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@@Amselbahner I'm very glad. Thank you!

@@MrCTCuban26 Nice of you to watch. Thank you very much!

Haha! Well, my friend thought it would be "interesting" for the video. They have rather nice "normal" rooms too, and some apartments nearby. It was gutting to not ride the Jacobite. I've heard there have been complaints all through this year with reports of customers buying window cleaner at Mallaig as the train windows were so dirty! Apparently in previous years there has always been a celebratory feeling between the train staff and the Fort William station staff when the season ends, but they're not so happy anymore. I hope things improve, it's such a great trip. Oh well, we had fun 😁

Hello Wolfgang. No, the weather was a challenge, but we made the effort to have fun. It was worth it 👍 It is a shame our ride with the steam train was cancelled, but nice we saw it the next day. Thank you Wolfgang. Best wishes over Christmas. Simon 🍺🚂🛥😁👍

Ahhh whatever the weather I just get on with it 😂. Yes generally dogs are allowed on trains. I mean, they have to travel sometimes too! Jeeez, i think at minus 30 I would shy away from having an ice cream! Ha! I think of you every time I see a Class 66 now. Thank you Terry! 😁

@ the ice cream was my best friend Dead Brian’s idea. Note, that is not why he is dead. Also note we call him Dead Brian to differentiate between him and another living friend Brian. The Class 66 sounds exactly like some of our local engines. All the same components wrapped up in a wildly different body. Addendum: If you knew Dead Brian you’d understand that if there is an afterlife he’s chuckling every time we call him that.

@@Terrys-Steam-and-Bricks Oh wow. I'm interested by Dead Brian now 😂

@ lol. My life long best friend. We knew each other so well we bickered getting groceries. People often thought we were a couple but nothing could be further from the truth. He was like a brother though and my daughter grew up calling him Uncle Brian. He was family. We had crazy adventures like being stuck in the high arctic. He died at 49 of colon cancer. I’m still not over it. He was 6 foot 7 with a 63 inch waist. He was truly a giant. But so so so gentle. Fun fact, St. John’s, Newfoundland my home town where I was born has the lowest violent crime rate of any city in Canada. A virtually non-existent murder rate. One day I was with Brian’s sister Kelley and a fellow was gunned down on the sidewalk right in front of us.

@@Terrys-Steam-and-Bricks Wow! A great friendship and quite some memories!

Oh wow! Any different then, or much the same?

I feel it in my fingers 🤭

@ 🙈🙈🙈

@@ThatBIGTRAINGuyrain gear Simon, rain gear…

@@Terrys-Steam-and-Bricks 😂

@@tompetty1880 Thank you Tom! Planning? God yes. These plans are almost frustrating. I expected to have my Grande Tour series finished about this time last year, but I am only half way through! I just don't have the time. I am hoping, hoping something will come to enable me to live without working full time, but that's unlikely. My travel vids probably take on average 10 hours to make, squeezed between work, life chores, playing in a band, volunteer working on a railway, friends and family and everything else. Anyway, here is a video. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I do love releasing videos once I've managed to. Thank you for being with me, it means so much. 👍 Simon

Thanks Simon, that’s great to know and, at the same time, look forward to. Yes, I’ve lost count of the number of successful youtubers who have ‘burned out’ as a consequence of the commitment necessary to edit on a regular basis. That’s always deterred me from launching a model train related channel on my own build so thank you very much for putting me to shame and taking the time and trouble to record, edit and post your own content, it is appreciated.

@@tompetty1880 Yeah it's a lot of work. It's so rewarding though. I'm so proud watching my own videos back, and seeing comments from others who have enjoyed them is so pleasing. I really love it. Thanks Tom! Until the next one, (most likely driving Durango to Chama 😉).

I love small spaces to sleep in. I was happiest in a teeny bunk on ship in the Pacific. Ahhhh that’s years ago now.

Ah yes, the prison bed was plenty longer, so Stu wasn't wedged as he slept 😂 Nice you followed! I didn't bother to put a map in the video on this trip. I thought maybe I should have after I'd done, mainly for the American viewers who aren't familiar with the country. Yes there was some blue skies as we left! Typical, eh? Fun it was 😁 Thank Steve!

It's a beautiful landscape around there, and yes it was wet, cold and windy 😂 We like a lovely Black 5 locomotive 👍 Thank you!

​@@ThatBIGTRAINGuy gods country ❤

It's an area well worth a visit. I'd like to visit again soon. Probably better if things go to plan 😂 Thank you!

I've always been one to stick with my leather jacket, and just add an extra layer underneath if it's cold. At work, if there's a lorry to unload I'm the one quite happily unloading in the rain, whereas everyone else hides inside 😂 Maybe I will invest in a decent coat next time though 🤔 Thank you Karl!

@ good vid though. Nicely done.

@@northernutahlivesteam Thanks very much Karl 👍

Haha! I like a good pun on a place name 😂 Thank you!

Very much so. Sadly I missed it this year.

@@associatedblacksheepandmisfits Oh you would be right 😊👍 He has the same Roundhouse engine.

@@trainchaserlouisvilleindia7096 Ohhhh, that would be amazing. 🥰

That would be great. However, my bags ram packed for traveling on the plane already. 😂 Thank you!

I just discovered your channel and I love it! Your a sweet guy and the excitement of trains always gave me goosebumps

@@darlenemary5274 Aww, brilliant. Thank you so much! Nice to have you join me. Simon

Ohhh, no. Why don't you join?

Ah nice! You will see I looked at the yard in the previous video, and in was a beautiful evening. A great railway. I visited Promontory back in the 90s, and my Dad played a part in the reenactment! There is a video on my channel of that. Thanks Boe 👍 Simon

@@ThatBIGTRAINGuy Thank you, I will check that one out also.👌

Thanks for the compliments and thank you for joining! This was a special day for me. I only saw what I knew was there and what I could fit in a single day. There IS more to see still. My Silverton ride is there for you to see, and my Chama ride is still to come. I STILL have around 11/12 videos to come from this trip! Thanks again. And... oh yes, Pink Floyd 👍 Simon

@@ThatBIGTRAINGuy Hello Simon, If you Stay in Chama NM. I have a great hotel suggestion over looking the train yard. Dinning there can be a bit difficult. Cheers, Boe

@@boe4448 I stayed in Chama Hotel, which was right opposite the yard. Is that the one you mean? I ate (and had drinks and spoke with all the local people) in Fosters. I had a good time.

@@ThatBIGTRAINGuy Hello again Simon, We stayed at the Sage & Ivy. It had a balcony looking over the train yard. A beautiful room. A bit pricy but well wort it. I will watch your Chama ride Today. We have rode 5 times. Hope you are well. Boe

@@boe4448 That sounds nice. I do like Chama. I have ridden the Cumbres & Toltec three tines now. I haven't made my ride video yet! That will probably be episode 15 of this series. Seriously, life is so busy I barely have time for making videos and I'm over a year behind. But, it will come. 👍 Thank you!

Thanks very much! I'm sure you are correct. As I say in the video, the staff dress "bordello" style. That's posh for brothel. 😂 Yeah, a family-friendly dining place where staff dress as vintage hookers. 🤣 Cheers!

Ahh, it's lovely isn't it? 🥰

@ThatBIGTRAINGuy sure is i love steam engines

We had more liquid sunshine that anyone could wish for. Thanks Steve!

We like a little bit of silly. Thank you John!

Ohh we didn't look at the platforms. It was busy and we weren't taking too much time, so we didn't get to see Paddington Bear. Euston is indeed, nothing special at all. Thanks Michael! I'm keeping 'em coming as much as I can. Loads to come!

Hi Wolfgang. I've very pleased you enjoyed. Thank you very much. All the best, Simon 😊👍

Excellent. Thanks very much. Cheers Charles!

Hmm... well if travelling the length of the country it is very comfortable. Sure you could fly to Glasgow or wherever in an hour, but then train to Fort William. (That's what we did coming home). There are pros and cons to either side of the pond. Cheers!

White Pass & Yukon, yes. I believe it's the other way around: D&S are fully oil-fired steam, and C&T I think have just one engine converted.

@@ThatBIGTRAINGuy those diesels will enjoy the warmer weather

@@redwolfpiping5701 I'm sure they will 👍

It's taken me four days to respond to the comments here, so that may give you some idea of how much spare time I have. Answer is: As soon as possible. That is all. If a bunch of viewers would like to club together and pay a membership to me every month, if there is enough I could quit my job and do this full time. Then I'd have one or two videos each week. But, that's not going to happen any time soon. I started this channel to focus around model trains, and I have not touched a model in almost two years because I'm making videos in the tiny amount of time I have instead. Off the top of my head, videos to come (in no order): Scotland part 2 Accucraft live steam C-18 unboxing C-18 fixing problems C-18 steaming for the first time Durango to Chama Exploring yards and lines between Chama and Antonito Riding Cumbres & Toltec Indiana Jones Bed and Breakfast Antonito to Georgetown, stopping at Alamosa and Leadville Georgetown Loop Railroad Hiking the Argentine Central Railway route Georgetown to Golden. Driving around Coors Brewery Colorado Railroad Museum Driving to Denver and exploring the site of Burnham Shops Forney Transport Museum Denver Union Station and my VERY expensive hotel with views over the station Review of Bachmann C-19 Review AMS flat car Review Accucraft brass caboose Review AMS short caboose Review Bachmann long caboose Review AMS pipe gon Making pipes for pipe gon Unboxing and review of AMS high side gondola Unboxing and review of Bachmann flat car Relettering Bachmann flat car to D&RG Relettering AMS boxcar to D&RG Repainting and lettering AMS short caboose to D&RG Plus a whole bunch of other projects and ideas, trips I want to do and people are suggesting things all the time or wanting to do things with me. I think you for your interest though, it means a huge amount to me 🙏

We had a great time. Well worth doing. 😊👍

It was indeed. Well as I mention, Flying Scotsman used to run out of Kings Cross to Edinburgh. (As that route, the service was actually called the Flying Scotsman, and the locomotive was named after it). The engine doesn't have any regular route now, just excursions. I did rude behind it when I was a small boy, and on my channel I have a video of seeing it pass my home town last year 😊

Haha! Well it should be near. We were unlucky with the weather. Well, having said that it did actually stop raining for about ten minutes at one point. Of course it's turnips! Ohhhh, how did I get that wrong. I MEANT turnips. I was THINKING turnips. I must have been tired at the time. 🤦‍♂ That whisky WAS good. Best I've had in a while. We asked for a recommendation, and the lady said "Start at the top and work your way down" 🤣 As far as I know, Stu doesn't stew. He's partial to a beer though. Cheers Dave! 😁👍

Hmm... well Stu knew there were free snacks on the train, yet still bought some before hand 🤣. I trust the process. Euston is horrible. Maybe they thought the big advertising screens would brighten it up. They kinda do, but not in a good way. The place just has no soul. I'm pretty good with accents, just that guy seemed to go Turbo Scottish for a moment 😂 The Caledonian does have a double room, which is more spacious as far as I know,... but not much. Thanks Becs!

@@ThatBIGTRAINGuy haha well I’m interested to see if the Turbo Scottish accent happens in Scotland as well!

They are very cosy. Our room is second from top I think. Most basic is a seat, pretty much like a normal train and you can have food and drink brought to you. Next is a cabin like ours but no bathroom. then there is our, and top is a room with a double bed, - like Stu experienced the previous time he travelled. The Club Car was very busy in the first hour. Many people did go back to their cabin once they'd eaten or had a drink, giving chance of others to take a turn. We didn't feel bad sitting there all evening as there actually were some empty spaces around about an hour into the journey. But, if you don't go to the Club Car, then you can have food and drink brought to your cabin. Bare in mind, we boarded at 8:30pm so many people will go straight to bed. As I say, there is the option to dine in the lounge before you board. We arrived at Fort William at 10am, so it's not like there's lots of time to kill when you're not sleeping. It was fun! Thanks Karl. 👍

@@ThatBIGTRAINGuy I see. It’s an overnight train. We took a sleeping compartment on Amtrak. I believe it was 4 days and 3 nights from Salt Lake, Utah, to Altoona, Pennsylvania. There needed to be a place to be besides the bunks all day. Everything converted to chairs and couches during the day and bunks at night.

@@northernutahlivesteam Very nice. I do intend to do that one day. The California Zephyr route ideally. There is only one other sleeper service in the UK which is even shorter! It runs from Pensance in the most South West point of England to London Paddington. I'll do that sometime too.

@@nicksmith7879 Thanks Nick!

@@_j_loco_ Haha! It's not my first on-screen shower 😝 Yay! I'm glad you saw this. I was going to send it to you if you didn't. I loved it. It was very enjoyable, very comfortable, and the shower was actually fine once you lift the head down. And as I say, make sure you get to the Club Car quickly! I'm excited for you doing the trip. I'd love to do it again sometime, - (and I think I've got myself a lady now so might try the Double Room 😉🤫). Thank you Jen!

@ThatBIGTRAINGuy oooh well exciting times for you 😁 must admit I loved your video...very well made...might have to watch it again 😁 it's made me want January to just be here now 😂😂

@@_j_loco_ Haha! Awwww, well thank you very much. I love to know I have inspired people 🥰

Ya know, when I see Weston station I do always think "My mate from Canada was here. How strange". Yeah those pylons. When they were revealed there was a lot of uproar as people thought they were ugly. I thought "That's only because you're used to the old ones. A fresh glance and the old ones are super ugly in comparison!" so I gained an interest just to spite them I suppose. Plus the first ones being here in Somerset is kinda cool. The sleeper was very nice, but you were awake for your full journey and saw the country. Haggis? Well, it's basically all the stuff you're not meant to eat mashed together 🤣 Yes, I think the Class 66 pulled us. They seem to always have two locomotives on the sleeper. (A smoother ride maybe?) Better late than never, but cheers Terry! 👍

@ I love big structures. Those pylons are cool. Some people probably thought Brunel’s bridge in Bristol ruined the view. I pinch myself when I realize I was at your station too. Best trip ever! I think two locos start more smoothly and swiftly away from stops for sure. Perhaps ironically even more quietly.

Thank you Crosby! 👍

Oh wow! That must have been an adventure. The accommodation here would be hard to beat!

Thanks very much! I've only been working on it for about two months 🤦🏻‍♂️😂

@@ThatBIGTRAINGuy I can only guess , never having edited any videos before, but am well acquainted to filming ,rushes,continuity etc and you didn't have much room in yr cabin !🤣🤣 Look forward to more.

@@associatedblacksheepandmisfits Yeah depending on the subject and style, it could be quick or it could take ages to put together. Haha! It was cramped, but surprisingly comfortable!

Thank you so much! I'm over double this celebration now. 😎 I'm very glad to hear you are enjoying my videos. I have SO much to come, - just struggling for the time to make them, but they ARE coming! I MAY have to do a video on my guitars once I'm caught up. Haha! Cheers! Simon

Ahh I would love to visit Gunnison and the rest along that stretch. I do like in the UK though and there's a lot more America and World to see,... so I don't know when I'll be in the area again but it'll probably be quite a while. Thank you!

Thank you. Yes, I actually did visit the Colorado Railroad Museum. Hyce was away (he did message me to apologise he missed me) but I was given a full tour by Charlie, who even posted about my visit on the museums Facebook page! Great people, very friendly and welcoming, and a fantastic museum. (There will be a video at some point, but damn everyday life getting in the way!) Cheers! Simon

Thank you! 😁