Bexhill to Vauxhall

[ashworth]

At the end of April I'm going down from Nottinghamshire to Sussex, staying between Eastbourne and Bexhill. On the way back I'm stopping over in London for 2 nights staying at the Travelodge next to Vauxhall Station. With a Senior Railcard I've already booked Advance tickets from Nottingham to London St. Pancras and return making use of EMTs fantastic First Class fares when travelling off peak.

Normally I would then, on the day, buy an Off Peak Return from London to Eastbourne and on the return journey change at Clapham Junction for Vauxhall. However, on Sunday 30th April there are engineering works with buses from Polegate to Haywards Heath. Therefore I'd decided, as it's the same price to get an Off Peak Return from London to Bexhill but still get off at Eastbourne on the outward journey as I know there's no problem with that. On the return journey I was going to start my journey at Bexhill changing at St Leonard's Warrior Square for London Charing Cross. Then I was just going to get the bus from Trafalgar Square to Vauxhall.

I then looked at travelling via Tonbridge, Redhill and Clapham Junction to Vauxhall but the journey times are quite long. However, in the journey planner I notice that I can change at Waterloo East and then get a train out from Waterloo to Vauxhall at no extra cost. If that's the case, would I have any trouble with the barriers keeping my ticket at Waterloo East or the barriers at Waterloo not accepting my ticket for the short journey out to Vauxhall?

 

[MikeWh]

However, in the journey planner I notice that I can change at Waterloo East and then get a train out from Waterloo to Vauxhall at no extra cost. If that's the case, would I have any trouble with the barriers keeping my ticket at Waterloo East or the barriers at Waterloo not accepting my ticket for the short journey out to Vauxhall?

No, you'll be fine. Access to Vauxhall from Waterloo East is a very long standing arrangement. I used it 40+ years ago when watching cricket at The Oval.

 

[ashworth]

No, you'll be fine. Access to Vauxhall from Waterloo East is a very long standing arrangement. I used it 40+ years ago when watching cricket at The Oval.

Thanks. That will be a much easier journey than trying to return from Eastbourne with bus between Polgate and Haywards Heath. It will make a nice change travelling up to Waterloo East from St. Leonard's as I've only done that route once before.

 

[paul1609]

As your arriving in to St Pancras it might be worth considering buying a London to Bexhill plus high speed ticket and travelling via Ashford, you'd need an Bexhill to Eastbourne single as well.
Eastbourne is about 2 hours journey time using the Marshlink service which connects off the XX 37 service from St Pancras. Thats fairly competitive with either the Thameslink trundle through South London or the tube to Victoria. Its obviously far less hassle just changing platforms at St Pancras. Its only 1 tph though so it depends on your arrival time in to St Pancras.

 

[yorkie]

...would I have any trouble with the barriers keeping my ticket at Waterloo East or the barriers at Waterloo not accepting my ticket for the short journey out to Vauxhall?

You certainly shouldn't do, as it's still valid to either Charing Cross or Vauxhall.

 

[ashworth]

As your arriving in to St Pancras it might be worth considering buying a London to Bexhill plus high speed ticket and travelling via Ashford, you'd need an Bexhill to Eastbourne single as well.
Eastbourne is about 2 hours journey time using the Marshlink service which connects off the XX 37 service from St Pancras. Thats fairly competitive with either the Thameslink trundle through South London or the tube to Victoria. Its obviously far less hassle just changing platforms at St Pancras. Its only 1 tph though so it depends on your arrival time in to St Pancras.

My train from Nottingham arrives in St. Pancras at 12.14 and so that's worth considering especiially if I'm a few minutes late arriving. The EMT trains from Nottingham are often a few minutes early arriving so I'm hoping to dash down to the Victoria Line and then get the 12.47 from Victoria to Eastbourne as that gets me into Eastbourne at 14.08. It only takes about 15 minutes by tube to Victoria so I should be ok. if there are any strike problems with Southern my other alternative is to get the Northern Line to London Bridge and go from London Bridge to St. Leonard's and then get the bus from there. I'm going to get the excellent value 7 Day Stagecoach South East Megarider bus ticket for only £22 when I get down there anyway.

Also thanks Yorkie for your reassurance that I will have no problems getting to Vauxhall with my ticket.

 

[paul1609]

My train from Nottingham arrives in St. Pancras at 12.14 and so that's worth considering especiially if I'm a few minutes late arriving. The EMT trains from Nottingham are often a few minutes early arriving so I'm hoping to dash down to the Victoria Line and then get the 12.47 from Victoria to Eastbourne as that gets me into Eastbourne at 14.08. It only takes about 15 minutes by tube to Victoria so I should be ok. if there are any strike problems with Southern my other alternative is to get the Northern Line to London Bridge and go from London Bridge to St. Leonard's and then get the bus from there. I'm going to get the excellent value 7 Day Stagecoach South East Megarider bus ticket for only £22 when I get down there anyway.

Also thanks Yorkie for your reassurance that I will have no problems getting to Vauxhall with my ticket.

I live on a Renown Coaches Bus Route in the Rye Plusbus area but my understanding is that Stagecoach Megarider is now Smartcard only in Kent and East Sussex.
Don't worry they'll give you one on your bus but coming from the North you may want to read up on smart card technology at your local miners benefit library to avoid embarrassment in front of the southern pensioners.
As to Waterloo East i don't know how familiar you are with the layout but the ticket barriers coming from kent and East Sussex are actually at the entrance to the main station Ive never had a London Terminals ticket retained there, but Ive never tried to use it to get to in the SWT barriers either.

 

[ashworth]

I live on a Renown Coaches Bus Route in the Rye Plusbus area but my understanding is that Stagecoach Megarider is now Smartcard only in Kent and East Sussex.
Don't worry they'll give you one on your bus but coming from the North you may want to read up on smart card technology at your local miners benefit library to avoid embarrassment in front of the southern pensioners.

When I said ticket, I meant loaded onto my Stagecoach Smartcard which I already have. However, you are really behind times on Stagecoach in the South East because I understand that they can only be purchased by paying the driver and not online as we can up here in the north. Also, as I am in that increasing group of people aged 60 and over who are not going to get our bus passes until we get our state pension at the age of 66+, I will be paying for my bus travel and therefore subsidising those southern pensioners. However, like northern pensioners I expect that they will still expect to push their way onto the bus in front of paying passengers!

 

[paul1609]

When I said ticket, I meant loaded onto my Stagecoach Smartcard which I already have. However, you are really behind times on Stagecoach in the South East because I understand that they can only be purchased by paying the driver and not online as we can up here in the north. Also, as I am in that increasing group of people aged 60 and over who are not going to get our bus passes until we get our state pension at the age of 66+, I will be paying for my bus travel and therefore subsidising those southern pensioners. However, like northern pensioners I expect that they will still expect to push their way onto the bus in front of paying passengers!

Im a country boy we don't get out much but luxurious Stagecoach Buses are beyond our wildest dreams. We have only recently stopped using Wayfarer tickets, on the rare occasion I save up enough for an explorer ticket to go to Ashford or Hastings the Stagecoach bus driver looks down at me and my muddy boots and says whats this then? before reluctantly agreeing to carry me as long as I don't pick any fights with the townies. If you live in the country you won't have retired by 66 anyway.