There’s a meme suggesting men spend their days thinking about the Roman Empire but that’s wrong, they’re actually preoccupied with the daily Aberdeen to Penzance direct train. - ThreadSky

jim.londoncentric.media • 8 days ago

There’s a meme suggesting men spend their days thinking about the Roman Empire but that’s wrong, they’re actually preoccupied with the daily Aberdeen to Penzance direct train.

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Comments

paulbrears.bsky.social•8 days ago

But the price …

wolfp.bsky.social•8 days ago

I have bad news about the May timetable change Jim

michaelapter.bsky.social•8 days ago

I have travelled on some sections of this train journey. When I realised where it started and ended it went on my bucket list.

jim.londoncentric.media•8 days ago

The bucket being what is used instead of the cross country toilet.

michaelapter.bsky.social•8 days ago

That element of the journey is certainly a consideration.

richlancaster.bsky.social•8 days ago

I dread to think what the cost of an open return is…

mustbemistry.bsky.social•8 days ago

I’d like to think this taps into a deeper hunter gatherer instinct…

gabrielfran.bsky.social•8 days ago

Do Cross Country still make you pay to use wifi?

jadnj.bsky.social•8 days ago

What a joy! I was rather excited to find there is a direct train from Oxford to York but the excitement is now completely eclipsed!

heatherjc.bsky.social•8 days ago

I dream of taking this train! Watching the list of stops click through on the departures board at Waverley is a delight. The only thing stopping me is a week in the sun costs less.

laura-elseplace.bsky.social•8 days ago

They are axing it in May, apparently- so book now!

heatherjc.bsky.social•8 days ago

Oh. I'd booked it last summer but had to cancel then due to a broken leg. I guess it won't happen now.

tgoods.bsky.social•8 days ago

I did listen to a thought provoking podcast about the Roman Empire the other day. But now I am thinking of the various sections of that train journey I have travelled over the years.

ollytm.bsky.social•8 days ago

And I bet with an advanced ticket and wifi it’s be cheaper than a we work with much better views

jim.londoncentric.media•8 days ago

I’d want a personal butler if I was going to spend 13 hours straight on a Voyager, completely obsessed with the idea of it as an endurance test winding the length of the nation on a train that smelled of poo due to a design fault, THIS IS MY COUNTRY. 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

sirsandgoblin.bsky.social•8 days ago

Trying to think what dataviz I could make that is about this journey, while sitting on the train for the entire journey

heatherhampson.bsky.social•8 days ago

Had to get one of their trains from Manchester to London once (avanti meltdown)- it was evening and it was going all the way to Southampton and there was no refreshments available at all.

chrisweston.bsky.social•8 days ago

My God. Imagine sitting on that all day.

bryce.lol•8 days ago

Harry Beck gets all the attention, but the person who did the CrossCountry route map really mastered the form.

officer-blackavar.bsky.social•8 days ago

It's weird how they don't just connect the tiny distance between Manchester and Glasgow.

bryce.lol•8 days ago

No point, it's basically walkable.

gregianjohnson.bsky.social•8 days ago

Stansted is in Grimsby? I never realised…

mark1962b.bsky.social•8 days ago

13 hours, yikes.

theunfinished.bsky.social•8 days ago

The half hour from Oxford to Leamington Spa on a Cross Country is a bad enough experience.

Can’t imagine wanting to multiply that nearly 30 times!

jonayre.uk•8 days ago

Think how much quicker that line would be if the Romans had made it to Scotland

hels8.bsky.social•8 days ago

What the....I never knew such a thing existed I need to get this bad boy (I've never been to Cornwall and this needs to be rectified)!

bethmknight13.bsky.social•8 days ago

You've only got a couple of months. It's going in the time table changes in May.

peterscottreid.bsky.social•8 days ago

The mix of accents on this train is amazing, it's like a British tasting platter

jim.londoncentric.media•8 days ago

I’ve done chunks of it (York - Penzance, York - Edinburgh) and you get sooo many different people and accents and short journeys and long journeys and i once saw a squaddie get stuck for an hour in a toilet with a broken lock that he tried to fight his way out of. Truly all human life.

mostlyharmle55.bsky.social•8 days ago

LEJOG express!

mzdt.bsky.social•8 days ago

Here's the Real Time Trains link (I hope)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C65999/2025-03-04/detailed#allox_id=0

wilsonmartin.bsky.social•8 days ago

Not confirmed but I read it's being axed in May 😢

wilsonmartin.bsky.social•8 days ago

Someone beat me to it!

invpete.bsky.social•8 days ago

It ends in May so "enjoy" it whilst you can!

jim.londoncentric.media•8 days ago

WHAT THE FUCK OH NO DO I HAVE TO PITCH THIS TO SOME TRAVEL DESK BEFORE THEN OH GOD.

laura-elseplace.bsky.social•8 days ago

You really do…

scottgoodacre.co.uk•8 days ago

I don’t think I’ve ever been to Durham station and not seen this train on the board. And every single time I have to remark on it.

lerrup.bsky.social•8 days ago

It would have been fine when it was a 125, but a voyager? (Shudders)

lauraedwards33.bsky.social•8 days ago

I too am now preoccupied 👀

m1jss.bsky.social•8 days ago

I guess “direct” doesn’t mean the same as “express”…

smsbrk.bsky.social•8 days ago

This radio 4 documentary tracking the accents of people getting on the train is very charming

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07rgybq

laura-elseplace.bsky.social•8 days ago

I went to Penzance once purely because I had seen it on the departures board at stations far up north all my life… (it was lovely- late Nov, sun and storms, very good few days)

wabznazm.bsky.social•8 days ago

I'm glad it exists. A north to south train that bypasses London shouldn't be an oddity. It's useful being in Sheffield!

rutheri.bsky.social•8 days ago

And it takes almost as long to complete.

petebrooksbank.bsky.social•8 days ago

Goes past me down Smugglers Lane in Holcombe about 7pm every night. Love the fact XC only use a four car unit too.

kentindell.bsky.social•8 days ago

Now add a connecting train from Kyle of Lochalsh.

jim.londoncentric.media•8 days ago

I last did that on a Rail Rover holiday which went London > Kent > Looe > Porthmadog > Wick > Kyle > Mallaig > Glasgow > Largs > Dumfries > York in seven days. The relationship didn't last.

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