Routes

Siân Welby: Morning Radio, Train Trips and Baby Bags

Siân Welby’s route into broadcasting has been shaped by curiosity, instinct and a willingness to say yes before she had everything figured out. In this episode of Routes from LNER, the Capital Breakfast presenter joins Jenni to talk about the journeys, both literal and personal, that have defined her life and career so far.She reflects on growing up with classic British seaside holidays, discovering the thrill of travel on her first trip to Disney World, and heading to Spain at 16 on her first holiday without her parents. As her career began to take shape, those early adventures turned into unexpected work trips, including filming in Las Vegas at 19 while still juggling retail jobs at home, and later travelling the world with Formula E, visiting cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong and collecting memories that stayed with her long after she returned home.Siân also opens up about finding her place in broadcasting, from learning the ropes in live sport and weather presenting to becoming one of the most recognisable voices on UK radio. She shares what early starts really feel like, the pressure and unpredictability of live television, the viral weather moments that changed her career, and why radio pushed her further than anything else she’s done. The conversation touches on motherhood, navigating travel with a young child, and how her relationship with travel has shifted towards slower, simpler breaks by the sea... making this a funny, honest and reflective episode about growth, balance and knowing when to slow the pace.

The Quiet Coach: Learning Lines, Karaoke Disasters and Hidden Suitcases with Sam Heughan

From learning lines in the Quiet Coach to racing through stations at the last minute, Sam Heughan reveals what travel really looks like when you’re juggling acting, adventure, and a suitcase stashed in every corner of the world. In this episode of The Quiet Coach, Sam joins Jenni to talk about how he travels, how he works on the move, and why trains are one of his favourite places to think, reflect, and occasionally fall asleep.Sam shares stories about practising lines in public, overhearing Al Pacino rehearse Shakespeare mid-flight, and why he hates arriving anywhere early. He opens up about travelling light, running as a way to explore new cities, and the slightly alarming moment airport security were more concerned about a battery pack than a huge blade in his luggage.There’s also talk of cocktails, fitness, motorbikes, and karaoke (including a brave Ronan Keating choice), plus reflections on Nepal, Everest, and how travel continues to shape the way he lives and works. From quiet train journeys to epic bike rides through the Himalayas, this is a relaxed, funny, and wide-ranging conversation about movement, curiosity, and never quite standing still.

Sam Heughan: Outlander, Everest & the Perfect Cocktail

From Highland adventures and Himalayan expeditions to motorbike road trips and mezcal-fuelled misadventures, Sam Heughan’s life off screen is every bit as epic as his most famous role. In this episode of Routes from LNER, the Outlander star joins Jenni to talk about the places that shaped him, the journeys that pushed him out of his comfort zone, and why the south of Scotland deserves just as much love as the Highlands.Sam reflects on the emotional moment of finishing Outlander after more than a decade, what it felt like to say goodbye to Jamie Fraser, and how he decided to mark the end of that chapter by trekking to Everest Base Camp. He shares stories of freezing night shoots in kilts, being recognised in Kathmandu, and watching the sun set over Everest from 20,000 feet. Along the way, he talks about growing up in southwest Scotland, discovering acting at school in Edinburgh, and why adventure and the outdoors have always been part of who he is.There’s also plenty of talk about cocktails, creativity, and building his own distillery in Galloway, including the story behind a papaya margarita mixed in the back of a van in rural Mexico, his obsession with perfecting gin and vodka, and why bartenders are some of the most creative people he knows. Add in motorbike trips through Florida and California, Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon, and this episode becomes a wide-ranging, inspiring conversation about adventure, craft, and always saying yes to the journey.Discover The Best Places to Visit in The UK by Train with LNER

The Quiet Coach: Chef Confessions, Countryside Love, and Why James Martin Bins His Mugs

Welcome back to the Quiet Coach, where chef and TV presenter James Martin reveals his travel essentials and the moments that have shaped him as a traveler. From Red Bull and Mars bar breakfasts to throwing mugs in the bin, this is where we get into the wonderfully peculiar habits that come from decades in professional kitchens. In this episode of Routes from LNER, Jenni Falconer sits down with James for a brilliantly honest chat about life on the road and why he values home more than any hotel room.James opens up about his love of flying and the countryside, explaining how getting his pilot's license gave him a sense of freedom that dwarfs even passing your driving test. He shares stories from his early days working in London restaurants, including late night trips to KFC with fellow chefs, and admits that any chef claiming they don't live off fast food is lying. There's also his mate's restaurant with a full time DJ, why music has become essential to his life, and his partner Kim’s newfound obsession with Greggs bacon sandwiches.Expect plenty of laughs as James explains his absolute horror of people drinking from mugs, why he always arrives early to avoid the baffling phenomenon of people running for trains, and a touching moment where he reflects on a BBC documentary about loneliness that changed his perspective, reminding us all to take five minutes to say hello and make time for people.

James Martin: Flat Caps, Failed Exams and the Perfect Bacon Sandwich

From washing pots at eight years old in a Yorkshire castle to becoming one of Britain's most beloved TV chefs, James Martin's journey has been anything but conventional. In this episode of Routes from LNER, the flat cap wearing chef joins Jenni to share stories of break dancing for fish and chips in York, being dropped off at French vineyards as a kid, and why failing cookery at school was the best thing that ever happened to him.James opens up about growing up on a pig farm in North Yorkshire, his dad's unusual career as a wine judge and lorry driver, and those formative summers spent in Bordeaux châteaux learning to cook duck and grill steaks on repurposed gates. He reveals the £20 note his dad gave him when he left for London at 16 (with a blunt message attached), his first terrifying day as an accidental pastry chef, and why his granddad refused to take his flat cap off at Harrods. From working 18 hour days in London kitchens to cooking seven course meals on moving trains, James explains why dyslexia is a superpower and how respecting ingredients from an early age shaped his entire career.This episode is packed with warm nostalgia, Yorkshire wisdom, and passionate views on the perfect bacon sandwich (white sliced bread, crispy bacon, tomatoes, and absolutely no avocado). James also shares why Scotland holds such a special place in his heart, the life changing moment when Michèl Roux called him "the only guy who can cook on TV," and his cookbook creation process that sees him invent 64 brand new recipes in a single week. Plus, a cautionary tale about elastic band planes in Corfu.Discover The Best Places to Visit in The UK by Train with LNER