Discussion
On the rails again... #Interrail
Today, @wendy and I are going to Durham, via Newcastle.
Today’s Itinerary: https://moof.space/trip/2026-11-06
Today is an Azuma day on LNER, which means that because I am in first class I get free meals.
Time to munch on some crumpets…
When @pozorvlak and I walked into Edinburgh Waverley station this morning, we found ourselves welcomed by a brass band.
It turns out we’d walked into the arrival of the Royal Scotsman - a luxury sleeper train that does trips through the pretty lines in the highlands, and what a beauty she is.
She has two dining cars, which look like they have the tables in the middle of the carriage rather than attached to the windows. and a first for me - a Spa car. She also has an Observation car with a rear balcony that you can access as the train is moving.
That being said, at an eye-watering £14,800 per cabin for a two-night trip, for the lowest-priced cabin, I don’t think it’s an experience I am likely to ever have.
Having arrived at Newcastle, I’m now sat in the Waiting Bubble between platforms 3 and 4 as I await my next train.
And as I pulled into Durham, a member of platform staff was waiting on the platform with a ramp, that went from platform level to the train level. He fitted the ramp, and then helped an elderly gentleman walk onto the train using very small steps.
When we talk about accessibility and reduced mobility on trains, it’s not just people on wheelchairs. It’s everyone.
You too will get old, and you too will want to get on a train when you are. Make a point of demanding accessibility now, because these trains will still be running when you need these adaptations.
For those of you unfamiliar with the more obscure varieties of British bakery, crumpets are made from a batter that has a lot of yeast or baking powder in, and poured onto a hot pan inside a ring, known as a crumpet ring. This makes the batter rise, and create a lot of little holes in the process. It’s finished off by flipping it over, and has a bit of a crust, and a slightly rubbery texture inside. They're served warm, normally with butter and jam, though I tend to prefer Marmite on them.
They're basically a vehicle for carrying vast amounts of salted butter to your stomach. And absolutely delicious.