Recent content by laird

Is there any news on either 720505 or 720585 (perhaps last seen on a passenger service in early July?), any hopes they might reappear to fill in a gap in my log? :-)

British Transport Police offer volunteer opportunities or perhaps look at becoming a Rail Pastor?

1A71 terminated at Reading due to late from Laira and signalling problem between Newbury and Reading

On the occasions my Eurostar arrival has missed the ICE connection I've always been accomodated on the following Thalys service rather than being routed via the Beligian IC route. There is always an argument however over the reaccomodation, Thalys takes the view that Standard Premier is...

SWR Delay Repay should result in a refund based on the delay incurred, they assume you took the next available train unless you say otherwise. The form is on the SWR webpage

The original design of the Thames Valley Park station, Reading East, or Earley North depending on how you choose to call it was to be a 4 platform station. At the time of the design it was capable of electrification and the land on which it was to stand remains broadly protected although the...

One country Benelux and France do qualify for the Eurostar pass holder fares, the pass holder fares seem to vary depending on where purchased (perhaps due to the base currency of the seller)

It was a case of requesting online, a quotation was then prepared and made ready for me to accept online. All the usual credit card options were available. Tickets could then be collected in Poland (not much use for your journey or mine) with further options to have the tickets posted or sent...

Polrail have just sold me tickets to and from Lviv and the process seemed fairly simple

Whilst it will be more to pay you could given your plan to travel in July book far enough ahead to get the cheapest through fares with from London to Cologne, since you would have needed to add both a pass holder reservation for Eurostar and Thalys or the ICE the marginal cost increase for a one...

There is an International Ticket desk in the Brasov and Bucharest Gara Nord stations. I've personally bought at the Brasov desk a return ticket from Iasi to Chisinau. The Wasteels office was OK but I think the service at the CFR International ticket desk seemed better.

I had a similar experience on a Budapest to Brasov sleeper so it may be a problem on sleeper routes from Keleti. Like Parkender the sleeping car attendant appeared bemused while the guard wanted to be paid some 30EUR or so claiming the ticket wasn't valid. I pointed out each section of the...

At Brussels it is just an ID check when transferring from Eurostar to the ICE. The ICE is going out delayed each time according to the Eurostar crew. Checks are by Belgian police. Sadly 20 minutes is now a tight connection. The Midi station is not well layed out to accomodate the checks, since...

I had a similarly mis-issued ticket to London Waterloo, all worked perfectly well until I came across one (then First) Great Western staff member that refused to accept it was valid, I was then made to buy another ticket and when I complained it took 3 e-mails and a letter to eventually extract...

1. No but the tax man becomes interested over a set limit see HMRC website. 2. Plusbus is not allowed for the 75% but you might get it included in the loan element. 3. The form filling takes a few minutes but the loan amount appears in your pay at the next opportunity 4. It will be in your pay...