Cheltenham to Birmingham

[taxidave]

This Saturday October 30th I am travelling to Accrington for football. I have an advance ticket from Cheltenham to Preston booked online through FGW.
On the outward journey, according to the confirmation email I received, I am booked on the 07.18 Cheltenham to Birmingham which I believe is the Gloucester to Stansted XCountry service and will be a class 170, and for which I have not got a seat reservation. This train is due into Birmingham at 08.08 and does not leave me a lot of time to board my Birmingham to Preston Virgin train which departs at 08.20 as I am not very agile.
My question is, as I have not got a seat reservation on the 07.18 can I use the 07.12 Bristol to Edinburgh XCountry service which will be a Voyager.

 

[mumrar]

Yes you can ctach an earlier train to Birmingham

 

[yorkie]

I agree with mumrar

Please let us know how you get on (good luck!)

If, for any reason, you miss the train at Birmingham you will of course be allowed to complete your journey on later trains. Obviously I realise that when travelling when time is critical this isn't ideal.

 

[taxidave]

Please let us know how you get on (good luck!)

I spoke to the guard before I got on the 07.12 train at Cheltenham and he said it would be ok.
Good journeys both ways and an excellent result at Accrington
Just one point of interest, why is there a ticket inspection at Preston station on the bridge between platforms 3 and 1&2. I can only assume it is because platforms 1 & 2 are the Northern train platforms, but if you walk down platform 3 there is a subway between all platforms so it would be easy to gain access to Northern trains even if you did not have a ticket.
So is it just jobs for the boys. :roll:

 

[Mojo]

Just one point of interest, why is there a ticket inspection at Preston station on the bridge between platforms 3 and 1&2. I can only assume it is because platforms 1 & 2 are the Northern train platforms, but if you walk down platform 3 there is a subway between all platforms so it would be easy to gain access to Northern trains even if you did not have a ticket.
So is it just jobs for the boys. :roll:

I don't know the location but it sounds about right.

Plenty of locations where you can avoid ticket examinations by using alternative exits, lifts/footbridges/level crossings or even by boarding a train and getting off it a bit further down!

 

[premier01]

I don't know the location but it sounds about right.

Plenty of locations where you can avoid ticket examinations by using alternative exits, lifts/footbridges/level crossings or even by boarding a train and getting off it a bit further down!

Yes I know the location and yes it is a waste of time.

I have raised this point before and it annoys me-tickets are always checked regularly on Northern Trains-these additional checks only cause delays to passengers.

I usually use the subway just to avoid the bottleneck when getting off Northern trains on 1 and 2.

It's the same at Platforms 13 and 14 at
Manchester Piccadilly-some times I travel to Leeds or Hull arriving into 13 and have to get to 4 for the TPE train-the bottleneck caused by the aggressive staff causes a delay-if someone knows of a route to avoid this then post here!