Initial purpose of this tour

The tour of 2025 included many Cross-Country trains and only 8 of the other 22 Train Operating Companies (TOC) excluding Eurostar and Caledonian Sleeper. So I wondered if I could devise a tour that used all the TOCs.

First was to check that they all ran regular services with First Class accommodation. Several hours investigation has identified 16 TOCs which do, and I aim to use all of these during this two-week summer tour of 2026.

Several more hours have identified 23 stations with decent hotels within 10 minutes slow walk, and in a further few hours I've now got a list of 14 regular direct services between these stations. I have eliminated Edinburgh (EDB) from this list because its nearby hotels are either very expensive or at the top of a very steep hill.

The basic plan, and it may change a few times before the start date, is (one line = one day): 

1. travel from Hotel1 to Hotel2, 
2. day-trip from Hotel2 to somewhere, 
3. maybe day-trip from Hotel2 to somewhere else
4. travel from Hotel2 to Hotel3
5. day-trip Hotel3
6. etc
7. etc

It can be done in 6 days

 I really didn't think it would be possible, partly because of my slower walking these days and my desire not to leave hotels before 10am or home before 9am, and to end the day in time for an evening meal.

But I've found a way.

16 First Class TOCs in 6 days

In the above diagram: 

• Circles are changes of transport, rectangles are overnight stops.
• Those in green are the first time each one of the 16 Train Operating Companies (ToC) is used.
• Dotted lines are transfers between London or Glasgow terminals.

In case you've counted the symbols, I stay first and last nights at home and take two different ToCs trains from Kings Cross (KGX).

Day 1: Home to Victoria,
Gatwick Express to Brighton,
Southern to Havant,
Southwestern to Waterloo, transfer to Liverpool Street,
Greater Anglia to Ipswich and back, transfer to London Bridge and home. (10hr45)

Day 2: Home to London Bridge, transfer to Kings Cross,
Grand Central to York,
London North Eastern to Newcastle. Overnight in Newcastle. (8hr30)

Day 3:
Cross Country to Reading,
Great Western to Cardiff. Overnight in Cardiff. (6hr30)

Day 4:
Transport for Wales to Manchester,
TransPennine Express to Glasgow City, transfer to Glasgow Queen Street,
Scot Rail to Dundee. Overnight in Dundee. (10hr15)

Day 5: Scot Rail to Edinburgh,
Avanti West Coast to Euston, transfer to London Bridge and home. (9hr45)

Day 6: Home to London Bridge,
ThamesLink to Cambridge,
Great Northern to Kings Cross,
Hull Trains to Doncaster, Cross Country to Derby,
East Midlands to St. Pancras, ThamesLink to London Bridge, and home. (9hr45)

There are some long waits for connections, mainly because I need a train from a particular ToC. Longest is Doncaster's 2hrs, Edinburgh and Kings Cross are both 1hr30 and Manchester 1hr. There are plenty of things to do in and around these stations.

Coincidentally, and I've truly only just discovered this, all three of these stations have pubs within the station premises which are recommended in "Unusual Railway Pubs, Refreshment Rooms and Ale Trains" by Bob Barton.

Euston, Liverpool Street, Newcastle, Reading, St. Pancras and York are also mentioned for their bars. Not enough time at Reading and York but I may be able to have a sip in the others.

Let's rate each TOC's offering

 I'll be travelling in each of the 16 TOC's First Class accommodation for upwards of an hour (except Gatwick Express whose longest journey is 58 minutes) so this is an ample opportunity to appraise each offering.

Here's my initial list, it will almost certainly change before the off.

• Depart on time
• Reserved seat as ordered (window, facing, table)
• Reservation indicator updates automatically during the journey
• Air-conditioned, and working
• Power for charging: 3-pin, USB-A or USB-C, wireless
• Comfort of seat
• Seating layout 2+2 or 2+1
• All seats have full window view
• Destination and next stop info clearly in sight
• Wi-fi freely available and working
• GPS signals received OK
• What food and drink available from trolley/buffet/restaurant, any extras to pay for
• Is my ticket checked en route 
• Arrive on time
• Delay Repay time 15 or 30 minutes 

During recent travels around UK each of the above have been unacceptable, so let's see how things turn out this time.

Let's make it a two week tour

It's been a busy 9 months since my last blog here.

The 6-day tour has been extended to 14-days by staying 2 nights at Newcastle, Cardiff, Manchester and Birmingham hotels and 4 nights in Inverness, adding 7 day-trips from those places. The first night I'll stay at home. 

All are exclusively on First Class coaches except my two favourite rail journeys: Inverness to Wick and Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh.