Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at 21:41:59 on
Wed, 13 Feb 2008, David Biddulph remarked:
No, but I do recall reading that, when she started writing about Kings
Cross, she was actually thinking of Euston.

they are so similar I suppose

Both being stations you end up in London at, if you start your journey in
Edinburgh.

More true for Glasgow than for Edinburgh?
[Only one daytime through train EDB to EUS.]

JKR lived in Edinburgh and used to arrive (we are talking 20 years ago)
in London at Euston. I don't know what route she used to achieve that.

I do find it a bit odd. I lived in Edinburgh 20 years ago and frequently
went to London. The only time I'd arrive at Euston was with the sleeper.
Daytime journeys- it was always Kings Cross. Journey time was about the
same as today too...

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate -www.davidhorne.net
(email address on website) "If people think God is interesting, the
onus is on them to show that there is anything there to talk about.
Otherwise they should just shut up about it." -Richard Dawkins

"Chris Tolley" wrote

I recall trains that used to split at Carstairs. Had they stopped by 20
years ago?

No - the Birmingham Scotsmen were still splitting at Carstairs into Glasgow
and Edinburgh portions - including a Plymouth to Glasgow/Aberdeen - the
Aberdeen portion managed to reverse at Birmingham, Carstairs and Edinburgh.
There was also the Harwich to Glasgow/Edinburgh, via the North London Line
and Birmingham.

Peter

Chris Tolley wrote:
Peter Masson wrote:

"Chris Tolley" wrote
WCML via Carstairs doesn't sound unreasonable for 20 years ago, without
actually looking it up.
20 years ago the Clansman ran between Euston and Inverness via Edinburgh.
There was also a Euston - Edinburgh sleeper, though other sleeper trains ran
from Kings Cross.

I recall trains that used to split at Carstairs. Had they stopped by 20
years ago?

IIRC, in the 1980s they were Birmingham to Edinburgh & Glasgow trains
(some may have come from further South East/South West on Table 51).

--
Jeremy Double
jmd.nospam@btinternet {real email address, include the nospam!}
Steam and transport photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmdoubl...7603834894248/

In message , Roland Perry
writes

JKR lived in Edinburgh and used to arrive (we are talking 20 years ago)
in London at Euston. I don't know what route she used to achieve that.

According to the author she was living in Manchester at the time:

"I wrote Platform 9 3/4 when I was living in Manchester, and I wrongly
visualized the platforms, and I was actually thinking of Euston, so
anyone who's actually been to the real platforms 9 and 10 in King's
Cross will realize they don't bear a great resemblance to the platforms
9 and 10 as described in the book."

http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/...bc-hpandme.htm

Apparently, the entire Potter saga came to her during a delayed train
journey from Manchester to London. That's the WCML for you ...

--
Paul Terry

In message , at 06:46:50 on Fri, 15 Feb
2008, Paul Terry remarked:
JKR lived in Edinburgh and used to arrive (we are talking 20 years
ago) in London at Euston. I don't know what route she used to achieve
that.

According to the author she was living in Manchester at the time:

Even better. Thanks for the cite.
--
Roland Perry

"Peter Masson" wrote in message
...

"Chris Tolley" wrote

I recall trains that used to split at Carstairs. Had they stopped by 20
years ago?

No - the Birmingham Scotsmen were still splitting at Carstairs into
Glasgow
and Edinburgh portions - including a Plymouth to Glasgow/Aberdeen - the
Aberdeen portion managed to reverse at Birmingham, Carstairs and
Edinburgh.
There was also the Harwich to Glasgow/Edinburgh, via the North London Line
and Birmingham.

I was on a Caledonian Sleeper last week from Euston to Inverness.
Somewhere en-route - I know not where - the sections going to Fort William
and to Aberdeen were split from it.

Sometime during the night the Inverness section reversed its direction
of travel. ISTR this used to happen at Carstairs.
--
Garry Smith

"Garry Smith" wrote

I was on a Caledonian Sleeper last week from Euston to Inverness.
Somewhere en-route - I know not where - the sections going to Fort William
and to Aberdeen were split from it.

Sometime during the night the Inverness section reversed its direction
of travel. ISTR this used to happen at Carstairs.

Normally it splits at Edinburgh, and all three portions (Inverrness,
Aberdeen, and Fort William) reverse there. There have been occasions when
engineering blockades have meant that it splits (without reversing) at
Braidwood Loop, north of Motherwell, and of course, when it runs via the
ECML it reverses at Willesden, and splits without reversing at Edinburgh.

The Lowland Sleeper normally splits at Carstairs, where the Edinburgh
portion reverses.

Peter

In article ,
Jeremy Double wrote:

Chris Tolley wrote:
Peter Masson wrote:

"Chris Tolley" wrote
WCML via Carstairs doesn't sound unreasonable for 20 years ago, without
actually looking it up.
20 years ago the Clansman ran between Euston and Inverness via Edinburgh.
There was also a Euston - Edinburgh sleeper, though other sleeper trains
ran
from Kings Cross.

I recall trains that used to split at Carstairs. Had they stopped by 20
years ago?

IIRC, in the 1980s they were Birmingham to Edinburgh & Glasgow trains
(some may have come from further South East/South West on Table 51).

In the 1970s there were Manchester/Liverpool-Glasgow/Edinburgh trains
which split or joined at Preston and Carstairs.

Sam

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:46:37 +0000, Sam Wilson
wrote:

In article ,
Jeremy Double wrote:

Chris Tolley wrote:
Peter Masson wrote:

"Chris Tolley" wrote
WCML via Carstairs doesn't sound unreasonable for 20 years ago, without
actually looking it up.
20 years ago the Clansman ran between Euston and Inverness via Edinburgh.
There was also a Euston - Edinburgh sleeper, though other sleeper trains
ran
from Kings Cross.

I recall trains that used to split at Carstairs. Had they stopped by 20
years ago?

IIRC, in the 1980s they were Birmingham to Edinburgh & Glasgow trains
(some may have come from further South East/South West on Table 51).

In the 1970s there were Manchester/Liverpool-Glasgow/Edinburgh trains
which split or joined at Preston and Carstairs.

And 1980s. I used them two or three times a year.

The best journey arrived back in Manchester horribly late because it
was diverted via the Settle and Carlisle line and had to work its way
across Lancashire to Preston to drop the Liverpool portion before
doubling back to Manchester.

Sam

Sam Wilson wrote:

In the 1970s there were Manchester/Liverpool-Glasgow/Edinburgh trains
which split or joined at Preston and Carstairs.

Did all four routes have some carriages, or would passengers for some routes
have to walk along the train between Carstairs and Preston?