I love the east coast main line

National express are possibly the best thing ever to happen to rail travel. If only because they provide free Wifi throughout their trains. Meaning that I can write this from seat L39 in the 1st class carriage of the 7:00 AM train from Hull to London, currently arriving in Peterborough.

I like rail travel. There is the pleasent smoothness of it, the lack of extreme tiredness the I get from long drives and the simplicity. Yes air travel is faster but what with having to be there early etc it actually probably works out quicker (certainly cheaper!) to do the whole thing by train.

When I was viewing different univeristies before applying for my degree I spent a long time travelling by train. However for the most part since getting my driving licence I have driven most long journeys. The exceptions here are London and Manchester airport when I plan to fly. (the fact that manchester has a train station is one of the reasons I tend to fly from there.)

I miss my regular long journeys. So even though I could get the information I am going to london to find through the interlibrary loan system I would rather go to the RAS library and find it myself.

As an aside Peterborough cathedral looks like it's had all it's towers amputated.

The best thing about trains though is the freedom to see the english countryside. I am an unashamed old fashioned patriot. This does not mean that I watch england matches draped in crosses of St George necking lager. I simply love England and east coast mainland goes through some of the bast of it. Admitedly I am currently moving through one of the flatland areas which I like a bit less but when you travel through some of the low hills and valleys you see some of england's everyday best. Not the dinner jacket or tux for special occaisions, those would be the mountains, in particular the lake district, but your everyday nice tailored suit. And I love those areas of england. And since we are moving into one I will conclude this little rhapsody and enjoy the view.