Matthew Woodward

Compartment No. 6 Finnish Laura’s long train journey to the frozen north is shared with coarse young Ljoha, and finding common ground seems impossible. Award-winning 'odd couple' drama set in 1990s Russia.

I see The Saturday Telegraph have made ‘Compartment No.6’ its film of the week. It’s on the iPlayer #BBC4 - it might be a good Trans-Siberian substitute in current times..? shorturl.at/x0RuT

YouTube video by Comedylegends Going Straight - S1 E1 Going Home

BBC4 are screening first ever episode of ‘Going Straight’ this evening - successor to ‘Porridge’. The train scene with Fletch and Mr MacKay is an interesting observation on the British Rail buffet car. Lots of cans of Courage Light ale and McEwans Lager youtu.be/nqBMN0ALERM?si…

A year end thanks and best wishes to all my amazing friends here on socials. Let’s make 2025 even more railtastic. Great to follow your adventures and swap stories and ideas.

“I'll tell you this, the next drink I have's gonna be a lager. Ice cold. There's a little bar in Bangkok with a marble top counter and high stools. They serve the best beer in all the far east”. #IceColdInAlex #Rhiengold

My Christmas 1975 fantasy that never quite happened - I did get Airfix Flight Deck that year though. I bought my own Mk 2 Chopper eventually, but not until 30 years later.. (image from FB)

A couple more pavement death traps on the Chang Khlan Road today as I make my way - carefully - to an early evening beer rendezvous. The failing chipboard one is thin and covering an open drain - if you weight more than 60kg you are probably doomed.. #ChiangMai

YouTube video by Tops of the top Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton (That's Life - 1988)

If you have not seen this episode of ‘That’s Life’ I would recommend investing 7 minutes of your time celebrating an amazing and quiet hero. youtu.be/OqqbM1B-mPY?si… #SirNicholasWinton

Road accident statistics in #Thailand are appalling. I avoid crossing roads in the dark. But the pavements in #ChiangMai - can be lethal places too.. Locals don’t step on drain covers unless they are feeling lucky.

That would be a whole new chapter in the towel art manual!

I have an emerging towel art issue here at HQ. Not sure if I’m going to run out of space in my room before the hotel run out of hand towels. Should I say something?

So true. It’s a much better passenger experience than Bangkok now..

An image captured from CAREFUL CHARLIE (1970)

CAREFUL CHARLIE (1970) | https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-careful-charlie-1970-online

Bravo Justin!

Checked into my longtime HQ in Chiang Mai. Housekeeping have kindly broken out my personal bedding just in case I forget my name in the middle of the night. Always feel at home here. Thank you @ShangriLaHotels

Blog: Off the Rails in Hua Hin - the cult of train talks, model railways and my enduring love of cold beer. #HuaHin shorturl.at/rmGqi

Hua Hin would not exist without the railway. Nice to be able to celebrate this over a railway themed beer. #HuaHin #brewery #Thailand

‘Please make my mixed fruit smoothie the colour of this hat’. Pantone reference- mango. #beachlife #Thailand #HuaHin

Fancy a rail chat tomorrow? Please come and join me at the Centara Grand in #HuaHin - the original Thai railway resort hotel. Lots to talk about and help inspire your next rail adventure. Kick off with drinks at 17.00. Hope to see you! #RailTourism #Thailand @ExploreCentara

Up early (for me) this morning. Train chat on the breakfast show with Leigh Higgins on Surf Radio here in #HuaHin

Thanks to the team @InterConHotels #HuaHin for letting me play with their recently installed train set today. Thanks also to @ZengoMay for the tip off. Railway tourism on a different scale, literally.

I’m not a trainspotter, but I’ve ticked off locomotive 305 from my list of Thai steam trains. It’s a Baldwin from #Pennsylvania - a state I have always wanted to visit. I think it’s a Deer Hunter thing.

I’ve been at the (old) Hua Hin railway station today. Quite sad to see it bare and devoid of life. This time last year it was my favourite Thai station with the shiniest (now missing) bell. #HuaHin

Vietnam OK's $67bn bullet train for 5-hour trip north to south ASEAN factory hub studies Japan, China for national rail dream 18 years in the making

Vietnam OK's $67bn bullet train for 5-hour trip north to south 🚄🇻🇳 asia.nikkei.com/Business/Tra...

I got spotted before I made it back to the bar tonight. Tickets still available if you are in Hua Hin on Friday. Love to see you here at the Centara Grand. It’s going to be a great train chat! @ExploreCentara #HuaHin

I’m the writer in residence at the Centara Grand Beach Resort in Hua Hin for the next couple of weeks - the original railway resort hotel in Thailand. Great writing set up here to inspire creativity. #HuaHin #IAmWriting @ExploreCentara

Perhaps the only railway bell you can ring in Thailand without getting in trouble is in the Hua Lamphong museum. A small place, but a treasure trove going back to the days of the Royal Railway of Siam #Bangkok

For those that asked - I’ve been a lucky guest at the Mekong Riverview Hotel in Luang Prabang for the past week. My room was amazing. Spent hours on the balcony each day watching the world pass by on the river.

I’m headed back to Bangkok tomorrow- if anyone fancies a rail chat I’ll be at @FCCThai and Jack’s Bar most evenings before I head south. Next stop Hua Hin.

Luang Prabang by night is just as pretty as in the daytime. The architecture is very Indochine.. #Laos #LuangPrabang

Back from my trip up river to the Pak Ou caves yesterday. I chartered my own boat for $70. Not cheap but nice to be independent. Last visited caves in 1997. #Mekong #Laos #LuangPrabang