Nuneaton to London Euston, next Saturday, 20th June

[snuk]

Hi all,

I'm planning a trip from Nuneaton to London Euston for next Saturday, 20th June.

I've been thinking about taking a long-ish journey in first class on a Virgin Pendolino and I noticed the early morning services direct from Nuneaton to London Euston.

Ideally I'd love to travel upto to/through the Lake District even onwards to Glasgow Central, but I have chosen Euston as a by far cheaper alternative.

The only tickets/fares I have investigated so far are First Class Advance Singles.

I've chosen my outbound train - the 0859 Virgin Pendolino service from Liverpool Lime Street, via Nuneaton to London Euston which costs £26.50 for the FC advance single.

I'm looking for some advice regarding whether or not to spend a few hours in London and what there is to do for a few hours (I've started another thread for this). I've never been to London before so I'm little bit apprehensive about spending any time outside of the confines of Euston, but open to suggestions if there is anything that interests me for 2-3 hours or so.

Originally, I had planned to return, within 20-60 minutes, with London Midland to keep costs down. I wrongly assumed that to return with Virgin would cost upwards of £60. I noticed that on their 1046 and 1146 trains I could buy a FC advance single for £15 but I've been advised that first class on London Midland is nothing special, certainly when compared to Virgin.

I did some research, and discovered that returning via Rugby is expensive but returning via COV or BHM is the same price.

I think returning via BHM is my preferred option, if the tickets allow for this as there are 2TPH from BHM-NUN as opposed to 1TPH COV-NUN.

My main question regarding the EUS-BHM-NUN route is would I be allowed to break my journey at BHM and continue to NUN on any train of my choice or would I be booked onto a specific one? If I wanted to spend some time in Birmingham as well would it be best to buy a seperate ticket BHM-NUN?

So, bascially, at the moment, just looking at my options for EUS-NUN, ideally on Virgin Pendolino first class upto the West Mids, leaving EUS 1020 onwards or later if stopping for a two or three hours in London. I would want to be back in Nuneaton no later than about 1700.

I would be buying the tickets online and in advance between now and Friday and collecting them from the ticket machine at Nuneaton between now and then. How soon after the booking can I collect them? Could I collect them before Saturday?

I know that I need to use the card used to purchase the tickets to collect them and that first class advance tickets are only valid on the train for which they are booked.

Is there anything else that I haven't covered?

Any advice, as always, greatfully appreciated.

Kindest regards,

Steve.

 

[John @ home]

My main question regarding the EUS-BHM-NUN route is would I be allowed to break my journey at BHM and continue to NUN on any train of my choice or would I be booked onto a specific one?

The conditions for Advance tickets are here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/advance_conditions.html This includes

Break of journey
You may not start, break and resume, or end your journey at any intermediate station except to change to/from connecting trains as shown on the ticket(s) or other valid travel itinerary.

If you have a reserved seat on a connecting train, you must use that train. The timetable does not show the XC service between Birmingham and Nuneaton to be reservable, so that gives you rather more flexibility. Without a reservation, you don't need to catch the first train.

The definition of a break of journey is here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/system/galleries/download/misc/NRCOC.pdf This includes

16. Starting, breaking or ending a journey at intermediate stations
... you will be treated as breaking your journey if you leave a Train Company’s or Rail Service Company’s stations after you start your journey other than:
(i) to join a train at another station, or
(ii) to stay in overnight accommodation when you cannot reasonably complete your journey within one day, or
(iii) to follow any instructions given by a member of a Train Company’s staff.

The first thing to say is that each definition makes sense on its own but they don't make much sense when read together. It is evident that the author of the Advance ticket conditions did not understand that to change to/from connecting trains as shown on the ticket(s) or other valid travel itinerary does not constitute a break of journey.

So you're not allowed to break your journey with an Advance ticket. But if you stay within the station you are not breaking your journey. And you are allowed to go outside the barriers in order to use the local facilities.

If I wanted to spend some time in Birmingham as well would it be best to buy a seperate ticket BHM-NUN?

It depends whether what you want to do is technically a break of journey.

How soon after the booking can I collect them?

The train companies say they will be available after 2 hours, but they are often available earlier than that.

Could I collect them before Saturday?

Yes

John

 

[tony_mac]

The timetable does not show the XC service between Birmingham and Nuneaton to be reservable, so that gives you rather more flexibility. Without a reservation, you don't need to catch the first train.

On a recent journey from Liverpool to Coventry, friends of mine had advance tickets. Between Birmingham and Coventry no seats were reserved, but they had received a reservation coupon giving a specific train. I think it just said *** in the place of seat numbers. It was only a small train, so I guess that it wasn't reservable - but they were still told to take that specific train.

 

[323235]

On a recent journey from Liverpool to Coventry, friends of mine had advance tickets. Between Birmingham and Coventry no seats were reserved, but they had received a reservation coupon giving a specific train. I think it just said *** in the place of seat numbers. It was only a small train, so I guess that it wasn't reservable - but they were still told to take that specific train.

Small Train?

most Birmingham to Coventry Virgin Trains services are all 9 Car Bendy Dildo's

a few weekday services are run using the 9 Car Class 90 Set

it may have been a voyager, though i wasn't aware there were any on this route though im sure someone local to that area or with more knowledge than myself could comment on that

 

[tony_mac]

I can't remember it exactly, it was a "commuter train" rather than something large like a pendolino, it certainly wasn't a virgin train. It also made a few stops in-between, so it was probably a London Midland

 

[MKB]

The 08:59 soutbound is a good choice as it will have a free breakfast in first class for the next two Saturdays.

The LM direct EUS-NUN services at 14:46 and 15:46 are available on Advance tickets for £5, (£8 at other hours).

The £14.90 LM Super Off-Peak Single would offer flexibility and allow you to break your journey at Birmingham, but you'd have to get back from Birmingham via Stafford in order to stay on LM trains without back-tracking. This route appears to be allowed on tables TV+WM.

 

[tony_mac]

Going via Stafford doesn't look valid to me, map WM only shows a direct route from Birmingham to Nuneaton.

 

[glynn80]

Going via Stafford doesn't look valid to me, map WM only shows a direct route from Birmingham to Nuneaton.

You can get from London to Nuneaton via Birmingham and Stafford by using maps TV+WM, the crucial point is that the route is not a permitted one.

The route I can visually see is London to Rugby to Birmingham to Wolverhampton using map TV and then Wolverhampton to Stafford using map WM and then moving back to map TV from Stafford to Tamworth to Nuneaton. This route is invalid as the maps must be used in the exact sequential order forwards or backwards. It does not allow you to take any route covered between the two listed maps, jumping back and forth between them.

 

[MKB]

You're quite right. Apologies. I was thrown by the fact that I have seen the via Stafford route come up on booking engines in the past at odd times like late Saturday night. No doubt an easement due to engineering work when I was looking.

 

[tony_mac]

I think that you could get a super-off peak return to Birmingham ( £15).
Then use the return portion to go from Birmingham via Lichfield to Nuneaton and break your journey there.
It is slow, but then you have a month to make use of the Nuneaton to London part of the return journey.

 

[rail-britain]

Originally, I had planned to return, within 20-60 minutes, with London Midland to keep costs down. I wrongly assumed that to return with Virgin would cost upwards of £60. I noticed that on their 1046 and 1146 trains I could buy a FC advance single for £15 but I've been advised that first class on London Midland is nothing special, certainly when compared to Virgin

Sadly at weekends there is no at-seat service with Virgin Trains
You can get basic complementary food and drink, but you will need to walk to the shop
However, the overall experience will be better than that from London Midland, especially if you have never been on a Pendolino

Overall I think you would find the experience to Glasgow quite exciting, especially between Lancaster and Motherwell
There are very few curves between Nuneaton and Euston, where the Pendolino can really show off what it is capable of

 

[yorkie]

On a recent journey from Liverpool to Coventry, friends of mine had advance tickets. Between Birmingham and Coventry no seats were reserved, but they had received a reservation coupon giving a specific train. I think it just said *** in the place of seat numbers. It was only a small train, so I guess that it wasn't reservable - but they were still told to take that specific train.

Any chance of scanning this coupon in? I'd be interested to see it.

 

[snuk]

Sadly at weekends there is no at-seat service with Virgin Trains
You can get basic complementary food and drink, but you will need to walk to the shop
However, the overall experience will be better than that from London Midland, especially if you have never been on a Pendolino

Overall I think you would find the experience to Glasgow quite exciting, especially between Lancaster and Motherwell
There are very few curves between Nuneaton and Euston, where the Pendolino can really show off what it is capable of

Many thanks for the replies. Can I assume that on the 0859 from Liverpool to London via Nuneaton only the complimentary breakfast (trial) would be served at seat and any other complementaries I would need to collect from the train shop, and that this would also be the case on a return trip with Virgin?

How far is the shop from the first class coaches and how easy is it to carry a cup of coffee from the shop back to first class - would they provide a polystyrene cup or would it be a cup and saucer?

What sort of thing would I be able to get complimentary from the shop?

Thanks again,

Steve.

 

[90019]

How far is the shop from the first class coaches

The shop is in coach C, and there are 2 standard class coaches between it and the 4 first class coaches.

 

[tony_mac]

Any chance of scanning this coupon in? I'd be interested to see it.

I can ask, but it's pretty unlikely that they kept it, and they are out of the country at the moment anyway.

 

[Pumbaa]

Many thanks for the replies. Can I assume that on the 0859 from Liverpool to London via Nuneaton only the complimentary breakfast (trial) would be served at seat and any other complementaries I would need to collect from the train shop, and that this would also be the case on a return trip with Virgin?

How far is the shop from the first class coaches and how easy is it to carry a cup of coffee from the shop back to first class - would they provide a polystyrene cup or would it be a cup and saucer?

What sort of thing would I be able to get complimentary from the shop?

Thanks again,

Steve.

As far as I can tell Steve, you get an at-seat service of sorts, with the Breakfast from Stewards. Basically drinks, and a Breakfast! I don't think you'll need to go to the Shop therefore. And even if you did, they give you a bag to carry it back in!

 

[will1337]

Any chance of scanning this coupon in? I'd be interested to see it.

Southern Advance tickets are the same with asterisks next to coach and seat.

 

[16CSVT2700]

Any chance of scanning this coupon in? I'd be interested to see it.

You get seat reservations with *** on them if you are booked on a fast service from London to Oxford/Worcester/Hereford which is booked a Turbo.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Sadly at weekends there is no at-seat service with Virgin Trains
You can get basic complementary food and drink, but you will need to walk to the shop

Nope rail britain, that's incorrect.

Although you do indeed have to go to the shop if you want a sandwich/something to eat, VT still offers an at-seat service of complimentary soft drinks/frut/crisps.

 

[bengolding]

Offically, Virgin now offer an at-seat service on all of their Pendolino services 7 days a week. At weekends, its a limited offering of hot drinks, soft drinks and crisps/fruit/biscuits. Best to ask the guard on board as if there are staff shortages, you have to go to the Shop.

 

[MKB]

My recent experience is that I've had to go to the shop in the main.

Wish they'd tell you whether there was going to be a trolley when you join the train mid-way through its journey. You can't win. If you wait for the trolley, it turns out there isn't one, or they've already been through and won't do a second pass. If you go to the shop, you get an ear-bashing for not waiting for the trolley and are sometimes refused service.

 

[Railway Andrew]

Sorry, but I can't help with fares, as I am ex BR with a pass. Cost me a mental breakdown. now recovered,to get it!
If you want to have a brief look round, there is the new St Pancras. I havn't seen it myself. The last time I was on the station was when the Rio services were running.
I can thoroughly recommend a trip to Carlisle and Glasgow. Being a native of the South Lakes and working in Lancaster, then Preston, I travelled between Lancaster and Carlisle about twice a week. The Lune Gorge is lovely and dramatic.
Somehow the best times were during the electrification, with the twin class 50's.
Despite all the journeys, I never tire of watching the scenery fom the train window.Sit on the 6' side going north.

Regards, Andrew
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Sorry, but I can't help with fares, as I am ex BR with a pass. Cost me a mental breakdown. now recovered,to get it!
If you want to have a brief look round, there is the new St Pancras. I havn't seen it myself. The last time I was on the station was when the Rio services were running.
I can thoroughly recommend a trip to Carlisle and Glasgow. Being a native of the South Lakes and working in Lancaster, then Preston, I travelled between Lancaster and Carlisle about twice a week. The Lune Gorge is lovely and dramatic.
Somehow the best times were during the electrification, with the twin class 50's.
Despite all the journeys, I never tire of watching the scenery fom the train window.Sit on the 6' side going north.

Regards, Andrew

 

[snuk]

Many thanks for the recent replies - I think these should be my final two questions now :roll:

Just trying to decide what train to book coming back from Euston to New Street. I've decided all that I want to do in London is visit Oxford Street and the shops that are there - is Oxford Street where all the main shops are?
I think the best way to do that, unless I'm advised otherwise, is to purchase a 1 zone travelcard and travel on the tube from Euston to Oxford Circus and back which takes less than 5 minutes I think and the tubes run every few minutes between the two.

If I spend about an hour in Oxford Street - would this be enough? - and then allowing half-an-hour from the train and then again back to the train and perhaps another half-an-hour in hand - so that's 2 hours 30 mins - 2hrs 30 from the arriving train at 1000 would be 1230.

There is a 1203 and a 1243 VT with First Advance Singles for £26.50 - just need to choose between the two. The 1203 would allow 2 hours in London and the 1243 give or take 2 hours 45 in London.

Can I assume that the Underground trains are a short distance from the mainline trains?

I think I read somewhere that they close the gates before departure - how long before departure do they close the gates, please - 10 / 15 mins?

Finally, If I telephone Virgin to book, would I still be able to collect the tickets from the machine at the station - and also would they be able to offer more flexibility than the website in terms of seating?

Thanks again,

Kind regards,

Steve.

 

[dave_wm]

I'd advise you catch the 1243, just to allow for any possible eventualities.

From my experience, they either don't close the gates at Euston, or close them about 30 seconds - 1 minute before the train leaves.

To get to the underground at Euston, walk to the end of the platform, out onto the main concourse, and there's a big Underground Sign by the exit; you have to walk down the stairs there.

Have fun!

 

[mathmo]

I think officially at Euston gates close 2 minutes before departure for Virgin trains - though I don't know if they enforce that. Just give yourselves a decent amount of time to get back to Euston in case you just miss a tube train and then it's really busy (unlikely on a Saturday though).

 

[voyagerdude220]

Also, if you give yourself the extra time at London Euston and do indeed go ahead with buying the Advance First Class ticket, you can wait in the newly improved First Class lounge.

I personally rather liked the FC lounge before it was refurbished, so any work done will probably make it an even more enjoyable experience.
(I haven't personally been through Euston/ used the FC lounge post refurbishment yet.)

 

[rail-britain]

Offically, Virgin now offer an at-seat service on all of their Pendolino services 7 days a week

During the winter period (September to March) it is Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holiday weekends
Between April to August this is extended to weekends, between Preston and Euston

This explains why I have never been served at-seat and have to walk to the shop
However, this was changed to what you mention above at the latest timetable change
I'll see what happens over the next two weekends

 

[voyagerdude220]

I do apologise then Rail-Britain for saying that you were incorrect, i simply got the impression that the at-seat service was rather widespread on the Pendolino's, with just a slimmed down offer at weekends- but still at-seat, throughout the VT network, apart from Super Voyagers north of Preston which are still "shop jobs".

 

[snuk]

I apologise if this is a silly question but to save time at the station I was wondering when the London bound train arrives at Nuneaton will the first class coaches be at the front or rear of the train - also the same question coming back from London to Birmingham.

I have my tickets - I collected them from Nuneaton yesterday. If the journeys run as timetabled I will have 2 hours 42 minutes in London from when the train arrives Euston to when it departs.

I think the plan is to buy a one day Zone 1 travelcard and then head to Oxford Circus on the underground. How long do you think it will take me to get from the train to Oxford Circus and back again - should I allow 20, 30 or more minutes from Oxford Street to the train?

If I have enough of Oxford Street I will hopefully make use of the first class lounge at Euston. Am I right in thinking the Oxford Circus underground station is on Oxford Street and takes about 3 minutes to get to by tube from Euston and that the tubes are on the Victoria Line and run every few minutes?

Any suggestions of things that will keep me occupied for 2 3/4 hours?

Thanks again - all the advice is very much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Steve.

 

[John @ home]

I was wondering when the London bound train arrives at Nuneaton will the first class coaches be at the front or rear of the train - also the same question coming back from London to Birmingham.

For all former InterCity journeys (except, now, Gatwick Express) First Class is normally at the London end of the train. There are a few exceptions, usually when trains have to reverse during their journey, but these do not affect Pendolinos on the WCML.

How long do you think it will take me to get from the train to Oxford Circus and back again - should I allow 20, 30 or more minutes from Oxford Street to the train?

Allow 30 minutes from pavement at Oxford Circus to the Virgin ticket barrier at Euston. It will probably take you just under 15.

Am I right in thinking the Oxford Circus underground station is on Oxford Street and takes about 3 minutes to get to by tube from Euston and that the tubes are on the Victoria Line and run every few minutes?

Yes. Transport for London (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/by-date.aspx?offset=weekend) are currently not showing any planned engineering work for the Victoria Line for Saturday 20 June.

John