We had to be on last run of UK's longest train route

Aimee Smith was thrilled to be part of a significant moment in rail history. She boarded the last train on the longest direct train route in the UK, which connects Aberdeen in Scotland to Penzance in Cornwall. This route has been in operation for over a century, covering a distance of 775 miles, or 1,247 kilometers. On a Friday morning, the final train departed from Aberdeen, filled with passengers eager to experience this historic journey. It took more than 13 hours to reach Penzance, arriving at 21:40. The train operator, CrossCountry, announced that they would be ending this service to create a more efficient timetable. Aimee, who is 40 years old and lives in Derby, made a special trip to Aberdeen just to be on this last journey. She expressed her feelings by saying, 'All good things do come to an end. ' With the end of this service, the longest direct train route is now between Aberdeen and Plymouth, measuring 695 miles. Aimee has had a passion for trains since childhood. She fondly remembers visiting her grandfather and waving at train drivers with her many cousins. When she learned that the Aberdeen to Penzance service was coming to an end, she felt compelled to participate. 'I saw it come up on my phone, because I get lots of rail-related stuff,' Aimee shared. 'I thought, oh my gosh, that's amazing. ' To reach Aberdeen for the final journey, Aimee traveled on the train, making the most of her time on the line. She hoped to meet friendly people, engage in conversations, and enjoy the experience while sipping on a liter of orange juice. 'I've got my book for when it's a bit quieter, hopefully some like-minded souls to talk trains and philosophy,' she explained. Aimee was excited to be part of this memorable event, even though she knew it would be bittersweet. She mentioned that she would keep an eye out for other long train journeys in the future. Three friends, Danny, Kieran, and Liam, were also on board, and they described this trip as a 'bucket list' moment. Danny, 24, from Edinburgh, said, 'It's quite a cool journey to do within the rail enthusiast community as it's the longest. ' Liam, who is 18 and hails from Elgin in Moray, added, 'It's always been a bucket list thing for me, I am really excited. I have wanted to do this my whole life. ' The train departed from platform three in Aberdeen, and the route included 41 stops, passing through cities like Edinburgh, Newcastle, and Leeds. John Labrow, a 66-year-old from Manchester, commemorated the occasion by having a special T-shirt printed. 'It's probably the longest journey I've ever done by train, it's the last of a great era,' he remarked. He wanted to have a keepsake from this historic day. The train passed through beautiful landscapes and notable locations along the way. The service had been temporarily removed from the timetable during the pandemic, only resuming in May 2023. Luke Iden, a 20-year-old from Bournemouth, was also among the enthusiastic passengers. He works in rail maintenance and has always had a passion for trains. 'I am just happy that I'm here in the moment and can always say I've done it now,' he said. Luke planned to capture footage of the journey from the window. The train driver, Martin Wallace, was excited to be at the helm of the last full journey. He had only been assigned to this route in August of the previous year and felt honored to be part of this historic trip. 'It's very exciting, isn't it,' he said just before the train departed. A spokesperson for CrossCountry explained that the changes to the Aberdeen to Penzance service would lead to a more efficient timetable for train crews and a more convenient service for customers. They also mentioned that the new schedule would provide an additional service in each direction between Glasgow and the north east of England towards Birmingham. This last journey was a momentous occasion for everyone involved, marking the end of an era in rail travel.