Ffestiniog Round Robin

[Tav77]

I'm based near London and I am looking to do the following trip in the summer.

London Euston 06.20
Birmingham NS 07.45 (£7.50)

Birmingham NS 08.23
Porthmadog 12.51

Porthmadog 13.35
Blaenau Ffestiniog 14.45

Blaenau Ffestiniog 14.57
Llandudno Junction 16.03

Llandudno Junction 16.25
Chester 17.22

Chester 17.55
Crewe 18.18
Birmingham to Crewe trains on the £37 round robin ticket.

Crewe 19.29
London Euston 21.06 (£12.50)

A nice long day but should be good as I haven't bashed any of the Birmingham to Crewe part.

I think I have left enough times between. My concerns are:

1) If it's still a bus service from Harlech to Porthmadog the bus arrives at 13.27, is this reliable and will I have time to get to train? or am I best to get off at Minffordd?

2) Am I correct in thinking that the 14.57 departure from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno awaits the arrival of the Ffestiniog railway if its late? Is it usually late?

3) If it all goes pear shaped and I miss my 19.29 departure from Crewe, where would I stand with an advance ticket for that service?

Thanks in advance

 

[Welshman]

According to another thread, it seems the bus will be operating Harlech to Porthmadog until August at least.

Presumably it will only set-down at the railway station, and as I would allow about 10 minutes for the walk to the Ffestiniog station, your timing seems a bit tight!

I'm not sure about Ffestiniog punctuality, but I'm almost certain the ATW service will not wait. It's one Class 150 shuttling up and down the branch all day, and so any delay at Blaenau would make it late for the rest of the day!

If, unfortunately, you did miss your connection at Blaenau Ffestiniog, the next train, as I'm sure you know, is not until 1737, when the set returns.
However, there is an Express Motors X1 bus from outside the station to outside Llandudno Junction station at 1630, arriving there at 1727. Naturally, you would prefer to travel by train, but arriving at the Junction at 1727 instead of 1841 may make your ongoing journeying easier.

Having said all that, it's a magnificent journey to make, and I hope all goes well for you.

 

[yorkie]

3) If it all goes pear shaped and I miss my 19.29 departure from Crewe, where would I stand with an advance ticket for that service?

If it all goes pear shaped, including the Ffestiniog railway, causing you to miss your Advance ticket because you missed the connecting services, you have a problem and will be relying on the discretion of railway staff (unless, as Welshman says, you're able to make up time by some other means and make your train).

If you make the 14.57 from Blaenau Ffestiniog then, of course, you're absolutely covered for your journey from Blaenau Ffestiniog to London Euston.

 

[Greenback]

If the bus arrives at Porthmadog railway station at 1327, you will find it very difficult to catch the 1335 from the FR station as it's the other end of the town. Have you looked into doing the trip the other way around?

 

[Tav77]

Thanks for the replies so far.

My plan is to go in early August, so if it's the bus replacement I will get off at Minffordd.

Handy to know of a bus if the Ffestiniog is late, I'd prefer to be at Crewe on time for obvious reasons.

I did look at going the other way around, but the the connections didn't appear to work as well. Also the cost of London to Crewe before 9.30 looked very expensive.

Thanks again

 

[Greenback]

Fair enough. It will be a shame if you have to alight at Minffordd and miss the ride across the Cob. Hopefully either the trains will be back, or the bus will be running early!

 

[30907]

If the bus arrives at Porthmadog railway station at 1327, you will find it very difficult to catch the 1335 from the FR station as it's the other end of the town. Have you looked into doing the trip the other way around?

Worth asking the driver whether he is allowed to/prepared to set down near Harbour station?

Definitely do the Festiniog "uphill" - and IME it's usually punctual and has slack in the schedule (obviously things can go badly wrong, but I wouldn't worry!)