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Bashing in the Edinburgh Area..

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mralexn

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So, on Sunday 31st March i have around 3 Hours to Kill in Edinburgh,

I arrive at 13:30
and leave on the Chieftain at 16:47

I was just wondering what line / lines would you recommend clearing in that time?

Ideally im looking to bash a 156, 158, or a 170 :)

So, any recommendations? :)
 
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MidnightFlyer

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North Berwick on a 380?
Newcraighall on a 170?
Fife Circle on a 158 / 170?
Glasgow Queen St via A-B on a 334?
 
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michael769

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The only route you will see a 156 on on a Sunday is the Edinburgh to West Calder.

For a 158 you are looking at the Dunblane service.
 

Eagle

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The only route you will see a 156 on on a Sunday is the Edinburgh to West Calder.

For a 158 you are looking at the Dunblane service.

Fife Circle can often turn up 158s too.

In fact, the only time I've used either the Fife Circle or the Dunblane service was a Sunday, and the Circle was a 158; the Dunblane was a 170. :P
 

mralexn

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380's go from Edinburgh to North Berwick? :)
I'm looking to bash one of them too,
is that route 380's exclusively ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
North Berwick on a 380?
Newcraighall on a 170?
Fife Circle on a 158 / 170?
Glasgow Queen St via A-B on a 334?

Can you give me some more information about the Fie Circle pelase? :)
 

MidnightFlyer

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380's go from Edinburgh to North Berwick? :)
I'm looking to bash one of them too,
is that route 380's exclusively ?

Yes. The route is now almost exclusively 380 (certainly on a Sunday), IIRC one 15x diagram remains in the evening M-F. The 322s which used to run this route can now be found in West Yorkshire with Northern.

Be warned though, last time I used this service on a Sunday it was quite busy heading towards Edinburgh.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Can you give me some more information about the Fie Circle pelase? :)

Edinburgh-Inverkeithing-Dunfermline-Glenrothes-Kirkcaldy-Inverkeithing-Edinburgh and vice versa, but the service is quite sporadic on a Sunday I think.
 

Eagle

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Edinburgh-Inverkeithing-Dunfermline-Glenrothes-Kirkcaldy-Inverkeithing-Edinburgh and vice versa, but the service is quite sporadic on a Sunday I think.

Plus the whole circle takes two hours; if you're limited for time just hop over to Inverkeithing and back; that's the interesting bit (with the bridge).

Also remember that the Newcraighall branch is closed on Sundays.
 

mralexn

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Yes. The route is now almost exclusively 380 (certainly on a Sunday), IIRC one 15x diagram remains in the evening M-F. The 322s which used to run this route can now be found in West Yorkshire with Northern.

Be warned though, last time I used this service on a Sunday it was quite busy heading towards Edinburgh.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Edinburgh-Inverkeithing-Dunfermline-Glenrothes-Kirkcaldy-Inverkeithing-Edinburgh and vice versa, but the service is quite sporadic on a Sunday I think.

Thanks for that, :) if i did do the Fife Circle how long does it take? and what tickets would i need to buy?
 

MidnightFlyer

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Thanks for that, :) if i did do the Fife Circle how long does it take? and what tickets would i need to buy?

Two hours. A return to Glenrothes or Cardenden will suffice.

There's quite a few negative easements with regard to this. I think a return Edinburgh-Glenrothes is the only ticket valid for a full loop.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Actually Cardenden is fine too, but only Glenrothes and Cardenden.
 

mralexn

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What is the Fife Circle like? is it an interesting line?
What are the pax loadings like on the train too,
Is there a first class, if so is this classified or de classified? :)
 

Eagle

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What is the Fife Circle like? is it an interesting line?

The Forth Bridge is (obviously)—can't speak for any other bits.

What are the pax loadings like on the train too,

On Sunday it's likely to mainly be shoppers and the like heading into the city, so not too busy (remember of course that Scotland has no Sunday trading restrictions so there won't be a horde of bag-laden shoppers all trying to squeeze onto the first train after 17.00).

Is there a first class, if so is this classified or de classified? :)

The timetables on the Scotrail website will show this.
 

90019

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What is the Fife Circle like? is it an interesting line?
Once you're over the Forth Bridge, not particularly.
Is there a first class, if so is this classified or de classified? :)
Generally, no.
If you get a train with it on the circle, I'm pretty certain it's declassified, but the few times I've been round it, I've not seen any trains with it.
 

khib70

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What is the Fife Circle like? is it an interesting line?
What are the pax loadings like on the train too,
Is there a first class, if so is this classified or de classified? :)
Good views across the Forth on the stretch from Kirkcaldy to Inverkeithing.

Should be fairly quiet on a Sunday - Standard only IIRC, though
 

alexf380

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If you're looking for first class then the Dunblane service is your best bet. You could get an Inverness based 158 which will have a first class area but will be declassified. Still comfy tho.
You could also be stuck with a tatty Haymarket unit but that's the risk you take :o
 

scotsman

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Fife Circle is miserable between Inverkeithing and Kirkcaldy (via Dunfermline). You only need a return to Rosyth, providing you don't break your journey
 

mralexn

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Its a bit of a mess :P, but thanks for helping me with the final bits of my plan,
Here is the whole thing! Anyone care to be awesome and work out the total milage ? :P


Day1 25.03
12:55 Plymouth Truro 14:06 Voyager
14:12 Truro Falmouth Town 14:33 150 / 153
14:47 Falmouth Town Truro 15:10 150 / 153
16:09 Truro Liskeard 16:54 Voyager
17:16 Liskeard Penzance 18:54 FGW HST
21:15 Penzance London Paddington 06:09 Sleeper (57)

Day2, Monday
07:40 London St. Pancras Ashfort International 08:20 395
09:13 Ashford International London St. Pancras 09:51 395
11:30 London Kings Cross Edinburgh 16:17 225
16:33 Edinburgh Inverness 20:11 EC HST

Day3, Tuesday
06:47 Inverness Aviemore 07:25 170
07:42 Aviemore Inverness 08:35 Sleeper (67)
09:00 Inverness Kyle of Lochalsh 11:28 158
12:03 Kyle of Lochalsh Inverness 14:37 158
15:50 Inverness Pitlochry 17:26 170
18:33 Pitlochry Inverness 20:11 EC HST

Day4, Wednesday
07:55 Inverness Edinburgh 11:15 EC HST
12:00 Edinburgh Berwick-Upon-Tweed 12:41 225
13:39 Berwick-Upon-Tweed Arbroath 16:05 EC HST
16:25 Arbroath Gleneagles 17:26 170
17:39 Gleneagles Inverness 20:11 EC HST

Day5, Thursday
11:01 Inverness Dingwall 11:30 158
11:45 Dingwall Inverness 12:13 158
12:46 Inverness Edinburgh 16:21 170
16:33 Edinburgh Inverness 20:11 EC HST



Day6, Friday
07:55 Inverness Edinburgh 11:15 EC HST
12:00 Edinbrugh Durham 13:41 225
14:18 Durham Newcastle 14:30 Voyager
14:43 Newcastle Edinburgh 16:17 225
16:33 Edinbrugh Inverness 20:11 EC HST

Day7, Sat Unplanned Day Unplanned Day Unplanned Day


Day8, Sunday
09:40 Inverness Edinburgh 13:14 EC HST
13:36 Edinburgh North Berwick 14:09 380
14:20 North Berwick Edinburgh 14:53 380
15:07 Edinburgh Dunbar 15:26 Voyager
15:41 Dunbar Edinburgh 16:06 Voyager
16:47 Edinburgh Inverness 20:29 EC HST

Day9, Monday
07:55 Inverness London Kings Cross 15:50 EC HST
19:45 London Paddington Plymouth 23:17 FGW HST
 

mralexn

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If you're looking for first class then the Dunblane service is your best bet. You could get an Inverness based 158 which will have a first class area but will be declassified. Still comfy tho.
You could also be stuck with a tatty Haymarket unit but that's the risk you take :o

Does inverness see many of these tatty haymarket based 158's?
Every time i have used scotrail north of Inverness its been a nice one with a first class,

And south of inverness has always been 170's
 

mralexn

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Aye, I've heard talk of that in the past..

However, it sounds like the OP is on an ALR, so this shouldn't be an issue.

No, I am on Advances :) Works out a lot cheaper for me, as i am travelling over 9 days, and wanted first class on lots of bits.
How much is it for a 2 week FC ALR?

This whole trip, including hotel inverness, has come in at around £600 :)
 

90019

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If you're looking for first class then the Dunblane service is your best bet.
It really isn't.
I've spent plenty of time on the Dunblane trains, and it's fairly unusual to get a train with a First Class section.
You could get an Inverness based 158 which will have a first class area but will be declassified. Still comfy tho.
The seats on the Inverness 158s are the same in Standard and First, just a slightly different colour.
You could also be stuck with a tatty Haymarket unit but that's the risk you take :o
The Haymarket units make up the majority of the Dunblane services operated by 158s in my experience.
 
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mralexn

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Whether or not the direct train rule supersedes this is up for debate; but I wouldn't chance it. Use a Glenrothes ticket.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


You?

I am as we speak, was just being lazy :P
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
So in Total, this trip is 4,469 Miles :) over 8.5 Days
 

michael769

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If you fancied bagging a 334 you might want to consider a short run between Waverley and Haymarket on one of the Bathgate line trains during one of your layovers there ;)
 

mralexn

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If you fancied bagging a 334 you might want to consider a short run between Waverley and Haymarket on one of the Bathgate line trains during one of your layovers there ;)

Thanks, If i get the chance i shall jump on one of them :D
 

alexf380

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Does inverness see many of these tatty haymarket based 158's?
Every time i have used scotrail north of Inverness its been a nice one with a first class,

And south of inverness has always been 170's
They do occasionally but it is normally Edinburgh that sees more Inverness units because of no. of diagrams etc.
 
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