My train, initially two linked services from Plymouth, arrived six minutes early and split at Temple Meads.

Train travel is just more civilised than flying. No cramped spaces, no duty-free shops at every turn. Plus, I didn’t need to endure the usual two-hour airport wait—just a quick 15 minutes at the station before boarding, and we travel city centre to city centre. It’s these details that make train travel not just a journey, but a pleasure.

#CrossCountryTrains #BristolTempleMeads

Sitting in first class has been a treat with endless hot drinks and smooth travels, until a bit of unexpected excitement at York.

Our train encountered a brake issue, leading to a couple of suspenseful restarts by the driver. Despite the best efforts, the service was eventually cancelled.

#YorkStation #York #CrossCountryTrains #BrokenTrain #HistoricStation

I made the most of the delay by exploring historic York railway station and indulging in some trainspotting—captured some great shots of trains from Grand Central, LNER, TransPennine Express, and Northern Rail.

I’m now on the next CrossCountry service, albeit about 70 minutes behind schedule. But every cloud has a silver lining—I’m eligible for a full repay, covering both my ticket and the first-class upgrade. Edinburgh, here I come, better late than never!

#Trainspotting

A view of the Royal Border Bridge just before the train crossed on it.

The viaduct was built between 1847 and 1850 and was opened by Queen Victoria.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Border_Bridge

I made it to Edinburgh Waverley. What a fantastic train journey, much better than flying.

Now I'm going to head to my hotel and drop my bag.

#EdinburghWaverley #BetterByRail #geomob #geomobEDI