I think some people just like train travel and some don't. Met my fair share of people who've complained about the horror of it - it being full of drunks, weirdos, people on mobile phones, misbehaving children and so on. I've met some very interesting people on train journeys the last few years, all total strangers, some of who were a great laugh to listen to and some who were very polite. A few characters. A few interesting incidents but none anywhere near as dangerous as people make out. Never saw any of them again. It's just the restrictions/complexity/cost of the mainlines that irritates me/stresses some people out where it wouldn't otherwise.
Over the last nearly two years I've had my fair share of uncomfortable train journeys, but by adapting my travel times (which I'm fortunate to be able to do - for example if I get the 15.57, which terminates and restarts at York, I have a much better chance of a seat than the 16.26, which comes in from Scarborough already crowded. But I have to take a couple of hours off work on a Friday afternoon to make the train, which I make up out of time off in lieu and holiday) I usually have a fairly stress free trip, with the chance to read, or surf online, or just stare out of the window at the view, for a couple of hours. I can't do that if I drive (as I have done a couple of times recently).
As NT pointed out, it's quicker for him to drive here than the train, but that is partly down to the need to change trains, and the wait in between. On a simple mainline journey like York to London, it's much quicker and less tiring to get the train. But oh, so expensive for a whim.
