Swindon

[philabos]

My wife and I will be visiting the UK next week and I have convinced her to make the journey to Steam at Swindon. We will be staying in Windsor, and have figured out we change at Slough and Reading to get to Swindon. The FGW site states Steam admission discounts are available but tickets must be purchased at staffed stations. Is Windsor E&C staffed? If we buy our ticket the day before , do we still get the advance purchase discount? The best FGW fares seem to apply leaving Windsor after 10:00AM and returning from Swindon after 7:00PM, which would suit us fine since we would plan to have lunch and perhaps dinner in Swindon.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Warren

 

[Mojo]

Yes Windsor & Eton Central is staffed at the time you'll be there, although I can't see why the station needs to be staffed; it should be available from on-train staff. In the event it's not you can also buy at any interchange stations you come to, but you don't have to delay your journey (ie. miss a connection). If the station is closed you can buy a Permit To Travel by inserting money (minimum 5p) into a machine and exchange this for a ticket. The Permit To Travel machine at Windsor/Eton Central is the other side of the gates to the platform from the self-service ticket vending machines (from memory).

The Add-on fares are adult £5.00, children £3.00 and senior citizens £3.20. If the person you encounter doesn't know how to do it, tell them the ticket needs to be issued to NLC J841 for adult/child, or J842 for senior citizen, and that they can find more details in ''the Manual'' under ''Leisure Attractions.''

 

[LexyBoy]

If we buy our ticket the day before, do we still get the advance purchase discount?

Do you mean on the Steam admission price or on the train fare? There's no 'advance purchase discount' as such on train tickets - there are 'Advance' tickets which can be cheaper, but are totally inflexible. Sometimes these are available the day before, sometimes they sell out months before. If you meant the Steam admission price, then I can't see why not, so if it's more convenient to get them at the station the day before then go ahead (it would have to be a FGW station though). It might be worth taking a printout of the webpage in case they've not heard of the offer though.

The best FGW fares seem to apply leaving Windsor after 10:00AM and returning from Swindon after 7:00PM, which would suit us fine since we would plan to have lunch and perhaps dinner in Swindon.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Warren

Have you been to Swindon?

Don't forget that the Didcot Railway Centre is en-route (about half of the Reading-Swindon trains stop there). If you have time it might be worth a quick look - it's right next to the station, just walk through the subway. Generally only have things in steam at the weekend, but plenty to look at including some broad gauge and Brunel's atmospheric railway...

 

[Mojo]

Why would it have to be a FGW station? I can see no mention of this or reason for this in the Manual and Avantix Traveller also offers the fares.

Can one of our ticket office/on train staff confirm on their TIS whether they can issue a ticket from Windsor & Eton Central to J841?

 

[philabos]

[Have you been to Swindon?

Don't forget that the Didcot Railway Centre is en-route (about half of the Reading-Swindon trains stop there). If you have time it might be worth a quick look - it's right next to the station, just walk through the subway. Generally only have things in steam at the weekend, but plenty to look at including some broad gauge and Brunel's atmospheric railway...[/QUOTE]

Have not been to either Swindon or Didcot. Does not appear Didcot is open on a Thursday this time of year which is the only day we have available. Committed to a play in London Friday afternoon thence on to Glasgow on VT Saturday morning. According to the Steam website, they are only a ten minute walk from the rail station. Also appears Swindon has attrations to entertain the wife if she gets bored with the railway. We are able to commit to specific trains, so will see what is on offer at Windsor the day before.

 

[moonrakerz]

Also appears Swindon has attrations to entertain the wife if she gets bored with the railway. We are able to commit to specific trains, so will see what is on offer at Windsor the day before.

There is a very good outlet shopping village right next to Steam in Swindon. Both are part of the old railway works.
Would strongly suggest you surgically remove your wife's credit cards before letting her go in there !

http://www.swindondesigneroutlet.com/index.htm

 

[bnm]

If you are unable to bag cheap enough Advance Purchase fares between Windsor & Eton Ctl and Swindon the day before then another option to consider is splitting your fare at Didcot and buying more flexible walk-up fares.

Windsor & Eton Ctl - Didcot Parkway Off Peak Day Return (valid after 0900 Mon-Fri) £13.80
Didcot - Swindon Steam (NLC J841) Off Peak Day Return £14.40.
Total: £28.20.

With split ticketing you only have to ensure that your train calls at your split point. Do check, as not all services to/from Swindon call at Didcot. (off peak 2 an hour typically with a 3rd every two hours) No need to get off unless changing trains or you wish to break your journey.

This will give you more flexibility on your journey, not being tied to particular trains as you would be with Advance Purchase.

If you do buy Advance Purchase the day before, you can still get the add-on STEAM entry fare at a manned station by asking for a SWINDON to SWINDON STEAM ticket.

 

[LexyBoy]

I thought the FGW website specified one of their stations - the link on the Steam website talks about a discount if travelling with FGW - but it may have just been 'staffed station'.

If you want advance fares you could book now and collect from the ticket machine (unless foreign cards don't work).

Splitting at didcot is a good one too as you can get cheaper Day Return tickets. Also I don't think there would be any afternoon restrictions applying in this case, though I'll probably be corrected.

 

[philabos]

Thanks all for the advice. I will print and take along on the trip.

 

[bnm]

I thought the FGW website specified one of their stations - the link on the Steam website talks about a discount if travelling with FGW - but it may have just been 'staffed station'.

That maybe the case - but the fare SWINDON-SWINDON STEAM is shown in NFM07. I'd imagine that is the case for NFM08 and Avantix, so it should be available from any Ticket Issuing System at manned stations or from a guard onboard. At £5 it beats paying the £6.40 adult entry fee for STEAM on the door. whether you have to travel form a FGW station is probably a moot point - if a TIS/Avantix can issue it then it should be fine. After all to get to Swindon you'd needed to have travelled with FGW. Maybe problematical if you are already in Swindon, but I can't imagine staff at STEAM querying it.

 

[philabos]

A little update on my trip.
Although the ticket office at FGW Windsor is indeed staffed, they only sell "same day" prices even if Advance prices are still available. That effectively doubled the price. Went to London on SWT instead from Riverside.

 

[Zoe]

A little update on my trip.
Although the ticket office at FGW Windsor is indeed staffed, they only sell "same day" prices even if Advance prices are still available. That effectively doubled the price. Went to London on SWT instead from Riverside.

Considering how close Swindon is to Windsor, this really isn't the type of journey I'd expect to have to book in advance to travel at a reasonable price.

 

[LexyBoy]

A little update on my trip.
Although the ticket office at FGW Windsor is indeed staffed, they only sell "same day" prices even if Advance prices are still available. That effectively doubled the price. Went to London on SWT instead from Riverside.

That doesn't sound right! Surely ticket offices must sell all available tickets. At busy times some desks may only sell tickets for that day, but there should always be some offering the full range of tickets. Did you ask specifically for Advance tickets? In my experience FGW ticket office staff are very helpful with looking up advance journeys.

When were you asking and when did you want to travel?

 

[philabos]

I was very specific in asking for the advance purchase - one day ahead of travel. The response was also very specific that they ONLY sell same day travel prices at Windsor even if you are buying a day in advance. They were not busy - we were the only people at the window. It did not seem logical to me - but not my railway

 

[Mojo]

I was very specific in asking for the advance purchase - one day ahead of travel. The response was also very specific that they ONLY sell same day travel prices at Windsor even if you are buying a day in advance. They were not busy - we were the only people at the window. It did not seem logical to me - but not my railway

If you were buying only one day in advance there is the chance that Advance tickets may have sold out as they are quota-controlled (only a limited number are available for each train). Maybe that is what he meant, because ticket offices have to sell all any ticket you request, unless there is some reason it cannot be sold (eg. because there are multiple windows for immediate and future travel, or the ticket office is temporary and sells tickets through a portable machine). Neither apply at Windsor/Eton Central though.

 

[TEW]

Maybe they just had an avantix machine rather than a proper fixed ticket machine, that would limit them to selling on the day price tickets.

 

[route:oxford]

Considering how close Swindon is to Windsor, this really isn't the type of journey I'd expect to have to book in advance to travel at a reasonable price.

Then you'd be in for an unexpected fare if you didn't book in advance.

Swindon is outside the old Network South East area so fares leap when you cross the border, it's one of the places where it even works out cheaper splitting a season ticket.

12 Month Swindon to Reading - £4468

12 Month Swindon to Didcot - £2580
12 Month Didcot to Reading - £1508
Saving £380

 

[Flamingo]

Then you'd be in for an unexpected fare if you didn't book in advance.

Swindon is outside the old Network South East area so fares leap when you cross the border, it's one of the places where it even works out cheaper splitting a season ticket.

12 Month Swindon to Reading - £4468

12 Month Swindon to Didcot - £2580
12 Month Didcot to Reading - £1508
Saving £380

But only valid on trains that stop at Didcot, thus ruling out a lot of the trains that go Reading - Swindon (however much you shout and bluster at the Guard )

 

[Zoe]

Then you'd be in for an unexpected fare if you didn't book in advance.

I know the fare is expensive but why should you have to book in advance for a short journey like London to Swindon? All this policy does is encourage people to use the M4.

 

[Flamingo]

I know the fare is expensive but why should you have to book in advance for a short journey like London to Swindon? All this policy does is encourage people to use the M4.

Which is part of life's personal choices.

Do I drive myself for a two hour journey (according to http://www.transportdirect.info) and then pay the congestion charge and Central London parking or do I sit back on the train for a 55-65 minute journey.

 

[Zoe]

l]http://www.transportdirect.info[/url]) and then pay the congestion charge and Central London parking or do I sit back on the train for a 55-65 minute journey.

Unfortunately FirstGroup know that also and get away with clear profiteering and that route. The other option though would be to drive to the M25 area and get the London Underground in.

 

[Flamingo]

Life's full of decisions. I don't think that charging a ticket for the journey is profiteering. If you think it is, then use an alternative form of transport. It's up to you to decide which is more important to you.

 

[Zoe]

Life's full of decisions. I don't think that charging a ticket for the journey is profiteering. If you think it is, then use an alternative form of transport. It's up to you to decide which is more important to you.

Why are the London to Swindon fares so expensive then if not simple profiteering? A similar journey day trip to London from Peterborough costs only £28. Should you really be forcing people to book in advance for a 1 hour journey if they want to travel at a reasonable price.

 

[Flamingo]

Swindon - London zone 1 Anytime return - £115
Peterborough - London zone 1 Anytime return - £100
Swindon - London zone 1 off-peak return £54
Peterborough - London zone 1 off-peak return (any permitted route) - £72.70

Seems comparable to me (Oh wait, Peterborough - London is more expensive for a non-restrictive off-peak).

Nobody is forcing anybody to book in advance - if people from Swindon want to go to London they have numerous choices, they can drive, catch a bus (Megabus, 2hr 10 minutes each way but only £7 each way - reasonable enough?), they have choices.

The railway costs money to run. The government has decided to reduce the subsidy that they pay, meaning that train ticket prices are starting to reflect the true cost of running the railway. If this reduction in subsidy is a problem, then talk to your MP. The money to pay wages, running costs and Network Rail has to come from somewhere - if not the taxpayer, then the user has to stump it up.

That is hardly profiteering. If you think it is, write to your MP and tell them you want the subsidy increased. Suggest that your local hospital can be closed down to pay for it.