2005 North East Rover

TOUR DIARY
Saturday 5th March 2005
This morning's journey started on the 09:26 service from Havant to London Waterloo - a very overcrowded train which proved to be a less than comfortable start to procedings - so much so that I was unable to alight at my booked station due to overcrowding. I therefore continued to Waterloo, from where I headed to Euston then walked to King's Cross (to save changing trains). My GNER service out of King's Cross departed on time at 12:30 and was another busy service. I had an aisle seat, which I'm not keen on, though with hindsight this may have been a good thing as it was less cramped than being in a window seat. To my surprise there was no evidence of snow en route to York - I was expecting to see a blanket of it north of London, but it wasn't to be. The train pulled into the majestic train shed at York shortly after 2:30pm. From here it was a ten minute walk to my apartment in the Bishop's Wharf development, overlooking the river and Skeldergate Bridge - a great location. I was greeted by the housekeeper on my arrival and shown around the apartment, which is very spacious for a one-bedroom flat. It's a real home-from-home, located on the 3rd floor and with all the facilities one needs. Best of all is the cracking view across the river from the lounge and balcony, towards the adjacent bridge and the City Centre beyond. After unpacking it was time to head into town to buy some groceries. A rain shower passed overhead, but thankfully didn't last. I returned directly to the apartment for some tea before going out again late in the afternoon. I headed back to the station to buy my rail rover ticket then boarded a train bound for Darlington, where I planned to visit the town's beer festival. Unfortunately, on arrival in Darlington it became apparent that I'd mixed up the beer festival dates - it's being held next weekend! Nevertheless, I wasn't detered, as I'd planned to visit here this evening anyway. I checked out a small number of Good Beer Guide listed pubs and one real gem amongst them. The Quaker House is situated in a narrow alleyway off the main drag in the town centre, opposite the market buildings. It is full of character and has a vast array of real ales on offer, with Led Zeppelin adding to the appeal by playing through the pub's sound system. I could've stayed here a long while, but the return journey to York was foremost on my mind. On arrival back at the impressive Darlington station, there was little going on. I shot some video footage whilst waiting for my train, a GNER HST service bound for Leeds. The half hour trip delivered me back in York at 22:05, from where I walked straight back to the apartment and spent the next couple of hours watching TV and writing up this page before retiring to bed. A good start to the week for sure.
TODAY'S RAIL MILEAGE:	344 MILES

Sunday 6th March 2005
Before heading for the station this morning I took the opportunity to walk into the City Centre to take some photographs whilst it was quiet. Sunday mornings are perfect for getting out with a camera to places that are usually full of people. Even on a Sunday I was surprised to find that I was the only person on York's most famous street, The Shambles, which is generally packed to the gills with tourists. After around half an hour it was time to head for the station to catch the 09:40 Transpennine Express service to Scarborough. The journey took around fifty minutes and wound its way through some attractive scenery on the approach to Malton. It was near here that I spotted a hare sprinting across a field as the train passed by. On arrival at the resort town of Scarborough I took a walk through the centre and down to the harbour. I must admit to being quite impressed with the place - it certainy wasn't what I'd expected. In particular I'd not heard about the ruined castle perched high above the town, overlooking the sea. The fishing harbour provided a myriad of photographic opportunities, with the trawlers moored in the winter sunshine and the shops and pubs providing a colourful backdrop. An expansive sandy beach proved very popular, even at this time of year and there were even donkeys waiting to give rides to children! I spent some time exploring the area and eventually headed back to the station to catch a train down the coast to Beverley. It was close to midday when I was informed by station staff that the service I wanted was not running today. The timetable was therefore quite ambiguous and I was rather put out that I had no alternative but to head back to York. After lunch in Scarborough I caught the 12:48 service back to where I'd came from and had planned to head for Hull. Further timetable disruption meant that I decided instead to travel west to Harrogate - Yorkshire's elegant Victorian spa town. I was very impressed with the town - full of classy antiques shops and galleries, with some very attractive buildings all around. I took a walk through the public gardens and took some photographs before stopping by at the Winter Gardens - an impressive conversion of part of the former Royal Baths by J D Wetherspoon. I had around an hour to kill before my train left town, so I sought out the Old Bell Tavern which turned out to be one of the best pubs I've found in Yorkshire. It had a friendly atmosphere, comfortable surroundings and a discerning clientele - the latter possibly a result of there being no British lager brands on offer! Instead the pub served around seven real ales, a wide selection of draught and bottled continental beers and a good range of malt whiskies. I sampled bottles of Leffe Brun and Duval, as well as a locally brewed ale. My train out of Harrogate was a service down to Leeds - my favourite UK station. There was no time to waste here though, as my connecting service back to York was shortly to depart from another platform. On arrival back at base I set about getting something to eat before settling down to watch the opening race of the 2005 Formula 1 Grand Prix season. After updating the diary page it was time to get some sleep, ready for another journey tomorrow.
Today's Rail Mileage:	148 Miles
CUMULATIVE MILEAGE:	492 Miles

Monday 7th March 2005
I woke up this morning to a fine sunny day. I needed to leave York on the 09:35 Transpennine Express service to Middlesbrough, but decided to leave the apartment early in order to take a walk along the city walls on the way to the station. I shot a video of most of the walk along with a narrative in parts. On arrival at the station it became apparent that my train was actually departing a little earlier than expected - it was lucky that I'd not taken longer getting there. The journey to Middlesbrough took around an hour and it was here that I had to connect for the journey along the Esk Valley line to Whitby. There is on Tees-side, as one expects, much evidence of heavy industrial, though I suspect this is now a shadow of how things once were along the river. I was very pleased and surprised to find that my train to Whitby had very few passengers, so I was able to spread my camera equipment and rail atlas out on the table for the duration of the trip. I'd heard that the Esk Valley line was a picturesque route, but I'd not expected it to be as impressive as it was. There was a surprising amount of snow on the ground - some of which was quite deep along the lineside. The Cleveland Hills looked very photogenic as they were covered with snow. The train winds its way along the northern side of the hills, reversing on departure from Battersby station in order to continue on its way to the coast. The River Esk meandered its way below the line as the route nears Whitby and after 90 minutes or so the train pulled in to the terminus. Despite some light rain en route through the hills, the sun was shining at Whitby and the fishing port looked very attractive. Its famous ruined abbey stands high on the cliff tops and the harbour was full of colourful fishing vessels. I crossed Whitby Bridge (an Edwardian-era lifting bridge) and walked up cobbled Church Street, which has a myriad of gift shops, tea rooms and a small number of pubs along its length. I noticed that there were a number of shops selling jet, which appears to be a product of Whitby - the Whitby Jet Factory stands at the top of Church street, close to the famous '199 Steps' that lead up to St Mary's Church and the Abbey. I climbed the steps with surprising ease and set about photographing and filming the views afforded from the top. The Abbey is administered by English Heritage which meant I was able to gain free access as a member. Now Whitby Abbey has always held a certain fascination to me, though I'd never previous had the opportunity to visit before. It is, in my opinion, the most impressive and photogenic ruin in the country - it has a somewhat sinister beauty about it and looks incredible in silhouette. I took a large number of photographs before eventually leaving the grounds and heading back into the town centre. It was back on Church Street where I set about visiting a few of the towns pubs, including The Black Horse, The Endeavour and The Elsinore - the latter of which was particularly good. However, I needed to find somewhere to eat, so therefore ended up in The Quay for a late lunch. I left Whitby on the 16:05 return journey to Middlesbrough. The first part of the trip was busy with school children, but these all eventually departed and a peace descended! On arrival at Middlesbrough I opted to stay in town for a short break. I wanted to visit the town's most famous feature - the fascinating Transporter Bridge that crosses the Tees. A five minute walk from the station brought me to the river for a fine view of the bridge, looking very smart in its coat of blue paint. The bridge carries a small number of vehicles across the river on a platform suspended by a series of cables. It all looks very inefficient and I wonder if it's purely heritage reasons that keeps the bridge operational - but thank goodness it still is - Middlesbrough would not be the same without this industrial icon.I walked back toward the station and sought out The Isaac Wilson where I had a meal before returning to the station for the 18:53 service to Darlington. This route wasn't the quickest back to York, however it allowed me to travel over a small stretch of line which I'd not otherwise have the opportunity to cover. The journey passed by Tees-side airport, arriving in Darlington at 19:26. A brief wait was had here before picking up the GNER Aberdeen to Kings Cross HST service back to York and the end of a succesful day out.
Today's Rail Mileage:	180 Miles
CUMULATIVE MILEAGE:	670 Miles

Tuesday 8th March 2005
I could have really done with a lay-in this morning, but instead I was out of bed at about 6am in order to make an early start this morning. I've been juggling the planned itinerary around a bit during this tour and decided to head off for a day on the Settle to Carlisle line today - I'd originally arranged this trip for later in the week, but decided to bring it forward, partly as a kind of 'birthday treat' for myself (as today is the day). My travels started on the 07:23 service from York to Leeds, where I had quite a while to hang around for the 08:49 service to Carlisle. A couple of light showers were felt on the platforms at Leeds, but they thankfully soon dispersed. The Carlisle service departed a few minutes late, but I was very pleased that the service was carrying very few passengers. This would be my first Winter trip across the Settle to Carlisle line, so I'd always found it to be packed with tourists in the past. Just as I was settling down for an enjoyable journey, we arrived at Skipton and I thought it was all going to go pear-shaped. A member of the station staff was jesticulating to the driver that there was something wrong at the rear of the trailing vehicle. This triggered a lot of activity and I was resigned to the fact that the guard was about to declare it a failed train. After almost fifteen minutes I was extremely relieved to find us underway once more and I settled back into my seat, with camcorder at the ready. Soon after we passed Settle Junction and onto the famous stretch of railway. The scenery looked even more impressive than usual, as the fells were covered with a dusting of snow and the sun was making the odd appearence creating some interesting lighting across the dales. For the first time, I was opting to alight at Ribblehead station - one of England's most isolated platforms and home to the famous viaduct of the same name. The scenery here looked wonderful and there were endless photo opportunities to be had - it's at times like this that I'm so thankful for digital photo technology...not having to replace your film or be cautiously selective with your photography is such a blessing. I took a walk along the track leading from the road to the viaduct. A number of minibuses were parked up on the track. The yellow headgear sported by some nearby people suggested that they were cavers. This was later confirmed to me when I spotted a cave on the map close to their location. After a short walk and plenty of filming/photography I headed back to the road to check out The Station Inn - a typical dales pub with a warm welcome, a selection of fine ales and much railway memorabilia. The sign above the door to the gents' toilet declared "The loo with a view". Wow...they're not kidding. The window gives a grandstand view across the moor to the viaduct, with the snowy fell of Whernside dominating the background. Just as I was admiring the fantastic view I spotted an EWS freight train heading south across the viaduct. It was a terrific sight, though I wish I'd been able to photograph it. Ten minutes later whilst sat in the bar I heard a rumble and looked out of the window to see a Freightliner train heading north. I immediately grabbed my camera and sprinted around to the back of the pub to capture the shot as it traversed the viaduct - perfect! I left Ribblehead on the 12:04 northbound service, which took me over the viaduct and up onto Ais Gill Summit before making a gradual descent towards the Eden Valley and to my next port of call, Appleby. It had been over twelve years since my last visit to this charming little market town, but I remembered it well. I took a walk up the main street in the hope of visiting the castle, but alas it was closed for the season. I took a few photos around town and dropped by at the Golden Ball, the town's best ale house and a real time-warp style bar room. However, this pub does not serve food which was something I was now in need of, so I later headed off to the edge of town to visit The Royal Oak on Bongate. This homely village inn is typical of a country pub and has good beer and food to boot. I was served up a rather nice steak, washed down with a pint of Black Sheep Bitter. My final stop off was The Vine, a Jennings pub which was the first I ever visited in Appleby. It appeared to be in the midst of a refit and therefore felt a little basic, with its wood panneled partition walls and bench seating. Not what I'd remembered from years ago. I headed out of Appleby on the 15:09 southbound service to take me back to Leeds. This train was also rather quiet - I've been able to appreciate these journeys so much more in winter time. The crowded journeys of summer time tend to detract from the whole experience of travelling over the Settle to Carlisle. Next time I shall return in winter! On arrival in Leeds shortly after 5pm I changed to a TransPennine Express service to take me back to York. The train was packed with commuters, but it didn't bother me, as I'd already had such a great day out. This evening was spent relaxing back at base, watching television and updating this page.
Today's Rail Mileage:	215 Miles
CUMULATIVE MILEAGE:	885 Miles

Wednesday 9th March 2005
This morning kicked off at 09:53, on the Northern Trains service to Hull. The weather wasn't as good today and on arrival on Humberside it was starting to rain. I took a walk down to Hull Marina but didn't stick around to long as the rain became heavier. After taking a few photos I headed for the Three John Scott's for an early lunch and therafter decided to leave town. My first impression of Hull is that it was a an ornate city with some interesting areas worth exploring, but sadly the weather did not favour much walking. I feel that Hull suffers from a bad press, which may well be unjust as it is an historically important port and regional city. A return visit one day would not go amiss. On departure from Hull's Paragon station it was just a fifteen minute journey north to the market town of Beverley. As well as having an attractive historic centre, Beverley is home to its magnificent Minster - one of the finest churches in Britain and more architecturally significant than many of the country's cathedrals. I was disappointed to find that, on entering the minster, that a charge was levied on photography. As I've mentioned elsewhere on this website, I never mind making a donation towards the upkeep of our great churches, but I object to mandatory fees - I therefore did not purchase a 'permit', nor did I make a donation, so the church lost out because of its policy. On leaving the minster I took a walk into the town centre to seek out the landmark White Horse Inn. This historic tavern has five seperate rooms and is a veritable time warp. Gas lighting, flagstoned floors and real fires set the scene. It really is a rare example of a graditional public house - and if that wasn't enough, the ale cost just £1.24 per pint! Next stop on the tour was the Yorkshire coastal town of Bridlington. I'd not put the town on my itinerary, but as I needed to change trains here I thought it would be worth taking a brief look around. I took a walk down to the harbour and did a spot of filming. It wasn't as picturesque as I'd expected, though the less than favourable weather could have had something to do with this conclusion. a view of Flamborough Head could be had from the harbour, and the waves were crashing against the wall, despite there seamingly be only a light wind. It was soon time to return to the station for my next train, which would take me north for a return visit to Scarborough. On arrival I had around 45 minutes or so between trains, so I set about seeking out one of the pubs featured in the current Good Beer Guide. As luck would have it the first I came across was the one I'd hoped to find - Indigo Alley is a small music venue, with a good selection of ales and a friendly welcome. I didn't have long here before it was time to head back to the station for a TransPennine Express service bound for Liverpool. My stop was Malton, 21 miles down the line. This is another attractive market town, which reminded me in part of Stamford in Lincolnshire. It was a pity that light was beginning to fade by now, as I could well have got some good photographs. Whilst in town I made a point of dropping in at Suddaby's, the home of the Malton Brewery. I didn't have long to hang around here, as my final train of the day was due to depart for York in less than fifteen minutes. Back at base I spent the evening watching some television, updating this page and finalising plans for tomorrow.
Today's Rail Mileage:	140 Miles
CUMULATIVE MILEAGE:	1025 Miles

Thursday 10th March 1005
Thursday morning started with a walk from the apartment via the city walls towards the station. However today I was not planning on catching a train. Instead I would be travelling by bus to the small North Yorkshire city of Ripon. The 70 minute journey zig-zagged its way along a series of B roads and country lanes and through some picturesque villages en route to our destination. I was amazed to find myself on a double-decker bus going down single track lanes at one stage! On arrival at Ripon my first impressions were high - the city is centred around a large market square and stands on the River Ure. Its medieval cathedral looks impressive, rising at it does above the surrounding historic buildings. My first task to to pay a visit to the Cathedral and take some photographs for imclusion on this site. I decided that, on entering the church, I would keep my camera equipment in my bag in case of any mandatory photographic 'permit' being required. I made a voluntary donation, as always, then set about exploring the building. Despite its modest size, Ripon is a wonderful cathedral, with both Norman and Gothic architecture in evidence. I was able to shoot a good amount of video inside the building, as well as take a number of photos. At the time of my visit there were rehersals in progress for a lunchtime concert - a pianist and horn player were performing in the choir - the result sounding like a strange mixture of chamber music and modern jazz! Of particular note was the tiny Saxon Crypt, dating from the year 672 and located beneath the choir stalls, behind the cathedral's ornate screen. Of all the cathedral churches I have visited in the UK, Ripon must rate as one of the finest, despite its relative obscurity. On departure from the church I headed down to the River Ure and took a walk along its bank. I could imagine the area being very popular with both locals and visitors alike throughout the summer months. I took a few photographs whilst here before heading off to the only Good Beer Guide listed pub in town, The One Eyed Rat. Here I sampled a pint of Goose Eye ale, though it wasn't a good choice - not really being to my liking. From here I headed back into the City Centre to seek out a location for lunch before it was time tohead for the bus station. I was pleased to come across the Royal Oak pub. This featured bare boards and a number of seperate drinking areas on differing levels. I opted for a pint of Old Perculier to accompany a light lunch. I must admit to enjoying my visit to this house much more than the former pub. The service was particularly friendly and the ale in excellent condition. It was soon time to head out of town, though whilst waiting at the bus station I noticed a bus bound for Northallerton. If I were to board this service, it would save a journey back to York. Instaed I could cut the corner and travel to Northallerton, from where I could continue to Middlesbrough. In actual fact, I found that the bus also routed via Thirsk station, so I alighted here to catch a train north. I had a 45 minute wait for the next TransPennine Express service to arrive, so I waited in the adjacent Vale of York pub for a while. I was soon on my way to Middlesbrough, from where I needed to change trains to take me to Saltburn, on the North Sea coast. I had an half hour wait for my connection, so opted to walk along to Doctor Brown's for a quick half of Deuchars. My service to Saltburn was by <i>Nodding Donkey</i> railbus and the journey took around thirty minutes. On arrival I chose not to hang around, as there is little of interest here. It also meant that I would have been unable to fit in another journey before returning to York for the night. My final journey of the day took me via Darlington station and onto the County Durham town of Bishop Auckland. A brief visit to ASDA was in order here, to stock up on provisions, before a quick walk along to the Grand Hotel for the best beer of the week. The Arran Fireside was superb - a dark malty Scottish ale with a velvet finish. I'd have loved to have stayed longer, but if I had done I would have been stranded in town for another two and a half hours. It was therefore necessary to return to the station for the journey back to York, changing at Darlington.
Today's Rail Mileage:	137 Miles
CUMULATIVE MILEAGE:	1162 Miles

Friday 11th March 2005
My final full day of roving had arrived - the time has flown, even more so than usual. Today's weather brough high winds and the threat of rain, so I was hoping that I'd be able toavoid the worst of it. I took a gamble by leaving York on the 08:59 GNER service to Glasgow Central. I say 'gamble' because my railcard was technically not valid on this service from York, as it departed one minute prior to the 9am restriction! I managed to avoid the ticket check and so was able to continue unhindered. The journey headed north via Durham, with its fantastic view of the cathedral and castle as you pass by, then onto the wonderful city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, with more great views as you cross the bridge into Central Station. By now it had begun to rain quite heavily, which was not a good prospect for the day ahead. Thankfully my final destination was seventy miles north of here - the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. To my amazement as we neared Berwick,the clouds parted and the sun shone down. Before long there wasn't a cloud in the sky and I'd realised that I'd been very lucky indeed by chosing Berwick as today's destination! On arrival at Berwick I found a great viewpoint close to the station and town walls, which provided a superb view of the Roayl Border Bridge and the River Tweed. I hung around here for a while in order to take some photographs and shoot some video footage of the scene, with trains passing over the bridge. From here I headed down to the quayside, though any evidence of the fishing industry in Berwick has long since disappeared. I sought out Barrels Ale House on Bridge Street - one of my best finds this week. The Geordie barman was very welcoming and we struck up a conversation immediately. The pub featured an impressive number of signed photographs and memorabilia from various rock stars, actors and sportsman, The signed photo of Mohammed Ali and Elvis Presley together must be worth a fortune! Other oddities around the pub include an ornate throne and an old dentist's chair! After two pints of Bitter & Twisted I headed off for awalk in the direction of the harbour. The harbour wall extends some distance alongside the river and terminates at a lighthouse where the estuary meets the North Sea. Despite the windy conditions the weather was otherwise perfect and I was able to take a good number of photographs. A walk back into town meant a break for lunch at The Leaping Salmon on Golden Square. The pub provides fine views across the Tweed from its windows and I enjoyed a delicious steak washed down with a pint of good ale. On the way back to the station I dropped in at a local off-licence to buy a bottle of Lindisfarne Mead, which I've had before and found to be rather nice. The return journey south meant I had the opportunity to stop off in Newcastle, where I paid a third visit to Castle Garth, from which the city takes its name. My reason for the return visit is because the castle keep provides unrivalled views across the city centre and the Tyne - an excellent 360 degree panorama which is perfect for photography. On leaving the castle I took a walk down to the river, where more great photos of the Tyne's famous bridges and Gateshead's buildings can be had. I made sure that I'd left enough time to revisit a couple of my favourite Newcastle pubs before leaving town. The magnificent Crown Posada was my first port of call, where fine ales meet fine architecture in an opulent, though compact, setting. Being late on a Friday afternoon meant the pub was beginning to fill up quickly, so after a quick pint of Mordue IPA I decided to take a walk back towards the castle for a beer in the Bridge Hotel. To my relief it was fairly quiet here, with plenty of space to relax on the fine leather upholstery. A cracking pint of Deuchars was supped whilst I took a look through the photos that I'd taken throughout the day. Last stop before heading back to the station was the Head of Steam - a name that never fails to come up with the goods - although I must admit that I didn't find this pub to be as nice as its counterparts in London and Huddersfield. I left town shortly after 6pm, for the short journey south to Durham. No visit to the north east is complete without a visit to this magnificent historic city. It was now after dark, so I struggled to get some decent photos of the cathedral and castle from the backs of the Wear - it's times like this that I could have really done with having my tripod with me. I took the decision to walk up to the cathedral in the hope of getting a better photographic opportunity here. Thankfully this proved fruitful and I was even able to get inside the church. There was a presentation of some sort in progress as I entered, but apart from those in attendance for this,I seemed to be the only visitor. I sneeked a couple of photos whilst inside (which wasn't actually permitted) before leaving the church and heading back to the station for my return journey to York, thus completing another excellent railtour of the England...in fact one of te most enjoyable to date.
Today's Rail Mileage:	294 Miles
CUMULATIVE MILEAGE:	1456 Miles

Saturday 12th March 2005
The time to depart York has arrived, and so after tidying the apartment and backing my belongings (into a bag which has become even heavier than before!) I struggled back to the station under its weight and boarded the 10:31 GNER service to Kings Cross, on which I am sat as I type this. To my surprise I was able to get a couple of seats to myself and have been able to catch up with compiling this page ready for publication this evening. Despite a brisk wind the weather today is very sunny and it has, so far, been a pleasant journey south. We have recently departed Peterborough and the train is now fast to the Capital, where we are due to arrive at 12:44. After a struggle from Kings Cross to Waterloo on the tube with a very heavy bag to contend with I caught the 13:09 service to Cosham, to the north of Portsmouth and was soon back at home. The end to another successful week of roving around the UK. Next tour...Scotland in a few month's time. Watch this space.
Today's Rail Mileage:	281 Miles
TOTAL RAIL MILEAGE:	1737 Miles

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