North Western Trains - London Euston - Manchester Airport

[Bald Rick]

Unlikely to have been 13 May - try two weeks later - I travelled on one in the final week - 158756 to Manchester Victoria from London Euston on Monday 22 May 2000 (1150 from Euston) and 158758 back the following day (1526 from Manchester Victoria) - 3 hours and 16 minutes each way.

I think they had been scaled back by then however to just the Rochdale - London - Manchester - London - Rochdale 158 diagram.

Quite likely.

Euston Remodelling went into full swing with the new timetable in summer 2000, and was reduced to 10 (possibly 11) platforms from the summer change date. (It had been reduced to 15 platforms from the Easter). North Western always knew they were going to be kicked out for the summer timetable, and then never came back.

 

[MatthewRead]

They were.


Don't think so, one of those 'moderation of competition' things perhaps?

Doesn't say they were pick up/set down only on the timetable.

 

[hexagon789]

Doesn't say they were pick up/set down only on the timetable.

It does in the GBTT I have

 

[52290]

I used the one that started at Blackpool several times to get to London and then to the continent, boarding at Leyland. The tickets were only available on board the train so the guard would make sure that no one got on at Warrington. They weren't allowed to pickup at Virgin stations. I think the Watford stop connected with a bus to and from Heathrow.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I used the one that started at Blackpool several times to get to London and then to the continent, boarding at Leyland. The tickets were only available on board the train so the guard would make sure that no one got on at Warrington. They weren't allowed to pickup at Virgin stations. I think the Watford stop connected with a bus to and from Heathrow.

That's not the case, booking offices could sell them. They were just normal Anytime Returns though at a tiny price.

 

[Ianno87]

I used the one that started at Blackpool several times to get to London and then to the continent, boarding at Leyland. The tickets were only available on board the train so the guard would make sure that no one got on at Warrington. They weren't allowed to pickup at Virgin stations. I think the Watford stop connected with a bus to and from Heathrow.

That's not the case, booking offices could sell them. They were just normal Anytime Returns though at a tiny price.

Yes, they could definitely be bought from booking offices.

However, on-train purchase may have been necessary at places like Leyland (if the booking office was shut) or Euxton (no booking office at all)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes, they could definitely be bought from booking offices.

However, on-train purchase may have been necessary at places like Leyland (if the booking office was shut) or Euxton (no booking office at all)

FWIW I think the times I travelled on this are the only times I have ever purchased an Anytime Return (though I've had many Anytime Day Returns).

£13.20 with YP, if I recall.

 

[Ianno87]

FWIW I think the times I travelled on this are the only times I have ever purchased an Anytime Return (though I've had many Anytime Day Returns).

£13.20 with YP, if I recall.

Without a Railcard as £20 return from the directly served stations (so yes £13.20 after Railcard discount), and was £25 for the "& connections" version (what we paid from Bolton, less Railcard discount. 2+2 on a Family Railcard return Bolton to London for about £38 (with the old £2 Child Fare))

 

[52290]

That's not the case, booking offices could sell them. They were just normal Anytime Returns though at a tiny price.

I stand corrected on this point. I think though that on board purchase of a ticket was publicised as an advantage of this service as it saved queueing at Leyland. It was also the first time I used a credit card to buy a ticket on a train.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I stand corrected on this point. I think though that on board purchase of a ticket was publicised as an advantage of this service as it saved queueing at Leyland. It was also the first time I used a credit card to buy a ticket on a train.

Back then you could, de facto, buy a ticket on board any FNW train. However I too do recall in this context that they promoted it as an option.

 

[Ianno87]

Back then you could, de facto, buy a ticket on board any FNW train. However I too do recall in this context that they promoted it as an option.

I recall FNW getting much tougher on buy-before you board in maybe about 2000. I recall some statistic like 1 in 3 Bolton-Manchester passengers evading fares due to lack of barriers and the guard not coming around (and when they did, their SPORTIS machine barely stopped printing)

 

[Bletchleyite]

I recall FNW getting much tougher on buy-before you board in maybe about 2000. I recall some statistic like 1 in 3 Bolton-Manchester passengers evading fares due to lack of barriers and the guard not coming around (and when they did, their SPORTIS machine barely stopped printing)

It may well have been with the coming of the 175s. Not because of anything to do with 175s themselves, but because the arrival of those heralded a move from almost everything just being a 2-car unit (or a single 153) and a lot more double units being in service, as well as increasing passenger numbers. It's fairly easy to do all ticketing on-board on a half-empty single 142 (barely any different to doing it on a Blackpool tram, which is how it was and still is done), but much less so a double 156, or worse a double 150/1 with no gangway. Let alone 6 cars of 331.