Atherton (Greater Manchester) - Grimsby Town

[DeeGee]

I've got a couple of journeys I'm looking at, I'll post each one in a different thread.

I'm a marathon runner, run a few a year, and there's an interesting double event which starts and finishes near Gin Pit village near Tyldesley on the 16th March 2013 and then does all the same again on the 17th March.

Each day starts at 10am.

I think I'd probably travel down to that area on the Friday night, and I temporarily have space held in a hotel in Leigh, which will enable me to get a taxi or a lift to/from the start each day.

Now Leigh's not on the rail network, which confronts me with questions on how to get there. I don't know the bus routes at all. Which would be the best station, thus routing for me to get to Leigh?

Or would it be more sensible for me to stay somewhere else, say Wigan or Manchester and get a bus to the start/finish every day?

I like to plan these things well in advance to get the cheap hotel rooms.

 

[30907]

I think it would be simplest if you tried the Traveline website, at least for the last part of your journey. The NW area is what you need. I find it a bit fiddly till you get the hang of it.
http://www.traveline.info/index.html.

Alternatively Transport for Greater Manchester will produce area maps if you find those easier to work from. http://www.tfgm.com/Pages/default.aspx

 

[Gathursty]

The closest station to Gin Pit village is Atherton. The bus route number you're after is 32 (Wigan-Manchester (Sometimes Limited Stop but Atherton and Tyldesley should be fine)). Atherton and Tyldesley are well connected by buses BUT to get from the train station to the town where the bus stop is, it's a short walk down the A579 in the south-western direction.

 

[DeeGee]

Thanks for this advice, folks. I'm now at the point where I need to think about train tickets. Luckily, I have a friend who will be taking me to Gin Pit on the Saturday morning, then on to Leigh, so I only have to think about transport home on the Sunday.

It looks like an Anytime Single from Atherton to Grimsby Town is about £39.00. That would be fine. I'd like to maybe be able to break my journey where I change trains in Manchester to get some food. I assume that would be fine on the ADS?

I notice also that there's 1 TPH from Atherton to Victoria, and that I have to change to get from Victoria to Piccadilly. How straightforward is this? I don't know Manchester. Would it be feasible to walk from Victoria to Piccadilly (any maybe pick up some food on the way?).

If I were to do this, would I be better off getting a single ticket from Atherton to Manchester Victoria, then another from Piccadilly to Grimsby Town (not a split, as such, but two distinct journeys)

Are there any cheap advances to be had from Manchester to Grimsby Town? Or is there a sneaky route that I've not looked at from a station nearby that I could maybe cadge a lift to instead of from Atherton?

I'll be travelling after 3pm on the 17th March, just myself, adult, paying a full-fare with no railcard.

 

[dvboy]

Victoria to Piccadilly can be walked easily, there is a free bus iirc, or you can take the Metrolink (not sure if your ticket would include this). You are going through the city centre so getting food won't be a problem, even if you leave it until you get to Piccadilly as it's a big NR managed station with plenty of choice foodwise.

Split it if it's cheaper, but you can break your journey either way.

 

[clagmonster]

If you are willing to be tied to a specific train from Manchester to Grimsby, I would suggest:
Atherton-Manchester CTLZ cheap day single £3.80. This includes the train journey from Atherton to Manchester Victoria and, if you choose to use it, the tram from Victoria to Piccadilly. Alternativley you could change at Salford Crescent for a train to Piccadilly, or walk Victoria-Piccadilly (it takes about 15 minutes).
Manchester Piccadilly-Grimsby Town advance single from £11.00. These are not yet on sale for the 17th of March, but should go on sale in the next week or two. Keep checking on an online booking website.

 

[DeeGee]

Thanks. I'm happy to be tied to a specific train for the Manchester - Grimsby journey, as I'm planning on spending a bit of time in Manchester I'll probably get one of the last two trains anyway.

That's a very handy combination of tickets. Many thanks.

 

[island]

Break of journey is always permitted on an anytime day single (for which the abbreviation is SDS rather than ADS, though).

[I am ignoring the dubious corner case of certain tickets routed CAIRNRYAN STENA.]