Upcoming Britrail itinerary

[DJ737]

G'day

From May 3 until May 29 I will be in the UK from Australia and using a Britrail 15days in 2mths pass.

This is the plan for my Britrail Pass and I will update this post with unit numbers and other interesting bits as I go along.

I've only used 13 of my 15 days due to other commitments so may treat myself to HEX on the last day to get back to Heathrow for the flight home.

MON040515
09:34 London St Pancras to Ashford
10:38 Ashford to Hollingbourne
14:31 Hollingbourne to Ashford
15:16 Ashford to London St Pancras
--------------------------------------------
WED060515
10:53 London Waterloo to Aldershot
14:34 Aldershot to London Waterloo
--------------------------------------------
THU070515
10:45 London Paddington to Swansea
14:02 Swansea to Pembroke Dock
17:09 Pembroke Dock to Lamphey
20:17 Lamphey to Pembroke Dock
-------------------------------------------
FRI080515
06:59 Pembroke Dock to Cardiff Central
***Various Cardiff Valley lines***
17:04 Cardiff Central to Tenby
20:00 Tenby to Pembroke Dock
--------------------------------------------
SAT090515
06:59 Pembroke Dock to Llanelli
09:34 Llanelli to Shrewsbury
14:45 Shrewsbury to Pembroke Dock
---------------------------------------------
MON110515
06:59 Pembroke Dock to Cardiff Central
10:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
14:15 Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier Head (boat)
14:49 Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin
---------------------------------------------
TUE120515
09:18 Shanklin to Ryde Pier Head
09:47 Ryde Pier Head to Portsmouth Harbour (boat)
10:15 Portsmouth Harbour to Woking
11:32 Woking to Weybridge
12:03 Weybridge to Addlestone
14:07 Addlestone to London Waterloo
16:32 London St Pancras to Luton
---------------------------------------------
THU140515
15:03 Luton to London St Pancras
16:50 London Marylebone to Princes Risborough
18:20 Princes Risborough to London Marylebone
21:15 London Euston to Inverness
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FRI150515
08:55 Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh
13:46 Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness
20:44 Inverness to London Euston
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SAT160515
09:45 London Paddington to Swansea
13:50 Swansea to Lamphey
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TUE190515
09:20 Lamphey to Swansea
11:28 Swansea to Newport
13:01 Newport to Nottingham
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MON250515 Rail UK Forum Circle Line Pub Crawl
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TUE260515
06:54 Elsenham to Ipswich
09:17 Ipswich to Lowestoft
10:57 Lowestoft to Norwich
11:45 Norwich to Sheringham
13:44 Sheringham to Norwich
15:40 Norwich to Cambridge
17:21 Cambridge to Elsenham
-----------------------------------------------
WED270515
06:19 Elsenham to Tottenham Hale
08:00 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh
12:51 Edinburgh to Crewe
16:22 Crewe to London Euston
18:55 Tottenham Hale to Elsenham
------------------------------------------------

Cheers
DJ737
Melbourne, Australia

 

[Hadders]

On the Friday rather than going back to Inverness you could get the bus onto Skye and then take the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig and catch the 1815 from Mallaig to Fort William where you pick up the 1950 sleeper.

Absolutely spectacular scenery and well worth doing.

 

[Searle]

Most of it looks do-able to me, although I'm confused as to why you're spending up until 3pm in Luton on Thursday 14th; without prior reason, it's an odd place to go for a day

 

[DJ737]

G'day
I arrive back into Luton on Thursday afternoon after a quick trip to Iceland on easy jet.

Cheers
DJ737
Melbourne, Australia
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
G'day

Altered my plan, I have deleted the Manchester overnight and inserted a trip to the Isle of Wight instead, seems that people know I am coming and are leaving the UK while I am there. :roll:

Can I use Britrail on the IOW ferry and which trains are seat reservations recommended on?

The only reservations I have are 10:45 PAD-SWA and the Caledonian Sleeper berths to Inverness and back.

Cheers
DJ737
Melbourne, Australia

 

[fishquinn]

The only ones I can see that may also need reservations are the 10:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour on the 11/5/15, the 09:45 Paddington to Swansea on the 16/5/15 and the 08:00 Kings Cross-Edinburgh on the 28/5/15.

 

[PHILIPE]

No West of England ? This lovely area seems to be neglected so far as bashes are concerned.

 

[fishquinn]

No West of England ? This lovely area seems to be neglected so far as bashes are concerned.

I am guessing that is because bashers want to get as many units/locos as possible in a day and the west country doesn't have so many trains as other parts of England.

 

[PHILIPE]

I am guessing that is because bashers want to get as many units/locos as possible in a day and the west country doesn't have so many trains as other parts of England.

Agree with you there. It is quite a desert for Diesel Locos especially to the west of Westbury.

 

[steamybrian]

There must a good reason to go to Hollingbourne on your first day?

 

[Greenback]

If you have time when changing trains in Llanelli, go to the Coffee Pot for breakfast or a coffee. It's on the opposite side of the road from the main station entrance. and to the left.

The 1704 to Tenby off Cardiff Central is normally very busy and it calls at the smaller stations en route to Swansea. I'd be tempted to take the earlier HST and wait at Swansea for the Tenby train, as it's normally much quieter from then on.

 

[DJ737]

G'day
Thanks for the replies.

Off to Hollingbourne to look for dead rellies graves for my ancestry project.

Cheers
DJ737
Melbourne, Australia

 

[Iskra]

To help with advice;

What are you aiming to get out of this visit?

As already stated, Luton is a strange/unpleasant place to be spending so much time. Personally, I think you're neglecting the North of England/Scotland/North Wales which are more interesting than a few of the places you're heading to.

 

[rg177]

To help with advice;

What are you aiming to get out of this visit?

As already stated, Luton is a strange/unpleasant place to be spending so much time. Personally, I think you're neglecting the North of England/Scotland/North Wales which are more interesting than a few of the places you're heading to.

G'day
I arrive back into Luton on Thursday afternoon after a quick trip to Iceland on easy jet.

He's off to Iceland from Luton by the looks of it.

 

[Techniquest]

No West of England ? This lovely area seems to be neglected so far as bashes are concerned.

Worth remembering it takes forever and a day to get to Cornwall from most parts of the UK! Takes long enough to get there from Hereford, let alone the more populated areas where it seems a lot of the forum's membership comes from!

Let's not factor in the ching either, it's rather expensive to get to Exeter, let alone Plymouth or further into Cornwall. Yes when you get to Devon/Cornwall you can travel on cheap Devon Day Rangers/Ride Cornwalls or whatever, all find and good but if you're spending most of your budget just getting to Exeter, let alone financing hotel stays, local rail travel and food/drink whilst there it gets costly fast!

What makes it worse for me is that I'd have to suffer a Voyager from Bristol to Exeter and back no doubt (certainly on the way back!) which really puts me off!

 

[rg177]

To help with advice;

What are you aiming to get out of this visit?

As already stated, Luton is a strange/unpleasant place to be spending so much time. Personally, I think you're neglecting the North of England/Scotland/North Wales which are more interesting than a few of the places you're heading to.

Worth remembering it takes forever and a day to get to Cornwall from most parts of the UK! Takes long enough to get there from Hereford, let alone the more populated areas where it seems a lot of the forum's membership comes from!

Let's not factor in the ching either, it's rather expensive to get to Exeter, let alone Plymouth or further into Cornwall. Yes when you get to Devon/Cornwall you can travel on cheap Devon Day Rangers/Ride Cornwalls or whatever, all find and good but if you're spending most of your budget just getting to Exeter, let alone financing hotel stays, local rail travel and food/drink whilst there it gets costly fast!

What makes it worse for me is that I'd have to suffer a Voyager from Bristol to Exeter and back no doubt (certainly on the way back!) which really puts me off!

I spent two weeks in Newton Abbot in 2012, and even from there getting to Penzance seemed like a right journey! Only made it to Looe.

 

[Iskra]

He's off to Iceland from Luton by the looks of it.

Fair enough- Iceland is a fantastic place. Just lacks trains, that's all

 

[DJ737]

To help with advice;
What are you aiming to get out of this visit?

G'day
Mainly visiting relations & having a look at a few graveyards for ancestors with some train & plane rides thrown in.

I have some rellies in the Pembroke area, some in London & some in Elsenham, also going to NI (another graveyard) from East Midlands on flybe and back to LHR on BA.

Going up and down the Pembroke branch is a bit of a bummer though, but that is where the free bed is

Cheers
DJ737
Melbourne, Australia