Latest news with #FrancisBourgeois
South Wales Argus
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
New Royal Mint £2 coin released to mark railway anniversary
The collectible £2 coin, which will not enter circulation, has been released to mark the 200th anniversary of Britain's modern railway. Train enthusiast Francis Bourgeois, known for his online rail-focused content, helped strike the first coin. The coin features the Locomotion No.1, the first steam train along the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. It was initially included in the annual coin sets for 2025, but has now been released as a standalone collectible. Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at The Royal Mint, said: "Coin collecting, much like Francis's dedication to trains, brings together people who share a passion for history and heritage. "We've seen tremendous interest from collectors of all ages who appreciate how coins can commemorate significant moments like the birth of modern railways, making this standalone release a celebration not just of railway history, but of the joy of collecting itself."
Business News Wales
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business News Wales
Royal Mint Releases Commemorative Coin to Celebrate 200 Years of British Railways
The Royal Mint has released a new commemorative coin celebrating the 200th anniversary of Britain's modern railway, with train enthusiast and social media personality Francis Bourgeois striking the first coin. Francis, whose genuine passion for trains has captivated millions across social media, was a natural choice for the striking, The Royal Mint said. The collectible £2 coin features the iconic Locomotion No. 1 which first steamed along the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. Previously included in The Royal Mint's 2025 annual coin sets, this special edition has now been released as a standalone collectible. The detailed design depicts Locomotion No. 1 on the historic opening day of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, capturing a moment that transformed British transportation. Each coin features the edge inscription 'ACTIVE · LOCOMOTION NO 1' as a tribute to the revolutionary locomotive, offering collectors a tangible piece of British industrial heritage. Francis shared the striking ceremony with his millions of followers on TikTok, introducing many young enthusiasts to the hobby of coin collecting while celebrating his own passion for railways. Rebecca Morgan, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint, said: 'Coin collecting, much like Francis's dedication to trains, brings together people who share a passion for history and heritage. Both hobbies offer a fascinating window into our nation's past and provide communities where enthusiasts can share knowledge and excitement. We've seen tremendous interest from collectors of all ages who appreciate how coins can commemorate significant moments like the birth of modern railways, making this standalone release a celebration not just of railway history, but of the joy of collecting itself.' Emma Roberts, programme manager for Railway 200, said: 'Having a commemorative coin from The Royal Mint is a huge honour. We're delighted that the vital role of the railway on our lives is being recognised in this way. The opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway two centuries ago accelerated a rail revolution around the world. That historic moment helped to shape the past, present and future of rail and deserves to be commemorated in this bicentenary year.' The commemorative coin is available in a range of finishes including gold and silver editions, alongside a standard brilliant uncirculated version, with prices starting from £17.50. There are no plans for the coin to enter general circulation.
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- The Guardian
Thrill of the night train: from Vienna to Rome on the next-gen moonlight express
Toasted ham baguettes in hand, we cheered as the new-generation Nightjet drew into Vienna Hauptbahnhof. It was a little before 7pm, and as the carriages hummed past I felt a rush of joy, like celebrity trainspotter Francis Bourgeois, but without the GoPro on my forehead. For more than three years I've been documenting the renaissance of sleeper trains, and I'd wondered if I might one day tire of them. But the thrill seems only to intensify each time I embark on another nocturnal adventure, this time with my two daughters – aged eight and five – who were already arguing over the top berth. The first four carriages were designated for travellers to the Italian port city of La Spezia, the other seven carrying on to Roma Tiburtina, where we would alight at 10am. Once in Rome we had 24 hours to eat classic carbonara, dark chocolate gelato, and bike around the Villa Borghese before taking a train to Florence. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has played the lead role in resuscitating Europe's night trains. Towards the end of 2016, ÖBB launched its Nightjet network on 14 routes, using old rolling stock it bought from Deutsche Bahn. Then, to the delight of train nerds like me, it launched a brand-new fleet at the end of 2023, and now operates 20 routes across Europe. We were now on board this high-spec service, which smelled of freshly unpacked furniture, the carpets soft underfoot, the lighting adjustable to disco hues of neon blue and punk pink. We were booked into a couchette carriage, which mostly comprisesd mini cabins designed for solo travellers preferring privacy. Placing shoes and small bags in lockers, passengers can open a metal door with a keycard and crawl into their single berth, drawing the door closed around them, and not have to look at another human until morning. Last year I had trialled the mini cabins from Vienna to Hamburg alongside a tall friend who had likened the experience to sleeping inside a bread bin, though I hadn't found it as claustrophobic as I'd feared, just a bit hard, chilly, and with a pillow as flat as a postage stamp. So I was curious to see how the carriage's four-person private compartments, for families and groups, would differ. Normally happy to share with strangers, I'd booked a whole compartment for the three of us: more to protect other hapless travellers from my children, who were now swinging off the berths like members of Cirque du Soleil, their sweaty socks strewn under the seats. With raised sides, the upper berths were safe for the girls to sleep in without rolling out, and I set about tucking in their sheets while they settled down to finish their baguettes. There is no dining car on the Nightjet, so we'd bought food from the station, which was now moving backwards as the train sailed out of the Austrian capital in silence, smoothly curving south-west. Two days earlier we'd arrived in Vienna by train from London, via Paris, and had checked into the Superbude Wien Prater, a curious hotel that appeared part art-installation, part hostel, with gen Zs slouched around worn leather sofas on MacBooks. With four-bed family cabins overlooking the Prater amusement park, it was a great location from which to explore the city, then finish the evening with a terrifying rollercoaster and a spicy Bitzinger wurst. A friend had described Vienna to me as a grand and beautiful 'retirement village', but, on the contrary, its green spaces, playgrounds and museums made it an easy stop for 48 hours with kids. Hopping off the Nightjet from Paris, we'd gone straight to my favourite restaurant, Edelgreisslerei Opocensky – an unassuming nook serving homely dishes such as stuffed gnocchi, and goulash with dumplings – before whiling away an afternoon at the Children's Museum at Schönbrunn Palace. Dressing up like young Habsburgs, the girls had swanned around in wigs and musty gowns, laying tables for banquets and begging not to leave – a far cry from our usual museum experiences. Before boarding this train we'd had one last run around the interactive Technical Museum, where the human-sized hamster wheels, peg games and slides had so worn out the children that my five-year-old was asleep as the train plunged into the Semmering mountain pass. It was still light as we swept around the Alps, my eight-year-old kneeling at the window and asking where local people shopped, so few and far between were signs of human life. Horses grazed in paddocks, cows nuzzled, and the occasional hamlet emerged from round a bend as though the chalets were shaken like dice and tossed into the slopes. In the blue-grey twilight we watched streams gleam like strips of metal, and spotted a single stag poised at the edge of a wood, before the train made a long stop at the Styrian city of Leoben, at which point we turned in. Like the mini cabins, the compartment was still too cold, the pillow still too flat, but the berths were wider and the huge window a blessing compared with the single berths' portholes – this one allowed for wistful gazing. Shoving a rolled-up jumper under my head, I fell asleep, waking at 7am to rumpled clouds and a golden flare on the horizon. Most night trains terminate soon after passengers have woken up, but this one was perfect, allowing us to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of hot chocolate and jam rolls while watching the Tuscan dawn breaking into song, and Umbrian lakes and cornfields running parallel before we finally drew into Rome – on time. When travelling alone I relish arriving with the entire day at my disposal, but with children it's hard work waiting until 3pm to check in to accommodation, so I default to staying at a Hoxton hotel if one is available. Its Flexy Time policy allows guests to choose what time they check in and out for free, and by 11am we had checked in, showered and set off to toss coins in the Trevi fountain, finding thick whorls of eggy carbonara at nearby trattoria Maccheroni, and gelato at Don Nino. To avoid the crowds and heat, we waited until 6pm to hire an electric pedal car from Bici Pincio at the Villa Borghese and drove around the landscaped, leafy grounds, relishing the quietness of the evening ride. Excited about the next adventure in Florence, the girls had only one complaint: that they couldn't ride there on the night train. Monisha Rajesh is the author of Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train (Bloomsbury, £22), published on 28 August and available on pre-order at Omio provided travel in a four-person private compartment in a couchette carriage from Vienna to Rome (from £357). Accommodation was provided by Superbude Wien Prater in Vienna (doubles from €89 room-only); and The Hoxton in Rome (doubles from €189 room-only)
Evening Standard
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Insta360 X5 review: Can this camera make me a professional content creator?
While the Insta360 X5 takes beautiful pictures - with the likes of interval, starlapse and burst available - it's the video functionality that makes it stand out on the market. This is down to the 360-degree capturing. It's truly epic and extremely fun to play around with. My favourite is the first-person angle. It reminds me of the one used by train-loving Francis Bourgeois. While he uses a head-mounted GoPro, he need not faff around with accessories to get the same view, he could simply opt for the X5 to convey the same authentic, immersive experience.
Glasgow Times
23-06-2025
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow Subway news, interviews and updates
Operated by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), it features a 15-station, single-loop underground light-metro. This unique system serves both Glasgow's city centre and West End. (Image: Archive) Read on for all the latest Glasgow Subway news, interviews and updates. Latest Glasgow Subway news As reported by the Glasgow Times, here is a selection of the latest Glasgow Subway news stories. Glasgow Subway issues warning ahead of Glasgow Summer Sessions Update issued ahead of Glasgow subway strike action Glasgow subway workers could strike over working conditions Where does the Glasgow Subway go? The Glasgow Subway map features a 10-mile circuit with 15 stations, connecting the West End and the city centre. The subway includes both an inner circle that runs anticlockwise and an outer circle that runs clockwise. (Image: Newsquest) The stations are: Bridge Street, Buchanan Street, Cessnock, Cowcaddens, Govan, Hillhead, Ibrox, Kelvinbridge, Kelvinhall, Kinning Park, Partick, Shields Road, St Enoch, St George's Cross, and West Street. Glasgow Subway timetable Glasgow's Subway runs from 6.30am to 11.40pm from Monday to Saturday and 10am to 6.12pm on Sunday. Trains come every four minutes at peak times and every six to eight minutes during off-peak times. A complete circuit of all 15 stations takes 24 minutes. Glasgow Subway tickets An adult single costs £1.85 while a return ticket is £3.50. To travel all day (unlimited), the ticket will cost £4.45. All ticket prices, including the Subway Smartcard, can be found here. Glasgow Subway card The Glasgow Subway offers commuters a money-saving option known as the Subway Smartcard. Go here to find out more information. Is there a Glasgow Subway park and ride? Parking options are provided at three Subway stations. These are Bridge Street, Kelvinbridge and Shields Road Subway stations. Park and Ride (all day parking and return Subway journey) costs £7.90. Short-term parking for 30 minutes is £1.05, parking for one hour costs £2.05, and for two hours is £3.10. Getting to the Ibrox from the subway Ibrox Stadium is easily accessible via the Subway, located just a short walk from the station. The Subway takes up to 15 minutes to travel on the Outer Circle from the city centre. What happened to the subway's old carriages? Glasgow's old fleet of subway trains were pulled in June 2024 after transporting passengers across the city for 44 years. The 1980 Metro-Cammell trains were famous for their orange exterior and retro interior becoming an iconic part of Glasgow heritage. Some carriages were bought by enthusiasts, like train legend Francis Bourgeois. Though he did reveal the cushions on the carriage had a 'mature urine smell'. If you'd like to see one yourself, we previously reported one of the trains will be preserved in the Riverside Transport Museum in the city.
