A Life on the Rails
Bill and Sue’s Railway Journey from Crewe to Spain
Some men spend their lives chasing dreams. Others spend them laying tracks—literally. I’m Bill, a retired railway worker from Crewe, UK, and for as long as I can remember, trains have been more than just a job to me; they’ve been an obsession.
Crewe, as any rail enthusiast knows, is one of Britain’s great railway towns. I spent my entire career working on and around trains, watching the industry evolve from the days of British Rail to the modern, privatised network we know today.
I’ve seen steam give way to diesel, diesel to electric, and now, across Europe, high-speed travel is setting new records. Through it all, my love for railways has never wavered.
But retirement brings changes, and my wife Sue and I found ourselves at a crossroads.
The cost of living in the UK was climbing rapidly, and we wanted a retirement that offered a little more sunshine and a lot more adventure. That’s how we ended up in Barcelona, swapping Crewe for Catalonia, cold for warmth, and our old routines for something entirely new.
Our Journey Begins
Why Spain? And Why This Blog?
Spain wasn’t only about finances (though let’s be honest, a pint costing half the price helped). It was also about the railways. Spain’s network is one of the most modern and ambitious in Europe.
So, Train Artisan was born out of two things:
1. A lifelong passion for railways—from engineering to history, from working on them to now riding them.
2. A desire to document this new chapter of our lives—retiring abroad, exploring Spain’s rail network, and discovering the stories behind it all.
This blog is my way of combining the two. Expect scholarly deep dives into Spanish railway history, detailed posts on my extensive toy train collection, and plenty of first-hand experiences from train journeys across Spain.
In between, you’ll also get lighthearted updates on life as a British expat in Spain—because Sue insists this blog isn’t only about trains (though she’s learned by now that everything in my life somehow connects back to them).
More Than Just a Hobby
My Toy Train Collection
I have a confession to make—I never really grew up.
While other kids outgrew their childhood obsessions, mine increased year after year.
Over the years, I’ve built a serious collection of toy trains, ranging from early Hornby clockwork models to high-end Märklin pieces. Some are valuable, some are sentimental, and all of them tell a story. They’re my pride and joy.
On this blog, I’ll be sharing detailed insights into my collection—the history, the craftsmanship, and the industry behind these miniature marvels.
For those who think model trains are just toys, let me tell you: the engineering behind them is no less impressive than the real thing. And if Sue ever convinces me to sell a few pieces (she won’t), I’ll be diving into valuation trends and the world of toy train auctions as well.
What You’ll Find on This Blog
The plan is simple:
We’ll start with local journeys
Getting to grips with Barcelona’s metro, commuter trains (Rodalies), and nearby regional routes.
Then we’ll go national
Riding Spain’s high-speed AVE network, taking historic routes like the Transcantábrico, and discovering the hidden gems of the Spanish railway system.
Eventually, we’ll cross borders
Taking trains from Spain into France, Portugal, and beyond, comparing networks along the way.
a word from the other half
Sue’s Take On All This
Speaking of Sue—she deserves a mention here because, let’s face it, she’s the unsung hero of this blog.
While I spend my time studying train timetables (yes, really) and pouring over railway blueprints, she’s the one keeping us organised, making sure I don’t spend entire days lost in train museums (though she’s resigned to the fact that we’ll visit a fair few).
She’s here for the adventure, the travel, and the lifestyle shift that retirement in Spain offers.
She’s obviously less enthusiastic about train gauges and rolling stock specifications, but she enjoys a good scenic journey. She’s also here to provide some much-needed balance—reminding me that, occasionally, we should explore places that don’t involve a railway station.
All Aboard!
So, if you’re a railway enthusiast, a train collector, a retiree looking for inspiration, or just someone who enjoys a good travel story, welcome aboard. Train Artisan is a passion project, a travel log, a history archive, and, most of all, a place to celebrate everything that makes railways fascinating.
Time to buy our tickets, pack our bags, and start exploring!
