Somehow it’s December already, so time for a review of 2025! The year started off with probably my favourite trip of the year, a few days in Scotland on the Kyle line in the snow! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Then after we headed to Aberdeen for what was the longest train to Penzance

Lovely run down to Penzance despite being a bit late. Had about half an hour turnaround here before what’s most likely my final GWR HST journey with a full run to Exeter 🔥🫡 Leading the formation is 43187 “Y Cymro” 😍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Morning from Truro! Quick stop here for Greggs before I caught 43098 and 43187 for a lovely run to Penzance 😁🔥

Good to be back in Penzance! The last time I was here was before getting XC to Aberdeen that didn’t quite go to plan. Left Penzance on the same HSTs to Truro before a different pair took me back here! 😍

After getting off at St Austell I waited to see a pair of 175s passing through on test before 158950 took me to Plymouth!

After grabbing some lunch in Plymouth I went to Saltash! Saw GWR pride 800 pass over the bridge before 43098 took me to Penzance

I’m down in Cornwall today, started off this morning with a return from St Austell to St Germans on a pair of HSTs 😍🔥

Mandatory visit to Dawlish on my way to Cornwall

Bishops Lydeard ✅ Not sure if this still counts as a National Rail station, it certainly used to be though 🤣 GWR are running shuttles from Taunton to here today to connect with the Rail 200 train which also means I can tick it off 😁

Who said 455s don’t go to Reading anymore? 🤔 Found 5703 and 5872 being dragged by 37800 today on 5Q57 from Newport to Derby. Not sure why its escaped Newport but that can only be a good thing 😁

Been a while since I’ve been to Hampton Court or Dorking, so I’ve come out today while I can still go on some mega traction 😍 🔥

After lunch in Chester I got an 805 back to Euston. Usually I avoid IETs but was worth it to score the line between Northwich and Sandbach via Middlewich! Incredibly rare line, but of course not as rare as CrossCountry via Crewe 😁

Got out at Hartford for a walk to Greenbank Then had some time to kill before the train so we kept going to the Weaver Viaduct, timed perfectly with a train going over 😁 Then back at Greenbank saw Avanti passing on the rare divert via Middlewich before a 156 to Chester!

390119 took me to Crewe this morning 😍 Left Euston 21mins late but arrived 10mins early, and would’ve been 35mins early if not held at Stafford 😂 Some unusual flags out the front of the station at Crewe, looks like Cymru is expanding 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Not too long left for 455s so I’ve got to try and get them whenever I can now, and I’ve lucked out tonight with one on my train home 😍🔥 Platforms quite empty at Waterloo this evening, just 455701 and 159001 in platforms 1-8.

And sadly time for the train back home ☹️ Surprisingly Deutsche Bahn has got me to Bruxelles on time in order to make my Eurostar connection, with 374010 taking me back to London

Engineering works in Köln this weekend so just 2 platforms in use at Hbf! 😂 My ICE to Bruxelles was stopping at Ehrenfeld instead so after grabbing some lunch I headed over there on the S Bahn which was basically all that’s stopping at Köln Hbf today

Some more trains from yesterday! After Malmö it’s just a quick hop to Copenhagen then a loco hauled EuroCity to Hamburg! I stayed there last night and now I’m heading to Köln on an ICE 4 😁

Sadly time to start heading towards home, but as I’m still further north than Thurso it’s gonna take a while 😂 First train for today is this SJ Snabbtåg (express train) taking me from Stockholm to Malmö! 🇸🇪

Stockholm’s Metro is cool! 🇸🇪

Lovely journey across to Sundsvall, through lots of forests and lakes 😁 Very low sun the whole way even in the middle of the day, shows how far north it is here! Quick stop for lunch in Sundsvall and now heading down to Stockholm on this loco hauled SJ InterCity train! 🇸🇪

Another replacement bus this morning, my 3rd of the trip so far! 😂 It’s taken me to the tiny village of Storlien just a few km into Sweden! 🇸🇪 Just 2 trains a day run from here to Sundsvall so fortunately I still made my connection despite the bus running a little late.

When there’s a station called Hell half an hour away you can’t not go and tick it off 🤣 Despite the name it’s got a beautiful building and waiting room. It’s also a request stop 😁

A stunning journey to Trondheim, and got here 75mins late in the end. Arrived just in time to have a little bit of daylight here so I had a quick walk along the harbour before it got dark.

Not quite gone to plan today, due to a landslip my train from Oslo to Trondheim got terminated at Hamar, so after a bus to Lillehammer we ended up leaving about 90mins late. Despite the delay they were very quick at organising buses and I got a free coffee while I waited 😁

Absolutely stunning journey back from Bergen and even got some snow around the route’s highest point at Finse! This is definitely one of the most scenic lines I’ve ever done 😍🇳🇴

Heading back to Oslo today, on the same route I did on the sleeper but this time in daylight! 🇳🇴 Just over 7 hours of stunning scenery and loco hauled traction 🔥 Not sure how it’s running without a class 82 on the back though 🤔

Back in Bergen for a quick explore before my train back to Oslo. Took the funicular up to Fløien with some great views of the city! Then had a wander around the lovely Bryggen area.

A nice 40 minute turnaround at Flåm to walk around the village and see the fjord 😍

After Myrdal I changed for the stunning line down the valley into Flåm! 🇳🇴 This included a photo stop at Kjosfossen to see the waterfall 😍

Travelling back along the Bergensbanen to Myrdal, this time in the daylight 😍

After a couple hours walking around Oslo it was time for the sleeper train to Bergen 🇳🇴 I chose one of the Plus Night seats which reclines and goes fully flat! This cost me 680 NOK (about £50) with interrail discount.

Brief stop in Göteborg for lunch and a walk around the city, then I’m heading further north on one of VY’s Stadler Flirts! Mega traction indeed 😁

Morning from Malmö! 🇸🇪 Had a quick walk around this lovely city this morning, definitely one to come back to. Now heading north up to Göteborg.

Very fun run on across the border into Tønder! 🇩🇰 From here it’s another diesel train up to Bramming and then a classic Danish train with the rubber front taking me towards Copenhagen.

Made it to Niebüll after about 2.5 hours on a loco hauled train from Hamburg 😁 Changing here for a little 1 car diesel train over the border into Denmark! 🇩🇰

Had a quick walk around the lovely Hamburg Hbf and got some lunch, then a quick hop on the S Bahn to Altona. I now need to get to Denmark but the normal route is shut. Instead of getting a replacement bus I’ve got a more fun diversionary route with 4 changes!

Morning from Essen! 🇩🇪 Stayed in the Premier Inn next to the station last night, which had a great view of the station 😁 Now I’m heading north for a few hours on an ICE4 to Hamburg

Made it to Köln! 🇩🇪 Short hop over to Messe/Deutz on National Express RB48 before making an earlier ICE than planned as it’s running late, which means I’ll get to my hotel earlier 😂

Lovely run to Bruxelles Midi on 374027, then a quick 20min change here onto an ICE 3neo onwards to Köln!

Annual leave time! Got next week off so I’m wasting no time heading off shortly after work, but where am I off to? 🤔

Corpach ✅ Lovely walk here from Fort William this morning, and there’s a great view of Fort William with Ben Nevis behind 😍 Despite staying there, Fort William remains required as I got the bus in and walked back out 😂

Roy Bridge ✅ Last one for today, and the next train’s not for another 4 hours! Fortunately just a short 20min wait for a bus back to Fort William though.

Locheilside ✅ Little request stop between Fort William and Mallaig, and there’s not much here except for a platform next to a road.

Rannoch ✅ Probably my favourite on the line so far! I had 2.5 hours here so went for a walk to Loch Laidon. Then back in the station there’s drinks and snacks with an honesty box to pay!

Tulloch ✅ Lovely building here, and it’s a barrow crossing to change platforms. Just a quick half hour wait here while the trains pass at Spean Bridge.

Crianlarich ✅ Glasgow - Oban ✅ The Oban and Mallaig branches meet here, so it’s just a quick 10 minute change here

Upper Tyndrum ✅ Tyndrum Lower ✅ Just a short walk between these two, down quite a steep hill!

Morning from Bridge of Orchy ✅ Was meant to have 50mins here but the sleeper arrived late due to some speed restrictions so that turned into 2mins I’ll have to come back here eventually but no time now as I’ve got more stations on the West Highland Line to tick 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Some more mega traction this evening to Haddenham & Thames Parkway on required 68015, hauled by the powerful 82309 🔥