Leuchars to Ash

[mealybar]

I did this last year and travelled out down the West Coast, and back up the East (with a break of journey).

Would an Off Peak Return be valid on both routes for Sat/Sun this coming weekend? This time I'm not looking to do a break of journey though, want to get right back to Leuchars on the day.

What is the latest train I can get from Ash and still make it for Leuchars on Sun - my reckoning it was the last Virgin from Euston, change at Preston and Edinburgh. I'd prefer the East Coast route though, because of onboard internet

Just asking because there was some confusion last year if both sides/routes were valid - only ok'd by the station staff when they printed the ticket and it showed no restrictions. Now with the fares shake up is it still valid? And how much would it be

Thanks in advance.

 

[Max]

It's actually a Super Off Peak Return, priced at £124.80 (assuming there is no railcard discount), and is valid by either route.

These are the last 2 journeys available on a Sunday:

Ash 13:45 SW
Guildford 13:55
Train terminates at Guildford

Guildford 14:02 SW
London Waterloo 14:40
Train terminates at London Waterloo

London Underground from London Waterloo to London Euston

London Euston 15:30 VT
Preston (Lancs) 17:38
Train continues to Glasgow Central

Preston (Lancs) 17:53 VT
Haymarket 20:19
Train continues to Edinburgh

Haymarket 20:26 XC
Leuchars 21:31
Train continues to Dundee

7 hours 46 mins

Ash 14:45 SW
Guildford 14:55
Train terminates at Guildford

Guildford 15:08 SW
Vauxhall 16:02
Train continues to London Waterloo

London Underground from Vauxhall to London Kings Cross

London Kings Cross 16:55 NX
Edinburgh 22:12
Train terminates at Edinburgh

Edinburgh 23:09 SR
Leuchars 00:23
Train continues to Dundee

9 hours 38 mins

 

[John @ home]

It's actually a Super Off Peak Return, priced at £124.80 (assuming there is no railcard discount), and is valid by either route.

Correct. There are a few Advance fares left which could cut the cost a little, but not very much.

These are the last 2 journeys available on a Sunday:

These may be the last 2 journeys available on most Sundays, but I don't think they will work for the dates the OP wants. I assume that by Sat/Sun this coming weekend the OP wants to travel Leuchars - Ash on Sat 10 Jan and Ash - Leuchars on Sun 11 Jan. The timetable is altered due to engineering work on both these days. See http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/Travel-Information/Timetable-Alterations/?d=10&m=1&y=2009

On the Saturday, this gives journey times between 8 hrs 21 mins and 9 hrs 21 mins, sometimes with a bus between Newcastle and Darlington.

The last Sunday train from Ash I can find is:

Ash 15:13 Guildford 15:23 SW
Train terminates at Guildford

Guildford 15:45 London Waterloo 16:31 SW
Train terminates at London Waterloo

London Underground from London Waterloo to London Euston

London Euston 17:25 Preston (Lancs) 19:40 VT
Train continues to Glasgow Central

Preston (Lancs) 19:55 Haymarket 22:14 VT
Train continues to Edinburgh

Haymarket 22:29 Leuchars 23:40 SR
Train continues to Dundee

8 hours 27 mins.

The last Sunday train from Ash via the East Coast has the same arrival time, but you need to leave Ash 90 minutes earlier:

Ash 13:43 Guildford 13:53 SW
Train terminates at Guildford

Guildford 14:11 London Waterloo 14:58 SW
Train terminates at London Waterloo

London Underground from London Waterloo to London Kings Cross

London Kings Cross 16:00 Edinburgh 21:32 NX
Train terminates at Edinburgh

Edinburgh 22:25 Leuchars 23:40 SR
Train continues to Dundee

9 hours 57 mins.

It's probably because I'm getting old that a weekend with two very long journeys prompts me to ask Is your journey really necessary?

If it is, have you thought of using a sleeper in one or both directions?

Fri 9 Jan Leuchars 23:25 London Euston 07:48 (Sat)

Sun 11 Jan London Euston 20:55 Leuchars 05:46 (Mon)

See http://www.scotrail.co.uk/caledoniansleeper/leisure.html

John

 

[route:oxford]

Ok, I've just spent 15 minutes typing up a detailed reply of options... Then the browser took a fit, told me I wasn't logged in and lost my reply...

So a very brief reply instead...

Drive to Edinburgh Airport, pay GBP10 to park in the long stay Scotpark.

Fly Easyjet to Gatwick. Out at 08.xx Saturday, Back 19.xx Sunday. GBP90 including taxes.

Train from Gatwick-Ash, approx 1h10 mins every 30 mins. GBP22

I regularily travel from Oxford up to Glasgow/Edinburgh and will normally take the train as preference. Sometimes, it's just not sensible for me to take the train.

A domestic flight *is* public transport.

 

[paul1609]

Basically Route Oxford beat me to it. If your travelling to south of London Rail is not competitive on journeys to/ from Scotland. This is more so on weekends when engineering work disrupts services and reliability is to put it politely chronic.
To add to what oxford says if you cant drive rail to Edinburgh Haymarket and then the 100 bus from outside to the airport every few minutes will come in at under £25 total.
As well as easyjet you should consider fly BMI who have returns to heathrow next weekend for £85.00

 

[mealybar]

Thanks everyone. I can't stand internal flights, much prefer getting on a train and getting some work done (hence east coast internet ).

I've a meeting in Ash on Sunday morning, and really need to be back at Leuchars in time for work on Monday.

The reason I asked about east/west coast is because if things run over I'm able to get the Virgin service and still make it on the night.

I'm actually looking forward to the NXEC diversion through my old haunt on the Durham Coast. Does anyone know if it's a reversal at Newcastle or continue in the same direction? And am I right in assuming it's back on the mainline at Northallerton (like GC) rather than Darlington South?

 

[paul1609]

Good luck then but I'd recommend a first class ticket or supplement. you wont get much work done crammed in to the vestibule of one of the few through HSTs to Edinburgh or for that matter on the replacement bus to leuchars. The WCML is replacement buses between Carlisle and Glasgow as well.

 

[Max]

These may be the last 2 journeys available on most Sundays, but I don't think they will work for the dates the OP wants. I assume that by Sat/Sun this coming weekend the OP wants to travel Leuchars - Ash on Sat 10 Jan and Ash - Leuchars on Sun 11 Jan. The timetable is altered due to engineering work on both these days. See http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/Travel-Information/Timetable-Alterations/?d=10&m=1&y=2009

Apologies, I was sure I typed the dates in correctly on the NXEC website. How strange...

 

[Techniquest]

In reply to the OP's most recent post (apologies for not including your name, I'm too lazy tonight to browse the page):

NXEC's diversions are booked to travel via King Edward Bridge (ie, the one on the London side) on arrival into Newcastle from London, which actually uses some rare track in Newcastle (couple of red bits in the Baker). Unaware of any planned use of the dive-under/whatever they actually are lines at Northallerton, but you never know! Please do let us know if this happens, as I'm on the diversions the weekend after (17th) and would love to get that bit of red track done!

Hope your journey goes well!

 

[mealybar]

Yep indeed it went over the King Edward Bridge, and the GC route at Northallerton. South bound we took the Plat 2 side at Hartlepool which I can imagine is pretty rare.

 

[Techniquest]

EDIT: Sorry, mis-read your post. Yes that does sound rare that one as everything else calls at Hartlepool and uses the other platform as far as I'm aware. I was hoping the southbound ones would do that, so I'm chuffed

 

[mealybar]

EDIT: Sorry, mis-read your post. Yes that does sound rare that one as everything else calls at Hartlepool and uses the other platform as far as I'm aware. I was hoping the southbound ones would do that, so I'm chuffed

Should do because there's no bridge anymore =D

Actually it might not be called plat 2, because theres a bay, not that I've ever seen it used.

 

[Techniquest]

Will soon find out, going there on Saturday!

Thanks for letting me know the route you took

 

[yorkie]

It is extremely unlikely that the slow lines will be used at Northallerton. If the station is open, the fast line is open, and unless something blocks the fast they will use it.