CrossCountry

Birmingham to Bristol return 

The outward journey was smooth but the major problem with CrossCountry is that their windows block GPS signals so google maps struggles to work. In fact it only works when the train passes close to a mobile mast the rest of the time it highlights a nearby mast and encircles it with a 'zone of confusion' whhich can often be very large indeed, and my speedometer app doesn't work at all.

Return is, of course,  the same. I have, therefore, no further comments to make except that the trains were very full. On the return journey I was lucky enough to get the very last available first-class seat.

These two Crosscountry trains scored 41% in my opinion.

Avanti West Coast

 Edinburgh to Birmingham  

This train was late arriving from London so eventually left Edinburgh 8 minutes late. Not the best start.

It was a Pendolino, tilting train. All the first-class facilities worked just fine except the ride was rather harsh when on the straights. Cornering and tilting was smooth.

I had two light meals, on china plates, during the four-and-a-half hour journey, and three bottles of beer. I didn't ask for the second and third, they just came along. I turned down the fourth bottle.

Then there was the strangest announcement, apologising to coach C. It said the air-conditioning in coach C had filled its watertank and when the Pendolino tilted a certain way some water overflowed onto passengers. This tank can only be emptied during overnight maintenance.

We frequently stopped and waited just before a station, they said we were running behind a stopping train, this made us 25 minutes late arriving at Birmingham so I might be able to claim some Delay Repay for that.

Otherwise the Pendolino and staff was brilliant scoring a top-of-the-tree 80%. Top speed 129mph.

One nice touch was the onboard information screens which, when approaching a station, displayed available connections from that station and their platforms.

Scotrail

 Inverness to Edinburgh  

Staff at Inverness station rarely allow passengers onto the platform more than 10 minutes before the train is due to depart.

This morning I joined the queue at the ticket barrier as soon as it was announced but didn't get through the barrier until 3 minutes before departure. My reserved seat was in the 5th coach from the barrier so a 3 minute walk then a scramble to board only to find someone in my seat. She left graciously.

The Caledonian Sleeper from London was running 2 and a half hours late, I wonder why.

At one point this train was 16 minutes late but it pulled into Edinburgh 1 minute early. Top speed was 92mph and the first-class issues scored 37.5% bringing Scotrail's total to 44%.

Another day of leisure

Lunch in Strathcarron

Rain forecast so planned a mainly indoor day.

Took the Kyle train again, this time as far as Strathcarron - about 2hrs from Inverness.  

[Sorry, but Blogger won't load any photos, no problem before today] 

The hotel/pub there looks nice but once in the bar there are no windows.

Ate a hurried fish and chips (nothing to write home about) and returned to the station where I'm writing this in a warm breeze.

Sitting close to the level crossing the A890 is quite busy, considering where we are, about 5 vehicles per minute.

The stationmasters house is a holiday home.

[Sorry, but the videos I took today won't play in Blogger, they were no problen 2 days ago!]

There was a lot of this:

and this:

on the way back to Inverness - where it was raining.

Scotrail

 Aberdeen to Inverness

This was a return journey from Inverness but the outward train was changed from a DMU170 which has first-class seating to a DMU158 which doesn't, so I'll ignore that hot, noisy, crowded train.

Returning was a pleasure. Aberdeen now has a First Class Lounge which I used briefly for biscuits, a drink and a comfort break. This was one of those journeys where there are more railway staff in first class than customers.

The main negative aspect was that I was unable to connect to wi-fi. The only one seen to be available was labelled as GWR-WiFi to which connection always failed. I seem to recollect that Scotrail and GWR were both part of the First group before nationalisation.

My score for Scotrail is 50%, same as GWR, is that just a coincidence?

I walked through the market to the hotel just to see if my favourite fish shop, of 60 years, is still there. It is and hasn't changed a bit!

Duncan Fraser's of Inverness

Day of leisure

 Inverness to Kyle, return

No first-class to judge today, just one of my all-time favourite rail journeys.

The trip to Kyle was uncomfortable because the train was full to bursting and I was on a 2x2-seater table with some of a German(?) party and unable to stretch my legs.

Once at Kyle they were met with the inevitable piper - not a seasoned player as he had a music stand and music. I've never seen this before.

For the return trip I had the whole table, and most of the carriage, to myself.  Below are two short videos covering the first 12 minutes out of Kyle.

Is this the ferry?

LondonNorth Eastern Railway

 York to Inverness 

In earlier days of this tour I used LNER from York to Newcastle, today I was to get the London to Inverness train for three-quarters of its route.

But I'd arrived an hour earlier than intended so I had a very long wait in the first class lounge

I had the chicken supreme and a glass of wine, to be followed after Edinburgh by Tuna, bean and egg salad and two more wines. This all helped LNER to score 75% once more, bringing their average to 76%.

I was in the window seat of a table for four. My neighbour was not so lucky with his meals. I don't think it was clear to anyone why, but even though he ordered and was given cutlery etc., neither meal appeared. Eventually this was rectified but he did miss the main meal of the day.

Max speed today was 125mph.