2019 is a momentous year in the history of UK rolling stock. In May the last High Speed Trains (HSTs) departed Paddington to be replaced, along with their East Coast counterparts, with Hitachi Class 800/801/802s. LNER have started to introduce the class 800s on their services with the 1st August marking the first time it’s named train, ‘The Flying Scotsman’ was operated by an ‘Azuma’. Elsewhere, Trans Pennine Express are awaiting the introduction of three new types of train, whilst Northern are starting to replace and retire the train that can be described as the ‘Marmite’ of the railways.
Category: Bonus Blogs
Rating my Journeys
Now this blog has been up and running for a few months, and I’ve reviewed a few trips, both on trains and in the air, I’ve decided to change how I score the various journeys I go on. Hopefully the new ratings system I’ve decided on will better look at all the relevant criteria and better place trips on the league tables that will soon go live on the website. I should also be able to use this scoring system on all journeys whether they be by train or plane, in standard class, first, economy or business.
Class 37s in Norfolk
Having arrived in Norwich after my journey with East Midlands Trains, I took the opportunity to take a final trip on Greater Anglia’s ‘short set’ before it finished operating in the middle of May
Burgh Island Sea Tractor
Burgh Island is connected to Bigbury-on-Sea at low tide by a sandy causeway and, when the incoming tide severs the connection, a Sea Tractor ensures a connection is maintained for hotel guests and the island’s residents.
Azuma is here!
My arrival onto platform 7 at King’s Cross on the evening on Monday 20th May made what had been an unremarkable Monday into an exciting opportunity to take my first ride on an LNER Azuma
The Journey Begins
Let's start with the easy bit. I'm Aidan and at the moment I'm 26. Since I was a kid I have been fascinated by aviation and was lucky enough to complete a degree in Air Transport Management before getting a 'proper job' on the railways.




