onterofTime to say goodbye to this island. Of course with ship again, but instead of the MV Manxman (in service since 2023) which brought me here a week ago, this time I'm on board the HSC Manannan (insert earworm here). Sometimes there are also crossings to Belfast and Dublin.
Almost missed boarding, but made it just in time, with only one passenger boarding after me. And this time: Bag controll etc, but no passport checks. Now off to ...
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onterof... Liverpool, after a shaky crossing, got a bit sea sick halfway, but not to bad. Both crossings were only 72⏠together, booked ~6 weeks ago! A very enjoyable week & the Isle of Man is really a recommended destination, very calm (this time in year) with lots of hiking, nature, railways and beaches, too. There's a reason it was once a major british tourist destination. But don't bet on the weather being that great as it was for me!
The catamaran even had some outside access.
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onterofAnd finally modern trains again! đ
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onterofThe comfort of Interrail in UK. Just hop on any train. Because I didn't know how long the crossing, disembarcation and hotel checkin might take (it went all very fast), I for once made no concrete plan, but an idea had come to mind: Short round trip to Wales.
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onterofAnd look what I stumbled across on my way to the actual destination: Llandudno transport festival, more like a funfair. Whatever these things actually are called. That was rather random. Some of these were even driving around on a street intersection.đ
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onterofThat took some time to have a look at, but still enough time left to have a ride with Great Orme cable tram đ
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Wales looks nice, never been here.
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onterofSome Merseyrail while the sun is setting.
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onterofBank holiday was great, but now to bed. đ´
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onterofCoast to coast with Transpennine and I must admit these Hitachi trains are - against all expectations - not to bad.
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onterofAfter dropping the bag, time to check out the recently (partially) reactivated Northumberland-line from Newcastle to Ashington with services every 30 minutes operated by Northen. Only 4 stations are served right now, the rest is still under construction and at Ashington a new town entrance is still under construction, too.
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onterofA short look at surprisingly busy Ashington town centre. An old coal mining town, that's clear. Looks nice! The tracks further north are still in place and the station is seemingly build in a way such that further reactivation might still be possible in the future. #MostlyHorsealess
onterofNewcastle - more like: Steelbridge-city đĽ°
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onterofAnd before another journey with LNER towards Scottland starts it's time for some 
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onterofAfter another comfortable LNER journey with nice views (and a bursting full stomach) arriving at Aberdeen, where I had to escape the hotel room for a while because someone turned the heating to maximum. đĽľ
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onterofFrom granite city you could continue to Orkney or Shettland islands, but that's for another time. Always good to have a reason to come back. đĽ°đ´ó §ó ˘ó łó Łó ´ó ż
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onterofFinally: Highlands! đ
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onterofHighland-Highlight Nr. 1: Cairngorms đď¸đĽ° After some years the mountain railway (highest railway in UK & Scotlands only funicular) is running again, after the integrity issues have been solved. Most people going up today are there for bird-watching. Not much else to do up there - you can't leave the top station due to strict conservation rules. Well you could hike up and go down. There's a regular bus from/to Aviemore to the lower station, which drives through thick forest. #MostlyHorsealess
onterofThese are some locos, huh đ
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onterofAfter an exciting day time to pick up my luggage (which starts falling apart đĽ˛
) and finally head in the direction of home, that is south along the Highland mainline. Why didn't anybody tell me earlier how nice UK and especially Scotland is? đĽş
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onterofAnd to (almost) end my vaccation a nice chilled day in Glasgow with great weather! đ
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onterofCute Subway they have, just high enough for me not to bump my head. My overnight train just departed from the massive central station .
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onterofGood morning from London đĄ
Because WestCoast Mainline was closed the Caledonian Sleeper had to be diverted via Edinburgh and EastCoast Mainline. Seemingly there's no way from this direction to Euston, so the train first goes through the city to Wembley to reverse there (that'll be fun to map đ
). Arrival still on time. Overall quiet and comfortable but I'm either getting to old for these overnight seat journeys or it's just the exhaustion after all these days. Who knows ... #MostlyHorsealess
onterofI didn't find the king but Elt ..uhmm ... Alton. Sry for bad jokes.
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onterofAlton is the end of the line for SWR, but Mid-Hants-Railways operates the Watercress-line from here to Alresford. đ
The line has, as per name, been built to bring the local growing green to London. At Ropley you can have look at the shed etc. - and yes, this is the original Kings Cross bridge!
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