Despite a schoolboy error in jumping on the first tube train at Wimbledon, and then not listening to the announcements, only to look up and see I was at Victoria, I arrived at Paddington in plenty of time for the 23:45 sleeper service to Penzance. I always love coming out of the tube station in to the station concourse, being greeted by IK Brunel’s stunning wrought iron arches and glazed roof, and the sleek high speed trains of GWR calling you to just jump on board and go somewhere. At night, the sight is even more impressive, lit up in orange and purple.
It was shortly after 10pm and at Platform 1, the night sleeper was already at the platform but not yet ready for boarding. My trainspotting teenage years came flooding back to me at the sight of two solid Class 57 locomotives topping and tailing the coaches, simmering. Ticking over. Pure diesel loco power in all it’s glory. Both decked out in GWRs splendid deep green. Ready to pull a scheduled mainline service and a maximum speed of 75mph. Tops!
The GWR lounge is a disappointment and not worthy of any time at all sadly and fortunately I only spend a few minutes before boarding is called and I waste no time in heading to Coach E, berth 21. The bunk is impressive, well thought out with space underneath the bed for a case, a slim wardrobe with 2 inbuilt clothes hangers and a well hidden sink. A towel and soap are provided, together with 2 bottles of water stowed in the wardrobe. Lighting to the berth has several levels. The bed is wonderfully comfortable although rather slim and I’m not exactly the widest person.
A full carriage is dedicated to a bar and I enjoy a quick Cornish St Austell ale – well, when headed for Rome! The bar is relatively quiet. In fact, the whole train seems quiet. Almost as if this is a service few people know about – or really want to take (more so perhaps at this time of the year). I have no interactions with any fellow passengers I do see, other than 1 rather anxious later who knowingly jumps right in front of me as I am about to order my beer, expressing her frustration there are no other staff around and she needs her cabin allocating. Now. The lady behind the bar apologises, no issue to me with 45 mins or so still to go, and confirms the coach and berth number to flustered passenger. I assume she is tired and desperately needs to sleep. I am thirsty but not necessarily desperate for a beer.
A few minutes before departure, I walked to the front of the train ready to enjoy the full throttle of what is a refurbished Class 47 and, years ago, I had surely been hauled by. It doesn’t disappoint and is simply thrilling. I could have spent the whole night standing there and listening to it. The movement and power of the train seem more real, more authentic, under diesel (and, I presume, steam – although I have to confess that steam is not my thing). Health and safety considerations put a quick stop to the thrill of having the window down as the train powers along – the cabin attendant asks me to put it up at which point the window locks. The moment has gone, so I head back to my cabin.
I am a fairly light sleeper and if conditions are not right, then I struggle to fall asleep. As much as the rhythm and sound of the train can be a bit hypnotic, and there is a certain pleasure to sleeping on a train (similar to the lie-flat experiences on a plane), I do struggle to sleep and it’s probably around 03:00 when I manage drift off for a few hours, waking just outside of St Austell, or was it Totnes?
Station signage and planters at St Austell live up to the Riviera feel and are in stark contrast to the last station platform view I had of Reading! At 07:00, the cheery cabin attendant brings me a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich served on a nice tray. I can’t knock it but I had rather hoped for a freshly cooked slice of bacon rather than a microwaved roll in a packet. Still, it did the trick.
Arrival in to Penzance is bang on time and we’re greeted by sunny skies and a wonderfully misty view of St Michaels Mount. The shower facility in the arrivals lounge is great and after a quick turnaround, I head out of the small station, across an unwelcoming car park and through high fencing passing bin storage areas, to a rather unattractive concrete path squeezed in between the tracks and the sea. Still, it is nice enough and I have a quick WhatsApp video call with my daughter who is enjoying 40C in Laos! Travellers of the World unite! Well, at least I got to show her some sunny skies and a palm tree or two (although apparently there is debate as to whether they are palm trees or not! Horticulture is not really my thing, so I’ll leave it as it is, acknowledging this might be an inaccurate description). After a quick walk around the town as it was waking up, the sun started to disappear behind cloud cover. I did manage to sit in some degree of warmth and have a bacon and egg sandwich before the start of my first full day on the rails – kicking off with the 0925 to Exeter. I was rather hoping this was going to be an old HST.
