A TINY English train station that is barely used is like something Harry Potter.

Chappel & Wakes Colne railway station in Colchester is around an hour from London, travelling to Liverpool Street station.

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Just over 28,000 people use it a year, working out to around 77 passengers a day.

However, the train station is right next to the Chappel Viaduct, a huge brick structure measuring 1,066ft.

Built in the 1840s, trains run over the top of the viaduct, which is above a field of blue linseed oil bearing flowers during the summer.

Costing more than £2million to build in today’s money, it is one of the UK’s largest brick-built structures still standing.

Many may see the resemblance to the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, made famous for featuring in the Harry Potter films when used by the Hogwarts Express.

And the Essex viaduct has boomed in popularity by social media users who take pictures in one of the 32 arches, stretching 30ft tall.

Earlier this year, the viaduct celebrated its 175th anniversary of train routes, which launched in 1849.

Otherwise there is nearby The Swan Inn pub right on the river, whose beer garden is right underneath the viaduct.

One previous tourist wrote: “The location is beautiful and we had a short walk afterwards under the viaduct – a hidden gem of Victorian Essex.”

If you fancy visiting, the station has just one platform with a single track.

Thankfully, just one train runs an hour in each direction so there is rarely a battle for the track.

Platforms two and three are home to the East Anglian Railway Museum.

The attraction has themed events including Thomas the Tank Engine day outs as well as Steam train days.

Sun Travel’s favourite train journeys in the world

Sun Travel’s journalists have taken their fare share of train journeys on their travels and here they share their most memorable rail experiences.

Davos to Geneva, Switzerland

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“After a ski holiday in Davos, I took the scenic train back to Geneva Airport. The snow-covered mountains and tiny alpine villages that we passed were so beautiful that it felt like a moving picture was playing beyond the glass.” – Caroline McGuire

Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen

“Nothing quite beats the Shinkansen bullet train, one of the fastest in the world. It hardly feels like you’re whizzing along at speed until you look outside and see the trees a green blur. Make sure to book seat D or E too – as you’ll have the best view of Mount Fuji along the way.” Kara Godfrey

London to Paris by Eurostar

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“Those who have never travelled on the Eurostar may wonder what’s so special about a seemingly ordinary train that takes you across the channel. You won’t have to waste a moment and can tick off all the top attractions from the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées which are both less than five kilometres from the Gare du Nord.” – Sophie Swietochowski

Glasgow to Fort William by Scotrail

“From mountain landscapes and serene lochs to the wistful moors, I spent my three-hour journey from Glasgow to Fort William gazing out the window. Sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views overlooking Loch Lomond.” – Hope Brotherton

Beijing to Ulaanbatar

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“The Trans-Mongolian Express is truly a train journey like no other. It starts amid the chaos of central Beijing before the city’s high-rises give way to crumbling ancient villages and eventually the vast vacant plains of Mongolia, via the Gobi desert. The deep orange sunset seen in the middle of the desert is among the best I’ve witnessed anywhere.” – Ryan Gray

Also in the UK is the Knaresborough Viaduct, built in 1851 that is often compared to a fairytale.

And here is the new scenic train that launched across the north of the UK this year.

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A BRIT holidaymaker who booked a budget break in Valencia was left in fits of giggles, when she discovered her hotel room resembled a 13-year-old boy’s bedroom.

Martha Mills paid £115 for two nights as part of a special deal for the ‘interior facing single room,’ at Casual Vintage hotel in the Spanish city.

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In a video tour she filmed of her digs, which can be played above, she shows off the bathroom and the decoration of the bedroom.

The room is the size of an average British boxroom, with two toy Ferrari cars stuck on the wall alongside a chequered flag.

Inside the bathroom was a half-sized bath that she was unable to squeeze her legs into, along with a shower curtain that said: ‘God Save The Queen.’

On the morning after her first night’s stay, she pulled back the window curtain to reveal the view of a wall.

Martha told Sun Online Travel:  “The website did say the room was small and “interior” so the general size of the sleeping area was no huge surprise, but the decor and the hilarious mini-bath were definitely not what I anticipated.

“And they didn’t specify that “interior” would be a window a few feet from a brick wall.

“In general, the aspirational images that were presented to me on the website of the hotel were not what I ended up with.

“The rest of the hotel was also very small and quite tired looking in comparison to the photo gallery. The front desk staff and cleaners were all friendly and the location was great for seeing the sites on foot.”

When asked if felt like she had paid over the odds for the small room, Martha conceded that the price point was unsatisfying because she got neither comfort or a bargain.

She said: “I don’t feel I was robbed, but I do think I could have paid a few pounds more for a far superior hotel room elsewhere – or paid a couple pounds less and used a youth hostel where I would have been fully prepared for the lower-budget product.

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“When I walked in, I had to laugh, as the first thing I saw was the droopy chequered flag on the wall, the naff woodchip wall paper and the toy cars stuck over the bed – it was NOTHING like the photos on the website.

“It felt like I was visiting an aunt for Christmas and had been given her young son’s bedroom to sleep in.”

“However , the wifi and air con worked, which made it bearable, and I had great fun updating my friends on all the hilarious things I found, like the bath for ants.”

Sun Online Travel have contacted the Casual Vintage hotel for a comment.

This isn’t the first time a holidaymaker has booked into a hotel to be faced with a different aspect to what appeared in the brochures.

One tourist booked into a Vietnam hotel to discover her infinity pool was actually more like a hot tub.

In another instance, a social media influencer claimed to have paid for sea views, only to check in and realise the window was lined with a poster.

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BRITISH Airways has suspended a number of flights to New York until next year, due to ongoing engine issues.

The airline confirmed that hundreds of long-haul flights were being cancelled due to delays in the delivery of engines and parts from Rolls-Royce.

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Affected flights including the new route from London to Kuala Lumpur, which has been delayed from November 2024 to April 2025.

But also suspended is the popular London Gatwick to New York route.

The flag carrier first launched the Gatwick-New York flight in 2015, making it the third London airport with the route (joining Heathrow and London City).

The flight is especially popular for Brits during the winter season wanting to visit New York at Christmas and New Year.

The route is now being suspended from December 12 until March 25.

Not only will this affect hundreds of passengers who had already booked, but it is likely to result in more expensive flights due to a reduction in seat availability.

A British Airways spokesperson previously said: “We’ve taken this action because we do not believe the issue will be solved quickly, and we want to offer our customers the certainty they deserve.

“We’ve apologised to those affected and are able to offer the vast majority a flight the same day with British Airways or one of our partner airlines.

“We continue to work closely with Rolls-Royce to ensure the company is aware of the impact its issues are having on our schedule and customers, and seek reassurance of a prompt and reliable solution.”

While Brits can still fly with British Airways to New York, travellers will have to head to Heathrow Airport instead.

An alternative is to fly from Gatwick to New York with Norse Airways.

If you fancy going to New York next year, you can find return direct flights with Norse for just £265.

The overall cancellations have affected as many as 200,000 passengers.

it comes just weeks after British Airways confirmed they would be suspending all routes from Southampton Airport in summer 2025.

Having first launched from the regional airport back in 2021, the routes affected include Malaga, Majorca, Faro, Bergerac and Chambery,

And the airline’s London Heathrow to Beijing route has also been suspended until at least next November.

But it isn’t just British Airways who has been forced to cancel flights in recent months.

Last week, all flights were cancelled to Orlando from the UK following Hurricane Milton.

Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and TUI passengers were all affected after the majority of airports in the US hotspot were forced to close.

Flight compensation rules

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A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

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So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

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Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

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Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

And thousands of passengers were affected by Emirates cancellations earlier this month after the airspace over Iran was temporarily closed

Emirates passengers were primarily affected as the routes cancelled were from Dubai to Iraq, Iran and Jordan.

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