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Following my previous posts about the northbound journey, it’s time to recall the bits on Thursday, when I travelled from Edinburgh via Birmingham, Milton Keynes Central, Cambridge, back to Royston.
The journey started with a bus, Lothian Buses Volvo/Wright Gemini double decker 820 on the X47, part of the PenicuikCityLink service group 37/47/X47. Every second 47 (every 15 minutes from Granton to Penicuk) runs during the day as a fast, limited stop X47, and the enhancements formed a successful Bus Route Development Grant bid, in partnership with both Edinburgh City and Midlothian Councils. The route recently got an extra purpose, with the opening of Straiton Park & Ride, opposite Ikea I think, although I’ve not been there since construction started. The journey was a bit longer than just the west end – but not much, just the top end of Waverly Bridge. Spotted a poster on a phone box on the bridge advertising Queer Mutiny, and they appear to share my birthday!
Anyway, arrived at Waverly with just over 40 minutes to go before my train, so waited with a quiet bite to eat in the food court (looking at the departure monitor) before leaving in time to get to Platform 11 for the 1252 Edinburgh to Birmingham New Street Virgin Trains Super Voyager service. The first class carriages were just a handful of us initially – two of the four had been to the same financial conference, as it turned out – plus a member of VT staff who was apparently booked to cover The Shop (on board the train), but another member of staff had also been booked to the same duty. After a brief mobile call to I presume her boss, she was told to return to base as a passenger. After a brief stop at Haymarket, our train sped through the south-west of the city of Edinburgh, West Lothian, Lanarkshire, Dumfriesshire, and across into Cumbria, stopping first at Carlisle. This was also a bit better to see in daylight! After Carlisle, a variety of stops between there and Preston (crew change) before continuing to stop at main stations to Birmingham New Street. I didn’t notice until I saw their lanyards as they got off, but there were three VT staff sat in front of me.
OK, so we get to Birmingham, a few minutes ahead of time. Good, I think, I can live with that all the way down. Oops, spoke too soon! After a quick surface to ground level, went to Platform 2/2A to await the 1730 train, starting at Brum New Street, for London (also stopping at MK). I notice the inward train was due at 1708, but the train hasn’t arrived there, and has not been called by the announcers. There was then a verbal announcement (not the pre-recorded one) that the train had been delayed inward, following problems in the Birmingham International area (near the Airport and Exhibition Centre). This was also interlaced with announcements that the 1733 CrossCountry train to Reading had been cancelled outright, with no explanation given other than the recorded “sorry for the inconvenience”. After a couple of delay notices, a Platform Alternation was given! Aargh, two southbound trips via Brum New St, and twice I’ve been decanted! We all ran over to Platform 5A/5B, and we left 21 minutes down, at 1751, despite a quick turnaround. After getting on the Pendolino (Italian designed tilting electric train), I was genuinely surprised to hear the other passengers talking in approving tones of the service, despite the slight delay.
As we are approaching due time at Milton Keynes, several passengers made their way towards the door, and I had the bags out of the racks. A passenger announcement followed that we’d been diverted via Northampton, following a broken down train south of Rugby... to which the bloke beside me said “I was sure I could see Wolverton there…” We ended up at Milton Keynes Central at 1903, 45 minutes down.
I was planning on going for the X5 coach back to Cambridge at 1845. The next one at 1915 was to terminate at Bedford, so I had to wait for the one due in at 1945. Well, I say due in, but it was late. I thought I saw it arriving just after the X5 going the other way… got the bags ready… it was just a plain unbranded coach on the VT99 to Luton Airport instead! Still, the X5 arrived 15 minutes late at 2000, and the driver had a brand new 58 plate coach, of the type I’d snapped on the way up. The WiFi was good, but a combination of tiredness and the fact that the driving made me feel very queasy (for only the second time in my life since I was a young ‘un), meant I just sat back. We had a driver change at Bedford, which seemed to help greatly, and he was struggling with the new coach too, narrowly missing some lamp-posts! These are longer than their predecessors, and a few years ago, I remember a Glasgow trip via Fife resulted in delays because the Fife drivers were taking it easy with the new stock, especially given the rain then!
So, what did I think of the First Class experience? I wouldn’t have ever thought about this as an option – after all, on our own First Capital Connect route through Royston, First Class is 2+2 seating, just a different colour with headrest covers, and no catering – perhaps, not so necessary on short commuter-style journeys. The 1+2 seating layout, with table space at every seat, provided for tonnes of room, and plenty of places for baggage. The combination of the quality food and drink served (including the hot breakfast/dinner offers on weekdays), lots of extra room, would be enough to tip the balance in favour of looking for a First Advance fare for a future journey, perhaps. I think Caroline would appreciate the comfort and quietness! I understand WiFi is planned to add to the service later in 2009, which would defiantly be useful. I also spotted that at least one of the tables could fold up – useful for those knee-bangers amongst us. So, would I do it again, for a similar journey? Defiantly – it certainly did make the journey more enjoyable, and turned what could have been a chore trip into an enjoyable one, before I’d even made it to Scotland.
As it turned out, the East Coast Main Line had been delayed for most of the day, following a fatality at Durham. So, no matter which way I’d have gone, I may well have ended up home a little late. Never mind, I made it in the end!
In the time since, Friday was a quiet day for my 30th (mostly spent unpacking) before going out to The Dolphin (pub in Melbourn) for dinner, and then out on Saturday for a brief bit of shopping (two new pairs of shoes, one pair of long boots, one new top, one new pair of slouch jeans, two new belts, the lot for £59 in the sale at Evans!). Today, cheese fest – pizza just a few minutes ago, and now Cascada playing via iTunes… win!
The journey started with a bus, Lothian Buses Volvo/Wright Gemini double decker 820 on the X47, part of the PenicuikCityLink service group 37/47/X47. Every second 47 (every 15 minutes from Granton to Penicuk) runs during the day as a fast, limited stop X47, and the enhancements formed a successful Bus Route Development Grant bid, in partnership with both Edinburgh City and Midlothian Councils. The route recently got an extra purpose, with the opening of Straiton Park & Ride, opposite Ikea I think, although I’ve not been there since construction started. The journey was a bit longer than just the west end – but not much, just the top end of Waverly Bridge. Spotted a poster on a phone box on the bridge advertising Queer Mutiny, and they appear to share my birthday!
Anyway, arrived at Waverly with just over 40 minutes to go before my train, so waited with a quiet bite to eat in the food court (looking at the departure monitor) before leaving in time to get to Platform 11 for the 1252 Edinburgh to Birmingham New Street Virgin Trains Super Voyager service. The first class carriages were just a handful of us initially – two of the four had been to the same financial conference, as it turned out – plus a member of VT staff who was apparently booked to cover The Shop (on board the train), but another member of staff had also been booked to the same duty. After a brief mobile call to I presume her boss, she was told to return to base as a passenger. After a brief stop at Haymarket, our train sped through the south-west of the city of Edinburgh, West Lothian, Lanarkshire, Dumfriesshire, and across into Cumbria, stopping first at Carlisle. This was also a bit better to see in daylight! After Carlisle, a variety of stops between there and Preston (crew change) before continuing to stop at main stations to Birmingham New Street. I didn’t notice until I saw their lanyards as they got off, but there were three VT staff sat in front of me.
OK, so we get to Birmingham, a few minutes ahead of time. Good, I think, I can live with that all the way down. Oops, spoke too soon! After a quick surface to ground level, went to Platform 2/2A to await the 1730 train, starting at Brum New Street, for London (also stopping at MK). I notice the inward train was due at 1708, but the train hasn’t arrived there, and has not been called by the announcers. There was then a verbal announcement (not the pre-recorded one) that the train had been delayed inward, following problems in the Birmingham International area (near the Airport and Exhibition Centre). This was also interlaced with announcements that the 1733 CrossCountry train to Reading had been cancelled outright, with no explanation given other than the recorded “sorry for the inconvenience”. After a couple of delay notices, a Platform Alternation was given! Aargh, two southbound trips via Brum New St, and twice I’ve been decanted! We all ran over to Platform 5A/5B, and we left 21 minutes down, at 1751, despite a quick turnaround. After getting on the Pendolino (Italian designed tilting electric train), I was genuinely surprised to hear the other passengers talking in approving tones of the service, despite the slight delay.
As we are approaching due time at Milton Keynes, several passengers made their way towards the door, and I had the bags out of the racks. A passenger announcement followed that we’d been diverted via Northampton, following a broken down train south of Rugby... to which the bloke beside me said “I was sure I could see Wolverton there…” We ended up at Milton Keynes Central at 1903, 45 minutes down.
I was planning on going for the X5 coach back to Cambridge at 1845. The next one at 1915 was to terminate at Bedford, so I had to wait for the one due in at 1945. Well, I say due in, but it was late. I thought I saw it arriving just after the X5 going the other way… got the bags ready… it was just a plain unbranded coach on the VT99 to Luton Airport instead! Still, the X5 arrived 15 minutes late at 2000, and the driver had a brand new 58 plate coach, of the type I’d snapped on the way up. The WiFi was good, but a combination of tiredness and the fact that the driving made me feel very queasy (for only the second time in my life since I was a young ‘un), meant I just sat back. We had a driver change at Bedford, which seemed to help greatly, and he was struggling with the new coach too, narrowly missing some lamp-posts! These are longer than their predecessors, and a few years ago, I remember a Glasgow trip via Fife resulted in delays because the Fife drivers were taking it easy with the new stock, especially given the rain then!
So, what did I think of the First Class experience? I wouldn’t have ever thought about this as an option – after all, on our own First Capital Connect route through Royston, First Class is 2+2 seating, just a different colour with headrest covers, and no catering – perhaps, not so necessary on short commuter-style journeys. The 1+2 seating layout, with table space at every seat, provided for tonnes of room, and plenty of places for baggage. The combination of the quality food and drink served (including the hot breakfast/dinner offers on weekdays), lots of extra room, would be enough to tip the balance in favour of looking for a First Advance fare for a future journey, perhaps. I think Caroline would appreciate the comfort and quietness! I understand WiFi is planned to add to the service later in 2009, which would defiantly be useful. I also spotted that at least one of the tables could fold up – useful for those knee-bangers amongst us. So, would I do it again, for a similar journey? Defiantly – it certainly did make the journey more enjoyable, and turned what could have been a chore trip into an enjoyable one, before I’d even made it to Scotland.
As it turned out, the East Coast Main Line had been delayed for most of the day, following a fatality at Durham. So, no matter which way I’d have gone, I may well have ended up home a little late. Never mind, I made it in the end!
In the time since, Friday was a quiet day for my 30th (mostly spent unpacking) before going out to The Dolphin (pub in Melbourn) for dinner, and then out on Saturday for a brief bit of shopping (two new pairs of shoes, one pair of long boots, one new top, one new pair of slouch jeans, two new belts, the lot for £59 in the sale at Evans!). Today, cheese fest – pizza just a few minutes ago, and now Cascada playing via iTunes… win!
