Portillo’s “amazing” journey
Former Conservative MP Michael Portillo. (0302MM27)
Former Conservative MP Michael Portillo has described the rail journey between Derry and Coleraine as “breathtaking.”
Mr Portillo visited the area to film episodes of the TV show ‘Great Irish Train Journeys’ which was shown on BBC2 this week.
The former defence secretary said the journey was the highlight of his visit. “I thought it was breathtaking – I enjoyed every mile of it. We just need to get the track a little bit less shaky and then it will be a perfect journey.”
Travel writer Michael Palin previously described the journey as among the best train journeys in the world.
Mr Portillo, who also visited Derry’s Peace Bridge, said he was amazed by the change in the city since his time in politics.
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Weather for Derry
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
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JGHF
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 02:01 PMWe have always been rightly proud of the wonderful rail approach to Derry, however the same can not be said of all of our bus services! I travelled on the 17:50 from Dublin Airport to Derry on Tues 7 Feb. It got into Foyle St depot at approximately 21:15 (More or less on time - no complaint there!) The bus parked by the depot toilets and without a word from the driver the passengers disembarked to find the depot locked up. Only the small gate by Sandino's was open. So imagine you are on a first visit to Derry. You exit beside a row of skips smelling strongly of stale beer, carefully negotiate a pavement littered with broken glass, excuse your way through a bunch of Sandino's smokers and then look around to see if there is a taxi in sight. There is - but at the far end of Foyle Street. I think everyone on the bus was familiar with the scenario, but imagine being one of the hundreds of thousands of tourists we want to attract here next year. Frankly in that situation I would have taken the next bus out! If there was one! Come on Translink! Get your act together! If you are bringing buses into the depot after 21:00 (and surely that's not considered late) at least have the decency to keep the depot open and manned! Alternatively drop the passengers off on Foyle St itself! Rocket science it isn't - but it is a bad joke! and a very bad first impression of our City. I suppose Sandino's might benefit from the present arrangement!
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