The Train Now Arriving... Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dundee

Travelling along the East coast of Scotland, the route takes passengers through Kirkcaldy, Stirling, Perth, Arbroath and Montrose.
On the way the train crosses the Forth Rail Bridge, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can also travel via Glasgow, but it takes longer.

Answer: Reading

The direct line between London and Bristol follows the route of the historic Great Western Railway. Work began in the 1830s and was overseen by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of Britain's greatest engineers. Brunel built his track on a broad gauge, 7ft (2,134mm). but this was later totally replaced by the standard gauge of 4ft 8 1⁄2in (1,435mm), in accordance with the rest of the British rail network.

Answer: Stoke On Trent

The successive opening up of a number of separate rail lines enabled the first Manchester to London journeys to be made from 1837.
The journey nowadays joins the West Coast Main Line (WCML) which also connects London with Glasgow and onwards to the north of Scotland.

Answer: Carlisle

The most direct route between Glasgow and London is the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
It came about through the combination of a number of lesser rail lines. These were built between 1830 and 1880.
In the 1850s, the first direct London to Glasgow trains took 12.5 hours to complete journey, which is 400 miles (640km).
(You can also travel between London and Scotland on the East Coast Main Line.)

Answer: Folkestone

In 1836, the British Parliament passed an Act for the construction of a rail line between the capital and Dover, then one of the key ports to connect to continental Europe. Earlier schemes had fallen foul of obstructionist landowners.
Construction began in 1838 and the route was complete by 1844.

Answer: Port Talbot

The South Wales Main Line (SWML) was an extension of the Great Western Railway (GWR).
It took the construction of a tunnel under the River Severn in 1886 to open up south Wales to trains. The modern route was opened in 1903.

Answer: Hexham

From east coast to west coast, the route crosses the Pennines, the range of hills sometimes called the "backbone of England".
This was one of the earliest railway routes in England and was first operated in 1834.
Construction was a major feat of engineering, requiring viaducts, bridges and a tunnel.

Answer: Hayward's Heath

The route between London and Brighton is one of England's busiest in terms of passenger numbers.
Traditionally, the high cost of living in London made Brighton a popular commuter location, with many people living on the south coast and working in the capital.
An Act of Parliament in 1837 set the scene for the new line. The route opened in 1841.
Although it was a largely rural route, constructing a line across the hills of the South Downs required significant engineering. The direct route also missed out several important towns, for engineering reasons.

Answer: Truro

The Cornwall Railway was designed to open up the seaside resorts of the county to visitors and holidaymakers. The first section (between Plymouth and Truro) opened in 1859 and the reminder, extending to Falmouth, was completed four years later. Many engineering hurdles had to be overcome, and the route never really became a commercial success.

Answer: Coleraine

The first direct route between Northern Ireland's two largest cities opened in 1855. The route from the station at Londonderry takes passengers along the shores of Lough Foyle towards Coleraine.

Broadcaster and former "Monty Python" star Michael Palin rated this part of the Derry to Belfast route as "one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world". He presented a TV series that showcased some of the UK's best rail routes.