PoliticsUK, owned by former Tory MP Ben Howlett, is keeping overheads to a minimum I see (h/t Politico)

Mountains Magazine Spring Issue is flying off the shelves and I'm about to go to the post office AGAIN. Get it while it's hot (and in stock) > www.mountains-magazine.com/Shop/SPRING-...

Late last week I was able to roam around the UK rail network without spending any money whatsoever*: I spent 10 hours on trains and travelled from Devon to Liverpool and back in First Class using seat reservations issued for free via GWR's website thanks to a blunder by the company.

The piece about Japan's last remaining night train went live yesterday: www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti... @seatsixtyone.bsky.social

Standard-gauge SBB CFF FFS Re 460 on the left, metre-gauge RhB Allegra unit on the right. Onwards to the Alps…

What can the advancement of the Mireo Plus B in Germany tell us about the future of electrification and BEMUs in the UK? A little while ago, I went to find out. www.railmagazine.com/features-lan...

Off to Switzerland tomorrow (you'll see why on Friday) and SBB's journey planner is insistent on suggesting +2 connection. Place your bets now if I'll make it or if I'll end up being marooned in the Alps for an hour...

A couple of fun stories have gone online in recent days so I figured I'd plug them here...

Not sure I can get onboard with plonking huge structures in front of the best views of the main tourist attractions.

Kon'nichiwa from Japan! Travelling on the country’s last remaining sleeper train tonight, the Sunrise Express, from Takamatsu to Tokyo. My home for the night is, er, a hard bit of carpet - or to use the local term, a nobinobi ‘seat’. And yes, Shinkansens will follow… @seatsixtyone.bsky.social

My home for the night is G897, from Beijing Xi to Hong Kong. Formed of a 350kph CR400AF-AE, it’s the world’s fastest sleeper train: booked to cover the 2,500km in just 10hrs18mins… @seatsixtyone.bsky.social

I am onboard an incredibly slow and very scenic train in the Chinese mountains. A farmer tried -and failed - to sell me a chicken for £2.50. How is your Wednesday going?

Landed in Shanghai to begin a big adventure. Kicked things off in the best way possible by riding the Maglev into the city centre. A sign of things to come; very excited to sample China’s high - and low! - speed rail network…

Really enjoyed writing this piece - Ralph was a great interviewee. What a journey, and for a great cause, too. www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas-ch...

I'm a big snooker fan as regular followers will know. This is, hands down, the best piece about the Masters. Bravo @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com! observer.co.uk/news/columni...

A #youhadtobethere from Vicar st last night…

@daraobriain.bsky.social Exceptional show tonight. Have always wanted to see you at Vicar Street. Well worth the trek from Devon. This is why I missed your show in Exeter by the way: www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti... Great rail fact too - thanks. Will try to include in the piece about SailRail!

Talk about a rapid change in subject / shoehorning LNER into a display. (spotted by a friend at Grantham P1 waiting room)

If only there were trains running between Guildford and Haslemere, eh? Merry Christmas!

Sleigh rides, sleeper trains and reindeer stew. Here’s my final piece for the year on Finland’s Santa Claus Express! www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...

🎉🎉 Thrilled to be shortlisted for the @stanfordstravel.bsky.social Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year Award. And in such fine company. Thank you to Stanfords for being such a champion of travel writing. 🎉🎉🎉

May or may not have specifically set up a meeting near Liverpool St station so I could see the ‘Coffee Pot’ on display today…

In place for the #UKChampionship final. Hard to believe two greats of the current game - Mark Selby and Judd Trump - have never met in a Triple Crown final until today. #147sf #bbcsnooker

Someone at DfT clearly forgot to translate Michael Peterson’s job title into English. Oops. (He is the Board Member for Long Distance Passenger Transport)

This composition had eluded me for nearly a decade, but yesterday I was finally able to capture it. A train rolled through just as the Duquesne Incline was crossing over the tracks in #Pittsburgh, creating a picture perfect winter scene. It was worth the hours and hours I've waited over the years.

Nice to very briefly see Clan Line at Wilton Jct as it sat patiently waiting for the (late-running) SWR service I’m on to pass.

What a great headline

This is a new one. Never had a fire alarm go off mid-gig!

The Winter issue of Mountains Magazine will be available in 395 shops across the UK and Northern Ireland. It's also available to pre-order now: www.mountains-magazine.com/Shop/PRE-ORD...

Had a poke around Inspiration, the @railway200.bsky.social exhibition train, this afternoon since it is at WSR and I’m heading north anyway. Well worth the visit and the free GWR shuttle from / to Taunton was well-loaded, and not just with track bashers as I was expecting. (No new track for me)

BLACK FRIDAY SALE: get Issue 1 of Mountains Magazine delivered to your door for just £5.49! But here > www.mountains-magazine.com/Shop/Mountai... #BlackFriday #Sale

Here’s my CHRISTMAS GIFT TIP. You can buy all Michael Palin’s books and DVDs and suchlike off his website, and he signs and dedicates the item for no extra charge. Don’t say I don’t give you nowt. (I did this for my dad, and he didn’t notice the autograph on his Ripping Yarns.) themichaelpalin.com

Yesterday my partner and I counted all the ads along Chicago's Brown Line for "Friend," a company selling an AI chatbot pendant, and tallied how many of those ads were defaced. Still working on a longer piece on this, but here's the quick and dirty: we counted 104 "Friend" ads total, 42 defaced.

Mountains Magazine issue two contains lots of great pieces by brilliant writers. And, er, some words from me about a brilliant railway line in Mexico. Thank you again @aplantogo.bsky.social!

🚨PRE-ORDER Mountains Magazine #2 for delivery in early Dec. Prices from just £2.99! 🏷️WINTER SALE Subscribe & save. 4 issues delivered for just £24.95 BUY HERE > www.mountains-magazine.com/Shop/#wbs1 ⛰️Saint-Gervais ⛰️Shiga Kogen ⛰️Méribel ⛰️Copper Canyon ⛰️Bavaria ⛰️+ much MUCH more! #Sale #Mountains

Does ANYONE at Daily Express fact check before publishing stories? As an example, Facebook served me this article. As soon as I saw the headline and standfirst I realised the piece is full of nonsense. (Quite why the Express is running a piece about a bridge opened in 2011 is beyond me.)

Anyone up for a game of spot the difference? I'm livid the Express plagiarised my work - and a story I am incredibly proud of. Not sure what's more annoying: the stolen stories, the compensation offer or the lack of apology. It's odd being the story. Thanks to Press Gazette for the piece.

For months, I've been looking into dodgy videos that seemingly encouraged unlawful behaviour while promoting TrainPal on TikTok - plus a side-show of using the Money Saving Expert name without permission. Story for @railmagazine.bsky.social is online: www.railmagazine.com/news/trainpa...

That’s #WTMLDN done for another year. 17 formal meetings over two days, countless catch ups with contacts / friends old and new, too many hot chocolates drunk, one very frazzled brain. Same time next year? (There’s also the one tourist board that still will not engage (IYKYK))

One of the favourite things I've written in a while: A week or so ago, I spent a fun afternoon with land speed record-holder Andy Green and his 1904 Stanley Runabout ahead of today's Veteran Car Run to learn why the world's fastest man loves steam cars. www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/feature...

A superb time seeing The Last Dinner Party (twice) last night in Southampton. Second show was unhinged - among other things, Abi (on her birthday) ended up chugging half a bottle of vodka during This is the Killer. A brilliant band live - and the new album is ace. @tldparchives.bsky.social

Every so often, the 135-year old former presidential train takes to Portugal's most scenic railway line. Last month, I travelled aboard Comboio Presidencial for an eight-course meal & trip along the Douro Valley for @telegraphnews.bsky.social: www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti... @diningcar.at

Until last month, I'd never travelled on a railway run by an actual military. Have written about the glorious Tren Interoceánico network in Mexico for @telegraphnews.bsky.social. Yes, it was most odd seeing armed marines guarding level crossings & platforms. www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti...

Remember that Austrian bloke that jumped out of a balloon in space? This is a really nice read about him and also the culture about Red Bull's sponsorship of extreme sports. Well worth five minutes of your time.

The first of the dispatches from my US & Mexican rail trip went live this morning. Amtrak's 'Pacific Surfliner' is a stunning route between LA and San Diego that's affordable and has good frequency - an epitome of all that is good about rail travel in the US. www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/affor...

Travelling aboard Comboio Presidencial - Portugal’s 125 year old former presidential train - from Porto through the Douro Valley in lovely sunshine today. There’s the added bonus of haulage behind a 1960s English Electric 1400-class diesel…

I know there are bigger issues in the world right now but yesterday I took a tour along Mobile River. I saw SS United States, mid decommissioning. What an utter waste of America’s shipping heritage that it is going to be sunk off the coast of Florida to create a reef.

Travelling on Amtrak’s new Mardi Gras Service today. A few weeks ago trains resumed between New Orleans and Mobile after a 20 year Hurricane Katrina-induced hiatus. And already services are selling out, which is great to see. 🎉

I’m in New Orleans at the moment. The city is home to the world’s oldest continuously running Streetcar line in the world. These 102 year old machines run 24/7 and are great fun to ride aboard. Had a fascinating look around RTA’s depot, too.

Cancun-bound aboard Tren Maya today. Merida’s station is very impressive, even if it is nowhere near the city centre. (The less says about the truly awful boarding experience, the better!)