Great Western Coffee Shop

At 12:35 - yes, the middle of the day - this train of sleeper cars pulled out of Palermo;  I'm taking this train right through and I'll add comments from time to time to tell you about the journey and experiences.

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I suspect it's the longest (time) train journey in Europe within a single country, but with the police presence including sniffer dogs before we set off, you would have thought it's international. 

Prelude (1)

I took the morning train from Catania to Palermo this morning, and had a couple of hours there to prepare for my adventure within an adventure.  But both the journey across the island and Palermo itself merit much more time, and I hope to persuade Lisa to come back with me for a more leisurly trip next year.

From Catania, the line that crosses diagonal across the island rapidly becomes single, although with major works going on for the first 20 or so miles to redouble it.  Our regional trains skips most stations; of those skipped as we pass through, some are clearly in use by local trains but many, many more are clearly out of use.  Some have clearly had a great deal of money spent on them (but little evidence of significant passenger numbers) and other are falling, or fallen, doen and derelict.   There's that same mixture of really up-to-date and invested with buildings and the whole infractructure here.

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In the middle of the island, the train pulled in to Caltanissetta Junction [Xirbi].  As seems standrard in Europe, the branch trains from the town and perhaps places beyond had already pulled in the train headed across the island in the other direction also pulled it.  Passengers dropped off, passengers picked up, the main line trains are on their way again and followed off by the branch train. It makes such sense.

Just imagine at Westbury - the train from London pulls in at platform 1, and the train from Paignton at platfrom 2.  Already waiting at plaform 3 are the Weymouth to Bedford service, and behing it the Portsmouth to Cardiff service.  At the front of platform 0 is the Bedford to Weymouth train, and behind it the Cardiff to Portsmouth - routinely 5 carriages because it's that busy because of all the good connections. The London <-> Paignton services make only the briefest of calls - but they connect from and to all the regional and local services

I expect to get "this would be too difficult in England because" follow ups!

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There are things like the size of the seats and the train internals I like too, and to complete the picture here's Palermo Centrale Station, where I had two hours.

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Across Sicily

My train of 5 sleeper carriages sits in the platform at Palermo, and having fed and watered myself and collected further supplies in case there's little availabe during the journey, I look to board the train.  I walk past a bored looking group of policemen with a dog, and meet a couple of sleeper stewards.  A scroll back to the picture of my reservation, which them happy with telling the that carriage 9 (which is what is says on the reservation is the next one up from 8 which we are standing besides. I worry them by walking up to the front of the train to take a photo ... but I find my way back in good time.

I'm in a couchette compartment - 4 berths, four seats for day use which will convert to two beds, and two fold down beds above, with (as on all sleepers?) a side corridor. The window seat is occupied by a gent who I now know is called "Prospect", and the space across to the seat opposite him by two enormous suitcases. I did suggest he put them under the seats, where there is significant luggage space - but it's not quite big enough for his cases and so, as I write, his luggage remains occupying the space between the seats, which form a convenient footstool. I'm just wondering how [he/we] will cope if we are joined by people with the other two berths booked all the time up to 11:30 tonight.

Mobile devices are wonderful things, aren't they?  They let you talk with friends, colleagues, and others no matter where you are, and there's a psychological thing that both you and your friends need to talk loud so that those around you can enjoy the conversation too.  And that joy of mobile devices includes the enjoyment of videos, which others around you, are going to enjoy the soundtrack from.  He does have an earpiece he used briefly ... and I might encourage him to use again later.

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With the narrow angle of the window I can see through (half obsured by a blind) and on the other side an obstructed view across the corridor, I can confirm that this section of line does merit the "Scenic Route" marking it has on my Rail Map of Europe, and I think I may come back at a future date to see that from the day carriages of a local train.  Today is the sleeper experience, not the scenery experience.

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And across the Straight of Medina

We have arrived at Messina - now with four in the cabin.  The electric loco that brought us here has pulled off the front and a diesel shunter, with buffer wagon and coach has come on the rear.  A brief opportunity to stretch legs on the platform, but only myself and one or two others took advantage - others waiting parient.  This is a time-consuming procedure, me thinks, and the other two gents sharing the cabin are familiar with it, me thinks too.

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It was about 16:15 we arrived in Messina ... shunted backwards, forwards to pick up more carriages, back again and forward to almost on ths ship - then back again having dropped off some coaches and forward again.  Dropped off, doors open and the option (but not the necessity) to go up into the passenger cabin - 17:15 according to my picture.  We were the last carriages on.

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There are 4 tracks on this ship - 3 occupied on this trip, and I suspect 5 carriages on each.  A step down from the train, and steps up to the main deck. The Iginia - I have just looked it up - is very new https://www.italiani.it/en/iginia-nave-green-Italian-railway-network/ and pictured at https://www.vesselfinder.com/ship-photos/876582 .

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Good to get pictures from the main deck ...

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Crossing time 30 minutes. And a similar shunt off - from 17:45, first carriages off. Timetable says 18:15 arrival at the port station, and 18:45 heading off up mainland Italy! Electric has been lights only since we arrived in Messina - here's hoping as we start moving the power and aircon will come on.

Stop Press - approaching 19:00 - no move yet surely soon??

On my only train ferry experience (Sweden), leaving the train was compulsory for reasons I never understood. I wanted to see the view anyway so not a problem but I'd expected to be in the minority until we all got shepherded off the train.

A trip in the other direction as vlogged by Wingin' It! Paul Lucas:

https://youtu.be/E2h2ZFmmDVE

Good morning - just text this morning, not pictures.    We are now north of Rome - somewhat short of Livorno - pitch black outside.  A good night's sleep in the Couchette - went to sleep early as bedding, and water was brought around early and that enabled us to convert the compartment.   Station ahead read like a list of places I have heard of but could not place on a map; Livorno, Pisa, Genoa, Milan.  Rail map indicates another scenic line (sorry, Jaymac, more to see than Great Yarmouth) but whether the blinds are open is quite another matter!

And to complete the series ... the Couchette looking rather well used by the morning, and passing countryside in the north of Italy in the November mists as we rolled into Milan around 11:30 - 10 minutes late on schedule, and giving me just 15 minutes for my onward journey - but that's perhaps for another thread at some time.

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