Thursday 26 May 2011

Chiltern Peak time fares

Chiltern has reissued the leaflet 'If you think fares to London should be fairer, join us...' to take account of the increase in the Super Off-peak fare between Birmingham and London (still great value at £25).

Alas, no doubt in the interests of 'simplicity', it continues to suggest that the Peak Time return fare to London from Birmingham is £85. Whilst correct in terms of the ticket described - an Anytime Return - regular readers of my blog will know that Peak Time travel is actually cheaper than this...

So, for the sake of clarity, the 'walk-on' fares are as follows (don't forget that the booking office CANNOT refuse to sell you these combinations):

0543 Moor Street to Marylebone: £39.40 outwards; £32 back = £71.40 (outwards, split ticket at Bicester North: £16.40 + £23)

0614 / 0655 Moor Street to Marylebone: £45.90 outwards; £32 back = £77.90 (outwards, split ticket at Banbury: £15.30 + £30.60)

0717 / 0748 Moor Street to Marylebone: £37.60 outwards; £32 back = £69.60 (outwards, split ticket at Haddenham & Thame Parkway).

0815 onwards Moor Street to Marylebone: £33 off-peak return available...

The ghost of Wrexham & Shropshire...

One of the features of the summer 2011 Chiltern timetable* is the increased use of former Wrexham & Shropshire stock on Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone services. On Tuesday I was able to try out two of the new workings: the 10.55 from Moor Street and the 18.30 from Marylebone.

The stock of the 10.55 departure had the declassified first class carriage at the Birmingham end of the train, making it the first carriage that intending passengers pass. However, it is still branded 'First Class'; clearly most Chiltern passengers from Birmingham don't realise that Chiltern don't run First Class as most walked resolutely onto the standard class carriages further down the train (though of course W&S standard class is far superior to any other company's offering!).

Inside the First Class carriage all was quiet. Plenty of table seats to choose from, with, of course, power sockets and to my great delight working WiFi. Not only was it working but the download speed was superb - easily beating Virgin's Pendolino offering (I was able to download mb attachments on my email, something that Virgin has never allowed me to do). Better still, it is FREE.

What was not available was a buffet service nor was a trolley loaded... I gather that there are problems training the Chiltern catering stewards to (wo)man the W&S buffet car - though as one commented the other week 'How difficult is it to fry bacon...' Shame, not least because I would have patronised one of Moor Street's superb refreshment outlets had I known!

The run to Marylebone was good, and the First Class carriage remained quiet. Arrival on time at 12.55.

Coming back, the 1800 arrival into Marylebone which is the stock for the 18.30 was delayed heavily by an earlier incident on the line. Though a quick turn-around was achieved by the platform staff and crew, departure wasn't until after 1845. What a difference in loading! Clearly, the commuters from Bicester North and Banbury do understand about declassified First Class as the carriage was full. WiFi working again but no buffet car or trolley (though I think that this due to policy not staff).

Although  I love the ex-W&S stock, one downside is that there is no ability to catch up on lost time unlike the Clubmans which always seem to be able to do so past Banbury. So arrival into Moor Street was around 20 minutes late.

Overall, the comfort & ambience of the W&S lives on but the service 'spirit' has gone. Let's hope that Chiltern rediscover that spirit when the Chiltern Mainline is launched in September...

* ex-W&S stock work the following M-F services from Moor Street: 0543, 0614, 1055, 1555. From Marylebone, the services are 0820, 1320, 1630, 1830

Sunday 22 May 2011

Chiltern fares update

Today marks the start of the new timetable period which will run until the advent of Chiltern Mainline in September. There are no significant changes to the Monday-Friday pattern of services, though certain Moor Street to Marylebone and return trains will be made up of loco-hauled stock rather than Clubmans.

However, Chiltern have taken the opportunity to increase the Super Off-peak fare to £25. Outward from Moor Street, this is valid Monday-Friday on any service from 11.15. Back from Marylebone, travel is restricted to services from 10.50 to 15.20, and from 20.00 (no restrictions apply on Saturday or Sunday).

A knock-on effect of this increase is to decrease the saving possible on an Anytime Return fare which I described in January to £9.10 (or £9 if you go for the '3 journey' option)! Note that the savings possible using the off-peak option and split-fare options remain as before.

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Virgin out / Virgin + CrossCountry back

Last Wednesday, I had a fairly early start to a meeting in the Euston area so looked around for a reasonable fare. Virgin Train's site came up with a £49 advance standard class fare on the 750 Pendolino out of New Street, and a £48 advance first class fare on the 1907 Pendolino back from Euston to Nuneaton with a CrossCountry connection to New Street.

The key advantage of booking advance with Virgin is that you can get a table in standard which not only gives you more room but also access to a socket (Pendolino's standard class provision is otherwise rather cramped...). So I was able to establish myself in the Quiet Coach A which though busy did actually live up to its billing. As I have been fortunate to find on my Pendolino trips, the journey was uneventful and on time, and there was even a ticket check before arrival at Euston. No announcement about a shop service in standard however - this is an area that seems to be very lackadaisical in Virgin's quality control.

Virgin have now replaced the former Hotline magazine with onboard, a four times a year guide.

Coming back, the first class section of the 1907 was reasonably busy. As the first stop is Nuneaton, tea / coffee was served on departure and followed up with the food and drink offering. I had a very nice salmon and brocolli tart along with an apple and fruit juice. Also announced with the shop for standard class passengers, along with the detail that it now takes Credit & Debit cards once more...

WiFi was useless in the middle of Quiet Coach H - failing to allow me to download even email. This is an area which Virgin needs to address as the service is very variable.

Quick change at Nuneaton where there is just time to get over the bridge to the Birmingham platforms. Was pleasantly surprised to discover that CrossCountry now offer free tea / coffee to First Class passengers. Arrival back into Birmingham was slightly late but overall a good journey experience.

Parking

Last week's and this Thursday's Birmingham Post has a two-part competition to win an annual parking pass at Birmingham International station worth up to £1000...

Meanwhile, Coleshill Parkway will continue to offer free parking until September 2015 - see http://www.coleshillparkway.co.uk/offers/free-parking CrossCountry trains connect at Nuneaton for the Virgin peak hour services to London, though alas these are not cross-platform connections.

Free parking remains available at Tame Bridge Parkway, though, of course, the brilliant Wrexham & Shropshire service has ceased.

Finally, Chiltern are building additional parking at Solihull but the cost will rise from the current 75p a day (!) to £2. Once Chiltern Mainline starts in September, this may become a preferred option for south Birmingham travellers to London!

Chiltern News

Chiltern's summer timetable has been published in booklet form, and can be downloaded here. Loco-hauled stock appears to be rostered for the 0543, 0614, 1055, and 1555 departures from Moor Street, and for the 0820, 1320, 1630, and 1830 departures from Marylebone. No additional details on 'business class' nor on catering...

New iPhone App launched... http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/chiltern-railways/id424250547?mt=8

Public Meeting organised by Cherwell Rail Users' Group on Saturday 14th May at 11.15 in Banbury (Depuis Centre, Dashwood Road) has Bevin Thomas, Head of Train Planning, as Guest Speaker.