Tom

25 from 25! Review of the year/advent calendar from a very busy year of travel. Starting with a journey on the most northerly line in the UK, the Far North Line. To get to Thurso, trains have to reverse here at Georgemas Junction from Inverness.

Absolutely glorious day in London today☀️

Morning from Willenhall! Today, Darlaston and Willenhall in the Black Country have opened to passenger service. There's a great smell of new paint😍

@SteelCityDog_ In my plans to go back, probably go for a walk along the coast if possible. May need to stop at the cafe too!

@tomyorks It is actually on there! Beautiful station. Also, shouting out the cafe too! Nice bacon butty.

I wonder if people can name my favourite railway stations... I know I might catch a few people off guard with some of them, but I'm pretty sure it's pretty obvious on some of them. No, Glasgow Queen Street is not one of them (it's pretty damned good though!)

@trainfanmatt @TomDearlove1 @thesatnav89 Had a long debate on which to go for, prefer the connotations from Tom though Also, can I call you hew from now on?

Well @TomDearlove1 @thesatnav89 @tomyorks? 🤣

Skegness line and Lincolnshire ✅ Some very nice , well-kept stations on here. Also some quite difficult ones because a few of them such as Havenhouse only have a few trains a day!

@TomDearlove1 Snoop Dogg and Luka Modric own part of Swansea, get them commentating together 2nd half to at least balance it out between the clubs

I don't care what you say, I hate this as a complete neutral.

Trains

@UnionTyke Wasn't around there at that time unfortunately. Think I stumbled across a shinty game at Newtonmore last year though,was an interesting watch for a few mins

@tomyorks It’s a great day for it If you come passed Aberdour after 1330 you can watch the shinty from the train

Pleasant day yesterday, getting several HSTs on a circular trip from Glasgow to Dundee and back as well as ticking the stations on the Fife Circle Route!

Getting some more required stations today in Glasgow, including the East Kilbride line! This line has been recently electrified however there was a throwback to it's previous life this morning with a triple 156 on it🔥

Headed towards Stranraer yesterday, a scenic route however the nice weather seen in England was not present here! Windchill of about 4° all day. Still a nice line that's quite difficult to tick all the stations on it.

@chriscollins462 Given it's a summer weekend, probably not that many cheap options but Travelodge/Prem Inn good starting points

Does anyone have any good recommendations for budget hotels in Birmingham, Stoke-On-Trent or Crewe? Preferably close to the rail stations 🤔

@TomDearlove1 Very dedicated to station ticking now 😂

@tomyorks You've been all over the place last few weeks 🤣

Wales came to an end, but I'm still on annual leave so it's time to head north. First time picking it up from Birmingham International!

Cambrian Coast line complete! Great few days away with @turboted170 visiting every station on this wonderful line, with the sun being out for most of it too ☀️

@MattJennings337 Grateley station is in a village called Palestine, with Grateley being about a mile away from it.

A question for the day can you name a station that is named after a village/town/city but is actually closer to somewhere else ? I'll start Worplesdon should have been named Mayford

@TomDearlove1 @mark395625 @TheFactCompiler Normal workings resumed now so you'll get back fine They are diverting that way over the weekend if you need the track though

@tomyorks @mark395625 @TheFactCompiler Hoping I can get a train via the diversions. Decided to go to Sheffield 🤣🤣🫠

Yorkshire cut off!

@mark395625 @TheFactCompiler XC/EMR use it quite frequently.

@TheFactCompiler Northbound to Nunnery Jn and then via Beighton Jn and Barra Hill. Anyone sign the diversion?

The best place on this line, Barmouth! It's stunning and can even walk on the footpath next to the railway line over the bridge. So good.