Travelling to London on Friday? The following offers are being made by the three train operating companies on the Birmingham to London route...
Virgin are running a full First Class service on their Pendolinos BUT are removing all peak travel restrictions and are charging a flat £25 First Class upgrade during the day (available on the train if space available). Thus a Birmingham to London return for the day First Class will be £94.30 on any train out and back. Probably best to book ahead but DON'T buy Advance or Anytime tickets if you do - use the Virgin Trains web site and select the Off-peak tickets!
Chiltern have announced that 'All “Kates” “Catherines” or “Williams” get free travel on the royal wedding by showing their photographic driving license or passport to Chiltern Railways staff.' Unfortunately, engineering work will mean longer journey times...
LondonMidland haven't any special 'Royal Wedding' offers but the Rail Sale continues so Birmingham to London and back is half-price on off-peak trains.
Saturday 23 April 2011
LondonMidland out / Chiltern back
Last Tuesday's trip to London gave me an opportunity to use the 7.53 LondonMidland service from New Street as I needed to arrive at Euston for the best onward tube connection and there were £16 Advance First Single tickets when I booked on Monday...
A pleasant surprise awaited me at New Street: the train's arrival from Crewe and departure to Euston was announced without reference to the train terminating first. Common sense at last! As ever, the train was busy with New Street communters on arrival and with International and Coventry commuters on departure but the First Class compartment was quiet enougn for me to be able to get a table for my laptop work.
Soon after departure, the trolley arrived. Complimentary tea and ginger nut buscuits - very welcome! However, no ticket check at any point on the journey...
No problems at Northampton this time, and arrival into Euston's platform 8 was 5 minutes early. For some reason the gates refused to recognise my ticket which was annoying but otherwise a good journey experience.
Returned to Moor Street on the 17.00 Chiltern Clubman from Marylebone. This proved to be suprisingly quiet (usually busy until Banbury) so was able to get to a table without any hassle. Good run too. What else is there to say other than Chiltern continue to deliver...
Well actually there is a pecularity to note... This week's Rail Magazine (issue 668) carries a news item along with a comment piece from Christian Wolmer on the Dept. of Transport's decision to impose a £500k fine on Chiltern for franchise (not operational) breaches. Not surprisingly, Chiltern are annoyed and Christian seems to feel the Company is justified in so being.
Actually, the DfT are consulting on the fine - see http://bit.ly/giAA7X - until 5th May. So if you have any thoughts, now is the time to let the DfT know!
A pleasant surprise awaited me at New Street: the train's arrival from Crewe and departure to Euston was announced without reference to the train terminating first. Common sense at last! As ever, the train was busy with New Street communters on arrival and with International and Coventry commuters on departure but the First Class compartment was quiet enougn for me to be able to get a table for my laptop work.
Soon after departure, the trolley arrived. Complimentary tea and ginger nut buscuits - very welcome! However, no ticket check at any point on the journey...
No problems at Northampton this time, and arrival into Euston's platform 8 was 5 minutes early. For some reason the gates refused to recognise my ticket which was annoying but otherwise a good journey experience.
Returned to Moor Street on the 17.00 Chiltern Clubman from Marylebone. This proved to be suprisingly quiet (usually busy until Banbury) so was able to get to a table without any hassle. Good run too. What else is there to say other than Chiltern continue to deliver...
Well actually there is a pecularity to note... This week's Rail Magazine (issue 668) carries a news item along with a comment piece from Christian Wolmer on the Dept. of Transport's decision to impose a £500k fine on Chiltern for franchise (not operational) breaches. Not surprisingly, Chiltern are annoyed and Christian seems to feel the Company is justified in so being.
Actually, the DfT are consulting on the fine - see http://bit.ly/giAA7X - until 5th May. So if you have any thoughts, now is the time to let the DfT know!
Monday 18 April 2011
Chiltern out / Virgin back
Last Wednesday found me waiting at Birmingham Snow Hill for the 8.12 Chiltern Clubman service to London Marylebone It was running around 15 minutes late, but my wait was enlivened by the antics of the depature screens which seemed convinced that Chiltern was going to run a service to London at 8.22 as well...
There is no printed reference at Snow Hill to this service, and no announcements were made about it. Of course, Chiltern has been running an empty stock train from Snow Hill to return the 8.10 arrival from High Wycombe. Looking at the Chiltern's electronic train planner, it looks as if this working now picks up the timing of the 915 from Banbury for arrival in Marylebone is down as 10.38.
However, on Wednesday, I couldn't investigate further as a text alert arrived saying the train was cancelled so I stuck my orginal plan... As there is so much slack in the current timetable, I suspected that the 812 would make up time, and in the event it did; arriving virtually on time (although the arrival board at Marylebone remained convinced that it was going to be 15 mins late even after arrival!).
As ever, the 812 was a pleasure to use: table with sockets, trolley service; friendy staff; cheap fares... I am definitely a happy Chiltern customer.
I had booked back on the 21.03 Virgin Pendolino from London Euston as the £22 Advance First Class fare on this journey is such a bargain. Regular readers of this blog will know that Virgin have been slack on tickets checks of late on this service. Not tonight... barrier check at the platform entrance (very friendly staff) and an on-board check as well.
Quiet Coach H lived up to its billing, being virtually empty. Still, this meant that the WiFi had reasonable download speeds. Tea / coffee offered on departure, then sandwiches / fruit / soft or alcoholic drink after the Milton Keynes stop. Arrival on time at Birmingham New Street completed an very pleasant journey. Pity Virgin can't offer off-peak walk-on First Class fares to encourage usage of these empty coaches!
There is no printed reference at Snow Hill to this service, and no announcements were made about it. Of course, Chiltern has been running an empty stock train from Snow Hill to return the 8.10 arrival from High Wycombe. Looking at the Chiltern's electronic train planner, it looks as if this working now picks up the timing of the 915 from Banbury for arrival in Marylebone is down as 10.38.
However, on Wednesday, I couldn't investigate further as a text alert arrived saying the train was cancelled so I stuck my orginal plan... As there is so much slack in the current timetable, I suspected that the 812 would make up time, and in the event it did; arriving virtually on time (although the arrival board at Marylebone remained convinced that it was going to be 15 mins late even after arrival!).
As ever, the 812 was a pleasure to use: table with sockets, trolley service; friendy staff; cheap fares... I am definitely a happy Chiltern customer.
I had booked back on the 21.03 Virgin Pendolino from London Euston as the £22 Advance First Class fare on this journey is such a bargain. Regular readers of this blog will know that Virgin have been slack on tickets checks of late on this service. Not tonight... barrier check at the platform entrance (very friendly staff) and an on-board check as well.
Quiet Coach H lived up to its billing, being virtually empty. Still, this meant that the WiFi had reasonable download speeds. Tea / coffee offered on departure, then sandwiches / fruit / soft or alcoholic drink after the Milton Keynes stop. Arrival on time at Birmingham New Street completed an very pleasant journey. Pity Virgin can't offer off-peak walk-on First Class fares to encourage usage of these empty coaches!
Thursday 7 April 2011
LondonMidland out / Chiltern back
On Monday I was booked onto the 0753 LondonMidland service out of Birmingham New Street as the LM web site assured me it would be running. Even on Sunday afternoon, there was a £16 advance first class single fare available to Euston on it...
As ever, the train rolled into Platform 1A from Crewe on time (7.48) and, as ever, the automated announcement was determined that 'this train terminates here' despite the fact that it was clearly forming the 7.53 service. Why can't the announcements be programmed correctly?
The First Class compartment was relatively quiet so had no problem getting to a table with a power point for my laptop. An advantage that LM First Class has over the very good Standard Class Chiltern provision is the availability of curtains. Certainly needed on Monday as the sun was shining brightly in the East!
Another advantage on the morning run from New Street is the trolley service which offers free tea / coffee and a biscuit in First Class (no hot rolls though - a Chiltern strength...). The trolley appeared soon after departure from New Street with a very friendly hostess. No ticket inspection however...
All went well until Northampton. Due to a technical fault, coupling up with another unit wasn't possible so we had to leave our train and hurry along to catch the 905 departure. Not a real hassle but still a nuisance when you're settled into a through journey routine.
Clearly the 905 from Northampton was busier but ticket checks meant the First Class stayed relatively quiet. On time arrival at Euston where, as usual, the barrier gates at Platform 8 refused to recognise my ticket...
Had hoped to book on the 1813 LM train back from Euston but no advance First tckets had been available. So onto Marylebone for the 1800 Clubman back to Snow Hill. As usual, this was busy to Banbury and then gradually quietening down as Birmingham was approached so access to a table on which to work was possible. Good run back too. As ever, Chiltern delivers.
As ever, the train rolled into Platform 1A from Crewe on time (7.48) and, as ever, the automated announcement was determined that 'this train terminates here' despite the fact that it was clearly forming the 7.53 service. Why can't the announcements be programmed correctly?
The First Class compartment was relatively quiet so had no problem getting to a table with a power point for my laptop. An advantage that LM First Class has over the very good Standard Class Chiltern provision is the availability of curtains. Certainly needed on Monday as the sun was shining brightly in the East!
Another advantage on the morning run from New Street is the trolley service which offers free tea / coffee and a biscuit in First Class (no hot rolls though - a Chiltern strength...). The trolley appeared soon after departure from New Street with a very friendly hostess. No ticket inspection however...
All went well until Northampton. Due to a technical fault, coupling up with another unit wasn't possible so we had to leave our train and hurry along to catch the 905 departure. Not a real hassle but still a nuisance when you're settled into a through journey routine.
Clearly the 905 from Northampton was busier but ticket checks meant the First Class stayed relatively quiet. On time arrival at Euston where, as usual, the barrier gates at Platform 8 refused to recognise my ticket...
Had hoped to book on the 1813 LM train back from Euston but no advance First tckets had been available. So onto Marylebone for the 1800 Clubman back to Snow Hill. As usual, this was busy to Banbury and then gradually quietening down as Birmingham was approached so access to a table on which to work was possible. Good run back too. As ever, Chiltern delivers.
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