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Post by TallPaul on Aug 23, 2017 13:18:59 GMT
I've never started a new thread before, so I hope this is allowed. We'll soon find out!
I was starting to panic, because it's a bit later than last year, but Virgin Trains East Coast have finally launched their 'summer' sale. Those of us who travel south, or north, along the East Coast route can save 50% on fares.
Bookings can be made upto 23:59 on Monday 28 August, for travel between 11 September and 20 December 2017, excluding 21 to 29 October. Weekend travel can be booked only upto 5 November.
Now there really is no excuse for London-centric board members to visit the grim north!!!
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Post by shady23 on Aug 23, 2017 15:25:45 GMT
It started yesterday morning at ten am, well half nine as they came on early.
Got some Newcastle to London tickets for fourteen quid so very pleased with that.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 23, 2017 19:43:22 GMT
I've never started a new thread before, so I hope this is allowed. We'll soon find out! Now you've popped your cherry let's see lots more! |
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Post by dizzieblonde on Aug 23, 2017 21:57:36 GMT
I'm on the west coast mainline, so the offer wouldn't benefit me (although I'm in London next week, with a couple of very cheap 1st class seats). However, it reminded me that I need to look at trains for December, and my first trip for Hamilton, and I just got a horrible shock - there don't appear to be any trains running the day of my theatre tickets. I've looked for any ticket between Christmas and New Year, and have made the completely horrific discovery that (I think) they have cancelled all west coast trains from Christmas until New Year!
It does appear that Euston station will be closing for an entire week, for whatever engineering works they've decided to do then!!! That will be solid gold chaos, and destroy my hopes for an easy trip in and out of London in a day, to catch the matinee performance.
I'm honestly not sure how to find a solution - although I've emailed Virgin in the hopes that they can tell me if the trains are scheduled or not, at least part of the way down. Unfortunately, I already know my local trains are not running between November and March (I know!!) because of the electrification of the line works. So that would leave me with some horrifically slow cross-country train journey to pick up the east coast line, or to drive as far down as I can, and perhaps park at a station in easy reach of London.
Does anyone have experience/opinions on some of the parkway stations, going into London? I used to live near Warwick parkway, and used that a few times, but I've heard there's a new Oxford one that had far more frequent trains, and cheaper parking. Given both are just off the M40, either are an option (although both are a lengthy drive from where I currently live).
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2017 22:26:24 GMT
How annoying! Euston is closed this weekend as well, and Waterloo is basically closed.
Oxford Parkway is on the Chiltern line into Marylebone - a bit slower but much more civilised than Great Western! Not sure how late the trains back run though.
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7,198 posts
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Post by Jon on Aug 24, 2017 0:21:32 GMT
I've taken advantage of the various sales that happen throughout the year to go for day trips to Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham and going to Liverpool in a week. I'm mulling whether to go to Leeds for a day trip as it's £8 each way.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 24, 2017 6:24:58 GMT
The Lion the witch and the wardrobe opens 29th Nov.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 24, 2017 6:27:33 GMT
I'm on the west coast mainline, so the offer wouldn't benefit me (although I'm in London next week, with a couple of very cheap 1st class seats). However, it reminded me that I need to look at trains for December, and my first trip for Hamilton, and I just got a horrible shock - there don't appear to be any trains running the day of my theatre tickets. I've looked for any ticket between Christmas and New Year, and have made the completely horrific discovery that (I think) they have cancelled all west coast trains from Christmas until New Year! Have you considered going by coach? |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2017 8:35:46 GMT
I'm on the west coast mainline, so the offer wouldn't benefit me (although I'm in London next week, with a couple of very cheap 1st class seats). However, it reminded me that I need to look at trains for December, and my first trip for Hamilton, and I just got a horrible shock - there don't appear to be any trains running the day of my theatre tickets. I've looked for any ticket between Christmas and New Year, and have made the completely horrific discovery that (I think) they have cancelled all west coast trains from Christmas until New Year! It does appear that Euston station will be closing for an entire week, for whatever engineering works they've decided to do then!!! That will be solid gold chaos, and destroy my hopes for an easy trip in and out of London in a day, to catch the matinee performance. I'm honestly not sure how to find a solution - although I've emailed Virgin in the hopes that they can tell me if the trains are scheduled or not, at least part of the way down. Unfortunately, I already know my local trains are not running between November and March (I know!!) because of the electrification of the line works. So that would leave me with some horrifically slow cross-country train journey to pick up the east coast line, or to drive as far down as I can, and perhaps park at a station in easy reach of London. Does anyone have experience/opinions on some of the parkway stations, going into London? I used to live near Warwick parkway, and used that a few times, but I've heard there's a new Oxford one that had far more frequent trains, and cheaper parking. Given both are just off the M40, either are an option (although both are a lengthy drive from where I currently live). I don't know exactly where you are but maybe flying would be a better option if you are Manchester or further North. I just checked and you can get £92 return from Manchester to Heathrow. |
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Post by crowblack on Aug 24, 2017 9:01:39 GMT
I'm honestly not sure how to find a solution National Express isn't as grim as it used to be if you're desperate - I went on the overnight bus a few weeks ago and it's a long journey but not uncomfortable (though the police were called at 5.30 am when someone tried to board without a ticket!). You can get some cheap tickets if you book well in advance (my last journey was around £7 but xmas stuff will probably be pricier). |
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Post by dizzieblonde on Aug 24, 2017 9:43:04 GMT
I'm honestly not sure how to find a solution National Express isn't as grim as it used to be if you're desperate - I went on the overnight bus a few weeks ago and it's a long journey but not uncomfortable (though the police were called at 5.30 am when someone tried to board without a ticket!). You can get some cheap tickets if you book well in advance (my last journey was around £7 but xmas stuff will probably be pricier). National Express was my first thought, but there are no overnight buses, and the daytime one gets me there too late, and leaves too early. I'd have to stay 2 nights in London, just to see one matinee performance! Flying's not a bad idea, actually, I'm an hour's drive from Manchester airport - it would just be the cost, I think, given I'd definitely have to drive (no trains for those flight times, again!!!), and combine that with parking fees (official parking which is horrific for a single's day's parking - £30, really?!  - but necessary given this week's revelations about the unofficial Manchester parking scams!). Current estimate would be £170, just for flight and parking! My final option is to combine visiting my brother and his brood of babies(!) just after Christmas, and setting off from theirs on the day of the show. He lives on the east coast, and is within fair striking distance of Doncaster - which, if the east coast line doesn't get stuffed the way the west coast one is over Xmas, should have a decent schedule available. On balance, if that doesn't work out, I think driving as far south as I can, parking at an easily accessible station, and getting a train in for the last stage of the journey, is the best bet. Feel free to advise me on the best stations, near London, that fit the bill (and won't be closed over Christmas/New Year!). |
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Post by maggiem on Aug 25, 2017 11:46:18 GMT
National Express isn't as grim as it used to be if you're desperate - I went on the overnight bus a few weeks ago and it's a long journey but not uncomfortable (though the police were called at 5.30 am when someone tried to board without a ticket!). You can get some cheap tickets if you book well in advance (my last journey was around £7 but xmas stuff will probably be pricier). National Express was my first thought, but there are no overnight buses, and the daytime one gets me there too late, and leaves too early. I'd have to stay 2 nights in London, just to see one matinee performance! Flying's not a bad idea, actually, I'm an hour's drive from Manchester airport - it would just be the cost, I think, given I'd definitely have to drive (no trains for those flight times, again!!!), and combine that with parking fees (official parking which is horrific for a single's day's parking - £30, really?! - but necessary given this week's revelations about the unofficial Manchester parking scams!). Current estimate would be £170, just for flight and parking! My final option is to combine visiting my brother and his brood of babies(!) just after Christmas, and setting off from theirs on the day of the show. He lives on the east coast, and is within fair striking distance of Doncaster - which, if the east coast line doesn't get stuffed the way the west coast one is over Xmas, should have a decent schedule available. On balance, if that doesn't work out, I think driving as far south as I can, parking at an easily accessible station, and getting a train in for the last stage of the journey, is the best bet. Feel free to advise me on the best stations, near London, that fit the bill (and won't be closed over Christmas/New Year!). Have you considered Megabus from Shudehill bus station? |
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Post by dizzieblonde on Aug 25, 2017 13:08:33 GMT
Have you considered Megabus from Shudehill bus station? Thanks for the suggestion - it's certainly an option, although an insanely early start (5am bus departure would mean leaving my house no later than 3.45am, just to get to Manchester!!!). That's definitely a last resort option - it's cheap, but inconvenient, which I guess cheap stuff usually is! Given I don't actually mind driving (it's just trains have always been the most convenient way to get to London) I think I'll drive down to Oxford Parkway and get the train from there. Parking is so cheap - £2 for 11 hours, or £4 for 24h! - and the return ticket to London is around £25. Add on the £50 of petrol I'll need for the trip, and it works out OK. Driving myself also gives me much more flexibility, and control over my journey. I'm still gutted that what would have been an easy day out, during my week off work to enjoy Hamilton, has turned into a logistical nightmare, but I'm just going to focus on the 'it's Hamilton!!!' of it all - and decide that it's worth the extra effort!  |
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 26, 2017 13:58:09 GMT
Still plenty of bargains available if anybody is thinking of booking, but hasn't done so yet.
I've booked just the five trips to London and back this time!!
And it will soon be the Black Friday sale when, if it's anything like last year, tickets will be as cheap as £5 each way.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2017 16:37:04 GMT
I'm on the west coast mainline, so the offer wouldn't benefit me (although I'm in London next week, with a couple of very cheap 1st class seats). However, it reminded me that I need to look at trains for December, and my first trip for Hamilton, and I just got a horrible shock - there don't appear to be any trains running the day of my theatre tickets. I've looked for any ticket between Christmas and New Year, and have made the completely horrific discovery that (I think) they have cancelled all west coast trains from Christmas until New Year! It does appear that Euston station will be closing for an entire week, for whatever engineering works they've decided to do then!!! That will be solid gold chaos, and destroy my hopes for an easy trip in and out of London in a day, to catch the matinee performance. I'm honestly not sure how to find a solution - although I've emailed Virgin in the hopes that they can tell me if the trains are scheduled or not, at least part of the way down. Unfortunately, I already know my local trains are not running between November and March (I know!!) because of the electrification of the line works. So that would leave me with some horrifically slow cross-country train journey to pick up the east coast line, or to drive as far down as I can, and perhaps park at a station in easy reach of London. Does anyone have experience/opinions on some of the parkway stations, going into London? I used to live near Warwick parkway, and used that a few times, but I've heard there's a new Oxford one that had far more frequent trains, and cheaper parking. Given both are just off the M40, either are an option (although both are a lengthy drive from where I currently live). Where from are you travelling? and What date between xmas and NY specifically? Just looking on Virgin Trains and there seems to be trains running in and out of Euston through that week.... |
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- but necessary given this week's revelations about the unofficial Manchester parking scams!). Current estimate would be £170, just for flight and parking!
