washerboy Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 What a joke, its 5 years or more since I last travelled on a train.. 3 cancelled trains and two delays travelling from Preston to Thorne. Makes a long day even longer. My stupid fault for not wanting to drive this weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 I don’t miss rail in the North, I do remember it being fabulously cheap though. The last few train journeys I have done were bang on time, very comfortable, much faster than driving, but eyebleedingly expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washerboy Posted March 31, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 £55 return for two adults I'm OK with that but I should have left Preston at 16.11 I'm still awaiting a train in Doncaster Station to get me home for 20.40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 I love travelling by train. I know it can be a pain when they’re either full or late, but overall I really enjoy rail travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobba Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 What is British Rail? Does it still exist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 I enjoy rail travel, sit back relax enjoy a book or the Vries. Car travel in modern traffic is awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 The prices can get silly mind, for me and three colleagues the tickets for a trip booked by the company that wanted us elsewhere for a weekend were printed with ticket prices of a total of £2200. I suspect they could have sent us by helicopter for less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 3 minutes ago, Wb123 said: The prices can get silly mind, for me and three colleagues the tickets for a trip booked by the company that wanted us elsewhere for a weekend were printed with ticket prices of a total of £2200. I suspect they could have sent us by helicopter for less. you could have had a weekend in Majorca or similar? 1 hour ago, Scully said: I love travelling by train. I know it can be a pain when they’re either full or late, but overall I really enjoy rail travel. Yes great when it's for leisure, but a pain if you need to arrive on time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newbie to this Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Scully said: I love travelling by train. I know it can be a pain when they’re either full or late, but overall I really enjoy rail travel. 32 minutes ago, figgy said: I enjoy rail travel, sit back relax enjoy a book or the Vries. Car travel in modern traffic is awful. You wouldn't in rush hour peak times in london, especially on the tube in summer, packed in like sardines in 100° heat. Edited March 31, 2019 by Newbie to this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 (edited) The government and environmentalists complain so much about people using cars etc! But when ONE return trip to London can pay for the 12 month car insurance, plus the fuel to get to London and back with change to spend it all makes sense why so many still travel by car! Add to that the reliability of the services it says it all. Newcastle to london £160. For £40 I can get from Paris to Switzerland? Edited March 31, 2019 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 30 minutes ago, Newbie to this said: You wouldn't in rush hour peak times in london, especially on the tube in summer, packed in like sardines in 100° heat. Been there and done it, not nice but no better driving in London in the same heat and rush hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newbie to this Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 44 minutes ago, figgy said: Been there and done it, not nice but no better driving in London in the same heat and rush hour. You probably have a point there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoBodyImportant Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 I have never been on a train. Kinda want to through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sha Bu Le Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 Everyone should travel by train at least once, which if you do it in the UK once is probably all it will be. Overcrowded, late cancelled, loud people talking on their mobiles (doubtful if there is anyone at the other end) it's just a look at me look at me person. Not cleaned after each journey, the list goes on. Here in the north we use Northern Rail for our regular trip to Carlisle to visit daughter and granddaughter; On a scale of 1-10 for everything including common sense I guess they would score a negative. Unfortunately it's the only service we've got to get across country so hey ho' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 (edited) I use the train all the time to go to Cardiff from Paddington, its pretty good, you get an allocated seat with a plug. The price varies considerably but £15-20 is not unusual. Its usually pretty reliable. As from this summer I will start doing Paddington to St Austell in Cornwall on a regular basis, I've already started looking at the prices as I am set up on the trainline and GWR websites to receive notifications of deals to Cardiff I just added St Austell as well. £35 seems about the best I have seen. The thing about train travel is knowing how to go about getting the right prices Edited April 2, 2019 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 (edited) On 31/03/2019 at 21:59, Lord Geordie said: Newcastle to london £160. For £40 I can get from Paris to Switzerland? I can book London to Newcastle in two weeks time for £36.95 on Trainline website using my railcard, I have just checked it. And that will be a reserved seat with a plug for your lap top and a buffet car. That's why I use the trains so much they are cheap and I find them very comfortable The Journey time is 2 hours 50 mins, you would struggle to drive it in twice that time The thing is its very variable, Newcastle playing at home, big concert at the Sage and the tickets go through the roof Edited April 2, 2019 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 3 hours ago, Vince Green said: The thing about train travel is knowing how to go about getting the right prices This. A mate and me used to compete with each other to find the cheapest return fares to London as we both went there for various reasons quite regularly. I could never beat him as he seemed to have it down to a fine art, and once did it for 48 quid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 12 hours ago, Sha Bu Le said: loud people talking on their mobiles You can book a quiet carriage you know? Often its only a few extra pounds for first class and that can be a real game changer. On 31/03/2019 at 23:10, NoBodyImportant said: I have never been on a train. Kinda want to through. Where are you? I think you are in the US? Amtrak is good these days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevo_m Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 A bit out of date........railways were privatised in 1994. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 34 minutes ago, Vince Green said: You can book a quiet carriage you know? Often its only a few extra pounds for first class and that can be a real game changer. Where are you? I think you are in the US? Amtrak is good these days went from Arbroath to Bolton once in first class after working night shift, their was a carriage missing really busy train heading for Edinburgh? And we asked nice, just go to first class sir 🤩🤩 very nice indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoBodyImportant Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 47 minutes ago, Vince Green said: Where are you? I think you are in the US? Amtrak is good these days Yea, I think it would be fun. I see Amtrak run the anywhere in the Lower 48 for $79. I have thought about picking somewhere on the west coast and riding out. Round trip would be $160 and I would see 6500 miles of the US. As far as normal travel it doesn’t make sense. Gas is $1.99 a gallon and my wife car gets 35mpg. If we take a train to the beach for a weekend we would still have to rent a car while we where there. There is a coal train that runs the Smoky mountain national park in NC. It was on the top ten train rides in the world list. But it’s like 150$ per person for the 3 hour tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Vince Green said: I can book London to Newcastle in two weeks time for £36.95 on Trainline website using my railcard, I have just checked it. And that will be a reserved seat with a plug for your lap top and a buffet car. That's why I use the trains so much they are cheap and I find them very comfortable The Journey time is 2 hours 50 mins, you would struggle to drive it in twice that time The thing is its very variable, Newcastle playing at home, big concert at the Sage and the tickets go through the roof I used British rails website and that was what I was quoted for! My nephew is in the RAF and one day wanting a return from oxford to Newcastle was quoted over £350! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzicat Posted April 3, 2019 Report Share Posted April 3, 2019 I love train travel, just not in the U/K! took train Chicago to San Francisco,little cabinette, nice food, friendly attendants,& train arrived20 Minutes late.Scotrail can,t manage that Huntly to Aberdeen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted April 3, 2019 Report Share Posted April 3, 2019 9 hours ago, Lord Geordie said: I used British rails website I think what's going on here is that the first Google search result for the string "British Rail" is the National Rail enquiry site, which is run by the Train Operating Companies' group. This site will then send you to any one of the several providers to actually sell you a ticket, once you've looked up the train you want using their timetable. As for rail travel in the UK, it's...only ok at best. I've recently travelled from Bristol to a certain North Western town and had to use the 'Transpenine Express' - what an embarrassing joke of a service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveboy Posted April 3, 2019 Report Share Posted April 3, 2019 last year I wanted to catch a train from Pontefract to Newcastle ( about £80 ) I got separate tickets. Pontefract to York (£10) then York to Newcastle (£40) Saving £30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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