Crewe to Bangor off the Highland Sleeper;

[keppoch69]

Hello folks, & can I first apologise to the moderation team if this thread of mine is parked up the incorrect siding as I was not sure whether to put it here, or in the timetables section, or even the sub forum for stations.

Just looking for a bit of reassurance to be honest, being a very infrequent railway passenger.

I am booked on the UP Aberdonian into the Highland sleeper, from Inverkeithing to Crewe on July 10 2017, service commences at Aberdeen on the 09th.

Wanting advice on the safest options for trains to Bangor, IF the sleeper has problems & is late. There is a Virgin which arrives into Crewe from Birmingham New Street at 06.23 to Holyhead, with lovely advance prices winking at me for the last few weeks.
Arriva Trains Wales has a Crewe starter at 06.54 as fall back(also a lovely price).

The next two are the Chester shuffles & I will lose the will to live.

IF the sleeper was late & I have an advance on the first Virgin to ride the coast that morning, would Arriva excess or whatever for me to ride on their service as backup or would I be better just buying an "anytime" for safety & just get on the next train out?

I hope someone can understand my question? I did trawl the bowels of the forum looking for threads over the years from people who have used the sleeper up to Crewe to connect to other places from there & found nothing. Even from way back.

Thank you all for your time, Andrew.

 

[yorkie]

Hello folks, & can I first apologise to the moderation team if this thread of mine is parked up the incorrect siding as I was not sure whether to put it here, or in the timetables section, or even the sub forum for stations.

If it relates to a trip you are making, it certainly isn't wrong to post here, so nothing to apologise for (though we do not allow any 'text speak', so I did remove the "LOL" references before I approved your post; you can use our emoticons aka "Smilies" instead )

That said, if you are specifically asking a fares related question, you can be better off posting in that section.

Just looking for a bit of reassurance to be honest, being a very infrequent railway passenger.

I am booked on the UP Aberdonian into the Highland sleeper, from Inverkeithing to Crewe on July 10 2017, service commences at Aberdeen on the 09th.

Wanting advice on the safest options for trains to Bangor, IF the sleeper has problems & is late. There is a Virgin which arrives into Crewe from Birmingham New Street at 06.23 to Holyhead, with lovely advance prices winking at me for the last few weeks.
Arriva Trains Wales has a Crewe starter at 06.54 as fall back(also a lovely price).

The next two are the Chester shuffles & I will lose the will to live.

IF the sleeper was late & I have an advance on the first Virgin to ride the coast that morning, would Arriva excess or whatever for me to ride on their service as backup or would I be better just buying an "anytime" for safety & just get on the next train out?

Providing the connection is a valid one (ie, you adhere to the minimum interchange time, which can be checked by obtaining an itinerary from a website such as Nationalrail.co.uk or Fastjp.com or any train booking website) then you are absolutely covered in the event of delays.

You may use two or more tickets for one journey, and you are covered in the event of delays, the railway companies must get you to the final destination, as covered by your ticket(s) for your journey.

I hope someone can understand my question? I did trawl the bowels of the forum looking for threads over the years from people who have used the sleeper up to Crewe to connect to other places from there & found nothing. Even from way back.

Thank you all for your time, Andrew.

It has long been established that you may use two or more tickets for one journey.

There is no loss of rights when using a combination of fares, compared to buying a through fare.

Some people used to erroneously make false claims that a loss of rights occurred when combining Advance fares, however they were proven wrong a few years ago when the 'Advance Fares FAQs' were published within the rail industry's internal knowledgebase (aka The Manual), which made it absolutely clear that it was permissible to use such combinations without any loss of rights.

 

[30907]

The only qualification (according to our fares guide) is that a VT only ticket officially cannot he used on Arriva and vice versa.

I don't know whether this would be enforced , particularly with a VT ticket where the next train is 3 1/2 hours later.

 

[Blindtraveler]

On a more practical note the up Highland needs to be good hour late leaving Edinburgh where the 3 portions are attached for the drag South for this to miss at Crewe so its really your choice what service to take to Wales.

The Virgin service carries full catering and power sockets plus First Class whereas ATW's will be a 2 or 3 car diesel multiple units with a trolley service from Chester onwards. Hope this helps.

 

[keppoch69]

Thanks Dan!! Mr Blindtraveler. & the other feedback. You were 1 of the lovely longtime members I was hoping for a bit of feedback from. I always learn a bit from your travelogue thingies you post on here.

I really did want the first Virgin from Birmingham in the morning, to be honest. Even considering 1st class for breakfast & free wifi. I have 2 buses to get to Pwllheli, then either a 45min walks, or a 5min bus ride which is once an hour once getting there.

I travel to Fife a lot, changing at both Croy & Haymarket, so have a feel for the types of units/carriages used in North Wales & the Cambric, so being cooped up in a small set with folk with luggage, as used by Arriva Trains Wales does not appeal.

Thank you all. Diolch.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Glad to be of service. If it were me I'd be booking the VT service as at that time of day I would be wanting a hot coffee, cold OJ and a bacon roll, the last being someting ATW cannot do really so I say go for it.

 

[IanM]

I really did want the first Virgin from Birmingham in the morning, to be honest. Even considering 1st class for breakfast & free wifi.

I was on that a few weeks back. There were 3 of us in 1st from Crewe (all travelling separately) and the steward was (jokingly) moaning about being rushed off his feet because he'd never seen this train so busy.

 

[keppoch69]

Just me again folks! Bore Da! It is morning as I type this.
Bless you all.
To update: as already shared; I am booked into the seated carriage from Inverkeithing(INK), to Crew(CRE).
I like the 45 minute connection as I can stretch my legs, enough time to buy a coffee from the place which looks out onto the terminal platforms and near enough for my next platform.
I do not fancy doing a "Challenge Anneka" up to bridge level, along to the Virgin lounge, all for a free coffee, battling folk in polyester suits, or people going to the seaside with lorra, lorra luggage. No ta, very mooch.
As this visit is over my birthday week, with the low prices for an early morning, I have booked myself into carriage E, First Class & will have breakfast. Plus WiFi & a socket. Nice start to a morning. I reserved 1 of the anti-social seats as I call them, the ones without a facing, companion seat.
Returning via the 20.20ish, Virgin terminator (quiet carriage) to Crewe on the Thursday 13th, & I can fester, I believe people who like railways call it? for a couple of hours before boarding the Down Aberdeen to Inverkeithing, again in the seats; connecting at Crewe.
Diolch! Slangevar.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Wise and sensible moves there good Sir.
Enjoy the journey.

 

[keppoch69]

Thank you Mr BT!
I have only been on the night sleeper once, as a teenager & that is a story by itself. lol.
I am taking a 21 inch trolley case with me. just checking the luggage racks above the seats on the sleeper are the same as we had in the 1970s/90s era as it will fit up there no problem.
Just for younger viewers & listeners, my case fits cheerie up on the racks on the Sprinters & Super Sprinters, & also the plastic Virgins which ride up & down the West Coast Main-line all day, both Pedolini's & Voyagers.
This trip means a lot to me & I guess I am putting some old ghosts/demons to bed & moving on with myself after giving up a while back.
Thank you all for the feeling of being friendly, & dare I say it over the internet, <community>.