yesterday. So I have a lot more free time now Which has led me to this thread, and while I veg out after some much needed cardio, it feels necessary to respond.

For a year of lockdowns, physical distancing and all that, I've managed to get quite a few winners. I don't make a big effort to keep track of how many per month or whatever these days, that's far too much effort. I tried to get everything logged on RM, oh my days I got bored of that in no time so I happily chucked away the month's subscription for £5. Logging mileage is far too boring, it was a huge thing for me in the past but it is what it is! The hours I wasted...

I also don't do station visits these days, but I did have a train day in LA with Metrolink. That was pretty fun, as was the Metro over there. Tap with pride, every time you ride! I covered the majority of the LA Metro, couldn't be bothered to finish it.

For obvious reasons, the other love of my life, aviation, has been put on hold and it may never come back! I took up cycling in the early part of 2020, getting more serious with it by the spring. I subsequently was off the bike for a lot of time, having caused an injury but that's a whole other story. As of today, I'm only 46 miles off clearing the bike for 1,500 miles and I am very pleased with that.

Sticking with that theme for a bit, I did my first cycling holiday in October! That took in bits of London (yes really), Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow, Strathclyde and the North West. I also mixed in some trains, more than originally planned due to the weather, but I did finally get to try the 385s which I love. I also cleared the 380s, which was fantastic On the same trip I got to try my first 397, I didn't find them too bad overall.

Just before lockdown in March I got my last GWR 800 by chance, the 802s just don't come my way much now so they remain irritating. I had my first 769 the other week, and a renewed Pacer farewell at the same time. Oh, I cleared the 166s early on in 2020 too, and had my last GWR 165, so I've not done too badly there.

On 2nd January 2020, after an excellent day with the legend that is Kite in Birmingham, I had my last ever beer after a change of trains in Worcester. I don't know what happened, it was a known favourite beer, but just like that I decided it was time to quit alcohol forever. It was actually nice and easy, and remains one of my highlights of 2020

Flying my first ever Boeing 747 in January was a big highlight too, and I am very glad I didn't leave it until another time after all. Kraków was also an enjoyable time, and it still seems incredible those were my only non-UK destinations in 2020. I look at it as validation for all the rushing to see the world for the last few years. I still have places I'd like to see, whether I will get to do them or not is another thing altogether now.

So all in, that's a selection of highlights of 2020 for me. In some ways, I've been very fortunate this year. I've had a lot of adventures, albeit not the sort I expected, I'm in a good place financially which I definitely didn't expect to happen until next year and I've met some amazing people. I've disconnected from a lot of people, and I am much less social than I ever used to be, but I prefer it this way. I have a very small group of friends, and that's really good, I don't have patience for too many people now. I just don't have much in common with the average person, so I'd rather connect with those I do!

As I look at my local cycle map, I do look forward to 2021 and whatever it may bring!

I don't blame you for withdrawing from social media, I've only got Twitter & Snapchat left, I've been off Facebook for 10 years now and I've not looked back I like your more casual approach to the hobby, it seems healthier. It's great that you've still been able to achieve so much without really trying. Fair play on giving up the booze, but it's not something I will be emulating myself, although I do generally drink limited amounts these days anyway, but I enjoy it when I do indulge. 747 haulage was definitely one of the highlights of my year too, looking back in hindsight. Mine was more by luck than judgement, and initially I was actually disappointed not to have an A380 instead, but I've changed my tune on that one. I'm glad it's been a positive year and it appears that you're more comfortable being yourself, which is a very positive thing

Now that's a tough question!

The place I kept going back to, thanks to the country itself being great, the fantastic stock, and the more permissible restrictions has to be Poland. Normally I would visit Czechia a lot too, for the first two reasons, but that wasn't very feasible in the latter part of the year. Somewhere I really need to get back to is Ukraine - was meant to happen a few times this year, but never could sadly...

Another thing I really like is something new and different. Being far from home and hopping on some bizarre train really is interesting to me! Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is a major focus for me, hopefully in 2021.

I'm yet to try Poland (although Western Ukraine is culturally basically Polish...), so that's one I will aim to achieve when I can based on your recommendation. Ukraine is amazing, I can agree on that. I would love to travel to either of those. Moscow-Beijing via Mongolia is one of my all time goals... maybe one day.

It’s not been too bad of a year for me - luckily I’ve been in a position to continue to use trains throughout lockdown. As such, I’m ending my year on roughly 23,000 miles covered.

I went on my first railtour (BLS Merseyrail tour in January) and my first loco-hauled railtour (Doncaster to Carnforth via everywhere in March). I’ve finally covered lines down to Portsmouth, Brighton, Seaford, covered some of suburban Glasgow, and finally done the GEML in it’s entirety.

Still no foreign travel (I was planning on doing an Interrail before COVID got serious), but hopefully that will be for 2022.

Yes, you've done pretty well then really. I was on the Doncaster-Carnforth tour too, it was a good one; shame about the lack of a 56 but they threw in an extra 37 for us as compensation so that made amends. How did you find your first railtours? Well done on covering such a wide geographical variety of lines.

2020 was shaping up to be a great year for me, with just over 1,500 miles by the end of February. A trip up to Inverness in the first week of March was my last before I had a day or two in July and another in September and that's been it. Just 2,200 odd miles and 52 haulage winners is the final total for the year.

The only way is up for 2021, as I continue to move away from "bashing" and spend more time travelling to a specific location and going further than the station concourse when I get there!

It seems you had quality, rather than quantity. I try to mix railway interest with hiking or being a bit cultural sometimes, depending on my destination- variety is the spice of life afterall.

 

[Esker-pades]

I had forgotten what I'd done at the start of this year before I saw this thread and started writing a response to it.

I started the year pretty well, and was well up on what I was on last year before lockdown. I got myself to Altnabreac in the early part of the year, and instantly fell in love with the place. That's somewhere I need to visit in the summer when the daylight hours are longer. I managed two trips to Liverpool and the surrounding area: one to visit Stanlow & Thornton and general line clearence, and one for a forum challenge/meet. Those sort of merged into one in my memory.

Spoiler: Altnabreac

Looking back, Corrour was my sort of last hurrah before lockdown. I remember sitting in Haymarket station on my way to Corrour listening to one of the early COVID press conferences before jumping on a 385 to whisk me to the West Highland service out of Queen Street. That was probably the trip I most looked forward to, because it marked the end of a crap couple of months and a shedload of work. And I also look back on it fondly too. Weird how emotional it is, but there we go. It's another place I want to return to so I can do some longer walks from the station to properly get into the remote Highland moors.

Spoiler: Corrour

Nothing happened to me for almost 3 months (in railway terms), then I started the first of a good few round trips from Edinburgh to London to get all my gear back from uni to home. One highlight is dragging an entire keyboard onto an Azuma at Haymarket, with a dispatcher keeping a wary eye on me.

After I was back in London, I then got in quite a few local day trips done round there and the SouthEast. I kept going back to HS1 and the Javelins, punctuating the day with chips on a beach.
I also went back up to Scotland in September again for friends before their uni started and local restrictions started to kick in. That meant I could get another Highland ride and walk in. I chose Dalwhinnie, and walked up the banks of Loch Ericht. Again, that was something sorely needed.

Spoiler: Dalwhinnie & Loch Ericht

While all that was happening, I got a job which I had to commute for. That started in mid-October, with a 570 mile commute (per week). I then moved house, so I only needed to do 100 miles (per week). I cannot do 6am starts regularly.

Between the end of lockdown 2 and my area going into tier 3 then tier 4, I managed a couple of nice trips too. Those were really needed. The first was a simple tour of Cumbria. I went up the WCML to Carlisle, then came back via the Coast route. The second was my visit to Shippea Hill

Spoiler: Cumbria

Spoiler: Shippea Hill

I haven't even hit 15k miles this year. And my figures have doubled since I started commuting.

Next year, all things being equal, I hope to be more international. I also hope to get back up to Scotland.

 

[Techniquest]

Iskra, yes my laid back, on again off again approach to the hobby seems to work for me. I've managed to combine it with cycling from time to time, even if it's as a way to get to/from a longer ride or something. The best of both worlds really, although I do wish I could keep the healthy eating going. It's better than it used to be, but there's still a long way to go. The sugary junk food is the biggest issue, but I'll get there eventually

I've got something like 11 days off in January, so I *hope* to be able to do some cycling and trains in that time. A far cry from the world exploration I normally do at the start of the year, but it is what it is! Iceland is still booked for March, although quite honestly I doubt it'll happen. The accommodation has been carried over from March 2020, and my new booking with BA was a bargain, but we will see what happens. I still have 2 and a half months to go until I will know if I can go.

Even so, good luck to you and everyone in 2021!

 

[Iskra]

I had forgotten what I'd done at the start of this year before I saw this thread and started writing a response to it.

I started the year pretty well, and was well up on what I was on last year before lockdown. I got myself to Altnabreac in the early part of the year, and instantly fell in love with the place. That's somewhere I need to visit in the summer when the daylight hours are longer. I managed two trips to Liverpool and the surrounding area: one to visit Stanlow & Thornton and general line clearence, and one for a forum challenge/meet. Those sort of merged into one in my memory.

Spoiler: Altnabreac

View attachment 87810

View attachment 87811

Looking back, Corrour was my sort of last hurrah before lockdown. I remember sitting in Haymarket station on my way to Corrour listening to one of the early COVID press conferences before jumping on a 385 to whisk me to the West Highland service out of Queen Street. That was probably the trip I most looked forward to, because it marked the end of a crap couple of months and a shedload of work. And I also look back on it fondly too. Weird how emotional it is, but there we go. It's another place I want to return to so I can do some longer walks from the station to properly get into the remote Highland moors.

Spoiler: Corrour

View attachment 87813
View attachment 87814

Nothing happened to me for almost 3 months (in railway terms), then I started the first of a good few round trips from Edinburgh to London to get all my gear back from uni to home. One highlight is dragging an entire keyboard onto an Azuma at Haymarket, with a dispatcher keeping a wary eye on me.

After I was back in London, I then got in quite a few local day trips done round there and the SouthEast. I kept going back to HS1 and the Javelins, punctuating the day with chips on a beach.
I also went back up to Scotland in September again for friends before their uni started and local restrictions started to kick in. That meant I could get another Highland ride and walk in. I chose Dalwhinnie, and walked up the banks of Loch Ericht. Again, that was something sorely needed.

Spoiler: Dalwhinnie & Loch Ericht

View attachment 87817
View attachment 87818

While all that was happening, I got a job which I had to commute for. That started in mid-October, with a 570 mile commute (per week). I then moved house, so I only needed to do 100 miles (per week). I cannot do 6am starts regularly.

Between the end of lockdown 2 and my area going into tier 3 then tier 4, I managed a couple of nice trips too. Those were really needed. The first was a simple tour of Cumbria. I went up the WCML to Carlisle, then came back via the Coast route. The second was my visit to Shippea Hill

Spoiler: Cumbria

View attachment 87820
View attachment 87821

Spoiler: Shippea Hill

View attachment 87822
View attachment 87823

I haven't even hit 15k miles this year. And my figures have doubled since I started commuting.

Next year, all things being equal, I hope to be more international. I also hope to get back up to Scotland.

That was one of the reasons I started this thread, it's been such a strange year it's difficult to remember how things were pre-Covid, but most people seem to have got a lot in before it struck

I think you've had a really good year and you've certainly seen some pleasant places. I'm looking to hike from Corrour to Dalwhinnie as soon as I can. I'm hoping I can do it in the winter so I can do it in snow, which will take me along Loch Ericht.

You can't go wrong in Cumbria. I think the Coast line is a very under-rated line. Shame the 37's have gone, however.

 

[Iskra]

Iskra, yes my laid back, on again off again approach to the hobby seems to work for me. I've managed to combine it with cycling from time to time, even if it's as a way to get to/from a longer ride or something. The best of both worlds really, although I do wish I could keep the healthy eating going. It's better than it used to be, but there's still a long way to go. The sugary junk food is the biggest issue, but I'll get there eventually

I've got something like 11 days off in January, so I *hope* to be able to do some cycling and trains in that time. A far cry from the world exploration I normally do at the start of the year, but it is what it is! Iceland is still booked for March, although quite honestly I doubt it'll happen. The accommodation has been carried over from March 2020, and my new booking with BA was a bargain, but we will see what happens. I still have 2 and a half months to go until I will know if I can go.

Even so, good luck to you and everyone in 2021!

To help me eat more healthily or at least better, I'm currently using HelloFresh which might be worth looking into. With working shifts I was eating far too many takeaways, so that helps me keep clear of them. I find cooking relaxing too so it's been a win/win for me and I was feeling a lot better for it, however Christmas indulgence has been an issue but that's over now.

I've got a lot of time off in January and I'm also hoping to use it productively too or get what travel I can in. I was supposed to be going to Austria but that got cancelled. I've been to Iceland, it's an interesting country, but most of its interest is geographical. For an aviation fan like yourself I would recommend a flight out to the volcanic island of Hiemaey from the South of the mainland. You'll get to sample a light aircraft, maybe even fly it a little if you get sat next to the pilot and it's an interesting runway... There's not much transport stuff in Iceland though, so I wouldn't have had it down as your kind of place tbh (based on your previous trip reports). There are some BA bargains out there currently, but I've managed to resist temptation to avoid having my holiday hopes dashed again. I might just play safe and stick with the annual trip to Italy this year.

 

[pieguyrob]

Just completed the 3 car 195's for sight.

 

[52290]

It's been a pretty good year, if a little tame.

Visited four new countries, bringing me to 29. These were:

• Georgia
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Vatican City

In total I went abroad ten times this year, on these trips:

• Germany
• Italy, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Italy, France
• Belarus (transit via Austria, return transit via Germany)
• Czechia
• Poland
• Poland, Germany, Poland
• Italy (and Sicilia), Vatican City, Italy, Switzerland, Italy, France
• Germany
• Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Poland, Germany
• Spain

And there were also plenty of UK trips too.

In total, I managed over 34,000 miles, on around 600 trains. A lot of new routes and trains covered too, but too much to list here. I couldn't even name the highlights, there's so much. I've also managed to film lots of content for my Youtube channel about reviewing different trains in the world, so quite a productive year in that regard too.

So not too bad, but nowhere near as ambitious as I had wished it to be. Still, very enjoyable.

Did you manage to do any rail travel in Vatican City? When I was there in c1971 there was said to be a special 640 class 2-6-0 reserved for sole use on the papal train kept at Trastevere shed. Is the Pope a rail enthusiast?

 

[rg177]

I went in all guns blazing for 2020 as I spent the New Year in Hamburg and then headed across Germany, Czechia, Austria, Italy and Switzerland on an Interrail pass.

Highlights included the Nightjet from Vienna to Venice, the Gotthard Pass and the Glacier Express from Andermatt to Brig.

Less pleasant highlights included getting stranded in Milan for several hours while Trenord staff went on strike and also getting fined on a train in Belgium for being 20 seconds too slow filling in my pass!

I then spent February doing a couple of rangers, getting my first MK5 sets in the book, visiting the station pub at Stalybridge and making inroads with the 195s.

In the weeks before lockdown I visited some of the Scottish Islands, visited Corrour Station, had a ride behind my first 73/9, and had my first trip on the line from Fort William to Mallaig.

My final train before lockdown was a 195 from Sheffield to Retford.

I didn't really make many trips by train in the UK over the summer, though I made my last minute madness trip to Norway, in which I covered all the main railways in the country (exc the lines that would usually go into Sweden). I also took a few flights, the best being a Wideroe Embraer E190-E2 from Tromsø down to Bergen. Norway felt very much like it was still 2019 and pre-covid, so it was a welcome break.

I started on the railway in September, giving me some disposable income, resulting in a fair few last minute trips out in October.

This included a trip up to Dundee and St Andrews to get a ScotRail HST in the books, a visit to London for some bashing and shopping, and a DIY ALR.

This "ALR" entailed visiting friends in London before heading for Southampton to visit another, across to the South West via Salisbury to pay a visit to Dartmouth as well as clear my last (functioning!) 143.

After this I headed back to London and subsequently Cambridge for one final social visit, topping it off on the final day with a Stadler related visit to Anglia.

After the November lockdown I had a visit to London again, scooping up my first Aventra on GA and taking a ride on the Broxbourne-London express that runs contra-peak for some 317 related noise!

My craziest one was having a bus ride to Durham one afternoon then booking LNER advances on the fly to travel down to Peterborough by Azuma before indulging in MK4 first back to York- a much needed trip though!

My last trip out this year was a South Pennines spin a fortnight ago. It wasn't as trashing as my usual trips, and mostly involved a loop around the Calder Valley and TransPennine routes with a stop off to get half a dozen 331s in the book.

After this, with tier 4 starting to come into play and everything starting to unravel again, I decided to call it a day for the time being.

All things considered I haven't done too badly this year!