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Travel centres

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MidnightFlyer

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Hi,

At one time (within my memory!) travel centres used to be a common sight at quite a few stations, but have slowly died down over recent times. Out of curiosity more than anything, I would love to know where else had them, and if possible what they became.

I know Watford Junction's and Northampton's both now lie empty (closed by LM), as has Milton Keynes', which is now a shop which I cannot recall.

There's a list of some (all?) SWT ones here (thanks wintonian), but does anyone have any more?

Cheers
 
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AlterEgo

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The Milton Keynes travel centre is just abandoned these days. It's not a shop. The OP is right, they have dwindled, as booking offices are gradually shunned in favour of online booking and so forth.
 

MidnightFlyer

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Does Brighton still have one post-redevelopment?

Yes, it is run by the local bus company IIRC, I was in there a few weeks ago, and very good it is for both railways and local transport.

As with WOF, the travel centre there has a wide range of timetables, not just those for the local lines - great to see. I once picked up a Eurostar and Derbyshire CC timetable at Foregate St!
 

MidnightFlyer

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Thanks for the replies so far guys, great to know.

The booking office has been moved at PMS too - from five windows and a travel centre five (?) years ago to two windows and not much more today :roll:
 

Ivo

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Yes, it is run by the local bus company IIRC, I was in there a few weeks ago, and very good it is for both railways and local transport.

Wouldn't surprise me one bit - I think it was back in '06 when I went there. Brighton & Hove and Southern are both owned by Go-Ahead, and are practically one organisation within city limits. The difference being that one has an excellent reputation, whereas the other's is, well, questionable.
 

Greenback

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The Reading Travel Centre, impressively known as The Travel Shop, closed not long after I left, though I don't believe for one minute that the two events were in any way connected!

I can't remember what's there instead now!
 

wintonian

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Thanks for the replies so far guys, great to know.

The booking office has been moved at PMS too - from five windows and a travel centre five (?) years ago to two windows and not much more today :roll:

Well not quite they have just rotated it on its axis by 180°, the point of which is anyones guess. :? :roll:

Coventry has one but I found them incredibly rude.

Edinburgh Waverly, Glasgow Queen Street, York, Middleburgh, Worcester Foregate and Carlisle from what I seem to remember from recent jaunts have travel centres.
 

MidnightFlyer

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I seem to recall PMS was moved due to constant dampness or something in the old site :shock:

Waverley and York's seem to blend in with the booking office IIRC. Queen St's second booking office closed last year, so all work is focused in the TC now.

Foregate St (the best out there IMO) and Carlisle remain, but I think Middlesbrough's has gone, judging by info and pics on NRE.
 

Bedpan

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Hi,

At one time (within my memory!) travel centres used to be a common sight at quite a few stations, but have slowly died down over recent times. Out of curiosity more than anything, I would love to know where else had them, and if possible what they became.

I know Watford Junction's and Northampton's both now lie empty (closed by LM), as has Milton Keynes', which is now a shop which I cannot recall.

There's a list of some (all?) SWT ones here (thanks wintonian), but does anyone have any more?

Cheers

Pretty sure there was once one at Surbiton too. Could have been pre SWT though.
 

wintonian

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I seem to recall PMS was moved due to constant dampness or something in the old site :shock:

Well Winchesters ticket office was moved to a temporary location last year due the main one suddenly disappearing down a hole. :eek: :shock:

I don't quite understand the PMS one as it is still in the same place just that the windows are now on the opposite side facing the main concourse, and the bit where they used to open out onto is still used as the entrance/ exit, only the ticket windows have gone, but the ticket office is still behind the wall.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Pretty sure there was once one at Surbiton too. Could have been pre SWT though.

I'm struggling to picture where that one would have been?
 

507 001

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There used to be one at Lime Street, not sure if its still there as I don't pay any attention to it any more! It was there at least 2 years ago.
 

wintonian

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Sunderland has a sign that says travelcenter but whether there atualy is one I didn't notice, mid you I strugled to find any way to buy tickets there.
 

Smethwickian

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There used to be one at Lime Street, not sure if its still there as I don't pay any attention to it any more! It was there at least 2 years ago.

Liverpool Lime Street was still there and open three weeks ago, with several staff available and plenty of well-stocked leaflet racks for all operators.

Just to confirm the earlier mention, Brighton station's travel centre is indeed run by Brighton & Hove bus company and, along with a similar outlet in the city centre at Old Steine, is a one-stop agency for rail, coach and bus tickets and enquiries for several operators. An excellent idea that ought to be far more common if operators are paying more than lip service to 'integrated transport'.

And I would also endorse any comments about Worcester Foregate Street being helpful and well-equipped with timetables and information. I am surprised it has survived, as London Midland has closed others mentioned in this thread.

Conversely, I find Birmingham New Street cramped, dingy, poorly stocked and, the last time I needed to make a booking over the counter, quite unhelpful and ill-informed. Without boring anyone with the long details, it ended with a complaint winging its way to Virgin Trains while I went to obtain the required ticket - within moments and without the member of staff turning a hair - later that day at Wolverhampton.
 

jopsuk

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I think the one at Cambridge has now closed (to do with the franchise change?)
 

furgus2

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Wolverhampton travel centre is excellent - very friendly people in there. It caused quite a stir when I bought a first class ALR in there once, ha.


Yes, there are some good staff at Wolverhampton Travel Centre who are helpful when I buy an ALR or want a sleeper reservation in connection with that ticket. Most don't know how to do such a reservation but will pleasantly take the time to work out how to issue one or seek help to do it. The only problem I find is that it is often closed earlier in the evening than advertised due to staff shortages.

I've used the Travel Centre at Coventry a couple of times this year and found them to be very helpful and friendly unlike the experience of an earlier poster on here.

Stafford Travel Centre staff are also helpful and organised themselves well when it was proposed to close it a couple of years ago.
 

MidnightFlyer

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Travel centres tend to be more for journey planning, timetables, assistance, rail info etc. Booking offices are for buying tickets.
 

shedman

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Wakefield Westgates closed a while back. The staff who worked in there were absolutely fantastic and like so many other places mentioned would help you with anything at all. With the plans to relocate Westgate circulating again, if it is rebuilt I highly doubt there will be another travel centre, they seem to be a thing of the past, booking tickets for sometimes complex journies is definatly better done through thick glass on a concourse :roll:
 

Captain Chaos

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The Reading Travel Centre, impressively known as The Travel Shop, closed not long after I left, though I don't believe for one minute that the two events were in any way connected!

I can't remember what's there instead now!

Yes Reading's Travel Centre has gone about 2 or 3 years ago I think now. They replaced it and the old Booking Office with one long continous Booking Office instead.
 

JoeGJ1984

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Are travel centres ever the only way to buy a ticket from a counter (i.e. instead of a ticket office, but in addition to TVMs?)
 
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