On the Slow Train (28 page)

Little train, big journey: A single-carriage Class 153 unit meanders through Knucklas on its way from Shrewsbury to Swansea in May 2009. The service may be sparse, but it is one of the great railway journeys of the world.

The train that ran on the road: ‘Class 33' No. 33116 eases its way along Weymouth Quay past a Hants and Dorset ‘Bristol' double-decker in August 1987 on a boat train connecting with the Channel Islands ferry.

Where time stands still: A moment for a gossip on the single platform at the remote station of Berney Arms in 1947. With no road access, this tiny Norfolk community is still reliant on the few trains that stop here.

Journey's end: An ex-LNER ‘V2' mixed traffic engine restarts from a signal check at Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham, with a northbound train in February 1963, the year the station was slated for closure by Beeching and inspired Flanders and Swann.

Acton Central station, London 114–15

Adonis, Lord 184

Advanced Passenger Train 125

Agutter, Jenny 34

Ais Gill summit, Cumbria 29–30

Allan, Ian 48, 86, 114

Allport, James 21–2, 23, 34

Appleby, Cumbria 26–7

Arlott, John 88

Arnold, Thomas 124

Arriva 125, 138

Arriva Trains Wales 8, 60, 92

Atthill, Robin 149–50

Auden, W H 126

Awdry, Reverend Wilbert 45, 76

Baker, William 102

Barnes, John 132

Barnes, William 158

Barnsley Interchange 192-3

Barrow-in-Furness 70, 71, 73

Bassett-Lowke, Wynne 76

Beeching, Dr Richard 1, 2, 5–6, 15, 18, 37, 42, 43, 52, 57, 59, 68, 75, 91, 102, 104, 130, 134, 141, 143, 147, 149, 150, 154, 175, 179, 180, 186, 190, 193

Bennett, Alan 27

Berney Arms, Norfolk 169, 170–73, 177

Berney, Thomas Trench 170

Betjeman, Sir John 54–5, 102, 107, 110, 112, 115, 118, 149, 164, 186, 189

Bicester, Oxfordshire 64

Biggs, Ronnie 123

Bittern
90

Bittern Line 164

Blair, Cherie 181

Blea Moor Tunnel, Cumbria 32

Boston, Reverend E R 76

Bourne, John Cooke 124

Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire 154

Brading, Isle of Wight 44

Bragg, Lord 83

Branson, Sir Richard 63, 121

Brassey, Thomas 57

Braunton
90

Bridport line 158, 159

Briggs, Thomas 108, 109

Bristol and Exeter Railway 9

Bristol Temple Meads 151

British Rail 2, 22, 23, 25, 35, 44, 47, 55, 89, 90, 143

Modernisation Plan (1955) 91

British Railways 14, 15, 48, 53, 56, 65, 95, 104, 106, 131, 141, 174, 190

Britten, Benjamin 176

Broad Street station, London 102–3, 105, 107–8

Brogden, John 70

Brontë parsonage, Haworth 34

Brundall, Norfolk 164, 165, 168, 169

Brunel, Isambard Kingdom 10, 52, 105, 151, 152, 155, 158, 159

Brunel, Marc 105

Brunlees, James 72

Buckenham station, Norfolk 165, 166–9

Bulmers 90

Burningham, Richard 14–15, 17

Calbourne
47–8

Calder Valley Line 186

Cambrian Railway 59, 141

Camden Road station, London 110–11

Canadian Pacific
90

Canterbury, Kent 85, 93–5

Canterbury and Whitstable Railway 94

Carbis Bay 12–13

Carlisle 21, 23, 27

Carnforth, Lancashire 69

Castle, Barbara 15, 16, 17, 153, 175, 190

Cathedrals Express 85–99

Cefn station, North Wales 56–7

Cefn-Mawr Viaduct 57

Channel Tunnel 52, 91

Channel Tunnel Link 97, 111

Chapel-en-le-Dale, North Yorkshire: St Leonards church 33-4

Chapman, Colin 164

Charles, HRH The Prince of Wales 28, 123

Charles Edward Stuart, Prince (Bonnie Prince Charlie) 132

Cheltenham Flyer 18

Chester-le-Street, County Durham 193–4

Chiltern Railways 63, 64

Chirk Viaduct 57–8

Clarkson, Jeremy 93

Collett, C B 7

Coniston, Cumbria 74-5

Cornish Riviera Express 6–7, 16

Cowes line, Isle of Wight 43–4, 47

Cowper-Powys, John 151

Crewe, Cheshire 124–5, 139

Crianlarich, Perthshire 127, 135

Cumbrian Coast line 66–83

Cynghordy Viaduct 145, 146

Dalston Junction, London 104–5, 109

Dalston Kingsland station, London 105, 106

Deerstalker Express 116–35

Dent, Cumbria 22, 30–32

Deutsche Bahn 63

Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership 14–15

Diana, Princess 96

Dickens, Charles 173

Dorchester 150–51

Dorchester West station 154–5, 159

Dover 97

Drigg, Cumbria 79

Dutch State Railways 23

Dyfrbont Pontcysyllte
61, 62

Early, Tom 17

East Coast Main Line 68, 93, 180

East Suffolk Line 164, 174–7

Eastern Counties Railway 163

Elephant
9

Elizabeth II, Queen 123

Ellis, C Hamilton 53

Eurostar 96, 98

Fiennes, Gerard 175

Fiennes, Sir Ranulph 175

Finchley Road & Frognal station, London 113

First Great Western 7, 151–2

Flanders, Michael 1, 5, 6, 15, 60, 179–80, 186

Flying Scotsman
90, 91

Folkestone 97, 98

Formby, Merseyside 180, 181

Formby-Chester-le-Street 178–94

Fort William 130, 134

Foxfield, Cumbria 73, 74

Fraser, Tom 104

Friends of the Settle and Carlisle Line 25, 30, 35

Furness Abbey 72

Furness Railway 69, 70, 73, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80

Garsdale, Cumbria 28, 30

Gatwick Express 88

General Motors 55

Glasgow 126

Glastonbury Tor 156

Glyn Valley Tramway 58

Gobowen station, Shropshire 58–9

Golden Arrow 85, 86, 97

Gooch, Sir Daniel 152

Gosse, Edmund 158, 159

Grace, W G 65

Grand Junction Railway 121

Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria 70–72, 80

Great Central Railway 51, 54, 62, 65, 99

Great Eastern Railway 101, 102–3, 175, 176

Great Northern Railway 21

Great Train Robbers 123

Great Western Railway 5–12, 13, 18, 54, 56, 58, 59, 61, 62, 68, 90, 138, 139, 141, 147, 153–6, 160, 185

Great Yarmouth 174

Greene, Graham 106

Gresley, Sir Nigel 130, 175

Grey, Alastair 82–3

Grimond, Jo 104

Hackney Wick, London 103–4

Haddiscoe church, Suffolk 173

Hampstead Heath station, London 113

Hampstead Junction Railway 112

Hansom, Joseph 125

Hardwick, Philip 117

Hardy, Thomas 150–51, 157–8

Harper, Jess 41

Harvey, John 11

Havenstreet, Isle of Wight 48

Haworth, West Yorkshire 34

Hayle, Cornwall 11

Heart of Wales Line 136–47

Heart of Wessex Line 154, 155, 161

Hellifield station, North Yorkshire 34

Helston branch line 16

Hendry, Dr George 129

Hepworth, Barbara 17

Heysham nuclear power station, Cumbria 72

Hogwarts Express (Harry Potter books) 93, 132

Hollingsworth, Brian 92

Hope Valley Line 186

Horne, E H 104, 111

Hosking, Jeremy 90

Huddersfield 189–90

Hudson, W H 17

Hughes, Robin 30, 31

Hughes, Ted 186

Hutchinson, Sheila 170

Invicta
94–5

Ipswich, Suffolk 176

Iron Duke
86

Island Line (Isle of Wight) 36–44, 49

Isle of Wight Railway 42

Isle of Wight Steam Railway 44, 46, 47–9

Ivor the Engine (children's animation) 95

Javelin bullet trains 91

Jenkins, Simon 173

Jessop, William 123

Jones, John Paul 81

Joslin, Jeremy 18-19

Keighley and Worth Valley line 34

Kent Viaduct 70

Kentish Town Viaduct, London 112

Kew Gardens station, London 115

Kilsby Tunnel, Northamptonshire 123–4

King George V
56, 90

King Lear
97

Kington, Miles 131, 133

Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria 28, 29, 30

Knighton, Powys 139

Knill, John 13

Knucklas, Powys 140

‘La'al Ratty', Ravenglass 75, 76

Lakes Express 82

Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway 181, 183, 185, 190

Lancaster and Carlisle Railway 125

Larkin, Philip 2, 48

Leach, Bernard 17

Lee, Christopher 83

Leeds 27, 34–5

Lelant 9, 10, 11, 18

Lelant Saltings 8–9

Leven Viaduct 72

Lindisfarne Gospels 194

Liskeard-Looe line 16, 17

Liverpool and Manchester Railway 10, 94, 109, 129

Livock, J W 124

Llandrindod Wells, Powys 141–3

Llanelli 147

Llangammarch, Powys 143–4

Llangollen Railway 56

Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys 144–6

Lloyd, Canon Roger 45, 120

London and Birmingham Railway 112, 118, 121

London and North Eastern Railway 93

London and North Western Railway 21, 62, 105, 118, 121

London and South Western Railway 153

London, Brighton and South Coast Railway 42, 87

London, Chatham and Dover Railway 42

London Euston station 117-19, 190

London Liverpool Street station 164, 177

London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) 146

London Overground 63, 103

London St Pancras 22, 91, 102, 194

London Transport 37

London Underground/Tube 38, 41, 42, 49, 86, 105

London Victoria station 85, 86, 87

Lonsdale, William Lowther, 2nd Earl of 71

Lord Nelson
90

Lord of the Isles
130-31, 134

Lowestoft, Suffolk 174

Lowland Express 121

Lowry, L S 187

Lucas Brothers 174

McAlpine, Sir William 91, 132

McGill, Donald 192

Macmillan, Harold 118

Maiden Newton, Dorset 157, 158

Major, John 53

Mallaig 130, 133

Manchester Piccadilly 184

Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway 51–2

Manchester Town Hall 32

Manchester Victoria 184–6

Marchington, Tony 91

Marples, Ernest 123

Marsden, West Yorkshire 188–9

Martin Mill gradient 96

Marylebone station, London 51, 56, 65

Maryport, Cumbria 83

Masset, Louise 109

Merseyrail system 181

Mid-Wales Line 143

Midland Railway 21, 26, 29, 33, 34, 98, 157

Millom, Cumbria 67–8, 74, 77, 78

Minghella, Anthony 39

Moore, John 172

Morecambe Bay 70

Morville, Sir Hugh 30

Muller, Franz 109

National Railway Museum, York 69, 91, 98, 105, 115

Nelson, Alex 193-4

Network Rail 25, 59, 72, 92, 111, 118, 124, 147

Newlyn, Cornwall 13

Nicholson, Ben 17

Nicholson, Norman 78, 83

Night Ferry 85

Night Mail
(film) 126

Night Riviera 7

North British Railway 125

North Eastern Railway 193

North London Railway 100–115

Northern Rail 23, 69, 77, 184, 190

Norwich Thorpe station 164

Old Coppernob
69–70

Oliver Cromwell
86, 88–91, 93–6

Olympics (2012) 101, 160

Orient Express 86, 98, 180

Outram, Benjamin 188

Paddington station, London 5, 6, 7, 18

Parker, Peter 92

Parkinson, Michael 193

Pegler, Alan 91

Pendragon Castle, Cumbria 30

Penistone, West Yorkshire 192

Penistone Line 190-93

Penistone Viaduct 192

Pennines 21, 180, 183–4, 185

Penson, T M 60

Penzance, Cornwall 9

Peppercorn, Arthur 93

Peters, Ivo 149

Peto, Samuel Morton 173

Phillips, Derek 158

Pilcher, Rosamund 12

Pines Express 149

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct 57, 58, 61

Poppy Line 164

Port, Thomas 122

Porth Kidney Sands, Cornwall 11

Postgate, Oliver 95

Potter, Beatrix 187

Premier Line 125

Prior, Peter 90

Pritchett, J P 189

Pullman, George Mortimer 23

Quarr Abbey, near Fishbourne 44, 45–7

Railway Children, The
(film) 34

Rannoch, Perthshire 127–9

Ravenglass, Cumbria 75, 77

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway 75, 76

Reedham, Norfolk 170, 173

Ribblehead station, North Yorkshire 33

Ribblehead Viaduct 22, 25, 28, 32–3, 192

Richmond, Surrey 102, 115

River Irt
75, 77

River Mite
75–6

Robertson, Henry 57

Robertson, Marcus 88–9, 90–91, 99

Rocket
94

Rolt, L T C 65, 87, 99

Royal train 55, 123

Ruabon station, North Wales 56

Rugby station, Warwickshire 124

Ruskin, John 74

Ruswarp (collie dog) 30

Ryde, Isle of Wight 40–41

Ryde Pier Head station 38, 39, 40

Ryde St John's Road, Isle of Wight 41, 42–3

St Bees, Cumbria 80–81

St Erth, Cornwall 5–8, 11, 12

St Erth to St Ives line 4–19, 180

St Ives, Cornwall 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13–19

Salt, Titus 34

Saltaire, West Yorkshire 34

Sandown, Isle of Wight 44

Saunders, I H 24

Saunders-Roe 40

Scargill, Arthur 96, 193

Seascale, Cumbria 80

Sellafield nuclear power station, Cumbria 79–80

Serco 23

Settle and Carlisle line 20–35, 186

Shakespeare Express 86

Shanklin, Isle of Wight 38, 44

Shap incline, Cumbria 96

Sharland, Charles Stanley 24

Shepherd, David 47–8

Shrewsbury, Shropshire 60, 139

Shropshire Lad, A
55

Simmons, Professor Jack 189

Simon, Paul 184

Sinclair, Iain 104 ‘Slow Train' (song by Flanders and Swann) 1, 5, 179–80

Smallbrook Junction, Isle of Wight 43, 44, 47

Smith, David 130

Somerleyton Hall, Suffolk 173

Somerset and Dorset line 148–61

Souter, Brian 38

South Eastern and Chatham Railway 87

South West Coast Path 11

South West Trains 38, 43, 49

Southern Railway 41, 42, 47, 48, 115, 153, 160

Southern Region 42, 90

Southern Vectis Omnibus Company 47

Southport, Merseyside 182–3

Stalybridge, Cheshire 187-8

Standedge Tunnel, West Yorkshire 188

Steam Dreams 88, 89

Stephenson, George 10, 71, 94, 168