As the UK marks 200 years since the first passenger steam train journey from Darlington to Stockton in 1825, author and train expert Tom Chesshyre has shared his favourite slow-train rides across Britain. In his new book, Slow Trains Around Britain, Chesshyre champions regional train trips that allow travellers to see places off the beaten track.
Chesshyre, who has travelled over 40,000 miles by rail, believes that slow train travel offers a unique perspective on the countryside. “You see places off the beaten track out of the train window,” he told the BBC, noting that the anniversary inspired him to explore Britain’s lesser-known rail routes.
Despite growing concern about carbon footprints, Chesshyre acknowledges that cheap flights often undercut train fares. However, he points to the Interrail Pass as an affordable option for longer adventures, and highlights improved high-speed networks in Europe, particularly in Spain. For those seeking nostalgia, he recalls the golden age of trains with plush velvet seats and glamorous stations such as St Pancras in London.
Chesshyre’s own favourite international trip is the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing, a nine-day journey that he describes as “its own ecosystem”. Yet for British travellers, he recommends the simple pleasure of hopping on a slow train and exploring the country without traffic jams.
