7 day mad bash-advice needed

[Waverley125]

been talking to my dad today, and we've decided that as soon as my summer exams are done with we'll do a week bashing everywhere we can think of, though whether we cobble together advance singles & walk ons (currently totalled 3 days, about £400 quid) or a week all line rover (£950 IIRC) isn't yet decided. I've got a basic itinerary worked out, but if some of you could look it over & spot any errors of problem points, that would be much appreciated.

MONDAY-DAY ONE:

1)Peterborough-Penzance via London (NXEC & FGW)
2)Penzance-Cardiff Central via Station Pub @ BTM (FGW, AXC & ATW/FGW)

TUESDAY-DAY TWO:

1)Cardiff Central-Holyhead (ATW)
2)Holyhead-Carlisle via Crewe (ATW, VT, VT)
3)Carlisle-Newcastle (NR)

WEDNESDAY-DAY THREE:

1)Newcastle-Edinburgh (NXEC or steam special if available)
2)Edinburgh-North Berwick & return (FSR)
3)Edinburgh-Inverness (NXEC)

THURSDAY-DAY FOUR:

1)Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh (FSR)
2)Kyle-Mallaig via Skye (Bus/Taxi)
3)Mallaig-Fort William (jacobite)
4)Fort William-Glasgow Queen street (FSR)

FRIDAY-DAY FIVE:

1)Glasgow-Carlisle (FSR)
2)Carlisle-Leeds via K&WVR (NR)
3)Leeds Rhinos match, stay in leeds

SATURDAY-DAY SIX:

1)Leeds-Sheffield (MML)
2)Sheffield-Manchester Piccadilly (TPE/EMT)
3)Manchester Piccadilly-Stalybridge & return (TPE)
4)Manchester Piccadilly-Warrington Central (TPE)

SUNDAY-DAY SEVEN:

1)Warrington Central-Peterborough (EMT)

 

[robert2000]

day 4 looks like hard work, lol.

holyhead is a nice place i must admit, and you must stop in chester for a few hours aswell

 

[yorkie]

a week all line rover (£950 IIRC)

£950 will give you a First Class All Line Rover for 2 weeks with £90 change!

 

[mrcheek]

some good stuff there. youve got most of the best routes covered. a 1 week ALR is £375, or £565 first class. 2 weeks is £565, or £860 for first class.

Im most likely doing a 2 week first class ALR in June.

 

[MCR247]

Good itinery but a few things:

THURSDAY-DAY FOUR:

1)Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh (FSR)
2)Kyle-Mallaig via Skye (Bus/Taxi)
3)Mallaig-Fort William (jacobite)
4)Fort William-Glasgow Queen street (FSR)

Tickets are sold as return, like a railtour, you dont really just get on a Nottingham -London railtour on the return, and they will give away your seat if you dont to the outward journey. They dont sell tickets for it at Mallaig, only on departure at Fort William (or by phone).But I dont think they will leave 2(?) spare seats on the outward journey, for you to get on the return It's not valid in the all line rover (iirc) . Also you'll find you have to get an early train to Kyle, as the Jacobite will leave Mallaig at about 2pm.

WEDNESDAY-DAY THREE:

1)Newcastle-Edinburgh (NXEC or steam special if available)
2)Edinburgh-North Berwick & return (FSR)
3)Edinburgh-Inverness (NXEC)

What do you mean Steam Special? If you mean a railtour, dont you go both ways? (I woudnt waste money on a railtour, because a) you arent travelling the return b) if you have an ALR, you could just use that on XC or VT

But apart from that, have a nice time! (sorry if in rant mode)

 

[37412]

Tickets are sold as return, like a railtour, you dont really just get on a Nottingham -London railtour on the return, and they will give away your seat if you dont to the outward journey. They dont sell tickets for it at Mallaig, only on departure at Fort William (or by phone).But I dont think they will leave 2(?) spare seats on the outward journey, for you to get on the return* It's not valid in the all line rover (iirc)* . Also you'll find you have to get an early train to Kyle, as the Jacobite will leave Mallaig at about 2pm.

I think they do do single tickets, why else would they put a single price on their website

What do you mean Steam Special? If you mean a railtour, dont you go both ways? (I woudnt waste money on a railtour, because a) you arent travelling the return b) if you have an ALR, you could just use that on XC or VTBut apart from that, have a nice time! (sorry if in rant mode)

Providing there are spare seats they will sell you a one-way ticket/part fare whatever you want to call it. A couple of years ago now I did a Past-time Rail Bristol - Kingswear tour one-way, the standard had sold out when I spoke to the main PT guy but offered me a seat in FC for the same price as I would have got a standard one simply because he had a seat with no one in it, why leave it empty when he could get money for it. Think it was about three quarters of the price of a std rtn but a rtn is always going to be better value for money than part - fares on tours.

 

[MCR247]

There arent any prices on the website they are TBA

 

[metrocammel]

Tickets are sold as return, like a railtour, you dont really just get on a Nottingham -London railtour on the return, and they will give away your seat if you dont to the outward journey. They dont sell tickets for it at Mallaig, only on departure at Fort William (or by phone).But I dont think they will leave 2(?) spare seats on the outward journey, for you to get on the return It's not valid in the all line rover (iirc) . Also you'll find you have to get an early train to Kyle, as the Jacobite will leave Mallaig at about 2pm.

That's incorrect. 'The Jacobite' isn't a railtour, it is simply a 'special' service train, that is actually advertised as such in the public timetable. You can get any combination of tickets on it, such as a Glenfinnan to Mallaig single if you so wish. The only difference it has to a 'normal' service train, is that normal tickets (including ALRs) aren't valid on it. Other than the fact it uses mk1 stock, and is hauled by a kettle, it isn't a railtour.

 

[me123]

Re Scotland:

Firstly; I'd not go to North Berwick. Might be worthwhile going over the Forth Bridge and back or something like that; much better journey, you're not doubling back and not much beats the Forth Bridge. Even better if you get an HST too 8)

Secondly; from Kyle to Mallaig, the best way to go is Kyle-Armadale (you take a bus through Skye, but need to change sadly). There's a frequent ferry run by Calmac which then connects at Mallaig to the Glasgow-bound train service. You need to be at Armadale for 1425 for the ferry, but you could get the sleeper to Westerton if you need to go a bit later (and, of course, have reservations). Check the buses, though; you'll have to change at Broadford and you might have to take a taxi to make your connection.

EDIT: If you're going for the Jacobite, I'm afraid you won't be able to do it unless you get a taxi from Kyle. You may or may not be able to link with the Calmac ferry. You need to be at Armadale for 1255 if you're going to catch the ferry (earlier if you want to ensure boarding), but that's not a problem by taxi. I'd maybe advise you book beforehand, though, because I don't know what taxi companies are like in the middle of nowhere!

The taxi will take you the same route as the bus, but without the need for the one hour connection in Broadford!

 

[delt1c]

I done the jacobite in the summer, best to book in advance. You can buy tickets on the day from the train manager , but on the day we went (week day end August) all seats were sold out and there was a about 50 people trying to get tickets.

 

[175001]

holyhead is a nice place i must admit

Since when is Holyhead nice?
I live in Bangor, and I would not recommend anybody spend no more than 20 mins in Holyhead. There is nothing there except South Stack, which is a couple of miles away. But hey, its not bad if you only have a short turnaround there

 

[mrcheek]

Since when is Holyhead nice?
I live in Bangor, and I would not recommend anybody spend no more than 20 mins in Holyhead. There is nothing there except South Stack, which is a couple of miles away. But hey, its not bad if you only have a short turnaround there

When I travel by train, and I tell my friends that I take long journeys to far away places, stay there for about 20 minutes and then come back again, they all think Im mad. I use Holyhead as the best example of why I do what I do.

Holyhead is a complete dump. But the journey from, say, Chester to Holyhead is one of the best you will find on the network. Steel works and docks at the outset, the beautiful North Welsh coast, assorted old bridges, the chance to pass through Llanfairpwll...., and then the scenery of Anglesey. The journey is one that has to be done. But make sure that you spend as short a time as possible in Holyhead!

 

[delt1c]

Remember in the mid 70's travelling on the overnight from Euston to Holyhead arriving something like 02.00 in the morning. Highlight then was climbing up the wall of a small shedd to see the 01 for the breakwater.

 

[37412]

There arent any prices on the website they are TBA

Not sure where your looking but they ARE on the website, down the left hand side: http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/Jacobite.cfm

 

[MCR247]

Not sure where your looking but they ARE on the website, down the left hand side: http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/Jacobite.cfm

Sorry I was looking at a different website

 

[paul1609]

Day 4 is not possible. if you come from Inverness via skye you wont arrive at Mallaig until 16.15ish well after the jacobite has departed. It is possible to get to Glasgow using the sleeper from Fort William and changing at Westerton.
I've done the journey a couple of times but I've always stayed overnight in Kyle of lochalsh or on skye.

 

[me123]

It is possible, but you'd need to take a taxi from Kyle-Armadale to meet the ferry (~35 minutes from Google Maps), and the last ferry you can take leaves at 12:55. It's a tight connection, so you'd need to ensure the taxi meets you from the train and relies on (reasonably) good weather and your first train to be on time.

I'd go for it, but wouldn't book on the Jacobite just to be safe. If the worst comes to the worst, you can get the next train back South. As mentioned above, you may need to take the Sleeper to Westerton and change onto the Westerton-Glasgow Queen Street service. Whilst you do need to make a reservation, seated sleeper would probably suffice and you'd get LHCS and Mark 2s/3s (even if there is a 67 atop the train).