Saturday 12th June

This was definitely a 'just for fun' journey to and from the Capital as the purpose was to take The Capital Deltic Mini Tour from London to Oxford!

As I knew that I would need to be on the 830 Pendolino to Euston, I checked fares on Thursday on the LondonMidland web site and was pleasantly surprised to find that booking a first class seat at £26.50 was cheaper than any advance or walk-on standard single fare...

Joining the train on the day, the first class carriages were largely empty and were being patrolled by the train manager who was evicting numerous standard class passengers who seemed intent on sneaking a free upgrade on their journey to Birmingham International. There followed numerous announcements on ticket validity which, whilst clear, did highlight the possibly bewildering ticket choices to London from Birmingham. However, standard class travellers were given until Coventry to actually make sure that all was correct before an actual ticket check was made.

After Coventry, the refreshment trolley came through with a very friendly hostess in charge. Being the weekend, the refreshment range was limited to say the least: tea, coffee, water, or Virgin Cola along with biscuits or pretzels but at least the service was offered twice.

The Pendolino ran easily to the slightly slower weekend timing of 85 minutes for a punctual arrival at Euston.

A saunter along the Euston Road to King's Cross for an unusual route back to Birmingham. Just as an aside, King's Cross must be one of the least pleasant LOndon Termini to use: the current redevelopment making it seem more cramped and busy than either Euston or Marylebone and without the range of shops and outlets of either of them.

55022 brought a Spitfire Railtours train from Preston in slightly late but was quickly turned round for the 1045 departure. The West Coast Railway Company Mark II stock made the Wrexham & Shropshire spare set look palatial but of course that is not the point of the journey. 55022 and train were dragged up to Ferme Park reception sidings for reversal so that the Deltic could lead the train via Gospel Oak to join the Great Western mainline at Acton.

Alas, the timing of the journey out to Oxford from there was 1 hour 20 meaning that the train sauntered along the slow lines as HST after HST roared past on the fast lines. Not until after Reading did the Deltic get an opportunity to show what it could do (the timing of the return journey suggests a better run was enjoyed then). Anyway, good fun and great value at £19

Returned from Oxford on the 1336 XC Voyager to Manchester Piccadilly. The loading from Oxford always seems to be heavy but fortunately this service was lightly filled on arrival so Quiet Coach seats were available. Actually had a ticket check after Oxford, and the refreshment trolley appeared after Banbury. Ran to time to Birmingham...

The single standard walk-on Oxford-Birmingham fare (which I needed in case the Railtour was delayed) is £27. However splitting it at Banbury brought it down to £18.90 - which of course the booking site can't point out automatically... One final point: if I had needed more flexibility, then a standard off-peak any permitted route ticket at £41.90 would have been my choice - shame it wasn't valid on the Railtour!

As a postscript, Barry Doe in Rail 646 comments on the lack of effective barrier staff at New Street. What is worse is that the Victoria Square entrance / exit is only manned on weekday peak times. Given the lack of, and often impossibility of, on-train ticket checking one wonders if anyone actually knows how much fare dodging is going on in the Birmingham area - or are we all woonderfully honest?