Travel experiences during Storm Babet

[Envy123]

My journey to and from work (Peterborough-Farringdon) was possible, but it meant not using LNER at all in both directions.

The way to work was plain sailing. A direct Thameslink train and that was that.
On the way back, I chanced going via King's Cross and was told that nothing was running from there, not even the GN service. So, I ended up going to St Pancras to catch the Cambridge service and catch the GN service at Stevenage.

I noticed that initially, LNER services were going to stop at Stevenage, but then that order was cancelled and the departure boards couldn't update to match. Those at Stevenage who needed stations further north than Peterborough, needed to take the GN Peterborough service and change there for LNER. A mess, really.

 

[satisnek]

Well that was an interesting evening in Birmingham. Intending to head up to the boat for the weekend, there were no trains at all in the Derby direction, and by the time the last one of the day (2309 departure) flashed up as cancelled I had pretty much already made up my mind to abort and so caught the last train back to Kidderminster (2257 from Moor Street). The trouble is, being in Birmingham it's easy to think, "Flooding? What flooding?" but there were numerous cancelled services in all directions. The Snow Hill Lines were 'sort of' operating OK (with the usual cancellations due to staff shortages) but the extremities were affected, particularly the Stratford end.

 

[trainophile]

We left New Street for Derby yesterday on a substituted XC at 09:49. Advised just before Burton on Trent that train being diverted so passengers for Derby should leave it at Burton and wait for a following train.

Waited about 20 minutes, along came an Edinburgh train that wasn’t supposed to stop there but dispatcher announced it was the one we needed. Didn’t open the doors for a very long time as apparently they couldn’t get permission from Control, but eventually we boarded and crept along to Derby. Where we discovered all trains to Matlock cancelled for the rest of the day.

Confusion everywhere, eventually got advised to get an Arriva bus outside the station down to Derby bus station and a bus to Matlock from there, which we did. Hairiest bus journey I’ve ever had, through some floods so deep the water was coming in through the door and sloshing up and down the bus floor. All credit to the driver, he did very well. It took about 75 minutes

We would have abandoned it but (a) we’d have been stranded somewhere, and (b) we were travelling for a family wedding today. We’ll worry about getting home tomorrow!

 

[AlastairFraser]

We left New Street for Derby yesterday on a substituted XC at 09:49. Advised just before Burton on Trent that train being diverted so passengers for Derby should leave it at Burton and wait for a following train.

Waited about 20 minutes, along came an Edinburgh train that wasn’t supposed to stop there but dispatcher announced it was the one we needed. Didn’t open the doors for a very long time as apparently they couldn’t get permission from Control, but eventually we boarded and crept along to Derby. Where we discovered all trains to Matlock cancelled for the rest of the day.

Confusion everywhere, eventually got advised to get an Arriva bus outside the station down to Derby bus station and a bus to Matlock from there, which we did. Hairiest bus journey I’ve ever had, through some floods so deep the water was coming in through the door and sloshing up and down the bus floor. All credit to the driver, he did very well. It took about 75 minutes

We would have abandoned it but (a) we’d have been stranded somewhere, and (b) we were travelling for a family wedding today. We’ll worry about getting home tomorrow!

I'm assuming you took the Transpeak across to Matlock. High Peak Buses drivers are fearless in all sorts of weathers, I've seen them drive in a blizzard when most of the North West had given up and shut.
As for getting back, take the Transpeak across to Buxton, Northern and then an Avanti down may be your best bet.
My train into Manchester from Bux ran fine, although there are issues at Stockport heading South, but they should be resolved by 9am according to Avanti.

 

[trainophile]

I'm assuming you took the Transpeak across to Matlock. High Peak Buses drivers are fearless in all sorts of weathers, I've seen them drive in a blizzard when most of the North West had given up and shut.
As for getting back, take the Transpeak across to Buxton, Northern and then an Avanti down may be your best bet.
My train into Manchester from Bux ran fine, although there are issues at Stockport heading South, but they should be resolved by 9am according to Avanti.

Thanks Alistair. We have Advance XC tickets from Derby but it’s always good to know of alternatives.

Yes it was a TransPeak bus, I take my hat off to the driver.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Thanks Alistair. We have Advance XC tickets from Derby but it’s always good to know of alternatives.

Yes it was a TransPeak bus, I take my hat off to the driver.

No worries, good luck with getting home!
As for the High Peak Bus drivers, this weather is relatively frequent so they're used to it lol.

 

[trainophile]

Well guess what! Unsurprisingly no trains from Matlock, and it turned out that TransPeak buses weren’t running this morning, so we ended up getting a Sixes(?) bus to Derby, an hour and a half. Very pretty though with the autumn colours. It diverted via the A38 after Belper so possibly cut the time down a bit.

Derby station… well that was an experience, or rather getting to it was. We decided to walk from the bus station as we had plenty of time. I have no idea if there was a more direct walking route, but we could only find a signposted way that involved walking through part of a park! Most odd, there didn’t seem to be a pedestrian option on streets.

Still we made it to Brum, and now on our final train to Hereford so it all worked out in the end.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Derby station… well that was an experience, or rather getting to it was. We decided to walk from the bus station as we had plenty of time. I have no idea if there was a more direct walking route, but we could only find a signposted way that involved walking through part of a park! Most odd, there didn’t seem to be a pedestrian option on streets.

Was in Derby last month. Most direct walking route to/from the railway station (and the town centre) seemed to be via Park Street, Castleward Boulevard, Liversage Street and across the A601 and into the back of the Derbion Shopping Centre. Not sure whether any of that route would have been impassable today/yesterday because of all the recent flooding in the Derby area.

 

[CHAPS2034]

Was in Derby last month. Most direct walking route to/from the railway station (and the town centre) seemed to be via Park Street, Castleward Boulevard, Liversage Street and across the A601 and into the back of the Derbion Shopping Centre. Not sure whether any of that route would have been impassable today/yesterday because of all the recent flooding in the Derby area.

Best walking route from the bus station is to turn left out of the bus station and proceed along Mortledge under the tunnel under the building which will bring you to the ring road. Lots of road works here at present so walking routes may vary.

Cross the ring road at the lights and proceed straight ahead down Siddals Road for 5 minutes and then follow the road to the right by the rather excellent Alexandra pub - note the Class 37 cab in the car park.

Just round the corner is the Brunswick Inn brew pub on Railway Terrace which is part of the Midland Railway Village conservation area. Also worth a visit for its very large range of beers.

Three minutes walk from there down Railway Terrace to the station entrance on your left

 

[trainophile]

Thanks both, will save your posts in my Notes app for any future occasions. It was certainly an eye-opener though. I've never been to Derby before except to change trains there and had assumed it would be a straightforward stroll directly from the station into the city and vice versa.

Apologies mods for off topic but it's kind of related, as we wouldn't have been on the bus if the trains were running from Matlock!

 

[JD2168]

It definitely will have been tricky to get to Derby Station, seen pictures that the Notts & Derby depot near the station was partially flooded on Friday/Saturday.

 

[satisnek]

Best walking route from the bus station is to turn left out of the bus station and proceed along Mortledge under the tunnel under the building which will bring you to the ring road. Lots of road works here at present so walking routes may vary.

Cross the ring road at the lights and proceed straight ahead down Siddals Road for 5 minutes and then follow the road to the right by the rather excellent Alexandra pub - note the Class 37 cab in the car park.

Just round the corner is the Brunswick Inn brew pub on Railway Terrace which is part of the Midland Railway Village conservation area. Also worth a visit for its very large range of beers.

Three minutes walk from there down Railway Terrace to the station entrance on your left

Nice advert!