I don't often use public transport for a trip away, but I thought I'd give it a go, so my son could have a trip on the hovercraft. Booked on the GWR website, return Salisbury to Ryde Hoverport. My son is a bus enthusiast, so we were to do many Southern Vectis routes the other side.
All good on the train out. 3 car 166, but sparsely loaded, arrived Portsmouth & Southsea on time.
15 minute wait for the hoverbus, but that didn't bother my son, as there was plenty of Stagecoach and First Bus action for him to watch while we waited.
On arrival at Southsea, we were informed that tickets for the hovercraft bought through BR outlets do not include any guarantee of travel, despite what itineraries state, so we had to wait an hour in the standby queue. It seems from reading TripAdvisor this is an ongoing gripe. I will be writing to Hovertravel to suggest they speak to the various National Rail ticketing agencies so that this is made clear at the time of booking.
Arrived Ryde an hour later than planned, and immediately booked a return departure for the next day.
For the return, arrived to find check in absolutely chaotic. The service was inexiplicably running with half hour delays. No reason was given.
Checked my phone, and saw no service on the Portsmouth to Salisbury line due to infrastructure issues. Oh dear.
Arrived back at Southsea to watch a hoverbus leave, waited 25 mins for the next one. Bailed at Portsmouth Harbour, and went to investigate rail options. The 18:23 to Cardiff was only running as far as Southampton, which is no good as the last X7 bus to Salisbury had already left.
The 19:23 was showing as running through to Cardiff. I didn't believe that, as the incoming stock had been cancelled. Went to see staff on the gateline, very helpful gentleman agreed with me, and directed me onto the 18:55 to Waterloo to change at Basingstoke. Checked ticket acceptance with the guard and boarded.
Arrived 15 mins late into Basingstoke due to being signalled behind a late running Freightliner from Southampton. Mad dash through the subway to catch the Salisbury train.
Aporoached Salisbury on time, but held just short of the tunnel for 5 mins as all platforms occupied.
Arrived Salisbury 21.25, an hour and three quarters late. Heard announcement cancelling another Portsmouth train, and witnessed a young woman with a pushchair and lots of luggage in tears at the gateline, saying that it was the third cancellation in a row, so she'd been there nearly four hours.
There were no replacement buses, as they can't get anywhere near the station at Salisbury due to the forecourt works and massively overrunning works on Fisherton Street. That one's on Wiltshire Council.
Delay repay claim going in today with GWR, and I'll be writing to SWR asking what went wrong with the PIS at Portsmouth. I checked RTT, the 19:23 to Cardiff still showed as "on time" until just before its due time when it changed to Cancelled. It's only because I know how stock diagrams work that I didn' t take that at face value.
Next holiday I'm taking the car.
All good on the train out. 3 car 166, but sparsely loaded, arrived Portsmouth & Southsea on time.
15 minute wait for the hoverbus, but that didn't bother my son, as there was plenty of Stagecoach and First Bus action for him to watch while we waited.
On arrival at Southsea, we were informed that tickets for the hovercraft bought through BR outlets do not include any guarantee of travel, despite what itineraries state, so we had to wait an hour in the standby queue. It seems from reading TripAdvisor this is an ongoing gripe. I will be writing to Hovertravel to suggest they speak to the various National Rail ticketing agencies so that this is made clear at the time of booking.
Arrived Ryde an hour later than planned, and immediately booked a return departure for the next day.
For the return, arrived to find check in absolutely chaotic. The service was inexiplicably running with half hour delays. No reason was given.
Checked my phone, and saw no service on the Portsmouth to Salisbury line due to infrastructure issues. Oh dear.
Arrived back at Southsea to watch a hoverbus leave, waited 25 mins for the next one. Bailed at Portsmouth Harbour, and went to investigate rail options. The 18:23 to Cardiff was only running as far as Southampton, which is no good as the last X7 bus to Salisbury had already left.
The 19:23 was showing as running through to Cardiff. I didn't believe that, as the incoming stock had been cancelled. Went to see staff on the gateline, very helpful gentleman agreed with me, and directed me onto the 18:55 to Waterloo to change at Basingstoke. Checked ticket acceptance with the guard and boarded.
Arrived 15 mins late into Basingstoke due to being signalled behind a late running Freightliner from Southampton. Mad dash through the subway to catch the Salisbury train.
Aporoached Salisbury on time, but held just short of the tunnel for 5 mins as all platforms occupied.
Arrived Salisbury 21.25, an hour and three quarters late. Heard announcement cancelling another Portsmouth train, and witnessed a young woman with a pushchair and lots of luggage in tears at the gateline, saying that it was the third cancellation in a row, so she'd been there nearly four hours.
There were no replacement buses, as they can't get anywhere near the station at Salisbury due to the forecourt works and massively overrunning works on Fisherton Street. That one's on Wiltshire Council.
Delay repay claim going in today with GWR, and I'll be writing to SWR asking what went wrong with the PIS at Portsmouth. I checked RTT, the 19:23 to Cardiff still showed as "on time" until just before its due time when it changed to Cancelled. It's only because I know how stock diagrams work that I didn' t take that at face value.
Next holiday I'm taking the car.
Last edited: