This is the year

 Having recovered from my health problems, thanks to Guy's Cancer Centre, I've decided the Scenic Rail Tour will go ahead this year. 

Usually the summer rail timetable starts first or second Sunday in May and is published online three months in advance i.e. towards end of February so planning to travel in June gives me plenty of time to check the trains.

After much careful planning I decided the best day to start will be Wednesday 5th June 2024 returning Sunday 16th June.

N.B.
From this point onwards in this blog, when referring to trains from A to B the standard three-character short form will be used, e.g. TAU for Taunton.
All those used are listed in the key in the left panel.

November 2023 I booked the hotels in Taunton, Bristol, Shrewsbury, Barrow-in-Furness, Crianlarich and Inverness for the 12-day trip.

Early March I booked the Rail Rover.

BUT this year not only does the summer timetable start Sunday 2nd June but it won't be published until three WEEKS in advance i.e. 12th May. That gives me a very short time indeed to check all trains in the new timetable.

On the bright, and sensible, side of things I've decided not to be so adamant on keeping to the planned route as I was on the circular tour. This time if there are major problems I'll just head for the next hotel by any reasonable route by train or bus or cab. The bits I skip can be completed another time.

BUT... horror of horrors, there are so many rail strikes this year. Some are quite horrendous. For example: Wed 8th May (today as I write this) there's a strike/work to rule on Great Western Rail and I've checked all available transport I could use to get me to the first night's hotel in Taunton if similar action is called for Wed 5th June. There's very little indeed. No rail transport would get me there at all. Maybe I could get a coach from Victoria. Most take under 3h30m but some take over 8hrs, I couldn't do that. If there is a similar strike on 5th June I'd just have to skip the first two days journey and go direct to Bristol - that's assuming no other industrial action of course.

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