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Railfest Tickets

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ryan125hst

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I am planning to go to Railfest with my Mum, however, are were wondering whether to buy tickets in advance, or buy them on the day.

Are tickets selling fast? Is it looking likely that they will be sold out before the event? Is it worth booking in advance, but risking bad weather? If we don't get tickets in advance, is it likely that we will be turned away?

If you are planning on going to Railfest, have you got your tickets yet?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Ryan
 
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Crossover

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I haven't got mine as if yet

I think you can buy on the day but in doing so risk being in some lengthy queues to purchase
 

ainsworth74

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Aren't they also a couple of pounds more expensive on the gate?

Yeah it's £13 if you buy in advance and £15 on the gate.

Rail are strongly advising to buy in advance to avoid queues to get in.
 

JamesHorrell

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Yep got mine in about a week though the post as i typed my email wron and the NRM sent them though the post. and tehy are just a A4 sheets with it in the midel and you have to take the whole a4 to get in and yeah it better to buy in advance so you cna go do the Fast Track lane which means you get to the action faster.
 

Oscar

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You can book online up to and including 26th May (this Saturday). A Print at Home ticket costs £13 but you can get a £5 Redspottedhanky voucher with each ticket as well. The cost as stated previously is £15 on the day. If you are definitely going to go, it seems like a good idea to buy a ticket in advance but if you are unsure you will have to make your mind up.
 

bnm

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yes, got mine online not long back-reason, i'm only going to see Carol Vordermann

Arf arf.

Is that really the only reason?

She's a bonny lass and all that but making a trip to York and paying £13 for the privilege, just to see Ms Vorderman?*

What about the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the various rolling stock etc etc....


*I know where she lives by the way....

;)
 

TGVDUDE

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I ordered mine in advance, but to find I can no longer attend, but its good to have that £5 voucher :)
 

ryan125hst

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Thank you for your replies. We haven't got our tickets in advance (it is only £2 more expensive to buy on the day) as we aren't 100% sure what day we will go (it is looking like it will be Thursday at present). At least if the weather is bad or, given the reliability of the ECML in the last few weeks, trains are delayed or canceled, we can choose to go on another day. Driving up wouldn't be the same (if your going to Railfest, you've got to get there by train haven't you!). I would imagine parking will be a nightmare anyway.

We are going on either the 7:53 from Retford, getting into York at 8:32, or the 8:44 from Retford, arriving into York at 9:29. Do you recommend we get on the earlier service so we can join the queue earlier, allowing us to get in sooner?

We will probably return on the 18:01. Does anyone know whether this service is normally busy, or whether Railfest will make this train overcrowded?
 

yorkie

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We are going on either the 7:53 from Retford, getting into York at 8:32, or the 8:44 from Retford, arriving into York at 9:29. Do you recommend we get on the earlier service so we can join the queue earlier, allowing us to get in sooner?
I'd book online and get the later train, but failing that, the earlier train. I think the queues were horrendous in 2004.
We will probably return on the 18:01. Does anyone know whether this service is normally busy, or whether Railfest will make this train overcrowded?
Railfest will make the train busy. But, as it starts from York, if you board early you should get a seat.
 

Oscar

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Online sales are now unfortunately closed. My memory of the 2004 queues is that they stretched most of the length of the Station Hall when I was there at least.
Edit - Oops, online booking seems to have been extended to 1st June (tomorrow), book quickly! The original information said 29th May.
 
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wijit

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It's worth checking the online sales, we booked and printed ours last night no issues or e-mails to cancel just the confirmation e-mail which you print from a link.
 

ryan125hst

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Thanks again for the advice. We are going tomorrow and are hoping to leave on the 07:53 train. That means that we will be in York just under an hour before opening time.

What have the queues been like at this time so far? What is it like to get back to the station at 17:30?
 

Wath Yard

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I'd have a lie-in if I were you. I went on Monday as that was the best weather forecast for the whole week, got there approx 10:40 and there was no queue to get in, and when I got in the place was virtually deserted. And that was a Bank Holiday. If you get there at 9:00 you'll just be stood in the rain for 60 minutes until it opens.
 

ryan125hst

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I'd have a lie-in if I were you. I went on Monday as that was the best weather forecast for the whole week, got there approx 10:40 and there was no queue to get in, and when I got in the place was virtually deserted. And that was a Bank Holiday. If you get there at 9:00 you'll just be stood in the rain for 60 minutes until it opens.

Thank you for the information. I might still go early just to be on the safe side. I've been checking East Coast's website over the last few days and there has been very little disruption. You can guarantee that the day that I go on it every problem that cam occur will occur! The wires came down last May when I wanted to visit the NRM, so I ended up going a few days later. If I go on the earlier train, it gives less time for disruption to occur and means that I have more time to get there if the train is delayed.

Was there anyone else around waiting for it to open? How busy was it later in the morning?
 

bb21

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Online sales appears to still be going as of now. I have just booked my ticket.
 

Wath Yard

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On Monday there were a reasonable number of people there. It got slightly busier thoughout the day, however it was never crowded and the queues for entry into the cabs were never longer than about 5 - 10 people. Although it is interesting and well worth a visit I think you will struggle to keep up your interest for a 10:00 - 17:00 visit. Think of your poor mum.
 

ryan125hst

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On Monday there were a reasonable number of people there. It got slightly busier thoughout the day, however it was never crowded and the queues for entry into the cabs were never longer than about 5 - 10 people. Although it is interesting and well worth a visit I think you will struggle to keep up your interest for a 10:00 - 17:00 visit. Think of your poor mum.

She did say that we might have had enough by then. There is a train at 16:01 to get back to Retford. And there's always the NRM itself if we want to look around anything else. I've been there many times now but never get bored of it.

Oh, another reason for me to go early: I can spend a bit of time on York station!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I did catch the 07:53 in the end. The queues weren't too bad, but it did get busy very quickly once inside.

@Wath Yard, it looks like it was busier yesterday than when you went. I had a look around and only went into the cab of the Class 395 and the Brighton Belle to start with, as I decided to look around first and then go round it all taking photos and looking in cabs/on footplate's later. I did go on the footplate of Princess Elizabeth (which arrived Monday evening) and a few other small steam engines as well.

When I finally started to go round taking photos it was almost 16:00! (I had taken a few photos earlier on, but not too many as I wanted to save the battery). I only managed to get onto the class 57, Voyager and Prototype HST after this. The queues for the Virgin vehicles were very long and the talks in each lasted a good 10 minutes. As for keeping my interest, I could have done with going again today!

Many thanks for the advice.

Ryan
 
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