Grand Central are on a mission to encourage the nation to get back on board and explore the country this summer, as up to 84% of people are expected to be staycationing and day-tripping this year.

The operator, which connects Yorkshire and the North East to London, has made a series of ‘full-length train ride videos’ filmed from one of its own train carriages of some of their most popular journeys.

The videos feature some of the incredible landmarks, stunning scenery and places of interest that can be seen when travelling between the North East and London.

The four videos feature footage from Sunderland to York, York to London King’s Cross, Doncaster to London King’s Cross and the complete route from Sunderland to London King’s Cross including all sorts of wonderful scenery such as dramatic coastlines, beautiful countryside and contemporary urban settings all of which can be viewed from the comfort of your own home.

Grand Central hope that they can inspire people to get on board and enjoy the scenery first hand either from their trains or hopping off and exploring.

The videos have been condensed into just 20 minutes as a full journey would take more than 3 hours. 

Featured on the specially created videos are the North East coastlines of the lively harbour town of Seaham and the breathtaking sites of the Durham Heritage Coast.

The fascinating historical city of York or the bustling market town of Doncaster and not forgetting England’s capital city of London which is full of iconic scenery and a never-ending supply of places to visit.

A top tip for getting the most out of your Grand Central journey is to sit on the east side of the carriage as this offers the most eye-catching scenery and as an example, the Sunderland to London King Cross features more than 100 points of interest such as the River Tees, Brompton Beck and Holme Fen National Nature Reserve. If you are a Football fan then keep a lookout for Hartlepool United Victoria Park ground or Arsenals Emirates Stadium.

As part of this project, Grand Central has been working with award-winning charity Autism Together to help understand how a day out on the trains can bring joy to those with autism as the train journey can be even more exciting than the actual destination. 

You can read more about the scenic routes here, as well as see the entire collection of videos.

Catharine McBurnie, Head of Marketing for Grand Central Rail, commented: “Across all of our routes, we are really lucky that our trains pass through such stunning scenery each and every day, and we’re eager to show that a journey with us is about much more than getting from A to B – something we’ve aimed to showcase in these full-length train-route videos we created.

“Grand Central is your ticket to a great summer (and beyond), and we’re encouraging those who are ready to do so to hop on board our trains and to explore more of what Britain has to offer.

“Understandably, safety whilst travelling is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, which is why we’ve implemented additional Covid measures to ensure our passengers feel safe and relaxed whilst on board our trains, and at stations.”

Jane Carolan, Deputy Chief Executive for the charity, commented: “Every autistic person has their own particular interests and things that excite and stimulate them – and, for many, this includes going on a rail journey. For individuals on the autism spectrum who do love trains, the gentle motion of the carriage and the wonder of the landscape rushing by their window can be enough of a joy that the destination isn’t as important as the journey to get there. For others it’s the details that spark the interest – the specifications, the timetables and routines, the facts and the history.

“Autism is a non-visible condition, which means it’s unlikely to be immediately apparent that a passenger on the train with you is autistic. For this reason, some people with autism choose to wear the sunflower lanyard⁴ or carry an autism alert card, a visible sign so others can see that the wearer or someone with them may require some support, specific assistance, or simply more time to board or leave their carriage.

“We would ask train users to be considerate of all their fellow passengers and be mindful that the person they are sitting nearby may have a non-visible condition and be in need of their patience and support during the journey.”

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