Train Journey with toddler

My Son was always happy just to look out of the window to see what we could spot. Especially if its a journey that you're not familar with. Possibly get something like an I-Spy book and tick things off as you see them.
I see plenty of kids now with colouring books/ story books to do.
Thats the great thing about trains plenty of time to watch the world go by.

If its a long journey, look into buying a family railcard. You are correct that 2yo do not need a ticket, but you can't reserve them a seat without one. As a railcard will get you a discount on both adult and child tickets it can work out more economic. For example, I travel from Oxford to York with my 2 children, I buy a family railcard for £26 per year. For an adult ticket only without a railcard it is more expensive than an adult+child with the railcard. The difference is more than £26, so I save just by doing 1 journey AND I get a reserved seat. We can get 3 of us into 2 seats. I actually travel 2/3 times a year, so the savings are pretty good.

As for buying tickets, I usually go to the station to do it as you can pick exactly which seats you want, I get the ones near the toilet and the large luggage area so my buggy can travel unfolded. Try and get the proper table rather than the airline style ones.

Sheffield is an easy one to change at, there are lifts and a bridge to get between platforms. I have always found staff very helpful there (I sometimes break my return journey in Sheffield as my dad lives there)

As for entertainment, I use videos on my iPhone, books (the poor people sat near us got very sick of the gruffalo's child on one journey!). Take plenty of finger food, always good for distraction. Pens and drawing. Take a pad though, not loose paper. Don't try and potty train 5 days before you travel (from personal experience - what WAS I thinking...). A change on the journey is actually good as you have the distraction of packing up, getting off and re boarding to break the journey. Lots of talking about what is outside the window.

Have fun, I love travelling by train with mine :-) however, no.3 was due last Monday (no sign yet) and I'm a little apprehensive about doing it with 3 of them!

This year I have done 2 return journeys from Manchester to Edinburgh with a 1year old.

We booked a table seat, using a family rail card, booked on Trainline or Red Spotted Hanky. We took finger snacks, juice, a magazine, pad and crayons and the iPod/iPad and a few little cars

With regard to entering/alighting from trains with a pushchair (assuming you'll have one), I see all the time in my job, parents struggling to alight from trains with their pushchair 'nose first'. This can be dangerous if the little one isn't secured properly and is far less easy than reversing off. Seems common sense to me, but most don't do it this way for some reason. Give it a go, I'm sure you'll agree! Same with entering the train, nose first is obviously better. Parents tend to do this on entering the train though...I guess natural to do this nose first technique unless you use the trains a lot, or work on them?

How long is the journey? I've travelled into London with my toddler and that's just over an hour. She was very happy looking out of the window, reading some books, eating snacks and chatting to me.

You could also try:
colouring/drawing
games on your phone
stories on your phone
I-Spy
Exploring the train (walking up and down)