Hi Johnny. Great channel; love the challenges like this. Keep it going. I reckon it is possible to get to Lowestoft within the day. The key to it is catching the 1455 from Southampton to Clapham Junction - it's a "2" train that gets into Clapham Junction an hour before you did, at 1705. From there (using last Friday's timings, all headcode 2 trains): 1722 to Stratford (arrive 1826) 1853 to Broxbourne (arrive 1937, ultimate destination is Hertford East) 1941 to Cambridge (arrive 2022) 2046 to Ipswich (arrive 2202) 2216 to Lowestoft (arrive 2342) It's a bit tight, but I think there might now also be a 1847 Stratford to Bishops Stortford that calls at Broxbourne 10 mins earlier but that didn't exist last week. Anyway, love the videos and look forward to the next one!
@@TimJordan-n2q love that plan! Sorry i didn't manage it. But i did enjoy Broadstairs 🤷♂️ Maybe next year i follow up with a South or a West? Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching 👍
@@RitchieCollins haha! Thank you. I think it's definitely a case of "I did it so you don't have to". Thanks for coming along vicariously via UA-cam. Much appreciated 👍
Haha, I recently watched the one where you ended up in Dumfries! I love this series, please keep it going! This challenge is much harder for me; 2 headcodes are very far and between from my local station. You weren't far off at Avoncliff! It's a lovely little station which is one of my favourite in the UK, as well as Bradford-On-Avon. All the stations are beautiful in that area!
@@LWR1 Thanks for the encouragement! I will do something similar again, but i need a rest. Maybe next year! As for Avoncliffe and that line. Well, between you and me, next week i ride the heart of Wessex line! Thanks for watching this one 👍
@@stevecooksley ah. So start at the lowest elevation and end up at the highest? Or, at least, pick a route that can achieve the biggest height gain? Might be a short trip though? Thanks for loving this one. I loved making it! 👍
Wow Johnny, what an epic journey, I was amazed at your stamina, I was exhausted just watching you! Again, so informative and some of the stations were so attractive and I loved the “retro” station signage you pointed out during the journey. As always thank you for such excellent videos, very much appreciated 😊
@@Diana-andre2018 thanks! It was very tiring, but pleasing to complete. More from the Heart of Wessex line in next week's video outing. Thanks for coming along on this one 👍
New to your channel Johnny, but already seen quite a few videos and enjoyed them. This one was 16 hours 35 mins - you did say about pointing out mistakes :) keep up the good work !
@@andywillis2650 haha, I am out right now. I must rewatch this and check your pedantry 😉 Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching the videos 👍
That one crazy adventure but was enjoyable, The 2 type train video from last year what draw me into watching the channel and been enjoying it ever since, Great video
@@Sim0nTrains thanks Simon. I can't do too many of these as they are very knackering... but great fun! Thanks for sticking around. Best wishes to you for your videos 👍
Hats off to you for that very long journey, You do some brilliant work for our pleasure, I wouldn't like to try those days worth of journeys. You certainly know your stuff. Keep them coming.
Johnny and Scott (Mason). Two men old enough to know better. But for our entertainment you put yourselves through this so we can sit on our sofas and enjoy your pain. Next time I'm in Penzance I'll think of your doing this trip.
as an aspiring youtuber i know how time consuming and frustrating it will have been to produce such an excellent and apparently effortless video. Thank you!
@@sueweston502 ah yes. There's a lot goes on before, during and after that the camera does not see! Thanks for coming along. Best wishes for you videos 👍
@@robertvaughan9759 thanks 😁 I was dog tired when i finally got to bed! But, it was an interesting challenge. Guessing I should add to the set next year with a South or a West attempt! Do check out the North trip if you haven't already. And thanks for watching this one 👍
Love this video! Came into my neck of the woods. Our closest stations are Fareham and Portsmouth. (One by bus, the other by ferry across Portsmouth harbour ) Really good video, thank you :)
@@martinbradshaw7877 thanks. Btw next week there will be more English countryside as i explore the heart of Wessex line! Thanks for watching this one 👍
What a wonderful idea, great to watch! Can't wait for your next one, not sure I could have managed that many hours travel and been that happy on the camera still
@@flyingmyles i was very tired at the end. No way i was going to manage a sign off chat when i first got there... ...thanks for the kind words and for watching 👍
Thank you Johnny for another absolutely fascinating and extremely well presented video. I laughed out loud at some of your remarks, and I was on the edge of my seat/computer chair as you approached Clapham Junction! Where will he go next? I certainly did not expect a grand tour of South London. Nor did I expect Broadstairs as your final destination! Thinking about your videos generally, I and at least one other commentator praised the diverse range of matters you covered in your video of the Looe branch. Taking this diversity point further, your travel videos are also now very diverse in their subject matter. Your wonderful personality is the unifying factor!
@@Fan652w thanks Roger. Your support is gratefully received. These UK trips mean i haven't edited up the Semmering pass run. But, i will sort that soon!
Loved your previous video on this Johnny and you did not disappoint in this! Now you have to start at Wick and go South 😅😅 And wow that person who jumped the fence at Portsmouth!?
@@Vanmanyo thanks! Southbound from Thurso (further north than Wick!) I don't think works because of the lack of onward 2ers from Inverness 🤷♂️ Best wishes to you 👍
14:10 Portsea Island is in fact the most populous island in the British Isles if you exclude NI & Ireland. Excellent video Johnny, sorry you had to spend 2+ hours on a 450! 444s are unfortunately rare on 2Ps. I imagine being overtaken at Haslemere was incredibly tantalising! Hope you enjoyed the PDL nevertheless!
It amazes me that SWR give the service from Exeter to Waterloo a 1 as it serves every station west of Salisbury but of course east of Salisbury it does speed up!
@@adrianbromfild8624 Yes, it would have made the challenge a bit easier if there had been an eastern route out of Exeter. Mind you, nobody does a "challenge" if it's easy! Thanks for watching 👍
Absolutely awesome Johnny, but totally spooky as I was trying to find your Class 2 North challenge yesterday! Will use the link shortly to re-view it, I'm looking at a Leicester start (near to home) and reckon Glasgow is feasible but need to check beyond there by the rules (no Central-Queen Street walk!) Keep up the good work. Forgot to mention, one of my daughters used to use Salisbury-Southampton-Romsey service to commute and they were universally known as the 'Romsey Rocket'. totally agree the seats on the SWR 158/159 before refurbishment are the best around.
You can get from Central to Queen St via Partick. However you need to buy two tickets for that journey as it is the only pair of stations in Scotland where you can't get a direct ticket. A return ticket to Partick will work.
Brilliant video thanks Johnny! Would love to see you do an all by twos South starting at Thurso but given how tiring this one looked I wouldn’t blame you if you put all the all by twos on the back burner for a while!
@@robertsmith8488 i think a South version could happen. But Inverness is a bit dire for southbound 2s, so I doubt it would start at Thurso. Thanks for coming along on this one 👍
@@arthurtownsend8843 Yes it is a tricky thing planning these. Lots of 1ers or too long to wait for the next 2er can really scupper a route. Which is why i had to track up from Portsmouth Thanks for watching 👍
Brilliant video and an epic journey. Thought you would have changed for southern services from Portsmouth along the south coast towards Brighton and Eastbourne before going to somewhere in Kent. Are there services still in operation from Redhill to Tonbridge? I remember going from North Camp to Dover years ago via Guildford, Redhill, Tonbridge and Ashford International. Hope all is well, take care
@@peterdnreynolds777 there are two many 1ers along the South Coast, so i had to use the 2er to Clapham junction. Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching along 👍
Great little challenge there! Its almost like you need to zig zag across the south of the country the whole way. And you travelled through a lot of my usual stomping grounds - Portsmouth, Southampton, Salisbury, Woking, Guildford, Clapham. Lookind forward to your next challenge. Have you seen the Travelling Turtle travel challenges? He has done a Go West challenge from Lowestoft purely using buses....
Great video Johnny. I would call 9 for a train with special requirements as Avanti use 9 codes as well. Sad to see the IETs running to Cardiff now though. I did the full Cardiff to Penzance on a castle class HST!
@@SeanMidlandstransporthub Yes wrt the 9s. I just gave a couple of examples for brevity. I've had a fair few castle class hst rides whilst they were on that service (a couple on the channel) and always enjoyed them. But it's IETs now with the crappy seats... 🤷♂️ Are HSTs still any good at over 40 years old? Exeter to Cardiff with Great Western Railway. ua-cam.com/video/5ehNyvtEcGY/v-deo.html
Super stuff, thanks, and well done! I was wondering if you'd be able to make it across to Lowestoft (prob via Norwich as I'd assume there's a later train than from Ipswich) but as soon as I realised it takes about FOUR MILLION hours to get from Penzance to Bristol on a two-sie, I knew it would be even tougher than I thought. 🤣
@@horsehollerer Yes, there was 2er from Ipswich to Lowestoft. But the last one leaves before i can get there. So i would have ended on that route at Ipswich (further west than Broadstairs). And yes. That first train stops everywhere... 33 bloody stops to Bristol... but a great way of chewing up longitude, so I don't think it could be avoided Thanks for coming along 👍
I can understand the exhaustion, but happy you got there. It worked well to keep us guessing; I had a rough idea that you would end up in Kent, bur didn’t realise you would have to go up to BTM. If Go-op get the go ahead you might be able to try a more direct route in the future!
Might have changed at Exeter St Davids for Salisbury and saved a few miles, but the roamer ticket could have been the constraining factor to stay on GWR services as long as possible.
@@etherealbolweevil6268 no 2s out of Exeter going East, so hence had to stay in until Bristol 🤷♂️ The ticket would have been valid though. Thanks for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Never considered the Exeter - Salisbury - Waterloo service as an Express as it wombles through Devon and Dorset being overtaken by rabbits. Next Franchise should be awarded to TGV Lyria.
Hi Johnny, I really enjoyed this video! Excellent! Although I live in Walsall West Midlands my girlfriend lives in Market Harborough and I travel a lot by train from there to Broadstairs as both of my girls live there. Where did you stay in Broadstairs? Don’t think there too many hotels there. In a couple of weeks I am going on holiday to St. Ives from Broadstairs on a Sunday. Train all the way via London which I am really looking forward to. Cheers and Regards Colin👍
@@colinwalker4166 thanks Colin. I do hope to return to Broadstairs as it was lovely. You are right. There's nowhere in Broadstairs i could have booked with 24hr checkin, and i was definitely arriving late! So on the night, i tracked back to the Ramsgate Travelodge and then returned in the morning. Do enjoy your stay in St Ives. There's the Lands End coaster bus that is well worth a ride if you get the time... Thanks for watching this one 👍
Well done for getting as far as you did! I think if you'd decided to do the Overground to Stratford on the 1809 to Stratford arr. 1914, the 2002 to Ipswich arr. 2126 then the 2216 to Lowestoft arr. 2342, this would have taken you from the most westerly station in England to the most easterly. Granted you'd have been blowing out your arse at the end of it but it is possible.
Bi mate keep up with your your i videos mate because I am still ANTRIM HOSPITAL iwll be here for 5 more weeks your videos are keeping me up goodbye for now Clive in ANTRIM HOSPITAL 😢😢
@@justwobert9850 maybe. Maybe they will run some kind of stopper along line. Let's see. I'm game to try again in a couple of years or so! Thanks for the idea, and thanks for watching 👍
@@A-Trainspotter-From-Berkshire Yes. I was just giving some brief examples as there is a limit to how much you can say without slowing the pace of the video. So please excuse the omissions. Thanks for watching 👍
I haven't had much UA-cam time lately so this was a great welcome back. I love a stop train, but the seats could be a lot better, looks like. Did any of these trains have refreshment trolleys???
@@phronsiekeys haha! No... not one had so much as a tea trolley 🤷♂️ But i was forced to have fairly long layovers at most stops. So plenty of chance for a cuppa and a bite to eat 😀 Welcome back! Thanks for picking my videos after your break 👍
From Clapham Junction, I think you could have done Stratford eg 2L21 Cambridge eg 2H34 Ipswich eg 2W23 Lowestoft eg 2D88 And Lowestoft is as far as I'm aware the most Easterly station in England. The headcodes given are the next ones to depart from each station at the time of writing, obviously you couldn't actually take that sequence of trains.
@@katrinabryce nice try. But i don't think you can make it by the end of the day. And Stratford to Cambridge is not a direct route by 2er. Prove me wrong. But you'll need to quote actual trains starting from Clapham Jct at about 1815 on a weekday! But... thank you so much for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Testing based on Tuesday next week 2L57 (18:22) to Stratford (19:27) 2O08 (19:40) to Cheshunt or Broxbourne (20:09 or 20:14) 2H58 (20:18 or 20:23) to Cambridge (21:11) 2W35 (21:46) to Ipswich (23:02) but unfortunately the last train to Lowestoft (2D98) is at 22:16, so it's gone, the first one would be at 07:31, with an arrival time of 09:02. I've found that Walton-on-the-Naze is possible, but that's only 1.2678 East. 2L57 (18:22) to Stratford (19:27) 2F30 (21:43) to Colchester or Colchester town (22:36 or 22:47) 2F08 (22:56 or 23:07) to Walton-on-the-Naze (23:50)
@@pokemonsuper9 interesting. I had a route through Stansted as I recall. But either way, I too could see no way of getting to Ipswich before the Lowestoft train leaves. Thanks so much for that extra research 👍
Seeing as you were so tired and getting facts mixed up such as the main line to the southwest being built by the London and North Western Railway, ;-), why not take the North Downs line from Guildford to Tonbridge and cut to the chase. Maybe would have given you time for a few pints on the beach before sunset?
There'd be no need to get an extra single. If you missed a connection on the journey due to delays (provided that they met the minimum connection times), you'd be able to use your existing ticket on the next service anyway!
@@AbsoluteTVYT good point! - although the delay could have been about three trains earlier in the stack. So i might have had a bit of a discussion at Portsmouth saying i missed the train cos my train into Bristol was late etc etc 🤷♂️ Thanks so much for watching 👍
That was lovely, thank you. I know both your start and end towns very well :) Just one little thing: was that all you had to eat, a measly sandwich and a couple of pastries? Maybe you started off with two Hoover breakfasts though!
@@ampersand. it was too early for breakfast in Penzance. I just had a chocolate bar on that first train. I did get more food at Southampton! Thanks for worrying about my diet 😁 Been back to Penzance recently to enjoy a breakfast at Sullivans next to the station. A Penzance institution.
@@Trond_travels wrt Scotland, i would say no. There are some very long routes. But also around Glasgow there are a lot of commuter lines that would take a lot of time too. Thanks for your kind words and thanks too for watching 👍
Wouldn't it be easier to get to Kent via Brighton and Ashford instead of London, or are one or more of those services 1 headcoded? PS: If you're thinking of doing a German equivalent with the Deutschland Ticket (easily rules out all IC and ICE services from the get-go), it'll be RB or S services only, no RE.
Yes. The problem is there are lots of 1s along the coast. I like the idea of taking the idea in Germany. As tou say the Deutchlandticket does the job really well for that.
@@JohnnyHooverTravels yup, and then the way they classify their regional services is great; I would definitely say all (or most) RE services over there are equivalent to our 1 headcoded regional services (like Manchester to Blackpool or Southampton to Brighton) while the slower RB and S-Bahn services are equivalent to our 2 headcoded services. It may be even more of a challenge in Germany, as I doubt there are any RB coded services as long as the likes of Cardiff to Penzance (which I would say is more IR than RB); only RE ever gets that long usually, for example the RE6 between Köln/Bonn Airport and Minden near Hannover, which is a good 4 hours.
Am I missing something? You imply Ipswich would have been "better" but Broadstairs is a LOT further east than Ipswich! Yeah, Lowestoft would have been the ideal - not had chance to look if there's a way to do that...
@@garybroadhurst3548 i think i was really tired and misread the longitude that morning and then didn't check it later. I've cut that waffle out of the video (youtube will take a while to implement it), but it should be gone a bit later. Thank you so much for spotting that crass error. It is very much appreciated 👍 And yes, the problem is that once you get to Ipswich, it's too late to get a 2er up to Lowestoft. Thanks again.
There actually was a way to head up to Lowestoft, but it involves not changing at Portsmouth and going directly from Southampton to Clapham Junction See my own comment to see how
@@Eurobazz Yes there is a 2er to Lowestoft from Ipswich, but i could not get there in time to catch it! So would be stranded at Ipswich. Hence why i stayed south of the Thames. Thanks for watching 👍
@@roberthillman5057 Yes you have to be more specific. Find me a 2 code train at that time of day? And onward trains from the next stop... Nevertheless, thanks for watching 👍
@@hydrogenvshelium6851 i think your error is that 2P54 is Portsmouth to Clapham junction and not Southampton to CJ. I can't see that 1455 on real time trains... I so wanted to make it to Lowestoft, but i just couldn't make it work. Thanks for the input, and thanks for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravelsThe 2P54 is the odd one out, being the only Portsmouth Direct Line service from Southampton Also, the "hourly" aspect of the timetable does not mean all trains call at the same stops as the previous hour Let me list out the origins of Portsmouth Direct Line "2" trains around the time (they all go to Waterloo): 2P26 Portsmouth 0802-1012 2P30 Haslemere 1010-1118 2P34 Haslemere 1110-1214 2P38 Haslemere 1210-1316 2P42 Haslemere 1310-1415 2P46 Haslemere 1410-1513 2P50 Haslemere 1510-1614 2P54 Southampton 1455-1714 2P56 Fareham 1558-1742 2P58 Portsmouth 1607-1813 2P60 Fareham 1658-1841 2P62 Portsmouth 1707-1913 2P66 Portsmouth 1807-2014
Hi Johnny. Great channel; love the challenges like this. Keep it going. I reckon it is possible to get to Lowestoft within the day. The key to it is catching the 1455 from Southampton to Clapham Junction - it's a "2" train that gets into Clapham Junction an hour before you did, at 1705. From there (using last Friday's timings, all headcode 2 trains):
1722 to Stratford (arrive 1826)
1853 to Broxbourne (arrive 1937, ultimate destination is Hertford East)
1941 to Cambridge (arrive 2022)
2046 to Ipswich (arrive 2202)
2216 to Lowestoft (arrive 2342)
It's a bit tight, but I think there might now also be a 1847 Stratford to Bishops Stortford that calls at Broxbourne 10 mins earlier but that didn't exist last week.
Anyway, love the videos and look forward to the next one!
@@TimJordan-n2q love that plan! Sorry i didn't manage it. But i did enjoy Broadstairs 🤷♂️
Maybe next year i follow up with a South or a West?
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching 👍
Man oh man, I got exhausted just watching this, you must be some sort of masochist. You are a serious train nerd (in a good way).
@@RitchieCollins haha! Thank you. I think it's definitely a case of "I did it so you don't have to".
Thanks for coming along vicariously via UA-cam. Much appreciated 👍
Great video. I love to see someone make a video to travel as far as possible using Class 158s.
@@markwillis2800 thanks. And thanks for watching 👍
Not ‘All by 2’s’ but I travelled from Redhill to Barcelona in about the same time in March. Great video.
@@davidsmith-wilson781 haha yes. Going by 2s is definitely the slower option.
Thanks for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Everywhere takes a long time starting at Pz.
Haha, I recently watched the one where you ended up in Dumfries! I love this series, please keep it going!
This challenge is much harder for me; 2 headcodes are very far and between from my local station. You weren't far off at Avoncliff! It's a lovely little station which is one of my favourite in the UK, as well as Bradford-On-Avon. All the stations are beautiful in that area!
@@LWR1 Thanks for the encouragement! I will do something similar again, but i need a rest. Maybe next year!
As for Avoncliffe and that line. Well, between you and me, next week i ride the heart of Wessex line!
Thanks for watching this one 👍
Sir
Your videos are giving feelings are very Beautiful. I am really enjoyed is your these motivated efforts ❤️
@@trailwayt9H337 thank you 👍
Well, I enjoyed all of that John. i feel entertained and informed. 😀
@@PhilSmythMusic thanks Phil. Lovely to hear from you. Hope all is well with you 👍
Lowest station to highest station by 2s next! (Loved this one, it's so nice when the rail network actually works).
@@stevecooksley ah. So start at the lowest elevation and end up at the highest? Or, at least, pick a route that can achieve the biggest height gain? Might be a short trip though?
Thanks for loving this one. I loved making it! 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels I have no idea what I meant back then but keep up the good work! 😄
Wow Johnny, what an epic journey, I was amazed at your stamina, I was exhausted just watching you! Again, so informative and some of the stations were so attractive and I loved the “retro” station signage you pointed out during the journey. As always thank you for such excellent videos, very much appreciated 😊
@@Diana-andre2018 thanks! It was very tiring, but pleasing to complete.
More from the Heart of Wessex line in next week's video outing.
Thanks for coming along on this one 👍
New to your channel Johnny, but already seen quite a few videos and enjoyed them. This one was 16 hours 35 mins - you did say about pointing out mistakes :) keep up the good work !
@@andywillis2650 haha, I am out right now. I must rewatch this and check your pedantry 😉
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching the videos 👍
That was fantastic, and a great value ticket. Oooh you looked tired though lol 😂
@@garymcgregor7048 crikey, i was tired! It was a lot of fun though.
Thanks for coming along 👍
That one crazy adventure but was enjoyable, The 2 type train video from last year what draw me into watching the channel and been enjoying it ever since, Great video
@@Sim0nTrains thanks Simon. I can't do too many of these as they are very knackering... but great fun!
Thanks for sticking around. Best wishes to you for your videos 👍
Hats off to you for that very long journey, You do some brilliant work for our pleasure, I wouldn't like to try those days worth of journeys.
You certainly know your stuff. Keep them coming.
@@ernestbailey9194 thanks for those kind words. I shall keep going!
And thanks for coming along with me via the magic of UA-cam! 👍
Love this concept !!
@@simonbuckingham6579 thanks. Don't forget to look up the All by Twos North video of you haven't seen it yet!
Thanks for watching this one 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Certainly have !! Love your work mate
Johnny and Scott (Mason). Two men old enough to know better. But for our entertainment you put yourselves through this so we can sit on our sofas and enjoy your pain. Next time I'm in Penzance I'll think of your doing this trip.
@@webrarian thanks. It isn't one i would advise... unless you have found a way of getting further east and needed to try it out!
Thanks for watching 👍
What a fun journey we all went on! Thanks.
@@RobinPalmerTV you are very welcome. Thanks for coming along! 👍
Very interesting
@@christinehodge3608 it was hard work to do! So pleased you found it interesting 👍
Thank you for such a lovely grand tour across the south
@@PeteG143 you are very welcome. Thanks for watching 👍
as an aspiring youtuber i know how time consuming and frustrating it will have been to produce such an excellent and apparently effortless video. Thank you!
@@sueweston502 ah yes. There's a lot goes on before, during and after that the camera does not see!
Thanks for coming along. Best wishes for you videos 👍
Hardcore train travel.Much respect
@@robertvaughan9759 thanks 😁
I was dog tired when i finally got to bed! But, it was an interesting challenge. Guessing I should add to the set next year with a South or a West attempt!
Do check out the North trip if you haven't already. And thanks for watching this one 👍
Love this video! Came into my neck of the woods. Our closest stations are Fareham and Portsmouth. (One by bus, the other by ferry across Portsmouth harbour ) Really good video, thank you :)
@@dominiqueayliffe6128 thank you, you are very welcome.
And thanks too for watching 👍
Loved this, I'm living vicariously through these great videos of yours 😊
@@htt232101 thanks. Very happy to have your vicarious self along for the ride 👍
Hi Johnny Another great video thats a great challange done for you and and all your followers. Thanks for all your hard work for us.
No problem. It was great to do. Thanks for coming along 👍
Good stuff 👍🏻
@@john07973 thanks! And thanks for watching 👍
Great video. Wonderful to see our countryside. Also fascinating to see some of the retro look railway
@@martinbradshaw7877 thanks. Btw next week there will be more English countryside as i explore the heart of Wessex line!
Thanks for watching this one 👍
What a wonderful idea, great to watch! Can't wait for your next one, not sure I could have managed that many hours travel and been that happy on the camera still
@@flyingmyles i was very tired at the end. No way i was going to manage a sign off chat when i first got there...
...thanks for the kind words and for watching 👍
Loved these two, all by 2’s!!
@@matthewsmatters thanks! I loved the challenge!
Thanks for watching them both 👍
Thank you Johnny for another absolutely fascinating and extremely well presented video. I laughed out loud at some of your remarks, and I was on the edge of my seat/computer chair as you approached Clapham Junction! Where will he go next? I certainly did not expect a grand tour of South London. Nor did I expect Broadstairs as your final destination!
Thinking about your videos generally, I and at least one other commentator praised the diverse range of matters you covered in your video of the Looe branch. Taking this diversity point further, your travel videos are also now very diverse in their subject matter. Your wonderful personality is the unifying factor!
@@Fan652w thanks Roger. Your support is gratefully received.
These UK trips mean i haven't edited up the Semmering pass run. But, i will sort that soon!
A great video, Thank you for uploading this video 😊😊
@@lovefive5733 thank you, you are very welcome.
Thanks for watching 👍
Great video, you are up there with the best !
@@davidmatthews7876 thank you. That is very nice of you to say.
And of course, thanks too for watching 👍
That was good to watch and looked like good fun, if a little tiring. Glad to see that Portsmouth played a major role!
Yes it was exactly that. Fun but tiring!
Thank you for watching along 👍
Loved your previous video on this Johnny and you did not disappoint in this! Now you have to start at Wick and go South 😅😅
And wow that person who jumped the fence at Portsmouth!?
@@Vanmanyo thanks! Southbound from Thurso (further north than Wick!) I don't think works because of the lack of onward 2ers from Inverness 🤷♂️
Best wishes to you 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Ah that is probably true! I did not look myself - would be a short video then haha!
Best wishes to you also 😀
Brilliant video, I really do enjoy the watching a challenge like this!
@@seanharris8390 thanks! And thanks for watching along 👍
Marvellous video, thoroughly enjoyable. Like that the units of travel you used are degrees of longitude..!!
@@VVellieMan haha, yes. That's the name of the game on this one!
Thanks for watching 👍
Interesting journey, glad you did it so we didn't have to! 😂 Seriously though it was a great idea for a vlog, looking forward to the next one!
@@martinstilton1535 thanks, nice of you to say.
And thanks too for watching 👍
Another fantastic video. Well planned and executed!
Thanks Andrew and thanks as ever for coming along 👍
14:10 Portsea Island is in fact the most populous island in the British Isles if you exclude NI & Ireland. Excellent video Johnny, sorry you had to spend 2+ hours on a 450! 444s are unfortunately rare on 2Ps. I imagine being overtaken at Haslemere was incredibly tantalising! Hope you enjoyed the PDL nevertheless!
Don't worry about the 450. In the West Country we have many hours on the 802s so the 450 is a blessed relief. 😉
Thanks so much for watching along 👍
What a great challenge! 👍
@@chrismoore4423 thanks! And thanks too for watching 👍
Brilliant ideas and brilliant videos.
@@michaelwells6797 thank you, that's very kind.
Thanks so much for coming along 👍
It amazes me that SWR give the service from Exeter to Waterloo a 1 as it serves every station west of Salisbury but of course east of Salisbury it does speed up!
@@adrianbromfild8624 Yes, it would have made the challenge a bit easier if there had been an eastern route out of Exeter. Mind you, nobody does a "challenge" if it's easy!
Thanks for watching 👍
Absolutely superb!
@@nickbeer2658 thanks!
And thank you very much for watching 👍
What a great idea. :-)
@@KenG1ITV thanks! It was fun making it happen! Do check out "All by Twos NORTH", if you've not already 👍
And thanks for watching this one 👍
Great video and lovely to see some of my local Hants stations. I am really surprised that Exeter to Waterloo is classed as a 1 though. But it is.
@@PaulGodfrey thanks! It was nice to pass through Hants again.
Thanks for watching 👍
Fascinating video - no shots of my home station of Staplehurst in the dusk, but it's not really very photogenic!
@@tomburnham5119 thanks! And sorry I missed your home station 🤷♂️
Thanks so much for watching 👍
Absolutely awesome Johnny, but totally spooky as I was trying to find your Class 2 North challenge yesterday! Will use the link shortly to re-view it, I'm looking at a Leicester start (near to home) and reckon Glasgow is feasible but need to check beyond there by the rules (no Central-Queen Street walk!)
Keep up the good work.
Forgot to mention, one of my daughters used to use Salisbury-Southampton-Romsey service to commute and they were universally known as the 'Romsey Rocket'. totally agree the seats on the SWR 158/159 before refurbishment are the best around.
@@kevinellis8869 "The Romsey Rocket"! Love that!
Of course, we make our own rules, so you could allow walking in your trip. 😉
Best wishes to you 👍
You can get from Central to Queen St via Partick. However you need to buy two tickets for that journey as it is the only pair of stations in Scotland where you can't get a direct ticket. A return ticket to Partick will work.
Great Video Johnny
@@paulgibsonphotography thanks Paul 👍
Brilliant video thanks Johnny! Would love to see you do an all by twos South starting at Thurso but given how tiring this one looked I wouldn’t blame you if you put all the all by twos on the back burner for a while!
@@robertsmith8488 i think a South version could happen. But Inverness is a bit dire for southbound 2s, so I doubt it would start at Thurso.
Thanks for coming along on this one 👍
Another good one Johnny
@@deltic1964 cheers! And thanks for watching it 👍
Nice one JH
Thanks 👍
Excellent video as usual. I did think that from Portsmouth you might track the south coast lines to Kent, so I was half right!
@@arthurtownsend8843 Yes it is a tricky thing planning these. Lots of 1ers or too long to wait for the next 2er can really scupper a route. Which is why i had to track up from Portsmouth
Thanks for watching 👍
Ive never even heard of the place you ended up in (dont want to spoil it) it looks lovely
@@hailhail91 Yes it was lovely. A bit like a Kentish St Ives 🤷♂️
I would happily return.
Brilliant video and an epic journey. Thought you would have changed for southern services from Portsmouth along the south coast towards Brighton and Eastbourne before going to somewhere in Kent. Are there services still in operation from Redhill to Tonbridge? I remember going from North Camp to Dover years ago via Guildford, Redhill, Tonbridge and Ashford International.
Hope all is well, take care
@@peterdnreynolds777 there are two many 1ers along the South Coast, so i had to use the 2er to Clapham junction.
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching along 👍
Great little challenge there! Its almost like you need to zig zag across the south of the country the whole way. And you travelled through a lot of my usual stomping grounds - Portsmouth, Southampton, Salisbury, Woking, Guildford, Clapham. Lookind forward to your next challenge. Have you seen the Travelling Turtle travel challenges? He has done a Go West challenge from Lowestoft purely using buses....
@@matthewodwyer3615 oh yes. I think it is reasonable to say that these trips have been inspired by the travelling turtle 🐢
Thanks for watching 👍
Great video Johnny. I would call 9 for a train with special requirements as Avanti use 9 codes as well. Sad to see the IETs running to Cardiff now though. I did the full Cardiff to Penzance on a castle class HST!
@@SeanMidlandstransporthub Yes wrt the 9s. I just gave a couple of examples for brevity.
I've had a fair few castle class hst rides whilst they were on that service (a couple on the channel) and always enjoyed them. But it's IETs now with the crappy seats... 🤷♂️
Are HSTs still any good at over 40 years old? Exeter to Cardiff with Great Western Railway.
ua-cam.com/video/5ehNyvtEcGY/v-deo.html
Super stuff, thanks, and well done! I was wondering if you'd be able to make it across to Lowestoft (prob via Norwich as I'd assume there's a later train than from Ipswich) but as soon as I realised it takes about FOUR MILLION hours to get from Penzance to Bristol on a two-sie, I knew it would be even tougher than I thought. 🤣
You could get to Birmingham from Bristol easily enough, but it’s all 1s eastbound from there. Could be possible via Doncaster (somehow) but unlikely.
@@horsehollerer Yes, there was 2er from Ipswich to Lowestoft. But the last one leaves before i can get there. So i would have ended on that route at Ipswich (further west than Broadstairs).
And yes. That first train stops everywhere... 33 bloody stops to Bristol... but a great way of chewing up longitude, so I don't think it could be avoided
Thanks for coming along 👍
I can understand the exhaustion, but happy you got there. It worked well to keep us guessing; I had a rough idea that you would end up in Kent, bur didn’t realise you would have to go up to BTM. If Go-op get the go ahead you might be able to try a more direct route in the future!
Thanks Colin. It was a fun challenge. Sadly couldn't make it as far as Lowestoft 🤷♂️
Might have changed at Exeter St Davids for Salisbury and saved a few miles, but the roamer ticket could have been the constraining factor to stay on GWR services as long as possible.
@@etherealbolweevil6268 no 2s out of Exeter going East, so hence had to stay in until Bristol 🤷♂️
The ticket would have been valid though.
Thanks for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Never considered the Exeter - Salisbury - Waterloo service as an Express as it wombles through Devon and Dorset being overtaken by rabbits. Next Franchise should be awarded to TGV Lyria.
@@etherealbolweevil6268 a few have said the same. They do run fast from Basingstoke though!
Hi Johnny, I really enjoyed this video! Excellent! Although I live in Walsall West Midlands my girlfriend lives in Market Harborough and I travel a lot by train from there to Broadstairs as both of my girls live there. Where did you stay in Broadstairs? Don’t think there too many hotels there. In a couple of weeks I am going on holiday to St. Ives from Broadstairs on a Sunday. Train all the way via London which I am really looking forward to. Cheers and Regards Colin👍
@@colinwalker4166 thanks Colin. I do hope to return to Broadstairs as it was lovely.
You are right. There's nowhere in Broadstairs i could have booked with 24hr checkin, and i was definitely arriving late! So on the night, i tracked back to the Ramsgate Travelodge and then returned in the morning.
Do enjoy your stay in St Ives. There's the Lands End coaster bus that is well worth a ride if you get the time...
Thanks for watching this one 👍
Well done for getting as far as you did! I think if you'd decided to do the Overground to Stratford on the 1809 to Stratford arr. 1914, the 2002 to Ipswich arr. 2126 then the 2216 to Lowestoft arr. 2342, this would have taken you from the most westerly station in England to the most easterly. Granted you'd have been blowing out your arse at the end of it but it is possible.
Can’t seem to find a 20:02 to Ipswich on realtimetrains. The next Ipswich services that evening were all 1s.
You could go via Cambridge but you’d still only get as far as Ipswich (by midnight)
@@DanLoudShirts as the other replies state, i saw no way of getting beyond Ipswich (which had to include a dogleg through Cambridge )
Maybe you can one day do a "any train east" from Penzance... with access to all rail I'd bet you could get deep into Europe.
@@truckerallikatuk now that's an idea...
Thanks for watching 👍
Bi mate keep up with your your i videos mate because I am still ANTRIM HOSPITAL iwll be here for 5 more weeks your videos are keeping me up goodbye for now Clive in ANTRIM HOSPITAL 😢😢
@@clivecobbold6815 no problem Clive. The videos will keep coming for you. Rest up and get better 👍
I wonder if you can go east to west via 2s once east west rail opens and the Bristol - Oxford service restarts
@@justwobert9850 maybe. Maybe they will run some kind of stopper along line. Let's see. I'm game to try again in a couple of years or so!
Thanks for the idea, and thanks for watching 👍
3 is for ECS with a speed limit above 75mph, 5 is for ECS with limits of 75mph, also Thameslink uses 9.
@@A-Trainspotter-From-Berkshire Yes. I was just giving some brief examples as there is a limit to how much you can say without slowing the pace of the video. So please excuse the omissions.
Thanks for watching 👍
I haven't had much UA-cam time lately so this was a great welcome back. I love a stop train, but the seats could be a lot better, looks like. Did any of these trains have refreshment trolleys???
@@phronsiekeys haha! No... not one had so much as a tea trolley 🤷♂️
But i was forced to have fairly long layovers at most stops. So plenty of chance for a cuppa and a bite to eat 😀
Welcome back! Thanks for picking my videos after your break 👍
From Clapham Junction, I think you could have done
Stratford eg 2L21
Cambridge eg 2H34
Ipswich eg 2W23
Lowestoft eg 2D88
And Lowestoft is as far as I'm aware the most Easterly station in England.
The headcodes given are the next ones to depart from each station at the time of writing, obviously you couldn't actually take that sequence of trains.
@@katrinabryce nice try. But i don't think you can make it by the end of the day. And Stratford to Cambridge is not a direct route by 2er.
Prove me wrong. But you'll need to quote actual trains starting from Clapham Jct at about 1815 on a weekday!
But... thank you so much for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels
Testing based on Tuesday next week
2L57 (18:22) to Stratford (19:27)
2O08 (19:40) to Cheshunt or Broxbourne (20:09 or 20:14)
2H58 (20:18 or 20:23) to Cambridge (21:11)
2W35 (21:46) to Ipswich (23:02)
but unfortunately the last train to Lowestoft (2D98) is at 22:16, so it's gone, the first one would be at 07:31, with an arrival time of 09:02.
I've found that Walton-on-the-Naze is possible, but that's only 1.2678 East.
2L57 (18:22) to Stratford (19:27)
2F30 (21:43) to Colchester or Colchester town (22:36 or 22:47)
2F08 (22:56 or 23:07) to Walton-on-the-Naze (23:50)
@@pokemonsuper9 interesting. I had a route through Stansted as I recall. But either way, I too could see no way of getting to Ipswich before the Lowestoft train leaves.
Thanks so much for that extra research 👍
Seeing as you were so tired and getting facts mixed up such as the main line to the southwest being built by the London and North Western Railway, ;-), why not take the North Downs line from Guildford to Tonbridge and cut to the chase. Maybe would have given you time for a few pints on the beach before sunset?
@@rubniwazkhan7069 haha! Not sure they were trains with a 2 headcode.
Thanks for watching (and listening ) 👍
Hi Johnny. Another enjoyable video. Just curious as why you didn’t do Portsmouth to Brighton than on to Ashford International etc ?
The Brighton service was a 1.
@@farigirafgaming5417
And yet it’s a stopping service.
@@John-p6y1z the vagaries of what is and isn't a 2er made that decision for me! 🤷♂️
Thanks for watching 👍
There'd be no need to get an extra single. If you missed a connection on the journey due to delays (provided that they met the minimum connection times), you'd be able to use your existing ticket on the next service anyway!
@@AbsoluteTVYT good point!
- although the delay could have been about three trains earlier in the stack. So i might have had a bit of a discussion at Portsmouth saying i missed the train cos my train into Bristol was late etc etc 🤷♂️
Thanks so much for watching 👍
That was lovely, thank you. I know both your start and end towns very well :) Just one little thing: was that all you had to eat, a measly sandwich and a couple of pastries? Maybe you started off with two Hoover breakfasts though!
@@ampersand. it was too early for breakfast in Penzance. I just had a chocolate bar on that first train. I did get more food at Southampton!
Thanks for worrying about my diet 😁
Been back to Penzance recently to enjoy a breakfast at Sullivans next to the station. A Penzance institution.
you're mad! well done though
@@hhgttg69 yes, I appear to be!
Thanks for enjoying this brand of madness 👍
I wondered if you would get all the way Lowestoft , still if you go West I guess you might start there .
@@garrymartin6474 hmm... that sounds like a plan. But for next year!
Thanks for coming along on this one 👍
Amazing video, this is fun. I have always wondered, is it possible to pass all the train stations in Scotland in 48 hours?
@@Trond_travels wrt Scotland, i would say no. There are some very long routes. But also around Glasgow there are a lot of commuter lines that would take a lot of time too.
Thanks for your kind words and thanks too for watching 👍
Forget it. Think the Kyle, Wick and West Highland lines alone will take nearly an entire day.
Before watching the video:
2U12 Penzance 6:40 - 11:17 Bristol Temple Meads
2O10 11:41 - 13:00 Salisbury
2R50 13:56 - 14:40 Eastleigh
2P54 15:01 - 17:05 Clapham Junction
2L52 17:22 - 18:15 Hackney
2U72 18:26 - 18:34 Seven Sisters
2H52 18:47 - 20:08 Cambridge
2W23 20:46 - 22:02 Ipswich
2D98 22:16 - 23:42 Lowestoft
@@ccityplanner1217 another good guess... but not quite where i went!
Thanks for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels : My route wouldn't be valid under your rules because it involves taking the corridor from Hackney Central to Hackney Downs.
@@ccityplanner1217 fair enough. But of course you can make your own rules with these things!
Just to point out regarding the head codes but some Newcastle - Lime Street services and Thameslink services also get the 9 Headcode.
Also some Avanti too, 9 is a train with special requirements officially
@@dudeymabob4975 Yes there are a selection of different 9s. I was just giving a couple of examples for brevity.
Thanks for watching 👍
Wouldn't it be easier to get to Kent via Brighton and Ashford instead of London, or are one or more of those services 1 headcoded?
PS: If you're thinking of doing a German equivalent with the Deutschland Ticket (easily rules out all IC and ICE services from the get-go), it'll be RB or S services only, no RE.
Yes. The problem is there are lots of 1s along the coast.
I like the idea of taking the idea in Germany. As tou say the Deutchlandticket does the job really well for that.
@@JohnnyHooverTravels yup, and then the way they classify their regional services is great; I would definitely say all (or most) RE services over there are equivalent to our 1 headcoded regional services (like Manchester to Blackpool or Southampton to Brighton) while the slower RB and S-Bahn services are equivalent to our 2 headcoded services. It may be even more of a challenge in Germany, as I doubt there are any RB coded services as long as the likes of Cardiff to Penzance (which I would say is more IR than RB); only RE ever gets that long usually, for example the RE6 between Köln/Bonn Airport and Minden near Hannover, which is a good 4 hours.
Pretty sure at Salisbury you joined the London and South Western mainline, not the London and North Western mainline
@@MercenaryPen oh damn! Did i say North Western! What a chump!
Sorry about that.
Thanks for watching (and listening) 👍
Am I missing something? You imply Ipswich would have been "better" but Broadstairs is a LOT further east than Ipswich! Yeah, Lowestoft would have been the ideal - not had chance to look if there's a way to do that...
@@garybroadhurst3548 i think i was really tired and misread the longitude that morning and then didn't check it later. I've cut that waffle out of the video (youtube will take a while to implement it), but it should be gone a bit later.
Thank you so much for spotting that crass error. It is very much appreciated 👍
And yes, the problem is that once you get to Ipswich, it's too late to get a 2er up to Lowestoft.
Thanks again.
@@JohnnyHooverTravels HA! You are certainly forgiven for being tired! Thanks for the great inspiration for future journeys...
There actually was a way to head up to Lowestoft, but it involves not changing at Portsmouth and going directly from Southampton to Clapham Junction
See my own comment to see how
@@hydrogenvshelium6851 From Clapham junction, the route would be Stratford, Cambridge, Ipswich, Lowestoft.
Where did you obtain the 4 character headcode beginning with 2 before departing Penzance? Is this information available in a publication?
RealTimeTrains shows the headcodes if you click on detailed after searching a station
@@LemoncloudGT Many thanks. You have expanded my ferroequinological knowledge. I wonder if Geoff Marshall knows this?
@@Eurobazz as previously said. It's all on RealTimeTrains. A very very useful website 👍
How many stations with the word Church in can be visited in 1 day ?
Depends how good the service is.
I know my way out...
That's one to think about!
I'm here for that kind of humour ❤️
Couldn't you have travelled from Ipswich to Lowestoft on a 2 train Johnny to reach the UK's easternmost town?
No 2s to Norwich or Ipswich from the west
@@Eurobazz Yes there is a 2er to Lowestoft from Ipswich, but i could not get there in time to catch it! So would be stranded at Ipswich. Hence why i stayed south of the Thames.
Thanks for watching 👍
Just fyi, the video description is still mostly from the Looe-video
@@Elibuwu ah, thanks so much for the heads up! Just fixed it 👍
I uesd to get 2U10 to exeter from Teignmouth
@@msjacksshipsadventures8382 indeed. It is very usefully timed as it comes through our area in the morning.
Thanks for watching 👍
the geoff marshall bin bag reference✅✅✅
@@JacobTarzi well you have to don't you 😀
Should have gone via Portsmouth then Brighton
Brighton service is a 1
@@roberthillman5057 Yes you have to be more specific. Find me a 2 code train at that time of day? And onward trains from the next stop...
Nevertheless, thanks for watching 👍
Sorry Johnny.
Only Nô2s in the toilets
No Nô1s
Can only sit in a 2seat too for two to ?
Every time i say "number 2"...
Thanks for watching 👍
Hope that fare dodger got caught
"...and the final two digits are just sequential numbers.". Not really an explanation.
Well up to 100 daily (00 - 99)
My strung itinerary that heads to Lowestoft:
2U10 0540-1020 PNZ-BRI (GW)
2O08 1045-1203 BRI-SAL (GW)
2R46 1256-1337 SAL-SOU (SW)
2P54 1455-1705 SOU-CLJ (SW)
*2L52 1722-1808 CLJ-HHY (LO)
*2F50 1820-1825 HHY-FPK (GN)
*2C52 1833-1953 FPK-CBG (GN)
2W33 2046-2202 CBG-IPS (LE)
2D98 2216-2342 IPS-LWT (LE)
*Alternative routing:
2L52 CLJ-SRA 1722-1826 (LO)
2S52 SRA-TOM 1847-1858 (LE)
2H54 TOM-CBG 1919-2023 (LE)
@@hydrogenvshelium6851 i think your error is that 2P54 is Portsmouth to Clapham junction and not Southampton to CJ.
I can't see that 1455 on real time trains...
I so wanted to make it to Lowestoft, but i just couldn't make it work.
Thanks for the input, and thanks for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravelsThe 2P54 is the odd one out, being the only Portsmouth Direct Line service from Southampton
Also, the "hourly" aspect of the timetable does not mean all trains call at the same stops as the previous hour
Let me list out the origins of Portsmouth Direct Line "2" trains around the time (they all go to Waterloo):
2P26 Portsmouth 0802-1012
2P30 Haslemere 1010-1118
2P34 Haslemere 1110-1214
2P38 Haslemere 1210-1316
2P42 Haslemere 1310-1415
2P46 Haslemere 1410-1513
2P50 Haslemere 1510-1614
2P54 Southampton 1455-1714
2P56 Fareham 1558-1742
2P58 Portsmouth 1607-1813
2P60 Fareham 1658-1841
2P62 Portsmouth 1707-1913
2P66 Portsmouth 1807-2014