gazthomas
Established Member
Today I decided to do a Marston Vale circular trip, starting from St. Albans City and returning to St. Albans Abbey. It had been 15 years since my last trip along this rural backwater from Bedford to Bletchley so I was eager to see what had changed.
Before that I had to endure an Uno no. 658 bus from Napsbury into St. Albans. £3.80 for a relatively short return I feel is expensive and as others say, people in London have "never had it so good".
I was "lucky" as I was able to get a late running Thameslink service (no change there!) northwards which would give me only a few minutes waiting time in Bedford. I checked the times and realised I could speed up my arrival in Bedford by changing to an East Midlands Service at Luton. This turned out to be a good decision as on the way up I realised I had purchased an "out and back" ticket to Ridgmont from the machine rather than a ticket that would allow me to return via Bletchley and Watford Junction.
After a short queue at the booking office in sunny Bedford a very nice member of booking staff excessed my ticket, allowing me to go via Bletchley and Watford Junction. At £23 without railcards I think this isn't a bad off-peak fare.
Having taken some photos at Bedford I got on a clean and well presented 150107 for the trip to Bletchley. By this time sun had changed to torrential rain so I was happy to be on the Sprinter. The landscape south and west of Bedford had changed a lot since I last travelled this way - the brick industry appears long gone and vast swathes of empty land are being replaced by endless streets of new housing.
Arrival at Bletchley was on time. I however had no time to visit Bletchley Park, home of the "code breakers", but I did have to pop into the centre of Bletchley. What a bleak place. Like Hatfield in Hertfordshire but even less charming!
I left Bletchley on a Southern service to Watford Junction. Again a well presented train. At Watford Junction I then walked to the offset platform 11 to take my last train of the day to St. Albans Abbey Station. 319433 was very quiet but again in good condition. I arrived at the Abbey on time, then strolled up the hill to the city centre to get another Uno "bone shaker" back home.
Overall a great day - one of contrasts, the survival of the Marston Vale line always surprises me, though in coming years it will have a new lease of life as part of the East-West line.
I am indebted to the booking office staff member at Bedford for fixing my ticket - that will teach me!
Before that I had to endure an Uno no. 658 bus from Napsbury into St. Albans. £3.80 for a relatively short return I feel is expensive and as others say, people in London have "never had it so good".
I was "lucky" as I was able to get a late running Thameslink service (no change there!) northwards which would give me only a few minutes waiting time in Bedford. I checked the times and realised I could speed up my arrival in Bedford by changing to an East Midlands Service at Luton. This turned out to be a good decision as on the way up I realised I had purchased an "out and back" ticket to Ridgmont from the machine rather than a ticket that would allow me to return via Bletchley and Watford Junction.
After a short queue at the booking office in sunny Bedford a very nice member of booking staff excessed my ticket, allowing me to go via Bletchley and Watford Junction. At £23 without railcards I think this isn't a bad off-peak fare.
Having taken some photos at Bedford I got on a clean and well presented 150107 for the trip to Bletchley. By this time sun had changed to torrential rain so I was happy to be on the Sprinter. The landscape south and west of Bedford had changed a lot since I last travelled this way - the brick industry appears long gone and vast swathes of empty land are being replaced by endless streets of new housing.
Arrival at Bletchley was on time. I however had no time to visit Bletchley Park, home of the "code breakers", but I did have to pop into the centre of Bletchley. What a bleak place. Like Hatfield in Hertfordshire but even less charming!
I left Bletchley on a Southern service to Watford Junction. Again a well presented train. At Watford Junction I then walked to the offset platform 11 to take my last train of the day to St. Albans Abbey Station. 319433 was very quiet but again in good condition. I arrived at the Abbey on time, then strolled up the hill to the city centre to get another Uno "bone shaker" back home.
Overall a great day - one of contrasts, the survival of the Marston Vale line always surprises me, though in coming years it will have a new lease of life as part of the East-West line.
I am indebted to the booking office staff member at Bedford for fixing my ticket - that will teach me!
( there were at least 3 attempts at closure over the years )
