After 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.
#MostlyHorsealess
A 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
Newcastle - more like: Steelbridge-city đĽ°
#MostlyHorsealess
And before another journey with LNER towards Scottland starts it's time for some 
đ
#MostlyHorsealess
After 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
#MostlyHorsealess
From 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
#MostlyHorsealess
Finally: Highlands! đ
#MostlyHorsealess
Highland-Highlight Nr. 1: Cairngorms đ
ď¸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
These are some locos, huh đ
#MostlyHorsealess
After 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
#MostlyHorsealess
And to (almost) end my vaccation a nice chilled day in Glasgow with great weather! đ
#MostlyHorsealess
Cute Subway they have, just high enough for me not to bump my head. My overnight train just departed from the massive central station .
#MostlyHorsealess
Good 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
I didn't find the king but Elt ..uhmm ... Alton. Sry for bad jokes.
#MostlyHorsealess
Alton 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!
#MostlyHorsealess
onterof