On Our Lines

On Our Lines
The On Our Lines logo, depicting the Royal Albert Bridge.
Tagline	Exploring the Lines of Britain
Patreon exclusive	No
Total stations	2596 (GB) 54 (NI)
Current visits	645 (GB) 14 (NI)
First visit	Uttoxeter, 5 January 2019
Most recent visit	Shiplake, 28 November 2024

On Our Lines follows the adventures of Jarley as they travel across Britain by rail. The project sets out to explore the places and people that make the railways what they are today, as well as to look into the history of the railways and how they've come to be as they are.

The project was in part inspired by Michael Portillo's Great British Railway Journeys, and also pays homage to other railway adventures such as Tim Dunn's The Architecture the Railways Built and Geoff Marshall and Vicki Pipe's All The Stations.

Whilst setting out to explore the entirety of Britain's mainland rail network, and to visit each of the country's 2596 railway stations, the project's primary focus is to create a living journal focussing on life on and around the rail network. It will be casting a critical eye across rail operations from both a passenger and transport professional's perspective, but also celebrating the railway's achievements and successes as they are encountered. Indeed, the whole project is a celebration of all things rail-based, but equally doesn't shy away from suitable criticism at those times that things have not gone well.

In addition, On Our Lines will also be looking away from the mainline, and focussing on Britain's other rail routes. Numerous sub-brands will explore these vital transport networks and important historical attractions, some of which will sit alongside the main adventures but others of which are exclusively reserved for our Patreon subscribers.

On Our Lines was born in mid-2018, when - like all good projects - Jarley was on a railway adventure around the Highlands of Scotland. The trip - heavily fuelled by pink gin - served as an introduction the sights, scenes and smells of the railway network. Meeting the staff keeping the trains running and chatting with complete strangers on the opposite side of the carriage - all whilst viewing some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere - served as a catalyst for the project to reach fruition. After several trial journeys over the following six months incorporating many of the elements that were desired from the completed journal, the project began on January 1 2019, with the first journey from Derby to Liverpool taking place four days later.