Help with Interchange at Liverpool Lime Street.

[cjp]

Coming in with my bike from Aintree and changing at Moorfield on Wednesday.

Is an arrival time of 0918 going to be OK to connect with the 0932 departure heading out to Wigan North West to get a Glasgow bound train given I do not know the station?

I think the 0932 leaves from platform 2 and, as far as I can tell, lacks 1st Class accommodation

 

[trainophile]

I wouldn't risk it. If you can get the ex-Aintree train 15 minutes earlier you should be okay.

 

[Gathursty]

If the aim is Glasgow-bound, why aren't you going Aintree-Ormskirk-Preston-etc...? I appreciate the Ormskirk shuttle is irregular but there probably is a train about that time of the morning.

 

[cjp]

If the aim is Glasgow-bound, why aren't you going Aintree-Ormskirk-Preston-etc...? I appreciate the Ormskirk shuttle is irregular but there probably is a train about that time of the morning.

Cos there are 1st Class advances form Liverpool for £27.05 with railcard which is some £13 cheaper than from Aintree.

and I wanted to leave it to the last minute so I do not have to rush breakfast

 

[PermitToTravel]

I'd give it a shot. You're covered if you miss the Wigan train due to the train from Moorfields being late, as you've left more than 10 minutes at Liverpool. The 0932 is indeed booked to leave from platform 2 but check the boards on the morning

No Northern Rail services have first class

 

[Haywain]

I'd give it a shot. You're covered if you miss the Wigan train due to the train from Moorfields being late, as you've left more than 10 minutes at Liverpool. The 0932 is indeed booked to leave from platform 2 but check the boards on the morning

No Northern Rail services have first class

The 10 minutes is the connection time AT Lime Street, and would not include a transfer from Moorfields. Therefore, this would look to be very high risk.

 

[cjp]

The 10 minutes is the connection time AT Lime Street, and would not include a transfer from Moorfields. Therefore, this would look to be very high risk.

I think I confused you. Sorry.
The journey will be Aintreee changing at Moorfields arriving Liverpool Lime Street at 0918.

I had no idea how long it would take me and my bike getting from the underground platform to platform 2 if I did not know my way around the station. More than 15 minutes would be a problem

 

[yorkie]

14 minutes is plenty of time - assuming your train is on time.

Follow the signs for the lift, and you end up in the middle of the concourse.

See map: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/SME/html/NRE_LIV/plan.html the lift takes you to between Boots & WH Smith. The entrance to the platforms is almost opposite you. Once through, turn left for Platform 2.

 

[Gathursty]

I've used a bike on the undergound Merseyrail section and I've had to either take my bike up the escalator if the lift's broke or wait for pushchairs and the impaired to use it and then wait for the lift to come back to me. This takes a fair chunk of time, not including travelling from Moorfields to Lime Street. Perhaps disembark at Central and cycle/walk your bike over to Lime Street?

Personally:
1) Leave Aintree earlier.
OR
2) Cycle to Rice Lane/Fazakerley/Kirkby and go to Wigan that way. 0902 Rice Lane - 0945 Wigan Wallgate

 

[yorkie]

The 0905 from Fazakerley gives you plenty of time in Wigan.

It will take a lot less than 15mins to cycle from Aintree to Fazakerley.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Why not cycle to Wigan ?

Why not? Let's turn that around... why would you?

cjp has already said he does not want to leave earlier.

The only suggestions so far with more leeway for delays, meeting that criteria, are those posted by Gathursty above.

Bikes are allowed on Mersey Rail subject to a maximum number on a train if there are already bikes on the train then you might not be allowed to travel with bike. This also applies to Northern services. As you are traveling in the peak hour then they might enforce the bike policy. As far as I know you cannot reserve a bike on any Mersey or Northern rail services and you have to reserve on a Virgin West Coast train.

I think it's safe to assume cjp has a reservation on Virgin Trains. As for Merseyrail, the limit is 4 for a 3-car train and 8 for a 6-car train.

 

[55z]

Why not cycle to Wigan ?
Bikes are allowed on Mersey Rail subject to a maximum number on a train if there are already bikes on the train then you might not be allowed to travel with bike. This also applies to Northern services. As you are traveling in the peak hour then they might enforce the bike policy. As far as I know you cannot reserve a bike on any Mersey or Northern rail services and you have to reserve on a Virgin West Coast train.

 

[cjp]

Thank you everyone who has contributed.

Yorkie is correct I already have my advance tickets
- I have also included in my mix Scotrail's £10 return offer to make my onward trip to Pitlochry a bargain.
The only slight worry is being unable to get a cycle reservation on Northern Trains

I will take Gathursty's advice and travel to Liverpool Central and bike from there. It seems to be that Central is so close to Lime Street (like so many central London Tube stations are near one another ) that it will take me only about 5 or 6 minutes platform to platform.
I have also decided that the Aintree 0905 departure arriving 0920 is to tight to even consider except as a desperate fall back and will be getting the 0850 arriving Central at 0905.

Aintree - Liverpool Central £2.20
Lime Street Glasgow £27.50 1st class
Glasgow - Pitlochry £5.00 (well £10 return)
£34.20 total with refreshments of some sort or another v
Aintree - Pitlochry £68.30 (via Haymarket}

 

[Gathursty]

why would you?

*tut tut*

I can see why you'd take a bike to Pitlochry. The road there to Rannoch is an enchanting drive/ride (bar the beginning bit where a lorry could be round the corner!) as are other routes around there.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I will take Gathursty's advice and travel to Liverpool Central and bike from there. It seems to be that Central is so close to Lime Street (like so many central London Tube stations are near one another ) that it will take me only about 5 or 6 minutes platform to platform.

It can be walked *very* briskly platform to platform in 10 minutes, but the road layout/one way systems may not mean you gain any time by cycling.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I have also decided that the Aintree 0905 departure arriving 0920 is to tight to even consider except as a desperate fall back and will be getting the 0850 arriving Central at 0905.

This will be fine.

 

[yorkie]

*tut tut*

I can see why you'd take a bike to Pitlochry. The road there to Rannoch is an enchanting drive/ride (bar the beginning bit where a lorry could be round the corner!) as are other routes around there.

Agreed. I've cycled Pitlochry - Rannoch. We crossed the river at the dam/power station then used the footpath for a short distance until it reaches a very minor road, this avoids the need to use any roads of any significance in or near Pitlochry. We cycled along the south side of Loch Rannoch. If I was to do it again I'd want to cycle along the north side for a change. It would be easier to do it in reverse (more downhill) but less practicable.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I've used a bike on the undergound Merseyrail section and I've had to either take my bike up the escalator if the lift's broke or wait for pushchairs and the impaired to use it and then wait for the lift to come back to me. This takes a fair chunk of time, not including travelling from Moorfields to Lime Street. Perhaps disembark at Central and cycle/walk your bike over to Lime Street?

Thank you everyone who has contributed.
I will take Gathursty's advice and travel to Liverpool Central and bike from there.

Just to agree with Gathursty.
For at least the past 2 weeks the top escalator at Lime St (subway to concourse) has been out of service and looks like being out for some time.
That means walking up the (stopped) escalator - no fun at all, even without a bike.
There is a comedy lift from the Wirral platform to the concourse, but it only holds 10 and I'm not sure you can take a bike.

 

[cjp]

Thank you all for you help and tips.
It all went smoothly and I even managed to get an earlier train from Aintree to Liverpool Central and the helpful Virgin staff there pointed me at the earlier 0900 Northern Departure which gave me time to go and photograph Wigan Pier. A Bonus result.

Rush hour on the Ormskirk line is nothing like a London Rush Hour on the Underground where one can be almost nose to nose or at least nose to window, Yes there were people standing and yes people would not move out of the fold down seats in the reserved for cycles section but the guard welcomed me on and it was all very civilised.
At Liverpool Central except for me everyone used the escalators so I had the lift to myself.

I have to say Yorkie I found the road from Pitlochry to Tummel bridge along the south of the Loch challenging with my speed ranging from 3mph (walking) to 33mph (free-wheeling downhill). Then it was scary at Tummel Bridge to find the northern road closed for repairs and a 20 mile diversion. Fortunately the nice men let me through so I had the delight of a sunny day and much better road with no other traffic except the odd works vehicle.

The trains were OK but Scotrail as usual had a full loading on the Inverness - Glasgow three carriage service with people standing until Perth - including the person who was sitting in my seat when I boarded.
The moral is always get a reservation