The Longest Train (Part 3)

June 21st 2018, and we're taking the Aberdeen-Penzance train for thirteen hours, and we're onto the final stretch all the way down to Cornwall for the end of the day!
We chat to the CrossCounty Comms Manager, a local Alan - with some local knowledge - as David continue to get a picture of every station.
Thanks also Phil from Modern Railways Mag, and Sarah and Robert too from the Rail Delivery Group who made the journey happen for us.
The Longest Train runs from Aberdeen at 08:20 in the morning. And remember, a third off your fare with a Railcard ...
All The Stations: www.allthestations.co.uk/

[@jamesreid6519]

Where have you two been all my life? I am over 70 years of age and retired from Scotrail as a conductor for over seven years now.My passion for the railways goes back to my school days and l have been up down and across the United Kingdom on trains over a number of years and thankfully still fit to be able to enjoy my passion with my wife’s permission 😀.Although we do travel together on occasions.l have just by accident found your KZbin videos on my iPad. A great watch and even with my knowledge you both have given me inspiration when planning my next train trip. I will be looking out for you both on our travels so beware (l know who you are) be very aware.😂

[@jkrghjmmhmmkgfffgh6924]

I did not read all of that

[@SL-tx2rc]

Mmm mmmm,mmmmm m mmmmmmm mmmmmm mmmmm 0mmmmm0 m00mmm0mm mmm 0m mm0 ňm

[@SL-tx2rc]

))ü0

[@marthaanderson2656]

so which is the best side to sit on, I assume the left going south. when I hear this theme music it simply makes me happy inside

[@Ulleskelf]

Martha Anderson The left-hand side. You’ll get the North Sea on your side until Newcastle, then Durham Cathedral and then the coast on your side from Exeter south.

[@hikaru-live]

6:25 Most Railcards are sold at or below £30, so even if you don’t have a Railcard buying one along with this ticket, even just for this journey, will save you no less than £10. This is one journey worthy of buying a Railcard for.

[@hikaru-live]

For example: Grab a friend, buy a Two Together Railcard for £30, and both of your tickets are now £80. This is a net saving of £50 even with the price of the Railcard.

[@themerryrose]

Can I get a railcard if I’m a tourist?

[@fix298]

themerryrose yes, if you fit into one of the categories they list on their website you can. Just ask in a station.

[@KeithB]

You can't use the Two Together railcard before 0930 though, so it's not valid for this journey. You could split the ticket somewhere (Haymarket, maybe) and then use the 2TR on the Haymarket to Penzance ticket. Randomly picking 17th October, this gives £212 for two people vs. £240. So splitting the ticket more or less covers the railcard cost.

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

themerryrose If you're not already in the UK check if you can buy an all rail rover (or some such title) before you leave. In the USA the Britrail pass offers all line travel from just 155 Dollars!

[@HammaneggsAirborne]

Did the cab cam go the whole time? If so, will we get to see a full-distance video?

[@jsishere869]

See 11:49

[@one42chrisp]

This was a fun series to watch, thank you.

[@mindthegapplease3840]

Well Done Geoff and Vicki for doing All The Stations in reverse. Mind The Gap Please

[@trainmaniacstudios8216]

The first Parkway station in the UK was 'Bristol Parkway' opening in 1972

[@williamcook178]

Train Maniac Studios actually its didcot parkway which opened in 1844

[@trainmaniacstudios8216]

_Actually_ it was renamed 'Didcot Parkway' in 1985. Originally it was known simply as 'Didcot' :P

[@fgwHST43009]

Bristol Parkway opened in 1972 as the first Park & Ride station. Didcot was renamed Didcot Parkway in 1985 when it became a Park & Ride station

[@Aidankiwi]

@@itzjadencr3202 No Bristol Parkway was a brand new station when it opened in 1972 and has never been known by any other name.

[@russellgxy2905]

Sounds about right for the Corporate Era of BR

[@jamesrivis620]

That trip was the BEST. Very amusing, enjoyable, emotional.... totally loved it and the both of you. You took me many places I knew and many new ones. Thanks from a 76 year old ex-Pat from Kirkbymoorside, N. Yorkshire, a Canadian now, since 1984 , in Central Vermont.

[@michaelfisher7159]

Great video again guys

[@northwesttrainspotter3902]

Loved watching this journey

[@vincentcalvelli6452]

I enjoyed this series, thank you Vicki & Geoff

[@WillMeganFan]

Brilliant series Geoff and Vicky. What fantastic lockdown entertainment 👍

[@gpk6458]

Train ferries actually exist in some places in Europe, by the way. It's pretty cool.

[@TXnine7nine]

George Kettleborough I believe Denmark has one on their main line from Copenhagen to the mainland

[@buzzukfiftythree]

Have travelled on the diesel version of the DB ICE3 that travels between Berlin and Copenhagen on the train ferry. Sadly only went as far as Hamburg

[@ericjamieson]

There's one between Germany and Denmark, as well as one between Sicily and mainland Italy.

[@hughbiggins4339]

Travelled on a few train ferries on a journey through Scandinavia in 1975. That was before they built all the bridges.

[@Jakob_DK]

TXnine7nine a bridge and tunnel was completed in 1997 on the line between Copenhagen and Jutland., so no ferry any more. But the train from Hamburg to Copenhagen is with ferry from Rødby to Puttgarden. There are also plans for a fixed link but a tunnel is planned rather than a bridge. Taking the ferry with the train over Storebælt was an adventure, but it is also very convenient with the bridge and tunnel. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Belt_Fixed_Link

[@markbignell6644]

What a fun series of videos. I am doing this trip in 2020. Thanks Geoff and Vicki

[@kandigames2113]

Just found these All the Stations videos on youtube this week, loved them, always loved train travel and I've made this journey several times many years ago, 70's-80's, but never on one ticket or in one day. We haven't been back to the UK for the last two years now (Covid etc), but I'm adding this to the bucket list for my next trip, along with the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line. Hopefully this year!!!!

[@machoneboard]

This video shows how incredible these trains are - amazing engineering.

[@jonsmith8582]

Excellent as ever , that title music fills me with joy !

[@richardmunnings1163]

Hi thanks for taking us with you. Really enjoyed it

[@Marcsharp82]

I've done two variations of this journey, in 2001 me and my brother did a Virgin Cross country HST from Dundee to Penzance which was the the longest journey at the time and then about 7 years ago we did the journey in reverse from Penzance to Dundee on a Voyager which was the longest journey at that point, I preferred the HST. Well done to you all for doing this journey, was great viewing.

[@JCCC1609]

Sorry Geoff typical of a GWR sprinter service, holding you up going towards Weston super mare(My home Town) between Temple Meades and Taunton. Nice of you to show a part of Taunton and the shout out for Weston super Mare. These three was a great set of videos blimey did you keep us waiting to see the whole thing. (but realise your a busy man) Once again a great box set of 3 showing the whole day.

[@xprs1257]

I have the good fortune to be working on the railway and absolutely enjoy watching Geoff and Vikki’s rail explorations. Would love to meet them both.

[@SolarRailway]

Plenty of parkways in this part of the journey. Great mini series. Cheers Matt

[@Jasmine8496]

I love ❤️ Cross County Trains

[@tonyp011]

watched the entire journey and thoroughly enjoyed it

[@sergiobasilioli384]

I really enjoyed your trip! Hope you have another one soon.

[@garavental]

Marvelous set of videos!

[@Sim0nTrains]

Great video, kept me entertained while at Long Preston station 👍🏻

[@garymcgregor7048]

What 3 amazing videos guys. Respect 👍👍

[@125trainnetwork4]

Very professional and entertaining video!! And, great meeting you.

[@IanBeaumont128]

I think that might be Bodmin Parkway, which opened in 1859, under its original name of Bodmin Road. It was renamed to Bodmin Parkway in 1983.

[@robk23oxf]

Didcot Parkway opened as Didcot in 1844 and was renamed in 1985.

[@Aidankiwi]

First station named 'Parkway' was Bristol Parkway in 1972.

[@stapley12]

When did it become Southampton Airport Parkway?

[@stanley3647]

Mansfield Parkway - 7 may 1973 ;) Also known as Alfreton station today...

[@dukenukem5768]

Just because a station is nowhere near the place it is named after does not make it a "Parkway". There were once lots of stations like that, and in the past were often called "[something] Road" especially for small country stations where it was not worth putting a bend in the main line just to go through a village. "Road" was the Victorian spin for : "Miles from the place, really".

[@jamesrivis620]

Loved when you announced ‘Bodmin’ as I recalled an episode of Doc Martin where loopy people were said to have gone ‘Bodmin’ (Wacko, Nuts, Crazy).

[@timothyparsons8327]

I would love to travel with these guys…they’re so much fun…and I love maps!

[@TheFrozenSaint]

You guys are so brilliant!

[@TimEaston]

Best bit of whole series is the back of Geoff's t-shirt, which to view I had to rewind and pause at 01:57

[@petermostyneccleston2884]

The station now called Didcot Parkway, is the original station built for the Great Western Railway. The original name for the station was just Didcot, and it is the same station that was in use when Isambard Kingdom Brunel built the line. The section from Paddington to Didcot is called Brunel's Billiard Table, as it is so flattering. I do not know when Didcot station was renamed Didcot Parkway, but it is exactly half way from London to Bristol, has the branch to Oxford, and has its own museum, at the back of the station. You have to ask permission, at the ticket gates, to be able to go into the museum, unless you arrive at the station by train.

[@andrewcutler222]

Great Film, You and your friends had a great time. PS Vicky was so cute with her Dance at the end of the trip.

[@neilscales]

I've been writing a mobile phone app that has all the routes and photos of every station in the UK. I've never been to most of the stations but I feel I know them all a little better better thanks to Vicky and Geoff.

[@michaelbruchas6663]

Love this 3 parter trip!

[@michaelmacfarland7515]

Great series of videos. A true must-do. So will we be seeing a video for The Shortest Train (Stourbridge Town branch line) on the shortest day.

[@DanLoudShirts]

Saved the best for last there! Great video. Could almost play a game of "How many different All The Stations t-shirts could you spot in one video?"!

[@edwardjoynes7961]

I like the back of your top -The isle of Wight team!

[@EntertainmentWorldz]

nice video bro

[@TheFlatCapFromWN5]

It was over a month ago since I did this route and I'd do it again. What a day that was!

[@andison627]

Next up, Trans-Siberian?

[@SamSitar]

Andrew ‘Andy’ Gwilt what will they be like after that one? i want to ride the California Zephyr.

[@ronclark9724]

The Texas Eagle service will soon be the last remaining service between Los Angeles and Chicago when Amtrak shuts down the Southwest Chief. Three nights instead of two nights riding on a train. That rail line between Albuquerque and Dodge City will soon close. Amtrak MAY or MAY NOT offer a thorough bus connection... The other alternative is to ride the Pacific Coast Starlight to Emeryville from Los Angeles, spend the night there, and then catch the California Zephyr to Chicago... At least those two trains run daily unlike the Texas Eagle east of Los Angeles which is four times a week service in each direction...

[@erik_griswold]

Keep it in the Commonwealth and do the Canadian.

[@hikaru-live]

Maybe this longer journey: London - Brussels - Frankfurt/Cologne - Berlin - Warsaw - Minsk - Moscow - Ulaanbaatar - Beijing - Shanghai - Hong Kong. Eurostar - DB ICE International - EuroCity - EuroNight - Trans-Siberian - Beijing-Shanghai HSR - Shanghai-HK HSR.

[@ronclark9724]

Unfortunately the Canadian is during the winter months running twice a week, during the summer months three times a week in each direction... Less than the Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited...

[@harveydee9115]

Amazing video!

[@dgattenb]

As ever fab vid ... Stunning as ever trip..

[@jeremywilliams2478]

That just made my Sunday morning!

[@keithflockhart]

Well done you two. Great journey and great video. Would love to do that journey. Combine that with train into London and get the sleeper back up to Edinburgh

[@danellis-jones1591]

There are 2 big train journeys in Australia. The Indian Pacific from Perth on the Indian Ocean to Sydney on the Pacific Ocean. Take abt 3 days. The other is the Ghan, which goes from Adelaide on the south coast to Darwin through the red heart of Australia. Ghan is just over 3000kms and the Indian Pacific is 4000kms. In European terms the Indian Pacific is as long as Paris to northern Syria!

[@leqin]

That drunk camera in the outake was brilliant :.)

[@witzendoz]

We did an 18 hour train journey in India, New Delhi to Varanasi, it was 18 hours because it was 4 hours late arriving. The funny thing is that it was a section of a 3 day train route so when we got on an Indian family had taken over our seats (I would say compartment but thats a very kind description) and table, Mum, Dada Grandma, and 4 kids, as they were travelling the whole 3 days, they slid up made room for us LOL and gave us lunch. I thought about it because of your messy table, imagine what the table on this train looked like.

[@camotech1314]

This was beautiful 😍

[@richardwarner5491]

Well done guys !

[@harveydee9115]

Bristol parkway was the 1st parkway station opened in 1972.

[@landcadventures2987]

Superb video! According to Wikipedia, Bristol was the first Parkway, but that could obvs be wrong.

[@100SteveB]

Lol, i love the tee-shirt Geoff, very very funny, nice one.

[@ThomasJM]

The longest train ride in Canada would be the Canadian that runs between Toronto and Vancouver it takes 3 days each direction

[@stanpatterson5033]

There was a time when The Canadian began in Montreal and went to Vancouver. That was back in the day when VIA ran trains on both CN and CP lines, and coverage was superior. Fast forward to now, it`s awful... CN will not give passenger trains any priority, VIA cannot get any more time (slots) on the rails so cannot add any more trains, and despite VIA`s own problems, any problem ahead created by CN, results in a cross-country train that is anywhere from 12 to 36 hours late at final destination. You`re further ahead to take a plane, it`s the same price anyway.

[@ronclark9724]

Ditto with Amtrak's Texas Eagle when you do travel to Los Angeles to Chicago you spend three nights on the train. The large metros of Phoenix, El Paso, and Houston receive service four times a week in eastbound or westbound, not even once every day. At least that is somewhat better than Via's Canadian with service two times a week during the winter or three times a week during the summer in each direction...

[@sognsvann3]

Thomas McCarthy the longest ride here in norway is Stavanger--Bodø which takes around 29 hours. 2 interchanges.

[@richardshanahan7776]

Thomas McCarthy i did that train trip across canada.At night the sky was so clear the stars were so so bright it was fab

[@ThomasJM]

Richard Shanahan it's on my bucket list of things I want to do someday

[@ianshort2935]

Read an article about this journey in Modern Railways the other day!

[@biggobmalc8118]

nice one... sorry nice three...brilliant well done everyone...

[@Ulleskelf]

Such an amazing trip! Now spend the shortest day going between Stourbridge Town and Stourbridge Junction!

[@AllTheStations]

It's Wrexham General to Wrexham Central

[@JISJ1964]

Thanks a lot guys! No steamtrain in Penzance this time?

[@jonathancook4022]

I'm soo keen!

[@TheWkc19]

Amazing feels like last year

[@whiskeyandchoke]

watching vicki be chaotic is so entertaining

[@chrisrichmond403]

Good endurance to do that to you both . In Bristol Area you came into my home area , You also raced through my home station of Yatton.

[@pimpdaddyflash9077]

There is a section of the Vogelfluglinie where the train boards a ferry to travel between Puttgarden and Rødby.

[@sognsvann3]

cirithungol yes. But they are building a tunnel at the strech, planned too be opened in 2021.

[@thomasjones8648]

According to the internet the very first station with parkway in its name was Port Talbot Parkway in Wales

[@benh4509]

Great video

[@ajday19891989]

Fair play you guys! Well done

[@07reisdaydar]

No shout out for the nuclear flask sidings at Bridgwater? If you ever want to get the closest a normal civvie can to nuclear fuel, stand on Bridgwater platform around 0600 on a weekday. They drop the flasks onto cars at the siding, and then pull the train up to the passenger platform so the crew can walk the length and inspect the load before they run it up the line for processing.

[@sherondalewis8053]

This whole journey was amazing to watch! How long did you guys even stayed there? Did some stay and decided to tour around the place or immediately head back

[@refsmithy]

Another great video guys! Really love everything from All the Stations. By the way, was that a sneaky Doctor Who reference at 7:08, Vicki?

[@paulkennedy8701]

refsmithy Just before 7:08, yes.

[@Physigist]

I like that reference

[@RichardWells1]

Loved it - great video. OK what's next...?

[@oldgreygritter]

great vid.

[@bigman5125]

It would be great to have a sleeper service on this route!

[@kiyahicks356]

No because the journey length doesn' make out for a good sleeper service, with most sleepers starting and departing stations at around 22:00 UK Time, the 'sleeper' would reach Penzance at approximately 11:AM UK Time, therefore meaning just changing from say ScotRail to XC to GWR throughout the day is better.

[@Salty3439]

Interesting, I liked and subscribed 😎

[@toppersailor96]

Yes, Bristol Parkway was the first to be named 'Parkway' (in 1972), but they are however responsible for some being there (existing), but not the renaming (parkway bit), take 'Bodmin Parkway', formerly 'Road' the Victorians built that.

[@trains88youtube35]

Awesome!

[@Robbins996]

I’m going to be travelling on the Southampton to Aberdeen service next month would I be right in thinking that’s the second longest journey in the UK?

[@duncansmith44]

Just done it. I must be totally bonkers!

[@sognsvann3]

10:17 what a cute name. Par is also the norwegian word for couple❤.

[@cd0u50c9]

The word 'par' also means 'couple' in many Balkans languages.

[@TheBarnem13]

Just watched all 3 parts what a great journey and only 3mins late (Southern Ariva Northern take note)

[@trainsMA]

Love the video, can we have some estimates on snacks, spares or how much we will need. Thanks

[@philcordingley417]

It doesn’t have Parkway in its name but New Pudsey between Leeds and Bradford Interchange was officially the first park & ride station when it opened in1967.

[@WELLBRAN]

I live in penzance and born here ..we are used long journeys and getting up early in the morning to get to anywhere. Have you all tried the night Riviera?

[@yomikeyb]

Was the footage from the cab of the train shot on a different day? It is cloudy as the train enters Penzance station but sunny when Geoff and Vicki get out on to the platform.

[@peter_smyth]

2:00 The new platform at Bristol Parkway is platform 1. For a long time there was only platforms 2-4, I assume because previous modifications removed platform 1.

[@robinevans3440]

Exhausted just watching

[@julieaylward7033]

You should make the three episodes in to one - The Longest Video!

[@jonjohnson2844]

Do they only run this service intermittently? Could find it on a journey finder, granted I didn't look particularly hard.

[@SoulSilverIV]

Does anyone know what map Geoff is using to draw his journey on?

[@danieltoth-nagy5097]

Hi Geoff and Vicki! Is this train still available? I can't really find it. There is one from Aberdeen to Plymouth.

[@oober2004]

Is this a daily service, struggling to find a timetable for it. Great video as always!

[@AzzY300689]

Interesting fact, Bristol Parkway was opened in 1972 by British Rail being the first. Oxford Parkway is the most recent 'Parkway' station opened in 2015.

[@DavidBromage]

You need to do an All The Stations on the Isle of Man. There are more than you think!

[@rogerhudson9732]

Dawlish Warren, where I once saw an old GWR cast iron sign threatening 'transportation to a penal colony' to people convicted of stealing shingle from the embankment.

[@jamesmasztalerz5930]

Great video, but what happened to the stop at Exeter St David's?

[@neilburns8869]

Bristol temple meads 30/45 stations visited. Two thirds of the way through your quest.

[@Rega128]

wow guys! that's crazy! good on you :-)

[@davidchave9784]

Hi Geof and Vicky Enjoy your vlog I have a question regarding the Train route From Aberdeen to Penzance do you think that they will run a sleeper service on this route David Chave