Travelling is a great way to get the creative juices going and, for me, taking the train always excites and inspires. Different sights, colours and sounds spark a flood of new ideas that I can use in my work as an illustrator.
I recently took an early morning train from Edinburgh to York for work, a journey full of beautiful scenery and curious people. The visual stimulation was so rich and plentiful that I couldn’t wait to get it all down on paper. One moment my eye was caught by a chic woman in an acid-green woollen coat and big fake-fur black hat. The next, my gaze was drawn to the passing countryside and a rustically dressed farmer standing in a field of cabbages.
Travelling alone, I had time to relax and muse. And when I heard a little boy saying: “I’m still hungry, mummy,” it was quite liberating to realise it wasn’t one of my kids asking for snacks. My daughter is one and my son is six, so this train journey was a big deal for me because I don’t get much time to myself any more. If I’m honest, I’d been really looking forward to having some creative time on my own during the trip.
Opting for train travel not only sparks my creativity but also helps me make a conscious commitment to a sustainable future. Taking the train is 67% less polluting than driving*, so making the switch is one of the simplest ways to lessen my impact on the planet, something I’m keen to focus on during 2024.
A simple swap to make an environmental impact
I came by train is a collective movement supported by the rail booking platform Trainline to help fight climate change. It draws on the combined power of small actions taken by many to create a bigger impact.Whether it’s a commute, a holiday or a family get-together, swap one journey in 2024 and help create a collective impact with the thousands of others who have already pledged to choose train travel for the environment this year.
Cars and planes create 58% of the UK’s transport CO2 emissions, while the entire rail network adds up to just 1.5%. It’s almost always better to swap a car ride for a train journey, but the impact is amplified for solo drivers: taking the train instead of driving is 67% less polluting*.
It turns out that the Edinburgh to York journey is one of the UK network’s Super Routes*, which are cheaper and/or faster than driving, and more sustainable. Edinburgh to York by rail is an amazing 84 minutes quicker, £6.75 cheaper and saves 21.8kg of CO2*.
I’d been so eager for the trip that I arrived at Edinburgh station an hour and a half early. I grabbed myself some breakfast and found a quiet bench. I made my first sketches – a staircase and the different characters passing up and down – as I waited. I was trying to capture the unique buzz of the station.
Before I knew it, it was time to get going. I found my seat and got comfy, surrounded by the sounds you only get on a train: the beeping of doors, the chug of the wheels, the voices of passengers excited for their day ahead.
As I looked out at the wintry pale-blue sky and the lemony-yellow clouds, I was glad to be sitting in a cosy carriage. Black trees flashed past, like spidery silhouettes, and two sleepy horses enjoyed their breakfast in a field, blue jackets keeping them warm.
When I travel by train, I’m not a “headphones in the ears and face buried in a book” type of passenger. I’m an “eyes and ears open” type, tuned in to the rustle of snack wrappers from the seat behind and the ring-pull of an early-morning energy drink. With my artist’s eye, I observed people and passing scenery – fields, stations, houses – all rich sources of inspiration. It just wouldn’t have been the same if I’d been in the car. There’s not much room for relaxation or creativity when you’re on four wheels. Train travel is a different world.
After arriving in York, I drew a lot, too: as I queued for lunch at a cafe, and as I walked around York Minster grounds. I even captured a beautiful sunset before it was time to return home.
On the train back, after a blissful day, I couldn’t help but overhear people’s conversations. I heard a woman say: “I always lose my bearings in York,” which made me smile. And when the doors beeped, a sweet girl asked her dad: “What does that mean? Is the train going to die?”
I started to dream about how I would translate everything I’d seen: perhaps a tale about a child going on a train adventure? Just before we arrived in Edinburgh, I heard the girl’s voice again. “I think my leg is getting smaller when I cough, Daddy,” she said. “Look: cough, cough, cough …” What a character. I definitely need to put her in a story.
*See how Trainline did its calculations
Find out more by visiting I came by train, a collective movement supported by Trainline to help fight climate change
