Publishing a magazine is a hugely risky and expensive business. It's therefore a massive kick in the teeth when an organisation such as @travmedia.bsky.social shortlist a (very, VERY good) website in their Travel Magazine of the Year category. Print media deserves better than this.

I’ve this second finished taking an MP on a tour of London’s candy shops. If you’re reading work for an MP (or are an MP!) I’m running regular tours with policy suggestions. 30mins from PCH and back to your desk, explaining all the tax dodges and you can buy some overpriced sweets for tour staff.

One of the better days at work today. Celebrated the launch of The Chairman’s Train with a run from Euston to Crewe. Travelling along the WCML won’t quite be the same again… Story for @railmagazine.bsky.social coming soon.

Didn't realise Lumo has hired Flying Scotsman and a rake of Mk1s for its new Stirling service. This was posted by an account with 675k followers. *sigh*

Can't help but be staggered by the numbers quoted in this post by Union Pacific.

Someone at Thames Valley Signalling Centre is having fun this afternoon.

I took my kids on a ten-day screen-free interrailing holiday and it was the best trip we ever did. www.cntraveller.com/article/how-...

Day three begins - Szeged back to Budapest.

And so it begins. Three days of going here, there and everywhere around Hungary with 424.247, which is patiently waiting for the off from Budapest Nyugati. Load seven, not a diesel in sight - happy days. Tickets cost about £85 - an absolute steal.

Stuttgarter Zeitung reporting Italo 🇮🇹🚅 about to enter German Long-distance market with an an order for 25-30 Siemens Velaro Neo EMUs. www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.oeffe...

'Twas the night before Christmas…

It amuses me greatly that the managing director of Great Western Railway is an aviation vlogger in his spare time and posts regular BA fleet updates: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HNN...

Okay CTA. This is a good sign.

For BBC Travel, I'm looking to talk to families from the US, the UK, Italy, Japan, Sweden and Mexico about their summer holiday plans. Tight turnaround on this by the end of this week for initial interest. Cannot be in the travel/tourism industry. Photos will be needed. #journorequest

The Scott Mills Bridge at Fleet services has quietly had its plaque removed

That's why I'm so sceptical about those jeremiads about AI slop killing good old professional journalism

I often hear complaints - rightly so in many cases - that rail ticketing in the UK is confusing. But I don't think the grass is any greener in Europe. An example: I need to travel from Vienna to Budapest late next month. Logical thing to do is to look on the OBB site and it displays options.

Biggest comeback of the year just dropped

On the latest Destination Unlocked podcast Mountains Magazine editor Olly Beckett talks about his love of the mountains and the challenges of launching a magazine > player.captivate.fm/episode/f51b...

Nice to write about a local line to me for @railmagazine.bsky.social. It really surprised me the route is as busy as Cardiff-Portsmouth services! www.railmagazine.com/news/network...

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)