London to Penrith - 13/8/22

[Mike Redding]

Hi all,

I'm trying to work out some rough options for the strike action due to be held on the 13/8/22. I need to make a return leg of travel from London to Penrith.

During previous (RMT?) action I drove across to Darlington and caught the train from there (a genuinely pleasant experience with the train back on a strike day being pretty empty!), however I understand this time around LNER are going to be far more severely impacted by the action (ASLEF?), so I'm trying to find some potential alternatives.

I'm in no particular rush on the way, so instead of trying to cram into a train to Darlington, or risk what I understand to be a continuing shambles (on a 'normal' weekend, let alone a major strike weekend) on Avanti, I would like to know if a route from St Pancras to Sheffield on EMR, then across to Manchester and up to Penrith on TPE would be a valid route for a general off peak return?

I would just like to work out some potential options before delving into time specific fares/split tickets and the like.

Many thanks

 

[Bertie the bus]

As you say, the Avanti service at weekends is a shambles even when there isn't a strike but it is nothing compared to TPE so if you want a stress free journey, or any chance of completing your journey, I would avoid TPE, especially north of Preston.

 

[paul1609]

National Express dept Victoria Coach station 9.30?

 

[Mike Redding]

Yeah, I thought there were risks with TPE too. I'd have to just live in the hope at least one of them might make it further north than Preston .

I've had a dive into the routing guide, would I be correct to think that Penrith falls under the Oxenholme stations routing point? And that maps PR+MX mean that this journey would be valid?

 

[yorkie]

Via Sheffield is a valid route but it doesn't avoid the potential problems.

 

[Watershed]

Yeah, I thought there were risks with TPE too. I'd have to just live in the hope at least one of them might make it further north than Preston .

It's likely that any Avanti services will be extremely limited in number. It's possible there might not be any services at all, or none north of Preston.

TPE drivers aren't on strike (they are being reballoted due to legal issues) but I would anticipate the usual level of disruption, plus overcrowding due the lack of services from other operators.

I've had a dive into the routing guide, would I be correct to think that Penrith falls under the Oxenholme stations routing point? And that maps PR+MX mean that this journey would be valid?

Correct on both counts. Penrith is associated with Oxenholme and Carlisle Routeing Points but obviously fails the fares check for Carlisle, so Oxenholme is the appropriate Routeing Point.

One of the 9 map combinations you can use to get to London is PR+MX, which as you say, permits travel via the MML up to Sheffield and then via Manchester.

The valid routes are essentially:

• EX: the WCML down to Euston (optionally including diversions such as via Manchester, Birmingham and/or Northampton)
• BX+GC: the WCML (including diversions) down to Birmingham followed by Chiltern line into Marylebone
• LX+MM: the WCML down to Lancaster, the "Little North Western" via Settle to Leeds, then the MML down to St Pancras
• MX+AM+LN: the WCML down to Manchester, the Hope Valley to Sheffield, then via Grantham or Oakham to Peterborough, then the ECML into Kings Cross/St Pancras
• MX+PR: as above
• NX+GC: similar to BX+GC but additionally also valid via the Trent Valley to Nuneaton on the way to Leamington
• RX+RG: the WCML (including diversions) down to Birmingham, then via Banbury and Oxford down to Reading and the GWML into Paddington
• XP+PR: slightly more restricted version of MX+PR
• XW+PR: slightly different version of MX+PR, including validity via Warrington into Manchester

 

[Mike Redding]

Via Sheffield is a valid route but it doesn't avoid the potential problems.

True!
Thank you though.

It's likely that any Avanti services will be extremely limited in number. It's possible there might not be any services at all, or none north of Preston.

TPE drivers aren't on strike (they are being reballoted due to legal issues) but I would anticipate the usual level of disruption, plus overcrowding due the lack of services from other operators.


Correct on both counts. Penrith is associated with Oxenholme and Carlisle Routeing Points but obviously fails the fares check for Carlisle, so Oxenholme is the appropriate Routeing Point.

One of the 9 map combinations you can use to get to London is PR+MX, which as you say, permits travel via the MML up to Sheffield and then via Manchester.

The valid routes are essentially:

• EX: the WCML down to Euston (optionally including diversions such as via Manchester, Birmingham and/or Northampton)
• BX+GC: the WCML (including diversions) down to Birmingham followed by Chiltern line into Marylebone
• LX+MM: the WCML down to Lancaster, the "Little North Western" via Settle to Leeds, then the MML down to St Pancras
• MX+AM+LN: the WCML down to Manchester, the Hope Valley to Sheffield, then via Grantham or Oakham to Peterborough, then the ECML into Kings Cross/St Pancras
• MX+PR: as above
• NX+GC: similar to BX+GC but additionally also valid via the Trent Valley to Nuneaton on the way to Leamington
• RX+RG: the WCML (including diversions) down to Birmingham, then via Banbury and Oxford down to Reading and the GWML into Paddington
• XP+PR: slightly more restricted version of MX+PR
• XW+PR: slightly different version of MX+PR, including validity via Warrington into Manchester

Many thanks for the detailed answer and information on the various allowed routes, very interesting.

I'll keep an eye out for the timetables to be confirmed, if needs be I can drive down towards Oxenholme/Lancaster/Preston if it improves the certainty of actually being able to get home . Will cross that bridge when it comes to it.

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated.

 

[Bletchleyite]

An option may be to go to Manchester, thence Northern to Windermere, thence 555 to Keswick and X5 to Penrith. Slow but definitely scenic! If you missed the direct Windermere and everything else was in a mess, half the summer 555 service extends back to Lancaster bus station.

(Are Northern striking?)

 

[philjo]

An option may be to go to Manchester, thence Northern to Windermere, thence 555 to Keswick and X5 to Penrith. Slow but definitely scenic! If you missed the direct Windermere and everything else was in a mess, half the summer 555 service extends back to Lancaster bus station.

(Are Northern striking?)

There are also route 508 services every 2 hours from Windermere station via Kirkstone Pass, Ullswater to Penrith. Depart Windermere at Xx:25 on the odd hours, last bus 19:25

If the Settle & Carlisle line is running OK, there are a few buses each day from Appleby to Penrith. Langwathby station is also about 6 miles from Penrith. Though obviously you need to be able to get via Leeds first.

 

[Haywain]

Langwathby station is also about 6 miles from Penrith.

Around 12 miles at the moment as Langwathby bridge over the Eden is closed, other than to pedestrians and cyclists (who are supposed to walk).

 

[Skiddaw]

Another vote for the 508 or the 555/x5 combos from Windermere or Lancaster.