Commuting from Northampton to Euston

[Cherrygoth]

Hi, newbie here so apologies if this is in the wrong place. I've started a new job that means I need to commute from Northampton to Euston once a month during peak times. I'm a bit of an anxious Annie and rarely travel alone so was wondering if anyone has any advice to make things easier, like which services are a bit less busy, which platform the train usually comes into Euston and how reliable the platform on the trainline app is, that kind of thing. I think I'm particularly worried about the home journey and the stampede when the platform is announced! Also getting a seat in the morning would be nice. Any advice much appreciated.

 

[Huntergreed]

Welcome to the forum!

Don’t worry, the railway is very easy and generally comfortable to travel on.

For platform allocations, I suggest this website:

Realtime Trains

Realtime Trains is an independent source of live realtime running information for the Great British railway network.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

And if you look up the headcode (the 4 digit identification for a train, ie 1M54. It will tell you on “detailed mode” on realtimetrains), you can see the live signalling diagrams on here for much of the UK:

TRAKSY.UK

Live train maps and timetables

traksy.uk

Just look for the headcode to appear on a platform and then head to that platform! Generally can get you ahead of the main departure boards.

This definitely works at Euston where you’re worried about, so you’ll be able to get to the platform much earlier than it is announced and get a seat.

As for Northampton - Euston loadings, I’m afraid I’m in entirely the wrong part of the country to help! @Bletchleyite do you know what the loadings are like?

 

[Bletchleyite]

The Birmingham through services can be busy at the moment, but there are also peak extras to and from Northampton, if you can use these you get on at the origin so it shouldn't be busy. Same the other way.

Timetable here: https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/sites/default/files/lnr_a_web_dec_2022_v1.pdf

Not a bad service overall given what is going on with the railway at the moment, and the 350s are nice trains.

 

[Cherrygoth]

Thank you both, that's all really helpful!

 

[JB_B]

The LNR journey heat map at https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/travel-information/journey-planning/how-busy-is-my-train might give you some clues as to which trains are busiest.

 

[DarloRich]

The service is getting busier but i still havent been on a peak hour train to MK/Bletchley anywhere near as busy as they were pre covid. The evening peak OUT of Euston seems much more spread out than it used to be.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The service is getting busier but i still havent been on a peak hour train to MK/Bletchley anywhere near as busy as they were pre covid. The evening peak OUT of Euston seems much more spread out than it used to be.

Perhaps the new timetable has been got right? The change is quite significant, and while it is hard to tell exactly I think there is, despite it being all 8 car, slightly more capacity at certain times than there was. If I'm right on that it begs the question why a fortune was spent extending platforms a few years back!

 

[DarloRich]

@Bletchleyite The 0800 from Bletchley is quite busy, often standing but still not wedged like it used to be yet the 0715 tends to be quite pleasant which is very odd compared to the olden days!

 

[Bletchleyite]

@Bletchleyite The 0800 from Bletchley is quite busy, often standing but still not wedged like it used to be yet the 0715 tends to be quite pleasant which is very odd compared to the olden days!

There isn't an 0800 from BLY, you mean the 0701? That's always been busy. Exactly how busy often depended on whether Avanti/Virgin were running OK, as if they weren't it'd pick up an MKC load and be full and standing. It's probably the best timed one for getting to the further reaches of the City and to your desk comfortably for 9.

I always go for the starters, best choice of seats. One of them (0656 I think) will be an opportunity to ride a 730 early doors, too!

In light of the above...completely ignore the "heatmap", they haven't bothered to update it for the new timetable!

 

[DarloRich]

There isn't an 0800 from BLY,

no - i mean the 0805! The 0701 was always one to avoid. It is still a busy train.

I always go for the starters, best choice of seats. One of them (0656 I think) will be an opportunity to ride a 730 early doors, too

I always did the same in the olden days even if it added a few minutes to the journey. A seat was always more attractive than work!

 

[Magdalia]

I always go for the starters, best choice of seats.

I always did the same in the olden days even if it added a few minutes to the journey. A seat was always more attractive than work!

In my commuting days I did the same, and even now I prefer the Brighton trains from Cambridge because they start nearly empty.

On the way home knowing where the train empties out is useful too. If I'm on a train from Brighton I go to the front because I know that bit of the train will be nearly empty after the Hitchin parachute brigade have bailed out.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In my commuting days I did the same, and even now I prefer the Brighton trains from Cambridge because they start nearly empty.

On the way home knowing where the train empties out is useful too. If I'm on a train from Brighton I go to the front because I know that bit of the train will be nearly empty after the Hitchin parachute brigade have bailed out.

Same with Euston, any train that calls at Harrow will drop off a signficant number there. So even if it leaves Euston with a standing load there'll be a seat after Harrow.

 

[87015]

You’ll get a seat from Northampton but the fasts aren’t pleasant, down the aisles and declassified from Leighton in the high peak and you’ll need to be at Euston 15 mins before for a choice of a seat in the evening going off this week. Almost as though what was busy 12 cars before December doesn’t go into 8s now with less trains overall just to help…

 

[Cherrygoth]

Did my first trip yesterday, got the 6.50am which started at Northampton, then coming back got the 17.19 which only went to Northampton instead of all the way to Birmingham. Got to Euston early for the return to make sure I was there as soon as the platform was announced. Both were great, not too busy, I got a seat, and even the 6.39am from Birmingham that came in before mine didn't look too bad. Thanks all!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Did my first trip yesterday, got the 6.50am which started at Northampton, then coming back got the 17.19 which only went to Northampton instead of all the way to Birmingham. Got to Euston early for the return to make sure I was there as soon as the platform was announced. Both were great, not too busy, I got a seat, and even the 6.39am from Birmingham that came in before mine didn't look too bad. Thanks all!

It's not the worst by any means. Enjoy!

 

[Bletchleyite]

You’ll get a seat from Northampton but the fasts aren’t pleasant, down the aisles and declassified from Leighton in the high peak and you’ll need to be at Euston 15 mins before for a choice of a seat in the evening going off this week. Almost as though what was busy 12 cars before December doesn’t go into 8s now with less trains overall just to help…

Avanti's misdeeds and Chiltern's part closure probably haven't helped, I reckon it will settle down because the peak Northampton fasts are now better distributed, with extras instead of 12 car sets. But I do wonder if a couple of 12 car evening runs will be needed anyway. We shall see when people learn which ones to avoid - it would help if they actually updated their "busy train checker" thing online properly, it still shows the old timetable!

 

[87015]

Avanti's misdeeds and Chiltern's part closure probably haven't helped, I reckon it will settle down because the peak Northampton fasts are now better distributed, with extras instead of 12 car sets. But I do wonder if a couple of 12 car evening runs will be needed anyway. We shall see when people learn which ones to avoid - it would help if they actually updated their "busy train checker" thing online properly, it still shows the old timetable!

All it’s going to show is red and black so it won’t help! The slows are now so ridiculously slow they aren’t a realistic alternative, whereas the semi-fasts were. Timekeeping is also pretty dire so far even getting the trains into service on time seems to be a struggle.

 

[Bletchleyite]

All it’s going to show is red and black so it won’t help! The slows are now so ridiculously slow they aren’t a realistic alternative, whereas the semi-fasts were. Timekeeping is also pretty dire so far even getting the trains into service on time seems to be a struggle.

What's causing punctuality issues? The WCML is hardly busy at the moment.

 

[Pumbaa]

The WCML is shot to pieces. Loads of TSR/ESRs south of Rugby on the Fasts, turns out successive shortages of maintenance staff due to strike action does have a cost after all. Not been inspected in time? Slap the TSR on…

 

[Intercity110]

i'd avoid ones that look like these or have numbers that are 350 2xx (known as /2s) as those are uncomfortable and have no table seats. if Northampton station is closed, wellingborough is also a viable alternative as it's near northampton