Bletchley - Shepherds Bush: Monday evening

[DarloRich]

On Monday evening I am off to a concert at Shepherds Bush Empire. Getting there is no problem as i can take a Southern direct from Bletchley. Obviously they wont run at, say 2230, for the return journey.

National Rail wants us to change at Wilesden Junction and Harrow. I don't fancy hanging about at those stations with the gf but am having a brain fade. Can anyone suggest how I could get back? IS a Bletchley - Shepherds Bush return valid via the tube and Euston?

 

[James Wake]

There is a 2253 Southern service to Watford Junction, arrives 2332, change onto 2339 LM to Northampton, arrives Bletchley at 0013.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The WLL Southern services are VERY unreliable at the moment. If one is cancelled they tend to allow validity via London but bear in mind at some times that may take longer. Worth having a look at the day's service on RTT before you go to keep an eye on what's going on.

However...the cheapest fare for a return journey is an Off Peak Day Travelcard, and with that you can of course do what you like. The Off Peak Day Return is actually two quid more expensive. I don't know why anyone buys point to point tickets for WLL services for a day return[1] - they are rather overpriced!

[1] In this case the Anytime Day Travelcard is slightly pricier than the Anytime Day Return, but there's not much in it, and you don't have to go much further south for them to swap.

 

[DarloRich]

Thanks for the info - we went for travel cards which was a very good idea as the last Southern train to Watford was cancelled. S owe made a mad dash via Central and Victoria lines to Euston for the 2324 which we just made.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just as I thought they'd manage to operate all of it on Monday for once...fell at the last hurdle!

 

[londonbridge]

The only problem with concerts is the unpredictability of when they will end. As I work a fair few evenings, if an act I want to see is playing London on a worknight I will sometimes look for an alternative venue on the same tour that is 'doable' on a non-work night. In a couple of cases even when the last train is, say, 11.10, the show has ended at 10.55 and I've had to exit the venue and literally run back to the station. Converesly, it will sometimes finish much earlier than anticipated and if I've booked an advance or a route-specific ticket I'm then faced with a lengthy wait and hanging around until I can get the train. Most recently, went to a show at Reading Hexagon, I was thinking I'd have to get the 23:12 but might make the 22:42, in the event when I got in the bar poster said support 7.30-8.00, main act 8.30-10.00,the show finished just before 10.00 and I was out the door and ran back to the station in time to catch the 22:09.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Venues aren't very good at posting running orders online in advance - some do and some don't. Even though it would help planning no end!