boiledbeans2
Member
I'm planning a trip with tentative journey dates as follows:
9 August: Guildford to Liverpool
13 August: Liverpool to Manchester
16 August: Manchester to Guildford
I have some questions about it (in bold below).
Guildford to Liverpool
I'm planning to get a Guildford to Liverpool Off-peak return ticket for £108.30, travelling Guildford - Euston - Liverpool Lime St
I think the cheapest option is a split ticket:
After goofing around on MixingDesk, these are options I've found on 9 August (weekday):
Plan A: 1107 dep Euston, 1320 arr Liverpool (Avanti)
Plan B: 1130 dep Euston, 1314 arr Warrington Bank Quay (Avanti). 1320 dep Warrington Bank Quay, 1330 arr Newton Le Willows (TfW). 1339 dep Newton Le Willows, 1403 arr Liverpool (TPE).
Plan C: Repeat of Plan A, 1 hour later, i.e. 1207 dep Euston
Plan D: Repeat of Plan B, 1 hour later
Plan E: 1146 dep Euston, 1404 arr Crewe (WMR). 1459 dep Crewe, 1541 arr Liverpool (WMT).
Plan A-D involve Avanti and TPE which I'm aware is unreliable. So there's a big chance I will be on Plan E, which if true would mean 2 hours of delay, i.e. free trip to Liverpool.
1) So my first question is, are there any other better backup options besides those listed above?
Merseyrail
This will be my first time in Liverpool and on Merseyrail. I'd like to ride the Class 507s and 508s before they retire.
So I plan to get a Day Saver ticket for £5.60 and spend a day riding it and taking photos.
2) Where are some good places to take photos of the train? Both underground and above ground options, preferably in quieter stationsso those pesky passengers don't stand in the way.
So I'm looking at the Merseyrail map. On the northern part of the Northern Line, there are 3 branches. If I don't have sufficient time to ride all 3 branches, which would be the best? I would prefer a quieter branch so I could also take some videos inside the train. It would be good if there's some interesting scenery too.
Similarly for the Wirral line, there are 2 northern branches and 2 southern branches. Which would be the best branch if I don't have sufficient time?
3) So my third question could be summarised as which are the best branches on Merseyrail in terms of how quietness and scenery?
4) Are there some interesting stations I should visit (e.g. with interesting layouts like Piccadilly Circus Bakerloo Line)?
Liverpool to Manchester
On 13 August (Saturday), I'm travelling from Liverpool to Manchester.
I'm aware this is a strike date, with WMT and Avanti involved, but not Northern.
5) What ticket combination could I use to get to Manchester? Could I use part of my Liverpool to Guildford return ticket to station X, then buy a single ticket from X to Manchester?
6) If I change my mind and travel on 12 August instead (non-strike date), would there be a better ticket split option involving Avanti/WMT?
Trains in Manchester
I'd like to ride the Class 155s as I've never been on them. I've been on a Class 153, but of course, it would be good to try the "original" experience.
7) Do Class 155s still go to Manchester? Which routes can they be found on?
I'd also like to ride (in decreasing priority) the Class 156s, Class 323s, Class 319s.
8) If I get a Manchester Rail Ranger ticket for £7.70, which routes can I ride the above 3 classes?
Sorry if 8) seems to be a basic question. I've been to Manchester only once 7 years ago, before the Class 195s and Class 331s arrived, so I'm not familiar with the trains around Manchester today.
Blackpool day trip
I'm also planning a day trip to Blackpool from either Liverpool or Manchester. I was looking at RTT at Blackpool North for the types of trains used.
9) It seems Blackpool North to either Liverpool or Manchester are fully Class 331 services? Are there other types of train operating?
Manchester to Guildford
On 16 August (weekday) I will be making the return journey.
10) Considering I have a Liverpool to Guildford ticket, what ticket should I buy so that I can rejoin the allowed routes from my original ticket?
Thanks for reading my long post and getting to this sentence! If I have made any mistakes in my post, please correct me!
Please also reply if you have interesting tips or advice to share!
9 August: Guildford to Liverpool
13 August: Liverpool to Manchester
16 August: Manchester to Guildford
I have some questions about it (in bold below).
Guildford to Liverpool
I'm planning to get a Guildford to Liverpool Off-peak return ticket for £108.30, travelling Guildford - Euston - Liverpool Lime St
I think the cheapest option is a split ticket:
- Guildford to Waterloo single, £15.20 (travelling before Network Railcard validity)
- Waterloo to Euston, Oyster
- Super off-peak return for Euston to Liverpool, WMT only, £38
- Waterloo to Guildford single, £13 (with my Network Railcard)
After goofing around on MixingDesk, these are options I've found on 9 August (weekday):
Plan A: 1107 dep Euston, 1320 arr Liverpool (Avanti)
Plan B: 1130 dep Euston, 1314 arr Warrington Bank Quay (Avanti). 1320 dep Warrington Bank Quay, 1330 arr Newton Le Willows (TfW). 1339 dep Newton Le Willows, 1403 arr Liverpool (TPE).
Plan C: Repeat of Plan A, 1 hour later, i.e. 1207 dep Euston
Plan D: Repeat of Plan B, 1 hour later
Plan E: 1146 dep Euston, 1404 arr Crewe (WMR). 1459 dep Crewe, 1541 arr Liverpool (WMT).
Plan A-D involve Avanti and TPE which I'm aware is unreliable. So there's a big chance I will be on Plan E, which if true would mean 2 hours of delay, i.e. free trip to Liverpool.
1) So my first question is, are there any other better backup options besides those listed above?
Merseyrail
This will be my first time in Liverpool and on Merseyrail. I'd like to ride the Class 507s and 508s before they retire.
So I plan to get a Day Saver ticket for £5.60 and spend a day riding it and taking photos.
2) Where are some good places to take photos of the train? Both underground and above ground options, preferably in quieter stations
So I'm looking at the Merseyrail map. On the northern part of the Northern Line, there are 3 branches. If I don't have sufficient time to ride all 3 branches, which would be the best? I would prefer a quieter branch so I could also take some videos inside the train. It would be good if there's some interesting scenery too.
Similarly for the Wirral line, there are 2 northern branches and 2 southern branches. Which would be the best branch if I don't have sufficient time?
3) So my third question could be summarised as which are the best branches on Merseyrail in terms of how quietness and scenery?
4) Are there some interesting stations I should visit (e.g. with interesting layouts like Piccadilly Circus Bakerloo Line)?
Liverpool to Manchester
On 13 August (Saturday), I'm travelling from Liverpool to Manchester.
I'm aware this is a strike date, with WMT and Avanti involved, but not Northern.
5) What ticket combination could I use to get to Manchester? Could I use part of my Liverpool to Guildford return ticket to station X, then buy a single ticket from X to Manchester?
6) If I change my mind and travel on 12 August instead (non-strike date), would there be a better ticket split option involving Avanti/WMT?
Trains in Manchester
I'd like to ride the Class 155s as I've never been on them. I've been on a Class 153, but of course, it would be good to try the "original" experience.
7) Do Class 155s still go to Manchester? Which routes can they be found on?
I'd also like to ride (in decreasing priority) the Class 156s, Class 323s, Class 319s.
8) If I get a Manchester Rail Ranger ticket for £7.70, which routes can I ride the above 3 classes?
Sorry if 8) seems to be a basic question. I've been to Manchester only once 7 years ago, before the Class 195s and Class 331s arrived, so I'm not familiar with the trains around Manchester today.
Blackpool day trip
I'm also planning a day trip to Blackpool from either Liverpool or Manchester. I was looking at RTT at Blackpool North for the types of trains used.
9) It seems Blackpool North to either Liverpool or Manchester are fully Class 331 services? Are there other types of train operating?
Manchester to Guildford
On 16 August (weekday) I will be making the return journey.
10) Considering I have a Liverpool to Guildford ticket, what ticket should I buy so that I can rejoin the allowed routes from my original ticket?
Thanks for reading my long post and getting to this sentence! If I have made any mistakes in my post, please correct me!
Please also reply if you have interesting tips or advice to share!