Bletchley station, good facilities...but the walk round!

[Howardh]

Wanted to visit Tesco there from Milton Keynes, on the map the buses were adequate but a zig-zagy route, so thought a return to Bletchley from MKC and a short walk would do the job.

First time to Bletchley, cafe, toilets, perfect, but the exit was, for me, on the wong side do a walk all the way round, even to the bus station!

If I'd studied the map more carefully I'd have got the bus!

Anyhow, did my little shop and caught the bus back to MK so not using the return portion. The train at 1230 looked brand new, except the toilet didn't work!

Anyone else been caught out by the exit not being where you thought it was?!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Anyone else been caught out by the exit not being where you thought it was?!!

It's on the correct side for most of the housing, being primarily a traffic source, not a traffic sink. The one big destination, Bletchley Park, is on the correct side. Almost nobody would visit Tesco from CMK* by train. Indeed almost nobody would visit Tesco from CMK full stop, there is both a Sainsbury's and a Morrisons already in CMK! And if only Tesco would do, Kingston is probably quicker by bus than that one.

The walk round isn't very far if you walk towards the signalling centre, there are steps down to the road at the bridge at the end of that bit of road.

Nonetheless I do think it silly that the P7/8 work isn't including an entrance on that side.

Talking of facilities one unusual aspect of Bletchley is that the building is open pretty much 24/7/363 (may close for a short period Saturday onto Sunday when there is a gap in service) as there is no other route to the platforms.

* The station called Milton Keynes Central is in the area called Central Milton Keynes, usually abbreviated to CMK.

 

[Howardh]

I had to visit Bletcleys Tesco as Wolverton - and any other local one - didn't have the phone I wanted in stock!

But what surprised me is I saw the bus station on the map adjacent so, mistakenly, assumed there was easy access from the station!

Get the 5 it 6 almost to the door. Well, underpass. As it happened I walked the lot!

Note - the extra distance (I didn't count the steps!!) is longer the older you are, and I'm approaching cough this month!! Put it this way, I pass two thirds!!!

 

[WolvertonWorks]

It's on the correct side for most of the housing, being primarily a traffic source, not a traffic sink. The one big destination, Bletchley Park, is on the correct side. Almost nobody would visit Tesco from CMK* by train. Indeed almost nobody would visit Tesco from CMK full stop, there is both a Sainsbury's and a Morrisons already in CMK! And if only Tesco would do, Kingston is probably quicker by bus than that one.

The walk round isn't very far if you walk towards the signalling centre, there are steps down to the road at the bridge at the end of that bit of road.

Nonetheless I do think it silly that the P7/8 work isn't including an entrance on that side.

Talking of facilities one unusual aspect of Bletchley is that the building is open pretty much 24/7/363 (may close for a short period Saturday onto Sunday when there is a gap in service) as there is no other route to the platforms.

* The station called Milton Keynes Central is in the area called Central Milton Keynes, usually abbreviated to CMK.

When Bletchley station was built the area that is now the bus station was terrace housing with more railway land behind IIRC. So people living that side of the tracks would just walk along what is now Queensway to the station entrance. I think the "short cut" steps up were installed maybe in the 60s?

Where Tesco is was industrial units until those houses were demolished and the new roads went in in the late 60s/early 70s.

If I catch the train between Bletchley and Woburn Sands there are usually people with wheeled shopping bags who have got on or off at Fenny Stratford and walked to Tesco to shop. Fenny Stratford is closer on foot to Tesco than Bletchley station.

I live walking distance of CMK and on the odd occasion I want to go to IKEA which is almost opposite Tesco I use the 5 or 6 bus and not train to Bletchley.

I agree though that a new entrance to Bletchley station from the bus station side is needed but this was discussed in one of the E-W threads I seem to remember and it won't happen any time soon.

Football fans arriving by train into Bletchley have to do that circuitous walk to Stadium MK but it is fairly well signposted.