Who else managed their first leisure journey today?

[Techniquest]

No long post for me to start this thread off! With the easing of restrictions on non-essential travel finally beginning today, I took advantage of my last day off work (originally booked for Iceland, then revised for a cycle tour) and used the railway to get me to and from the start/end points of my daily training cycling. I'll not bore you all with that, although I will mention it was the long awaited return of a proper good max power thrashfest

My journey nearly didn't happen, with a farce in both the SWR app and the GWR app. Fingers crossed that failed transaction is not taken by GWR and my bank realises how silly it is...

Anyway! To kick off 2021's rail adventures, I had 172336 from Hereford to Ledbury this morning, followed a few hours later by 800312 Evesham to Worcester Foregate Street and 172336 again from Worcester to Hereford.

Oh, and even my new bike with much narrower rims won't fit on the bike hooks on an IET Nice to be back on the rails though!

 

[pnepaul]

For my first rail journey in over a year, it was Workington to Crewe via Carlisle and back. Not very exciting, but good to be back on a train.

 

[Techniquest]

I didn't wait quite that long, mine was a positioning move to/from Ledbury I think in December, part of a training mission on my now-gone mountain bike. Even so, starting this late into a year feels wrong!

Mind you, I do seem to have had my 'fix' for now, so it will probably be a while until my next rail journey. There's something odd for me these days being on a train, just sitting there, I'm so used to cycling now that I had less enjoyment than expected. I know that's weird, I was buzzing this morning to be on the 172 out of Hereford.

Perhaps this is a new thing for me, that I need to find something to do to keep me occupied all the way on the train. Or just re-learn how to be satisfied with just sitting there again, I don't know.

Like on the 800, I looked it up on Maps and found Worcestershire Parkway to Worcester Foregate is only 4.4 miles by bike. If I had realised that before getting there, I'd have jumped off, taken the bike down to ground level and pedalled away instead. Given I had a 30 minute connection in Worcester, it would have filled that time productively. Never mind!

 

[rg177]

I went down on the bus to Whitby, taking the train back to Newcastle.

Some stations have had the "essential journeys" signage removed but the PA at Whitby was still yammering on about how we should all stay at home.

Between Whitby and Middlesbrough the train had about four passengers on, one per carriage! We were delayed at Glaisdale a little too due to a kettle from the NYMR seemingly doing a run from Battersby in preparation for services resuming.

A little busier after that.

 

[route101]

Live in Scotland so not quite yet, though will be going to Edinburgh next week. I wonder when its possible to do Glasgow to Carlisle?

 

[cactustwirly]

No long post for me to start this thread off! With the easing of restrictions on non-essential travel finally beginning today, I took advantage of my last day off work (originally booked for Iceland, then revised for a cycle tour) and used the railway to get me to and from the start/end points of my daily training cycling. I'll not bore you all with that, although I will mention it was the long awaited return of a proper good max power thrashfest

My journey nearly didn't happen, with a farce in both the SWR app and the GWR app. Fingers crossed that failed transaction is not taken by GWR and my bank realises how silly it is...

Anyway! To kick off 2021's rail adventures, I had 172336 from Hereford to Ledbury this morning, followed a few hours later by 800312 Evesham to Worcester Foregate Street and 172336 again from Worcester to Hereford.

Oh, and even my new bike with much narrower rims won't fit on the bike hooks on an IET Nice to be back on the rails though!

I was working today so I went out yesterday instead, just a quick journey to Bracknell for a walk.

The bike storage in the 800s is a joke, last time I used one my bike wouldn't physically fit in the space because the hook adjacent was occupied and my bike was too big.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not as yet. I probably will do on Thursday, either to London or Brum for a walk around somewhere other than round the block or a couple of local train rides e.g. walk to Wolverton/Leighton and train back as I have been doing.

 

[Kite159]

My first will be on Friday towards Tilehurst for some walking (although I did use the trains in the last couple months for similar reasons). First "leisure" trip without a walk involved will be Saturday to head towards Derbyshire to meet up with some friends.

 

[ABB125]

My first planned rail trip is on Thursday.
However, today I was out for something rather special:

Turns out that Railfreight red-stripe class 20s are quite popular - there were around 15 enthusiasts in total at that spot! Beaten only by the failure of 37601 at Norton junction in June last year; at one point there were 20 or so enthusiasts there...

 

[yorkie]

I did a walk with 4 other forum members along a disused railway line today.

Which was nice

First "leisure" trip without a walk involved will be Saturday to head towards Derbyshire to meet up with some friends.

I have a lot of trips planned over the next few months, but so far all of them appear to involve a long walk!

I do like walking and I'd certainly encourage any forum members who do too, to get in touch.

 

[Spamcan81]

I'm confused. I thought non essential rail journeys were permitted from 12th April.
Anyhow, went out with my camera today to get some HST shots on the MML.

 

[Bayum]

Did all mine on Thursday…

 

[HST43257]

I had my first train journey of the year today. Simply a few return trips from York, for photography and travel purposes.

I started with a 170 (474) out to Knaresborough, then I went over to the castle area to get some photos with the viaduct and the reflection on the River Nidd. I hit lucky, with a 2 car 158 operating the KNA terminator. This meant the train fit perfectly on the viaduct, so all good there.

After the same 170 took me back to York, I then went to Malton and back. Included were 2 68s (021 there and 031 back) plus some exploration of the Malton bus depot and a bit of lineside rail photo spot investigation in the 35 minute wait.

To finish the day, I went out to Church Fenton, with 155347+158902 taking me there and 195125 bringing me back. I’d hoped to see a Class 56 there on a freight run from Sinfin, but unfortunately I’d earlier discovered that it had been cancelled. Did the return trip anyway, though.

So, yes, a fairly successful day - and always great to be back on the rails. Only issue is, an problem with the provider has resulted in me having no mobile data for a few weeks, ruining any further plans I had for this time (of which I had many).

 

[yorkie]

I'm confused. I thought non essential rail journeys were permitted from 12th April.
Anyhow, went out with my camera today to get some HST shots on the MML.

Sounds like you've been mislead.

There has never been any concept of "essential journeys"; you have been permitted to go out for this reason since 8th March.

And now from 29th there is no restriction on movement (with exceptions such as going abroad)

Any questions, see this thread:

What travel restrictions change from the 29th March?

I'm a unsure of what actually changes in Covid law/guidelines with respect to travel in England from 29th March. I believe that all changes is the stay local guidence gets dropped, but travel by public transport should be essential journeys only, without defining what essential actually is in...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[birchesgreen]

I've booked this week off for various trips (though have been on trains for the last few weeks).

I was "overjoyed" though yesterday morning to wake up to a text from my wife saying she had just taken a covid test at work, I thought just my luck if I end up having to isolate this week... but thankfully a bit later the second text saying it was negative came through. Phew!

 

[HSP 2]

Looking at a day out around Leeds on Saturday getting out a West Yorkshire daysaver Train. May tag on a run out to Malton depending what 68s are running.

 

[Kite159]

I did a walk with 4 other forum members along a disused railway line today.

Which was nice

I have a lot of trips planned over the next few months, but so far all of them appear to involve a long walk!

I do like walking and I'd certainly encourage any forum members who do too, to get in touch.

Likewise, most of my trips booked so far (well hotels, not tickets) will involve walks, weather permitting.

 

[Techniquest]

Likewise, most of my trips booked so far (well hotels, not tickets) will involve walks, weather permitting.

Similar for me, all my trips so far involve cycle rides. I'm more into cycling than walking these days it seems!

Did so today, 175110 from Hereford to Ludlow with the original plan of riding back down. Yeah, my journey back to Hereford featured 139001 up the newly relaid Stourbridge Town branch, 172215+172211 to Worcester Foregate Street and 802022 home.

Left it until after peak time to do the journey back south at least

As for being free to do a railway journey since 8th March, that would tally with the vast increase in traffic here. Good grief it went crazy in no time, I haven't missed that. I dread to think what it will be like when the shops and pubs etc re-open...

 

[1D54]

Off to Manchester from Leicester tomorrow for my first rail trip since 19th December and can't wait!! Booked Leicester - EMP and Nottm- Man Picc so a cheap one at £34.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

I'm confused. I thought non essential rail journeys were permitted from 12th April.

I thought we were supposed to stay local - whatever local means. Clearly some of the above go well beyond local.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I thought we were supposed to stay local - whatever local means. Clearly some of the above go well beyond local.

This time round all transport is treated the same, probably because they worked out how discriminatory it was allowing car owners to move freely but not those who don't own cars, particularly as many people don't drive for reasons of a medical condition or disability.

Despite blabbing about it, neither the rules nor guidance actually say to stay local, what they say is the following piece of vagueness:

Travelling within England​

You should minimise travel where possible. This means you should:

• avoid making unnecessary trips
• combine trips where possible

You should not stay away from home overnight for a holiday.


If you need to travel:

• walk or cycle where possible
• avoid car sharing with anyone from outside your household or your support bubble
• plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport
• regularly wash or sanitise your hands
• wear a face covering on public transport, unless exempt
• stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors)

There is additional guidance on safer travel, including on the safe use of public transport.

Living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19

Guidance for living safely with respiratory infections, including coronavirus (COVID-19).

www.gov.uk

None of this actually prevents you doing London to Penzance and back if you want, provided you can do it in a day. And staying overnight is not in and of itself illegal this time, though you'd have to kip on a park bench as the accommodation is all shut.

 

[route101]

Took the train out to Lanark today. Even seen a group come off the train at Lanark.

 

[73128]

I did get out Monday. Firstly to Ascot to expand my platform ticket collection (missed there last summer), then back to Reading for some shots of the 769 test run, first there, then to Didcot for more, back at Reading and finally on the move through Twyford. And then realised that the 701 delivery was about three hours later and headed to Virginia Water for some shots there. Great to be back on trains again.

To Oxford Tuesday for warm sunny freight pictures (noticeable how many northbound freightliners had plenty of spare space, no doubt owing to the Suez canal blockage). And back there Thursday afternoon. Advised that passenger numbers through Reading have been rising during the week.

 

[Techniquest]

I thought we were supposed to stay local - whatever local means. Clearly some of the above go well beyond local.

Everywhere in the UK feels local when one has trekked to the other side of the world! Even a London to Los Angeles flight feels like nothing more than a quick hop over the water in comparison to a Sydney to Abu Dhabi overnight flight! I dread to think how I'll cope with the journey to New Zealand next year...

Point here of course being that even London feels like it's just around the corner sometimes. Obviously it's not, and I would put money on there being plenty of people who feel the exact same way.

Bletchleyite makes a good point, car drivers could go anywhere they please, and still do. I know one who took a friend with him to Taunton recently so his friend could pick up a car he'd got in an auction. The amount of such tales I've heard of in the previous few months...

 

[yorkie]

I thought we were supposed to stay local - whatever local means. Clearly some of the above go well beyond local.

This only applies in Scotland

Wales had a local travel policy in place but that was abandoned over a week ago.

Now let's get back on topic please

 

[yorkie]

....car drivers could go anywhere they please, and still do. ...

Car drivers have no additional freedom of movement rights, nor have they ever had, but any further debate on this misunderstanding needs to be in a dedicated thread please.

 

[Gathursty]

Ive still got a week off but now Im of the age where I have no railcards any more so a short hop in the North West is less appealing given I've got a car.

I'll save my return to trains when I buy a Network Railcard so I can do some serious mileage on routes in the South East over the Summer.

PS: Can you get a good nights sleep at either of the hotels on Clacket Lane M25 services?

 

[Llandudno]

Ive still got a week off but now Im of the age where I have no railcards any more so a short hop in the North West is less appealing given I've got a car.

I'll save my return to trains when I buy a Network Railcard so I can do some serious mileage on routes in the South East over the Summer.

PS: Can you get a good nights sleep at either of the hotels on Clacket Lane M25 services?

Why on earth would you want to spend the night at a service station?

There are some cracking deals around (especially at non seaside/touristy places) over the coming months at Premier Inn, Travelodge and others owing to lack of business customers, if you book in advance.

 

[Gathursty]

Why on earth would you want to spend the night at a service station?

There are some cracking deals around (especially at non seaside/touristy places) over the coming months at Premier Inn, Travelodge and others owing to lack of business customers, if you book in advance.

I'm a stingy Northerner who has preconceptions that places such as Sevenoaks, Guildford and Harlow would cost a fortune to spend a night in.

I was impressed with M4 Chievely services but the hotel is a good distance from the M4 and A34.

 

[Llandudno]

I'm a stingy Northerner who has preconceptions that places such as Sevenoaks, Guildford and Harlow would cost a fortune to spend a night in.

I was impressed with M4 Chievely services but the hotel is a good distance from the M4 and A34.

I get that but I prefer to stay in town or city centres where there is a choice of breakfast options or pubs.
I know many people aren’t fond of Wetherspoons but breakfasts including unlimited tea/coffee for around £5 and pints for £2ish - I don’t partake with with breakfast though!

Just been looking at Premier Inn loads of rooms in Newbury, Basingstoke etc in the summer for £29