Connections between Network Rail services and preserved lines

[Upton]

Last weekend I went down to the Early Spring Gala on the Watercress Line, travelling by train from London. Having looked at the Watercress timetable before leaving, several of their services were timed to leave Alton a minute after my London train was due to arrive. Luckily I spotted this and so got a different train which gave me a fifteeen minute cross over time between the two platforms.

What I was wondering if anyone else travelling by train to a preserved line has had this problem, not just at Alton, but at any of the other "interchange" stations for preserved lines, such as at Bodmin Parkway, Aviemore, Kidderminster or East Grinstead?

Also does anyone setting up a time table on a presreved line check to see if there is a suitable gap between their train departing and a Network train arriving?

 

[bradford758]

Not checked recently, but the kwvlr timetable is supposed to connect with Airedale line trains at Keighley.

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[birchesgreen]

EVR timetable is integrated with EMT at Duffield

 

[tsr]

Spa Valley Railway trains often have connections with Southern at Eridge for passengers arriving at the heritage railway after travelling down from London, but only if the "mainline" trains are running within a couple of minutes of their booked time, which is always a hazardous assumption to make!

They are fairly good at watching out for delayed mainline passengers, but on some days (particularly with extra / evening trains for special events, and/or on days of the most intensive services), the SVR train can't be held.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Not checked recently, but the kwvlr timetable is supposed to connect with Airedale line trains at Keighley.

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4-5 trains an hour. 2 to bradford, 2/3 to Leeds so you just wait for the next train!

 

[IanD]

Last weekend I went down to the Early Spring Gala on the Watercress Line, travelling by train from London. Having looked at the Watercress timetable before leaving, several of their services were timed to leave Alton a minute after my London train was due to arrive. Luckily I spotted this and so got a different train which gave me a fifteeen minute cross over time between the two platforms.

Perhaps the train you arrived at Alton on WAS the one intended to connect with the train you left Alton on. A 15 minute connection time seems reasonable to me, maybe even a bit short if you have to leave the NR part of the station, get to the preserved bit and buy your tickets.

 

[AM9]

If the NR service is much more frequent than that on the preserved line, (quite likely given that most of the preserved lines are operating a single train on a single track), there is bound to be some tight or just missed connections when transferring from NR. Most preserved line stations are presented as visitor destinations in their own right, so having to spend a few minutes waiting for the arrival, turn around activites etc., is part of the deal.

 

[bradford758]

4-5 trains an hour. 2 to bradford, 2/3 to Leeds so you just wait for the next train!

er yes (apart from Sunday of course) but the point being using the current timetables you can plan a journey without having a 1-minute connection, or a 29-minute wait for a Bradford train eg.

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[bradford758]

4-5 trains an hour. 2 to bradford, 2/3 to Leeds so you just wait for the next train!

Meaning connection from the Airedale line to kwvlr, there appears to be at least a 5-min connection.

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[nferguso]

EVR timetable is integrated with EMT at Duffield

Thank you for that: yes, our services are designed to connect with the EMT Nottingham and Derby to Matlock. Through ticketing is also provided.

 

[bramling]

Last weekend I went down to the Early Spring Gala on the Watercress Line, travelling by train from London. Having looked at the Watercress timetable before leaving, several of their services were timed to leave Alton a minute after my London train was due to arrive. Luckily I spotted this and so got a different train which gave me a fifteeen minute cross over time between the two platforms.

What I was wondering if anyone else travelling by train to a preserved line has had this problem, not just at Alton, but at any of the other "interchange" stations for preserved lines, such as at Bodmin Parkway, Aviemore, Kidderminster or East Grinstead?

Also does anyone setting up a time table on a presreved line check to see if there is a suitable gap between their train departing and a Network train arriving?

At the end of the day it's never going to be possible to connect with *every* mainline train, especially where the mainline trains run relatively frequently. As with any connection between two modes of transport, people have to take some responsibility to allow a margin of contingency, especially where it might be necessary to queue for tickets.

One thing which, for me, grates is the tendency for many preserved railways to run late. Because many involve single lines, delays tend to multiply and spread quite readily - which can be a pain if one has planned a specific itinerary for example to travel on or photograph particular locomotives, or whatever, or one plans to spend half an hour somewhere to visit something like a museum and then find your first 10 minutes have disappeared. Plus it can be frustrating particularly for children when the train sits around for ages -- all this just because someone couldn't be bothered to turn up in time.

 

[GW43125]

What I was wondering if anyone else travelling by train to a preserved line has had this problem, not just at Alton, but at any of the other "interchange" stations for preserved lines, such as at Bodmin Parkway, Aviemore, Kidderminster or East Grinstead?

ISTR there was a ~15-20 min connection at EGR for the diesel gala last year. Though coming back was not much more than 5 due to the timetable being moved to the fiction section! (20901 disgraced itself with wheelflats earlier in the day)

 

[AnthonyRail]

Cheltenham Spa to Cheltenham racecourse, How does one get to the GWSR? Is it much to travel?

 

[nferguso]

The EVR is also integrated into EMT's timetables:

Click here

Checking the EMT website or The Trainline you will see that Wirksworth is an available destination in the journey planner.

 

[duffield]

Cheltenham Spa to Cheltenham racecourse, How does one get to the GWSR? Is it much to travel?

On foot: about 3 miles, mostly on a footpath along the old railway trackbed if you like.
Map:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf...archp=ids.srf&dn=814&ax=394431&ay=223246&lm=0

The Racecouse station is right next to where it says 'Prestbury Park' on the map

Bus: Stagecoach D or E service from outside railway station every few minutes to Racecourse Park & Ride, then about 1/2 mile walk. The Park & Ride is shown on the map above.

Or taxi obviously

 

[AnthonyRail]

On foot: about 3 miles, mostly on a footpath along the old railway trackbed if you like.
Map:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf...archp=ids.srf&dn=814&ax=394431&ay=223246&lm=0

The Racecouse station is right next to where it says 'Prestbury Park' on the map

Bus: Stagecoach D or E service from outside railway station every few minutes to Racecourse Park & Ride, then about 1/2 mile walk. The Park & Ride is shown on the map above.

Or taxi obviously

3 miles walk isn't too bad, chance to walk old line too

 

[AnthonyRail]

On foot: about 3 miles, mostly on a footpath along the old railway trackbed if you like.
Map:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf...archp=ids.srf&dn=814&ax=394431&ay=223246&lm=0

The Racecouse station is right next to where it says 'Prestbury Park' on the map

Bus: Stagecoach D or E service from outside railway station every few minutes to Racecourse Park & Ride, then about 1/2 mile walk. The Park & Ride is shown on the map above.

Or taxi obviously

Thanks for info.

3 miles walk isn't too bad, chance to walk old line too

 

[reddragon]

On foot: about 3 miles, mostly on a footpath along the old railway trackbed if you like.
Map:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf...archp=ids.srf&dn=814&ax=394431&ay=223246&lm=0

The Racecouse station is right next to where it says 'Prestbury Park' on the map

Bus: Stagecoach D or E service from outside railway station every few minutes to Racecourse Park & Ride, then about 1/2 mile walk. The Park & Ride is shown on the map above.

Or taxi obviously

There are also connecting bus services to Cheltenham Racecourse and from Ashchurch to Toddington on event days. From next year, when Broadway is reached, I am sure more bus links will be available such as the services from Stratford.

 

[AY1975]

The EVR is also integrated into EMT's timetables:

Click here

Checking the EMT website or The Trainline you will see that Wirksworth is an available destination in the journey planner.

That's good, but when I enter Wirksworth as a destination on the EMT website, it does recognise it, but when I click on search, it says an invalid station name has been entered. Trainline doesn't seem to recognise it at all.