There are some journeys which I never tire of making. No matter that I don't get to some corners of the country from year to year, or that the cost or complexity of some trips makes them a less frequent pleasure, there are still some special parts of the railway network which remind me just why I started on these strange travels well over a decade ago. One of these is the North Wales Coast line. I first came here curious about one of the last bastions of locomotive haulage and ended up returning for weekend escapes in Holyhead, perhaps one of the more unlikely resorts for such relaxation! This weekend was a return for a little unfinished business - the short branch to Llandudno.

Having planned my day around cheaper tickets wherever possible, it meant another early start for Bristol, with a change onto the 07:00 to Birmingham - which for the record didn't go via Camp Hill again, leading me to suspect that perhaps this one just doesn't in the new timetable! Here I had time to get some breakfast and shelter from the rain which had dogged most of the journey so far while awaiting the arrival of the incoming Liverpool service on the remote and somewhat exposed platform 4C. It became clear that things weren't going well on the Stour Valley line, with services meeting delay at Sandwell & Dudley due to signalling problems. However, we set off just a little down and rather surprisingly took the line to Bescot at Soho, reaching Wolverhampton by an unusual route for a service train. Nothing much to see on Bescot, disappointingly but perhaps not unsurprisingly. Despite being a little late, I had plenty of margin at Crewe so I was able to settle back and enjoy the trip - and the weather which against all odds was getting a little brighter and dryer as I headed north. Arrival in Crewe was in bright sunshine, and I wandered out to the damp platform ends to try for a long shot of 37294 which had been moved out into the open at the diesel depot to accommodate a recent arrival of Class 60s. Grabbed a coffee and wandered over to platform 12 where the Pendolino from London had arrived, and 57310 was backing onto the train for the next leg of the journey.

An inexplicable delay followed which allowed time to chat with a fellow enthusiast heading for Wrexham for the WSMR loco-hauled service. Soon moving, catching up time easily on route to Chester. Thinking back to earlier journeys, I found myself in a reflective mood as we zoomed effortlessly along the seawall in fantastic weather. A lot had changed in the intervening years - but this line remained just a little bit special. Curving into Llandudno Junction, I prepared to hit the ground running and get a shot of the locomotive as it headed west towards the end of the line at Holyhead. Half wished I was going along for the ride to my former hideout on the coast. However, there was unfinished business here, so I headed over to the bay platform to await the arrival of the unit which was shuttling back and forth to Llandudno. Surprised to see a three car 175 arriving, but figured that somehow these units fitted in an extra round trip between Manchester diagrams. The branch was short but scenic, running first along the coast and then curving inland to end in the Town Centre. I'd allowed a little time here to explore, and despite being January at the seaside, I found a busy town with a fair selection of stores. I was struck how similar towns in my own area could do so much better in this respect as I wandered, looking for a bite to eat and pricing accessories for my new 'phone. A good old fashioned wander around a new town - one I'd visited only briefly before by car. As I arrived back at the station, the sky was turning a little grey and sullen. Waited under the remains of the once proud station roof as the wind began to whip in from the coast.

Soon back at Llandudno Junction, where I sampled the coffee and cake at the fine little tea shop while awaiting the Holyhead to Birmingham train. Found a seat on the fairly busy train and spent some time people-watching and inadvertently tuning in to the rather sad recollections of a young couple in the seats behind me. I was one of the few people who seemed to be going almost all of the way on this service, as it served as a local stopper on the coast, reversed at Chester and headed into the borderlands to reach Wrexham and then on to Shrewsbury. As we headed south and west, the weather seemed to get a little wilder and wetter. Here we paused to couple to another unit which led us through Wolverhampton into Birmingham New Street. A same-platform interchange here, onto a rather quiet Voyager heading to Bristol via Gloucester - an unusual route now which I thought had finally disappeared from the timetable. Delayed for no apparent reason once again here and frequently checked once we'd left via Camp Hill. Crawled to a halt at Westerleigh and sat for some time before hearing that fallen trees had blocked the line to Bristol Parkway and we were queueing for a platform. Seems I'd outrun the weather in the west almost all day. Managed to make the connection at Bristol with a few minutes to spare, and endured a fairly wedged unit full of football fans back to Highbridge where the weather was just starting to turn ugly once again as I got into the house. A fine day out on a favourite route I very rarely get to visit, with the bonus of a little haulage along the coast.

I'm not sure if its the side-effects of planning ahead a little, or the knowledge of a fairly major weekend line closure looming, but the year seems to have opened with a surprising dash for mileage. I've been a little constrained by pre-Christmas engineering recently and it's good to get away to areas I haven't been to for a while. It's also interesting to play with some of the variations and new service which the new timetable brought with it. It's certainly one of the more dynamic shifts in service patterns for many years, and aside from some of the more high-profile additions (such as the Welsh Assembly Government bankrolled Cardiff-Holyhead service) there are some lower key but useful services appearing. One of these is the direct Northern Trains service from Nottingham to Leeds, with a variety of unusual routes and odd diversions on it's various runs to keep drivers' route knowledge up to date. Today's plan was to use one of these services end to end - the long wat around to Leeds.

Out on the usual early train, staying on as far as Temple Meads for the first time in what seemed like a while. Found much needed coffee and settled into the Voyager which soon arrived from Barton Hill. Spent much of the journey trying to get used to the various features of my new phone and enjoying heading north on what promised to be a fair but very chilly winter morning. Halted for some time outside Kings Norton before setting off via Selly Oak rather than the usual route through Camp Hill which these Manchester-bound services use to avoid a reversal at the congested Birmingham New Street. Frozen points maybe? A swift change here onto a busy CrossCountry 170 bound for Nottingham via Derby. Despite a few good-natured football fans, a quiet journey along routes I don't seem to travel much these days. Noted FastLine's 66305 waiting for a path at Lenton South Junction as we arrived into Nottingham. Here I had a couple of choices, and having looked at some of the known unusual routes operated by the Northern service, I'd opted for the 11:16 departure. This left an hour to wander into the city in freezing weather.

Back in good time to see the incoming Northern 158 arrive and find a seat. Whilst some of these services use routes around Toton Depot, this didn't seem to be the case with any of the Saturday services. Set out instead via Trowell and onto the Erewash Valley. A good few years since I came this way as I recall, and interesting with the foliage a little more seasonally sparse to see the remains of various freight locations and branch lines curving away from our route. A little new track for me, as we took the route avoiding the platforms at Chesterfield station - only recently redesignated as passenger lines. From here, we curved away from the main route into Sheffield, taking the 'old road' at Tapton Junction. Lost track of my bearings a little hear, but figured out where I was by the sighting of the stub of line at Westthorpe where our BLS tour reversed on route to Preston Docks. At Beighton we returned to passenger lines, arriving into the bay platforms at Sheffield for a reversal. Soon off again, via a bit of a meander through Barnsley, Wakefield Kirkgate and Methley Junction to Leeds.

After a quick wander around the freezing station, stepped out into the city and had a good wander around for the first time in years. Immediately on setting out I walked into a 'Free Palestine' demonstration of surprising size and volume. Ended up following the demo into the city centre, as did most of the youngsters out in the city. Perhaps they didn't understand the cause at issue, but they certainly swelled the ranks of the demonstration! I've always said that Leeds is a city where one should look up above shop-front height, and I remembered my own advice as I walked through street after street of remarkable and relatively unspoiled Victorian buildings. Also found myself furtively bus spotting, in search of my first Atheist Bus, a search which was finally rewarded through the filthy windows of a shopping centre bus stop!

Back to the station to stock up on coffee and board the 16:11 which took me all the way back to Bristol by a far more direct route. Settled in and relaxed for a comfortable and quiet ride, unfortunately mostly in the dark as the weather and evening closed in soon after leaving Leeds. A long and tiring day, but good to explore old route through new services patterns.

The first trip of the new year followed a time-worn pattern. Up early and onto the first train of the day in freezing conditions. After a very chilly change of trains in Weston, settled into a comfortable and thankfully warm first class carriage and headed for London. It seemed to stay dark for most of the journey, with a little crack of sunlight appearing somewhere around Reading. Strangely, we arrived at Paddington in perfect cold and bright weather. The plan was to cover the entire Docklands Light Railway system in it's current form, then to head west where some interesting diversions were taking place. After a short run on the Circle Line to Monument, we popped up in the heart of the City. Elected leader, I struck out along King William Street, locating the lift at Bank station installed when the DLR opened to ensure the railway was accessible, but which was now in a fairly grubby state. I'd never used this lift, despite passing it many times. Summoned the lift and waited for what seemed like an age, before it took us a surprisingly short distance underground to a landing which opened into a narrow tunnel with an Oyster reader. We touched-in and proceeded along the tunnel, arriving unexpectedly at a bank of lifts close to the ticket hall. Down again, much deeper this time, and onto the Northern Line platforms. Still leading, partly by instinct and partly due to a fervent wish not to encounter the terrifying walk down narrow stairs between banks of steep escalators I'd endured here once before. We finally came upon the DLR platforms, exiting the labyrinth at the other end of hall from the very escalators I'd been trying to avoid.

With some relief, I boarded a King George V bound DLR train, and we were soon away on the first leg of the trip, in deep tunnel at first then ascending steeply out into the open near Royal Mint Street with the currently closed Tower Gateway terminus beside us. The weather was fine and it was great to be out, blowing away the dust of the festive season and scudding high above East London landmarks. St George-in-the-East at Shadwell, St Anne's at Limehouse - a Hawksmoor driven ride east on one of Iain Sinclair's "trains with no driver". When possible, we childishly scurried to occupy the front seats for the full rollercoaster ride experience. After Poplar I was on uncharted territory. The broad, empty plains of still, shining water - once docks, now vacant sites for uncertain future development were impressive in scale, and the few cranes - either preserved or abandoned - seemed poignant in their quiet and isolation. The glint of the buildings in nearby Canary Wharf, and the stark white glare of the O2 dome made it hard to look at the scenes to the south. Once past City Airport the crowds on board thinned and by King George V we were among very few remaining passengers. Had a good look at the soon-to-be-opened tunnel under the Thames to Woolwich and then wandered out to the local shops, realising we were just a stone's throw from the abandoned line to North Woolwich, before heading back to Canning Town for the next leg. The service from here to Beckton was operating as a shuttle as Tower Gateway (its usual origin) was closed, and we made the short trip along the long straight section of track sunk into the median of the A1020 before curving back on ourselves and reaching the end of the line on a former rail alignment at Beckton. Struck again by the quiet and almost eerie order of these recently developed suburbs.

Via another change at Canning Town and a fruitless attempt to convince a tourist that this wasn't 'Camden Town' at all, we found our way back to Westferry as catching a Lewisham bound service here meant covering a curve we would otherwise miss. Something of a fight with the Oyster reader here which in hindsight appears to relate to the use of the obviously rogue one we encountered mysteriously lurking in the passage at Bank, which despite validating correctly seems to have been erased from my account completely. We then plunged under the Thames for the twisting tunnel ride, soon arriving in Lewisham. Time for much needed comfort breaks and a strong coffee before setting off for Stratford and the last leg of our DLR excursion via the former rail alignment through Bow, curving alongside the Great Eastern line before arriving at the strangely colourful terminus at Stratford.

A very short stay here as we battled valiantly with another Oyster reader before scurrying aboard a waiting North London Line service to head for Willesden Junction. The diversions in West London had led to some unusual routings and bits of track being covered, and this was our next target. The line was as busy as ever, and we didn't manage a seat at all before arriving at the High Level station at Willesden for the short wait for a shuttle service to Kensington Olympia which was operating in the absence of the usual services to Clapham Junction. The replacement train was surprisingly well loaded, and was soon despatched to make the short trip to Olympia, arriving in it's usual platform, from where it soon set off back to Willesden.

We had a brief chance now to explore Kensington Olympia, a station more passed-through than visited for me. The remains of the former Motorail platforms are now a car park, but the ticket office retains some of its 1970s charm despite being very quiet indeed these days. The footbridge bears the remains of a huge painted BR era InterCity branding, now sadly half obliterated. Rebooked for East Croydon, noting the train was direct from West Brompton to Streatham Common - a good sign that our route was going to be very different to usual. Whilst we waited, we were surprised to see 66092 accelerating through the station, having seen it pass under Willesden on the West Coast Mainline shortly before. 377209 arrived from Watford Junction and we were soon away again, with newly published Southern & TFL Quail at the ready. We set off through West Brompton and over the river, passing through what appears to be the start of work on Imperial Wharf - a station which has appeared in timetables for years despite not existing! At Latchmere Junction we made our way under the knot of lines at the east end of Clapham Junction before curving up and passing under more lines, before regaining more familiar passenger lines at Factory Junction. We then passed through Wandsworth Road on the Atlantic Lines until reaching Shepherds Lane Junction, where we crossed to the Chatham Lines, passing through Brixton, Herne Hill and Tulse Hill before regaining the trains usual route and stopping pattern as to East Croydon. Diversion duly followed, we decided to head homeward via Croydon Tramlink to Wimbledon and the District Line instead of waiting for the unit to work back. Coincidentally we arrived on the District at West Brompton just at the same time as the unit we'd used was heading back. Back to Paddington, suitably pleased with our various hauls of new and interesting track and diversions.

Today provided a busy and interesting start to the year with lots of London seen in fine winter weather, which is somehow just the way it should be seen. By no means high mileage or pioneering stuff, but plenty of variety in scenery, modes of transit and locations. Lets hope for more of these days during 2009.

It was probably madness to attempt a journey of any significance on the Saturday between Christmas and New Year. Booking late after a week or two of general disorganisation also meant missing out on cheap first class fares, which was always going to lead to needing to squash into some already busy trains. It was also proving hard to get around the country - there were pockets of engineering almost everywhere I'd planned to head. Nevertheless, a plan was hatched, albeit with a fairly low new track quotient! The plan was to cover the lines affected by the recently completed Trent Valley Four Tracking project (TV4 as it became known). Stopping services had resumed on this stretch of the West Coast Mainline only last week with the new timetable, and I was keen to revisit. Mr Spinks also came along for the ride, braving the freezing Highbridge morning to set off on the 06:20 which was the first train of today's revised service.

Plenty of time to change at Bristol, as the connections with CrossCountry services are sparse early on Saturday mornings. Eventaully, a pair of Voyagers rolled in and once detached, the front unit was announced as our service to Stoke-on-Trent. Glad to get into the warm and enjoy breakfast as we headed north in fine but freezing weather. As we curved away from the Camp Hill line at St Andrews Junction, we passed one of Fastline's new Class 66 coal services heading for Avonmouth - a first sighting for me. Despite being heavily reserved, no major problems with overcrowding, even after a major influx of customers at New Street. Good not to have to change here today, staying in the warm as we headed north for Stoke, passing another newcomer to these shores in the form of 350236 at Wolverhampton. It was turning into an interesting day. Ground to a halt just outside Stafford, seemingly due to reduced capacity in the station as a couple of lines were closed. A late arrival at Stoke followed, but no great problem as we had a fair margin. Time in fact for Mr Spinks to attempt to win the jackpot on a vending machine, to no avail!

Not long to wait for our 350 to Nuneaton, which today was to be the terminus for these services due to engineering work. An original plan had been to cover the 'Blockade Buster' services which were operating to get around these works once again, since they were booked on a slightly different routing near London, but I abandoned this in the face of dire warnings about busy trains and a lack of cheap fares. Soon off, and retracing our steps as via Stone where services have recently resumed after five years following the WCML upgrade. The impressive station building in the angle of the junction with the line to Colwich sporting new London Midland signage. Onwards to Stafford, noting that timings seemed slack with some fairly long waits at stations. Took the Trent Valley lines here, calling at Atherstone, Rugeley and Lichfield on route to Nuneaton. The line was quiet given the closure, which provided plenty of opportunity to look at the work done here - some fairly major engineering in fact, especially with the number of bridges and covered ways for farm access which needed to be extended to span the four tracks. Soon into Nuneaton, always a rather windy station but today very, very cold indeed. Headed straight for the near-legendary tea shop for welcome warm refreshments.

Watched a late-running CrossCountry unit to New Street arrive and depart from the Leicester line platforms very full. This didn't bode well, and indeed our train was also pretty well-loaded on arrival. Skulked in the vestibule for the fairly short journey to avoid scrambling for a seat. Grateful just to be warm, and in any case this provided a much better view of Washwood Heath and Lawley Street - not that much was happening on this very quiet holiday weekend. Stumbled into scenes of confusion at New Street, with 'congestion on the network' being blamed for some very late trains. Watched one of CrossCountry's recently refurbished HST sets arrive on a Plymouth bound service, solidly wedged and with some very tetchy looking people pushing their way on. Must get a ride on one of these sets soon, as they look rather comfortable inside - perhaps not on such a busy weekend though. Our own train, heading for Cardiff arrived soon after, and we enjoyed a quiet and picturesque run along the Severn estuary in wonderfully wintry sunshine. Newport was also busy, and after watching people squeezing angrily into a packed Manchester-bound Class 175 we waited with some trepidation for what First Great Western would provide for the final leg of our trip. In the event, a generous three-car Class 158 arrived, and we had an easy ride directly back to Highbridge.

So, the year ends with a shorter day out than usual, but a productive and pleasant one despite travelling at a time when people are advised it's probably best not to! Good to get out and explore in this otherwise rather miserable bit between Christmas and new year.