My time at home was brief. Just one night for now as today I travel to Swindon to join the annual Railway Engineering Institute (formerly the Permanent Way Institute) OLE challenge so my trusty suitcase has swapped its holiday contents for railway standard PPE.
Right now I’m on train number 1. A crowded Northern Class 195 is carrying me to Leeds where I’ll pick up a Cross-Country Voyager for the long journey down to Bristol Parkway. I can’t say that the idea of spending so much time on a cramped Voyager is felling me with glee. It’s rather a comedown from 1st class in a high-speed German ICE!
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That’s because I missed my scheduled ferry from Calais this morning! A combination of factors meant I had difficulty finding the P and O check in desk so by the time I get their it was closed, even though my ferry wasn’t sailing for well over an hour. I now know that their operation when it comes to foot passengers is very much a one man and his dog operation. Or, in this case, one woman! most ferry companies seem to have given up on carrying foot passengers, leaving P and O the only one – and the next ferry wasn’t until 15;00, five hours later.
Still, I had a very nice hall to myself, a couple of staff and a pair of recreated Bleriot aeroplanes.
The newish Calais passenger hall. The ferry counters are tucked away right at the back. The entrance to the hall is hidden away at the side. There’s no entrance at the front. It’s fair to say this three storey building is underutilised.A closer look at the planes. The closest one is a replica of the one Bleriot flew across the channel in 1909.
However, there was wifi and plug sockets, so I managed to get some work done and the time passed quickly. When it came time to get on the bus to get onto the ferry (you’re not allowed to walk on and off anymore) there were just four of us. Me, another chap and his two children. So I can kind of see why all the other ferry companies had shut their counters down completely. It seems the days of foot passengers pitching up to catch ferries across the channel to the UK are almost over. We’re a dying breed…
In truth the whole ferry was quiet. it seemed packed on the way in with an endless stream of HGVs leaving its bowels, but when I went for a look around once we’d left port there were few passengers in the duty free of cafe and one of the cafe’s wasn’t even opened. ah well, at least Dawn’s happy with my duty free shopping – a large bottle of Chanel No5!
Now I’m back in the UK, aboard a train that seems really tiny after all the ones I’ve been aboard recently. A SET Javelin is carrying me to London.
It’s now 19:06 and I’m speeding North in another Hitachi product, this time it’s an LNER ‘Azuma’ which will carry me to York. Compared to German ICEs these things feel very rough riding, even at the lower speed of 125mph. I nearly spilled my gin and tonic! On the positive side, LNERs 1st Class offering does include free food and drink at this time of day.
Baked potato and chilli hit the spot.
22:45.
Today was nearly a day for missing things. My LNER train was late into York, meaning I only made my Northern connection with a minute to spare.
Now I’m back home and relaxing for the evening. But I’ll be back on the rails again tomorrow as I need to be in Swindon for a commission on Thursday. It’s only on Friday that I’ll be train free for a while. I’m looking forward to being camera rucsac free for a while too…
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Today I’m homeward bound and heading for the coast to get a ferry back to the UK, but not without exploring some very different styles of architecture. I left Aachen aboard one of DB’s fleet of ICE trains, which are without doubt the best trains I’ve used on this trip. The levels of comfort in 1st Class are hard to beat, plus the fact they can nip along at up to 250kph. In just over 20 minutes I was across the border and at my first stop, Leige’s Guillemins station, which is a stunning piece of modern architecture. I was there in ideal conditions too as it was another beautifully sunny day, which really showed off the station’s roof to best effect.
Having spent a couple of hours admiring and photographing the place I moved on by local Belgian trains which left a bit to be desired – even in 1st Class. Whilst the double deck coach I travelled in had plug sockets, there was no wifi. Plus, there was a problem with the sockets if you’re using UK plugs with an adaptor. You have to use the plug upside down, but there’s so little room between the socket and the seat cushion that they don’t fit – which is why this blog’s a day late!
Still, the train was comfortable and uncrowded and I got to Brussels on time to catch my next connection to Tournai. This was a station I passed through on my first day. I didn’t have time to stop and explore then but I was fascinated by the sheer size of the station building. This time I decided to tarry and I’m glad that I did as it’s a classic – both inside and out.
Moving on again I changed trains ay Lille – where there’s desks with plug sockets on the concourse for anyone to use – before arriving in Calais, another place I didn’t have time to explore on my inward trip. This time I did. What a contrast to Dover, its counterpoint across the channel, which is a bit of a shithole. Calais has life and vibrancy, some attractive restaurants and cafes – and this…
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After making contact with some Dutch commmunity rail colleagues I ended up making a little diversion – and visiting the 12th country of this trip. I realised that Aachen was only a couple of hours by rail from an award winning station which I’ve had the pleasure to judge in the community rail awards but never been able to visit. Stationspark Deurne.
So, this morning I put that right by crossing the border on a two hour long trip via Eindhoven. I’ve not travelled on Dutch mational rail operator NS (Nederlands Spoorwegen) for several years and certainly not in 1st Class. I must admit, it was a little underwhelming and also rather dated. Most of my trips were on their double-deck EMUs, where the upper deck is split 60/40 with standard class. The biggest difference is that in 1st you get 2+1 seating and a bit more legroom. Power sockets are provided but there’s only one between a pair of seats. If you’re in a solo seat you’re stuffed!
First class on a Dutch double-deck EMU is a bit Spartan.
Still, the sun was shining, it was an easy 2 hour journey via Eindhoven and the reception I got at stationspark Deurne from Michel Lintermans and his wife Frieda was worth the trip! As well as a tour of their community station garden and artwork – I also got fed some regional delicacies!
Sitting with Michel outside the community gardenApple and Plum tart. Extremely tempting as it was – I was good and only had small slice of each. It’s a regional delicacy known as Vlaai.
Whilst this was my 12th country since leaving the UK it was the first where I’ve encounterd ticket barriers like these at Eindhoven Centraal.
Oh, another observation about Dutch railways. Toilets.
I went for a pee on the train but found both toilets were out of use. Annoying, but We were only a few minutes away from Heerlen where I was changing trains. Only both station toilets were knackered too. Bugger! As I wasn’t going to risk being caught short again if the bogs were screwed on the next train I ended up having a pee off the end of one of the platforms. That’s fine for me as a bloke, but what about women?
19:45.
I’m now back in my (new) hotel in Aachen and relaxing in the hotel whilst downloading today’s pictures from the camera. Toilet problems aside, I have to admire Dutch social infrastructure. The amount of car-free space puts the UK to shame, but to be fair that’s true of just about every country that I’ve visited on this trip. travelling around Europe makes you realise just how backward the UK is when it comes to our love of the motor car and motorists attitude to anything that they see as being ‘anti motorist’ rather than what it really is. Pro people.
Tomorrow I make my way back through Belgium and France to Calais, where I’ll be spending the night before catching a ferry the next morning to deposit me in Dover and return to the septic Isle. Part of me is looking forward to it, another part isn’t. But hey – I still have tomorrow…
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I’d planned to have a lie-in this morning and get a later train but my body clock seems to be permanently set at 06:00 so as I was awake I thought ‘bugger it’, had a shower, packed and made my way across a very quiet Zurich to the station. The only people who were out that morning were joggers of all nationalities and a handful of people on their way to work. Some cafes were already open, catering for early birds like me.
I arrived at the station in plenty of time to catch the 08:37 to Stuttgart Hbf, a loco-hauled Intercity service make up of double-deck coaches and operated by DB, so I have wifi and plug sockets up here in 1st Class. One thing I found puzzling about Swiss trains was their lack of on-board wifi. Still, now I can recharge my laptop and blog en-route.
09:13.
We’re currently crawling along at about 15mph and have been for the past 10 or more minutes, but our reduced speed was rather useful when we passed through Rheinfall as it gave plenty of time to admire the magnificent waterfall and surrounding historic building. This has now been added to my list of places to see on a future visit.
I’ll add some picture later today when I’ve sorted out some other things.
09:45.
Having seamlessly crossed the border from Switzerland and Germany, my train reversed (with an engine change) at a town called Singen. It’s a busy railway junction and freight artery judging by the amount of locomotives parked up ready to take over trains. The trees that line the route in this part of Southern Germany are signalling the arrival of autumn through the complex palette of colours their leaves are displaying.
10:30.
We’ve just left Rottweil, a name that may be known by some dog owners! Beside the canine interest there’s what appears to be a working rail museum here judging by the variety of old steam and diesel engines plus sundy other vehicles that are present.
10:53.
I’m now at Horb, another junction for local services the also possesses a small railway works that appears to refurbish old coaches, wagons and locomotives. The once extensive freight yard has shrunk but there’s still traffic. All the old signalboxes are disused but still extant. A tall one that used to guard the station is swathed in scaffolding and appears to being restored.
In true DB fashion due to all the slow running thanks to engineering work we’re now running 10 minutes late. Horb looks like a lovely little town, spread across a river valley with pretty houses and whitewashed churches. If only I had more time to explore…
13:30.
I’ve changed trains in Stuggart HbF which is undergoing a major transformation since I was last here in 2009. The station concourse has been demolished to make space to build the new Stuttgart 21 project. Essentially (in Stuttgart anyway), they’re replacing a terminus with a through station that’s being built underground. It was a controversial project that attracted protests – just like HS2 in the UK. Just like in the UK, those protests failed to stop the project. Here’s the view from atop the visitors centre.
The old station building’s to the left, Stuttgart 21 in the middle and the existing platforms and trainshed to the right.
With the fact the station platforms are cut off from a concourse and circulating space is at a minimum, the station was chaos. Especially today as people arrived for a gay pride event, whilst dozens of others wandered around in traditional Lederhosen and Dirndl on their way to Oktoberfest events. I had little time to grab pictures (but there will be some later) before catching the 12;49 ICE bound for Berlin. It was a busy train – even in 1st class, but I managed to find a seat. Mind you, I was only going 30 mins down the road to Mannheim, so it would have been no big deal, although I did enjoy bowling aling through the countryside at 249kph!
At Mannheim I had a seamless cross-platform interchange with another ICE bound for Hamburg, but this one is virtually empty. I’m on it as for as Köln (or Cologne as it’s known in English).
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So, it’s ciao Italy. I’m heading back to Switzerland on regional express trains, changing several times en-route. They’re far less busy than the Bernina express – and the windows open, making them great for photography.
Today’s weather is looking promising and I’m in no great rush to get to Zurich, so let’s see how the day goes. Here’s my 1st class coach.
Travelling in style.
Haveing done the most scenic part of the route a few times yesterday I’ve made sure that I’m in a good seat on the train.
Not bad views today…
15:00.
Well, what can I say? I couldn’t have asked for better weather. Every glacier was clear of cloud and there was ample time to lean out of windows and take photos. I’ve been so engrossed in doing that despite changing trains several times that it’s only now that I’m on a German ICE from Chur towards Zurich that I’ve time to plug the laptop in and start to download pictures. This really is a superb way of seeing the Alps at their finest. I’ll certainly be back as the walking/hiking opportunities look fantastic. Dawn would love it. Well, maybe not spending quite so much time focussed on trains!
I’ll update this blog with a selection of camera pictures later.
22;00.
Well, that was the plan, but a couple of things have gone awry. I’d forgotten that Switzerland likes to be different, so not only does it have its own currency it also has its own style of power point plug socket. because of this I ended up staying on a German ICE from to Chur to Basel rather then getting off at Zurich as it allowed me to download the camera into my laptop whilst trying to keep everything else charged. Foolishly, when I got to my accommodation – I thought there might be a range of sockets on offer. Bad move. Oh, where I’m staying in central Zurich (kerching!) is an interesting one too. Like so many hotels now, there’s no staff and everything’s done over the internet. Only this place has taken it one step further. when you book you have to download an app to your phone. Click on the app and it gives you access to the hotel – and then your room! I think I much prefer the old-style hotel I stayed in last night, which had real, live people on reception. Any problem? Ask a human.
So, tonight’s picture update is postponed. Right now the most important thing is letting my phone charge off my power bank as the phone holds my Interrail ticket – and bookings.
I’ll be up at sparrowfart tomorrow as i need to be on an early train from Zurich in order to get to my next port of call. Aachen. As I’ll be spending most of my day on German trains I’ll be able to upload pictures.
UPDATE.
As promised, here’s a tiny selection of the pictures I took yesterday.
When I was here at Alp Grum the day before you couldn’t see more than a couple of hundred feet. This view was obscured completely. A closer view of the glacier.Our train shirts the lake before arriving at Ospizio Bernina.Another glacier where the clouds cleared for me. Having changed trains at Pontresina and lost a considerable amount of height the landscape became more traditional.
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The law of Sod came into effect today. Having spent the first few hours of the morning swapping hotels to save a few bob, the plan was to spend a day exploring the Bernina railway right up to the summit of the line at Ospizio Bernina, which is 7403 feet (or 2256 m if you prefer) above sea level. It’s where one of the pictures from my previous blog was taken.
The day started well. I caught the local train from Tirano and shared a carriage with a lovely group which consisted of three retired couples from the Philippines. Then we were unexpectedly joined by a face who was rather familiar – in the shape of a retired railwayman from the UK. What are the chances? Well, on this railway they’re probably pretty good!
Sharing a window view with a friend from the UK who just happened to get on the same coach on the same train.
The only problem was the weather. I now realise just how lucky I was to be able to get the pictures I took on the way the other day, as the higher we got, the thicker the cloud became. Close to the summit we literally couldn’t see a thing as we were in cloud level. Whilst my Philipino friends departed at Alp Grum, where there *should* be fantastic views (and a lovely restaurant in the station building). I stayed on for one more stop to Ospizio Bernina. It’s a bit of a desolate place, but with a wild beauty. Like Grum, there’s a small restaurant in the station building, but be warned – it doesn’t accept credit cards – only cash. I hung around hoping the clouds would lift, but it didn’t look like it would be anytime soon so I grabbed a few pictures and caught the next train back to Grum, where I joined my new friends for a very chatty and convivial lunch. Afterwards, they headed up to St Moritz whilst I headed back down to Poschiavo which is a lovely old town but also a depot for the railway.
The more we dropped down towards Tirano the better the weather became which allowed me to get a half-decent shot of the spiral and viaduct at Bruscio. Having got back to Tirano I did make one more brief foray up the railway, but this time to get pictures from the very back of the train. By this time, most of the local trains were pretty empty, giving you a choice of seats and windows to lean out of. But by now, the sun had disappeared behind the Alps, so I gave up and came home. Depending on how the weather performs tomorrow, I may have one more crack at pictures at the summit on my way to Zurich, even though I’ll have a suitcase with me so won’t be able to go far. We’ll see.
In the meantime, here’s a few pictures from today.
Looking across the lake from Ospizio Bernina station. There’s a glacier behind there somewhere…A regional train bound for Tirano arrives at Ospizio Bernina.one of the lines old ‘steeple cab’ electric locomotives on the depot at PoschiavoNo, it’s not a model railway – this is real!You can get an impression of the gradients on the railway when you look back from the end of the train and it looks like the line’s dropped off the edge of the world.
Back in town – and as it’s my last night in Italy, I treated myself to another pizza. God, now I’m stuffed! It’s back to eating salads from supermarkets for the rest of the week, just to make up for it! Cracking pizza tho’….
Burp!…
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After yesterday’s rather epic journey from Berlin, through Switzerland to Italy I was knackered by the time I arrived in the lovely Alpine town of Tirano. I was in bed not long after 20;00 as I desperately needed sleep. When I woke up this morning I decided to take stock, take some time out and revisit my plans. I was determined to make it to Italy and originally had the idea of pressing on to Milan and maybe Turin. Today I decided otherwise and stay in Tirano for a couple more nights. Today’s been a day for leaving the camera bag at home and giving my body a rest. Instead I’ve carried the camera around with just a couple of lenses, which has certainly given My back and shoulders a break. I’ve ambled rather than route marched, and even I’ve eaten in restaurants rather then out of supermarkets. It’s been a refreshing break from the hectic pace of the last three weeks. Even so, I’ve still clocked up over 11 miles and 21,000 steps.
Part of taking time out was so that I could have chance to work out how I’m going to get back the the UK. I’d a number of scenarios in mind, which included getting an overnight ferry from the hook of Holland back to Harwich, but as I’m staying here in Tirano my plans of changed. Now I’ll be heading back to Zurich for a night, then making my way to Aachen in Germany, another town I’ve not visited before. After that I’ll be making my way back through Belgium and France to Calais for a the night before getting the ferry back the way I came – Dover. I’ve an Interrail day in the bank with not having travelled anywhere today, so I’m going to spend it travelling back from Kent to Halifax a day later than planned, but I’ll still be home in time for tea – and to prepare to head off to Swindon the next day on a commission!
Tomorrow I’ll be having a day out exploring the route of the Bernina express – but by the same local trains that I arrived on. They’re much more fun as you can lean out of the open windows, so they’re far better for photography. I managed to get some good pictures yesterday, but the line’s so scenic one trip isn’t enough.
Anyways, here’s some pictures from yesterday, and today…
Views from the train…Santa Perpetua is perched above Tirano. The Bernina express running through the streets on the entrance to Tirano.
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Fans of Joni Mitchell will get the reference here. Although I have to admit to being sorely tempted…
I’m currently kicking my heels in the vast and rather magnificent Frankfurt Haubtbahnhof where a simple change of trains has proved to be rather more complex as the curse of DB strikes again. I’m here to transfer from the train from Berlin (which was lovely) to the train to Zurich. I’ve no idea if that’s going to be lovely or not as it’s running 90 minutes late! Just as well I hadn’t booked any onward connections in Zurich then, although I do have a hotel room waiting for me in Tirano – if I can get there. DB have an interesting excuse for late running. The Brits would blame other operators or freight trains. In Germany long distance trains are late “due to delays abroad”.
Frankfurt station at 03:30 is still a busy place. Several foodstalls remain open to cater for the international travellers who seem to make up the majority of those here right now. Well, us and the handful of vagrants who make the place their sanctuary. The Amsterdam reference? That’s due to the OBB Nightjet service that’s pulled into the platform next to mine and left on time.
On the bright side, although the seasons change is reflected in the colours in the autumn leaves it’s still remarkably mild. Temperatures hit the mid 20s in Berlin today and I’m still wearing shorts now. Hopefully the weather in Switzerland and Italy will be the same.
Damn. That train direct from Frankfurt to Amsterdam is giving me ideas…
04:30.
We’re off! Some smart work saw a swift locomotive change (Frankfurt is a terminus). On this train it was just as well I reserved a seat as it’s packed. There’s only one first class coach but virtually every seat’s taken. I’ve a single seat which in which a young Japanese girl was stretched out across. Of course she apologised and moved as soon as I arrived. Looking around the coach is like seeing the flags of the united nations. So many different nationalities are represented here. The one thing that jars with me? I’m probably the oldest person in the coach…
08:00.
I managed to get some sleep on the train and now I’ve wojen up in a new country. Good morning Switzerland! Our first stop has been Basel, where 99% of the occupants of my coach decamped, leaving just 5 of us for the rest of the trip to Zurich.
My first impressions of Switzerland? The amount of railfreight is massive. But then so is their rail infrastructure. The other thing? Graffiti. For such a supposedly law-abiding country, it’s endemic. I have to say – if there’s one thing the UK does well compared to Europe it’s cleaning up grafitti.
11:30.
We eventually arrived into Zurich 55 late, which wasn’t too bad. I was in no rush anyway so I made the most of my time by taking pictures around the vast station and surrounds. Now I’m on the train to Chur and enjoying views like this.
I had a lovely (if late) night with and old friend and colleague from my Siemens days. Ellen no longer works for Siemens Mobility which means we don’t get to see each other as often, so it was great to spend the evening catching up.
Adding to my interesting mix of hotels, last nights bed was in a homestay. I stayed with a lovely German chap of Lebanese birth who rents out the spacious spare room in his apartment in the Gesundbrunnen district. The area’s a multi-ethnic melting pot with a great mix of cafes and local restaurants with food to suit all tastes.
Now I’m packing up and heading to Berlin HbF to dump my suitcase before going for a wander. Back with pictures soon…
13:30.
Having made it to the Hauptbahnhof the first job was to leave my bag, which is easier said than done. Left luggage lockers of a decent size were at a premium. I enxed up going round and round for about 10 minutes until I found one that was free. It reminded me of motorists driving round a busy car park, hoping someone will leave! The other thing is the toilets, which take the pee in more ways than one. I’ve rarely seen a queue for a gents, but the HbF achieves it, mainly because they charge a €1.50 and the machine is so slow queues build up.
Bag dumped I headed back to Geshundbrunnen with the idea of getting pictures in the area. There’s an old WW2 flak tower which I wanted to visit, but as I was taking pictures at the station a Polish train came in that was heading across the border at Frankfurt (Oder). I stayed there during my last Innotrans in 2022. The train was only going to take an hour to cover the journey so I thought “why not?”. I quickly entered the trip details in my Interrail ticket app and there you go! I’m now paying a flying visit to Frankfurt!
This train has a buffet car and if the journey was longer I’d have been very tempted to have polished off a Polish lunch on board!
Today’s mix of travellers includes an American family (unusual) and a handful of medal wearing Poles on their way home from yesterday’s Berlin marathon.
15:30.
Well, that was fun! I was in Frankfurt (Oder) for little more than an hour but I discovered some interesting history – both railway and political, as well as getting some useful pictures. I also made sure the train I booked back to Berlin was another Polish service in order to eat in the buffet car, where I treated myself to a traditional Polish shoup with dark bread.
East German railways (DR) live on at Frankfurt (Oder) in the shape of these old Class 243 locomotives which still bear the livery and branding of the past.Traditional Polish Rye soup. Made with bacon, boiled egg, white sausage, onion, garlic, horseradish and marjoram.Just by the station is a fascinating memorial to staff who lived (and died) in railway service – no matter where borders changed.
23:45.
Having had a fantastic time in Berlin and a goodbye beer with Ellen in a biergarten by the Hauptbahnhof I’m now heading for Switzerland. I was worried that trains might be busy so I booked 1st class seats. I needen’t have worried. My coach is almost empty. Right now I’m on ICE699 which is bound for Munich, although I’ll be transferring to another service at Frankfurt. Only DB being DB have helpfully texted me to say my connection’s running 40 minutes late. Good job I didn’t book my onward trip from there, eh?
Still, I’m enjoying the luxury of an uncrowded 1st Class ICE. Let’s hope the next one’s the same, but now it’s time to get a couple of hours sleep.
1st Class is so crowded.Open all hours…
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
