Kings Cross to Edinburgh Thursday 8th

[cjp]

Kings cross to Edinburgh departure 8am Thursday - any idea which platform and will the bicycle store be down the front - coach P - with first class at the back as usual?
Clearly first class passengers still do not realise how quick and easy it is to get around town on a bike, even the ones who are not old fuddy duddies

Supplementary Questions
1. Picking up my tickets I notices that the Scotrail booking confirmation said I could use any of my cards, is that true of all TOD machines for all companies and if so so what are they checking when the card is put in the slot?

2. I picked up my tickets from my local ticket office (Southall) who always give me an itinerary. I tried to get them earlier from the ticket office at Putney who refused and pointed me to TOD machines an offer which I passed on as I could not remember which card I had used. Was the ticket office clerk just being unhelpful or can they not issue tickets to be collected? (There was no queue and the place was quiet and I thought the more transactions that went through a ticket office the more likely the TOC would be to not further reduce the opening hours.)

Q4 - DELAY REPAY?
I should know this but the East Coast train is 2hrs + late so my arrival at Inverness will also be late. Can I claim for the entire journey and will Virgin handle both their and the Scotrail tickets if I choose to claim?

 

[transmanche]

Kings cross to Edinburgh departure 8am Thursday - any idea which platform and will the bicycle store be down the front - coach P - with first class at the back as usual?

RealTimeTrains suggests that it is expected to depart from Platform 1.

Supplementary Questions
1. Picking up my tickets I notices that the Scotrail booking confirmation said I could use any of my cards, is that true of all TOD machines for all companies and if so so what are they checking when the card is put in the slot?

Simply recording that the holder of card no x was the person who collected the tickets.

I tried to get them earlier from the ticket office at Putney who refused and pointed me to TOD machines an offer which I passed on as I could not remember which card I had used

It seems a bit strange to me that you refused to use the machine, being as you were told by ScotRail that you could use any card in the machine.

 

[jopsuk]

Bike store:
As it appears to be an electric (at least, that's what it is timed for and thus booked for?) the bike store is in the DVT. This should be at the rear of the train. Inside it looks like this:

If substituted with an HST, the bike store is at the opposite end, in the TGS.

Don't forget to attach the ticket for the bike to it, this assists staff. Don't lock your bike to the rack.
1st class: on both VTEC types, 1st class is at the rear of the train northbound unless the formation has been reversed for some reason (not common but does happen)

 

[cjp]

It seems a bit strange to me that you refused to use the machine, being as you were told by ScotRail that you could use any card in the machine.

Simple - the booking confirmation from Virgin East Coast did not say the same
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Bike store:
As it appears to be an electric (at least, that's what it is timed for and thus booked for?) the bike store is in the DVT. This should be at the rear of the train.
If substituted with an HST, the bike store is at the opposite end, in the TGS.

1st class: on both VTEC types, 1st class is at the rear of the train northbound unless the formation has been reversed for some reason (not common but does happen)

Thanks.
With both at the rear of the train arriving 10 minutes before departure is adequate given I will not have to walk the length of the train and that in turn means I do not need to pedal too fast from Paddington to Kings Cross, a nice relaxed cadence will do it.

 

[AlterEgo]

RealTimeTrains suggests that it is expected to depart from Platform 1.

Simply recording that the holder of card no x was the person who collected the tickets.

It seems a bit strange to me that you refused to use the machine, being as you were told by ScotRail that you could use any card in the machine.

For "any card collection", the machine does not check any details on the card. You could use someone else's card, or in fact any card with a chip. Any card will do!

 

[transmanche]

For "any card collection", the machine does not check any details on the card. You could use someone else's card, or in fact any card with a chip. Any card will do!

Does it need to be a chip card these days? About ten years ago* I used a Tesco Ireland Clubcard, just to see if it worked. And it did.

* When I think 'any card collection' was the norm.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

With both at the rear of the train arriving 10 minutes before departure is adequate given I will not have to walk the length of the train and that in turn means I do not need to pedal too fast from Paddington to Kings Cross, a nice relaxed cadence will do it.

If you have the time, cycling along the Regents Canal towpath is a nice way to make the journey.

 

[cjp]

]
If you have the time, cycling along the Regents Canal towpath is a nice way to make the journey.

A nice idea but for another day once I have tried it out. For this trip I wil stick to the Euston Road and the bus lanes. I would have more time on the return journey but at 2330 I wil stick to the lit up roadways.

 

[jopsuk]

Simple - the booking confirmation from Virgin East Coast did not say the same
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Thanks.
With both at the rear of the train arriving 10 minutes before departure is adequate given I will not have to walk the length of the train and that in turn means I do not need to pedal too fast from Paddington to Kings Cross, a nice relaxed cadence will do it.

I highly recommend that you use this route or the suggested canal route (a little longer) as the direct route along Euston Road is possibly one of the most hostile places to cycle in London. The route I link to includes a lengthy section of separated cycleway

 

[DaveNewcastle]

The 08:00 is booked to be an electric set, so the bike store WILL be in the DVT at the concourse end, next to First Class. You might have to tap on the Guard's window (also in the DVT, at the far end) to ask them to open the door to the van.

I cery strongly support this advice:

I highly recommend that you use this route or the suggested canal route (a little longer) as the direct route along Euston Road is possibly one of the most hostile places to cycle in London. The route I link to includes a lengthy section of separated cycleway

Yes. The segregated cycleway is popular and at junctions, it is well respected by motorists, specifically taxis. Its in complete contrast with Euston Road.

You can still do Paddington to Kings Cross (concourse to concourse) in 20 mins by that route if you make a bit of an effort, even in the rush hour. You'd get stuck behind or between stationary busses on Euston Road at that time of day.

 

[jopsuk]

Also you never know if the bus driver behind you in a bus lane is paying attention or placing bets via his phone.

 

[ainsworth74]

(at least, that's what it is timed for and thus booked for?)

Outside of disruption I would say that 99% of the time what a VTEC service is timed for will be what runs it.

 

[cjp]

The 08:00 is booked to be an electric set, so the bike store WILL be in the DVT at the concourse end, next to First Class. You might have to tap on the Guard's window (also in the DVT, at the far end) to ask them to open the door to the van.

I cery strongly support this advice:Yes. The segregated cycleway is popular and at junctions, it is well respected by motorists, specifically taxis. Its in complete contrast with Euston Road.

You can still do Paddington to Kings Cross (concourse to concourse) in 20 mins by that route if you make a bit of an effort, even in the rush hour. You'd get stuck behind or between stationary busses on Euston Road at that time of day.

Thank you both.
I have sent the link to my phone and will follow the suggested route unless I feel rushed in which case the known route will be too much of a temptation.
Chris

 

[wibble]

For "any card collection", the machine does not check any details on the card. You could use someone else's card, or in fact any card with a chip. Any card will do!

It can be any card with a magnetic strip.

The retailer will decide whether it's an "Any card" or "Payment card only"