Cleethorpes - Liverpool

[DeeGee]

Travelling out on the 13th Jun, back on the 14th June. Just me, no railcard.

Standard Class Off-Peak Return.

I'm actually staying overnight in the Premier inn near Moorfileds and finishing at the Echo Arena, so might want to return from James Street?

I'm guessing that it's sold as Cleethorpes to Liverpool Stations? Would that be an appropriate ticket? Is there actually any point my travelling to Moorfields given that it's about, what, a 15 minute walk from Lime Street?

Also, what routing would be appropriate for this? Obviously Transpennine to Manchester then onwards, but the quickest route leaving at 14:34 seems for some reason to involve changing at Doncaster and Leeds. Seems a little circuitous - would it be OK?

If I were to get a ticket to Liverpool Stations, would that be valid TO Moorfields and FROM James Street?

I could reasonably risk a pair of advances for this journey, but I don't know Lime Street and if I were to be hanging around there waiting for the last feasible train would I be safe and have somewhere to sit? Also, would the final legs Lime Street - Moorfields and James Street - Lime Street be reservable, or would I be able to just rock up at James Street post-run, get the next train to Lime Street and wait for my connection there?

 

[gray1404]

Any of those route would be fine.

You can get off at Lime Street and travel to any of the other Liverpool stations (Cental, Moorfields or James Street).

If you were to get an advance ticket then there is a heated waited room at Lime Street on platform 7.

 

[gordonthemoron]

to get to Moorfields from Lime Street, you need to get Wirral Line to Central and then Northern Line to Moorfields.

 

[tony_mac]

i.e., it will be quicker to walk!

No, the Liverpool section is not reservable, it's very much a 'metro' service.
However, an Advance ticket will probably not allow any travel on Merseyrail.

The station is well-lit, fairly well-staffed and quite compact, so it's not particularly unsafe. But, like any city centre station, there are occasional undesirable characters around (although more likely to be just outside).
Although there is a waiting room, the most comfortable place to wait in the station would probably be in the bar (the first class lounge closes at 6).

 

[DeeGee]

Although there is a waiting room, the most comfortable place to wait in the station would probably be in the bar (the first class lounge closes at 6).

Sounds like a plan!

 

[DeeGee]

Rebooting this quickly. If I buy this, is it valid as far as James Street on Saturday, then for a return to Moorfields on Saturday, then (after a BoJ) from Lime Street on Sunday to Cleethorpes?

First suspicion is no, and that I'd be just as well off walking from the Echo Arena...

 

[clagmonster]

Rebooting this quickly. If I buy this, is it valid as far as James Street on Saturday,

This first point is a definate yes. I don't think anybody would disagree.

then for a return to Moorfields on Saturday, then (after a BoJ) from Lime Street on Sunday to Cleethorpes?

I'd say yes, using the return portion. There is no doubling back involved, and the ticket is valid for break of journey.

 

[fowler9]

You will be perfectly safe in Lime Street station. You might get pestered by beggars outside. You could always spend your time waiting in the Crown pub over the road. Not sure what time the last feasible train to Cleethorpes is but you will certainly be safe.

 

[DeeGee]

You could always spend your time waiting in the Crown pub over the road.

Thanks for the recommendation! It won't be that late, but it's useful to have somewhere decent to wait.

 

[fowler9]

Thanks for the recommendation! It won't be that late, but it's useful to have somewhere decent to wait.

Actually if you are after somewhere really nice to wait there is a pub called Dr Duncans about a 2 or 3 minute walk away. Head down the side of St Georges Hall (You can't miss it) and follow the road as it veers to the right. Dr Duncans is on your left. A lovely building with nice views of St Georges Hall. Slightly more expensive than the Crown but won't break the bank.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Travelling out on the 13th Jun, back on the 14th June. Just me, no railcard.

Standard Class Off-Peak Return.

I'm actually staying overnight in the Premier inn near Moorfileds and finishing at the Echo Arena, so might want to return from James Street?

I'm guessing that it's sold as Cleethorpes to Liverpool Stations? Would that be an appropriate ticket? Is there actually any point my travelling to Moorfields given that it's about, what, a 15 minute walk from Lime Street?

Also, what routing would be appropriate for this? Obviously Transpennine to Manchester then onwards, but the quickest route leaving at 14:34 seems for some reason to involve changing at Doncaster and Leeds. Seems a little circuitous - would it be OK?

If I were to get a ticket to Liverpool Stations, would that be valid TO Moorfields and FROM James Street?

I could reasonably risk a pair of advances for this journey, but I don't know Lime Street and if I were to be hanging around there waiting for the last feasible train would I be safe and have somewhere to sit? Also, would the final legs Lime Street - Moorfields and James Street - Lime Street be reservable, or would I be able to just rock up at James Street post-run, get the next train to Lime Street and wait for my connection there?

Hi DeeGee. As I mentioned in this post, First TPE are doing 25% off their advances in June so long as you book by sunday. I've checked your dates and, depending on what time you travel, you should be able to do it for £11.55 each way.

 

[DeeGee]

Hi DeeGee. As I mentioned in this post, First TPE are doing 25% off their advances in June so long as you book by sunday. I've checked your dates and, depending on what time you travel, you should be able to do it for £11.55 each way.

[Goes away to look...]

Can't find any Advances at all for the 13th . Automatically routes me via Leeds, tried to change avoiding Leeds - still none.

Doesn't mater too much, I'm paying for the walk-up with RTVs.

 

[clagmonster]

[Goes away to look...]

Can't find any Advances at all for the 13th . Automatically routes me via Leeds, tried to change avoiding Leeds - still none.

Doesn't mater too much, I'm paying for the walk-up with RTVs.

Have you tried specfying via points, I'd try 'via Sheffield', failing that maybe even 'via Edale'.

 

[dvboy]

i.e., it will be quicker to walk!

No, the Liverpool section is not reservable, it's very much a 'metro' service.
However, an Advance ticket will probably not allow any travel on Merseyrail.

The station is well-lit, fairly well-staffed and quite compact, so it's not particularly unsafe. But, like any city centre station, there are occasional undesirable characters around (although more likely to be just outside).
Although there is a waiting room, the most comfortable place to wait in the station would probably be in the bar (the first class lounge closes at 6).

An advance to Lime Street is valid onwards to any other Liverpool Stations.

 

[clagmonster]

An advance to Lime Street is valid onwards to any other Liverpool Stations.

Thatwould surely depend on the contents of the route field of the ticket. If it is TPE Only (or any other operator that is not Merseyrail Only), then validity would end at Lime St, as under condition 10 of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, the ticket is only valid on the operators shown on the ticket, which does not include Merseyrail.

If, however, the ticket is routed, for example, TPE & Connections, or has a geographic route restriction, then the ticket will be valid as a connecting leg on Merseyrail through to any of the other Liverpool Stations.

 

[DeeGee]

Last one on this, I promise.

I've made some changes to my plans. Changed hotel. Wangled a lift to Liverpool. Now just coming home.

I've taken a wild stab in the dark at an appropriate departure time and got a £19.50 Advance, TPE Only, from Liverpool Lime Street to Grimsby Town.

So far, so good.

Now, if I really needed to get home in a hurry, I'm aware I can change my ticket to a Standard Off-Peak Single and use the Advance as part-payment of £9.50 (£19.50-£10 fee).

Obviously, there's a ticket office at Liverpool, so I would be able to do this there. Would I also be able to do this on the train? My thoughts are that I might want to get a slightly earlier connecting service to Piccadilly than that proposed and I'd like to maybe ask the guard first.

Failing that, the ticket is routed LIV-MAN+MAN-GMB. I understand that I have to take booked trains only and that break of journey is not permitted. Realistically, though, if I were to buy a single LIV-MAN and take an earlier train to Piccadilly to pick up the reserved main service, would I have issues?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Indeed, on further checking, it's an undiscounted Anytime Day Single anyway, so I should be able to buy that on board, right?

 

[tony_mac]

Indeed, on further checking, it's an undiscounted Anytime Day Single anyway, so I should be able to buy that on board, right?

There will be an open ticket office, and multiple ticket machines, what's the problem with buying a ticket before boarding?

 

[Camden]

Re getting an earlier Liverpool - Piccadilly service but still using the proper booked train from Piccadilly to Grimsby, I don't see why anyone would know unless you told them. In essence, you're simply starting the journey "Short" (guidance essentially saying that if the customer isn't diddling the system - which you're not - to leave it be). As it is you'd get on the booked train from Manchester to Grimsby, show your ticket as normal and no logical reason why anyone should bat an eyelid.

As for the earlier train into Manchester, you could also select which earlier train you would choose find out its TOC (TPE, Northern and E Mids) - some of these offer advance fares for as low as £3 so it might be worth you buying one on the off chance of using it.

Even if you got for the walk up ticket, I wouldn't recommend relying on being able to change your ticket on board, but do so at a station. The price of a single to Manchester will be the same from James Street as it is from Lime Street, so you could do this there and get the Merseyrail metro service to Lime Street (just when you go down to get the train make sure you turn left out of the lifts, it's not very well signposted and the other platforms obviously go in the opposite direction. Hardly anyone gets on the trains from the platform you will need, so you can't just follow the crowd).

I noticed no one answered one of your initial questions, about safety. Depending on what evening it is Liverpool can be very lively, but the station is large and generally well policed. There are plenty of places to sit, and while you should always keep your wits about you in any train station, Liverpool itself is one of the country's safest cities.

 

[tony_mac]

Actually, I'm a bit confused about what you are hoping for.

Is it worth £13 to wait for your booked train at Piccadilly instead of Lime St?

Or are you hoping that both guards will let you travel early? If so, it's better to ask before boarding, if you can. (It is somewhat dubious to board knowing that you have no valid ticket, and it could end up being a bit messy)

 

[DeeGee]

Re getting an earlier Liverpool - Piccadilly service but still using the proper booked train from Piccadilly to Grimsby, I don't see why anyone would know unless you told them. In essence, you're simply starting the journey "Short" (guidance essentially saying that if the customer isn't diddling the system - which you're not - to leave it be). As it is you'd get on the booked train from Manchester to Grimsby, show your ticket as normal and no logical reason why anyone should bat an eyelid.

As for the earlier train into Manchester, you could also select which earlier train you would choose find out its TOC (TPE, Northern and E Mids) - some of these offer advance fares for as low as £3 so it might be worth you buying one on the off chance of using it.

Even if you got for the walk up ticket, I wouldn't recommend relying on being able to change your ticket on board, but do so at a station. The price of a single to Manchester will be the same from James Street as it is from Lime Street, so you could do this there and get the Merseyrail metro service to Lime Street (just when you go down to get the train make sure you turn left out of the lifts, it's not very well signposted and the other platforms obviously go in the opposite direction. Hardly anyone gets on the trains from the platform you will need, so you can't just follow the crowd).

I noticed no one answered one of your initial questions, about safety. Depending on what evening it is Liverpool can be very lively, but the station is large and generally well policed. There are plenty of places to sit, and while you should always keep your wits about you in any train station, Liverpool itself is one of the country's safest cities.

Thanks for this.

Actually, I'm a bit confused about what you are hoping for.

Is it worth £13 to wait for your booked train at Piccadilly instead of Lime St?

Or are you hoping that both guards will let you travel early? If so, it's better to ask before boarding, if you can. (It is somewhat dubious to board knowing that you have no valid ticket, and it could end up being a bit messy)

I see your point. Thing is, I don't know Liverpool (OK, I know it's a reasonably sizeable city and there's plenty at the station), but I do know Piccadilly quite well. If I'm knackered (which is likely) and emotional (which is possible) I'd rather be somewhere familiar. The scenario of me buying a £13 single to Manchester is very unlikely, to be honest.

More possible is that I want to get home, and ask the guard if I can get on his/her train early. But the guard would only be able to give me permission to ride early on his/her own train, wouldn't they? Not the second leg?

EDIT: You know what, actually, now I've had a look inside the station, there's plenty of seating. There's a bar upstairs, there's a few SSP outlets. I'll be fine waiting there...

 

[fowler9]

Re getting an earlier Liverpool - Piccadilly service but still using the proper booked train from Piccadilly to Grimsby, I don't see why anyone would know unless you told them. In essence, you're simply starting the journey "Short" (guidance essentially saying that if the customer isn't diddling the system - which you're not - to leave it be). As it is you'd get on the booked train from Manchester to Grimsby, show your ticket as normal and no logical reason why anyone should bat an eyelid.

As for the earlier train into Manchester, you could also select which earlier train you would choose find out its TOC (TPE, Northern and E Mids) - some of these offer advance fares for as low as £3 so it might be worth you buying one on the off chance of using it.

Even if you got for the walk up ticket, I wouldn't recommend relying on being able to change your ticket on board, but do so at a station. The price of a single to Manchester will be the same from James Street as it is from Lime Street, so you could do this there and get the Merseyrail metro service to Lime Street (just when you go down to get the train make sure you turn left out of the lifts, it's not very well signposted and the other platforms obviously go in the opposite direction. Hardly anyone gets on the trains from the platform you will need, so you can't just follow the crowd).

I noticed no one answered one of your initial questions, about safety. Depending on what evening it is Liverpool can be very lively, but the station is large and generally well policed. There are plenty of places to sit, and while you should always keep your wits about you in any train station, Liverpool itself is one of the country's safest cities.

Hey you, I answered about safety in the eighth post. Even suggested some other places to wait.