Planned engineering work in Stoke-on-Trent on 23/5/09

[kcsp]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting, though I have learnt so much already from all the posts here, so thank you for all the readily available advice!

I'm planning to visit England for 2 weeks later this month, and have scheduled a 4-day side trip to Dublin. The plan was to travel from Oxford to Dublin via train and ferry on Saturday 23/5/09, as follows:

Depart Oxford 08:15, arrive Birmingham New Street 09:17 (by CrossCountry)
Depart Birmingham New Street 09:36, arrive Crewe 10:30 (by London Midland)
Depart Crewe 10:45, arrive Holyhead 12:56 (by Virgin trains)
Catch 14:10 ferry to Dublin Ferryport.

The National Rail website cautions that there will engineering works in the Stoke-on-Trent area on that Saturday, so I was wondering, what happens then? Will there be alternate means of transport available? Is it arranged (say, everyone just troops out of the train onto a waiting bus), or do I have to organise it myself? Will I still be able to make the connections and catch the 14:10 ferry?

From what I can make of it, my first and 3rd leg of the journey won't be affected, but I'd need to catch a bus between Stafford and Crewe on the 2nd leg? Is that correct? Where will I find the bus, and would it get me to Crewe on time for the 3rd train?

Please help - I've already booked and paid for the Dublin accommodation that night!!

thanks,
kc

 

[dan_atki]

The National Rail website cautions that there will engineering works in the Stoke-on-Trent area on that Saturday, so I was wondering, what happens then? Will there be alternate means of transport available? Is it arranged (say, everyone just troops out of the train onto a waiting bus), or do I have to organise it myself? Will I still be able to make the connections and catch the 14:10 ferry?

From what I can make of it, my first and 3rd leg of the journey won't be affected, but I'd need to catch a bus between Stafford and Crewe on the 2nd leg? Is that correct? Where will I find the bus, and would it get me to Crewe on time for the 3rd train?

Correct, a replacement bus will be organised for you to travel on between Stafford and Crewe. It will leave from outside the station. You will not need any further ticket to travel on it (when you purchase a ticket TOCs have an obligation to get you to the destination on that ticket).

As for whether you will make the connection at Crewe, it is difficult to say at this moment in time seeing as London Midland don't seem to have uploaded timetable information for that weekend yet - journey planners still give the same itenary as you have posted.

You'd certainly be able to get to Holyhead for 1414 (on the 1150 departure from Crewe, changing at Chester), which is admittedly too late for the 1410 ferry, unless they decide to hold it for a few minutes.

If you do miss the 1410, travel on the 1715 ferry would allow you to arrive into Dublin at 1904, if this is not too late for you.

Hopefully timetable information will appear this weekend to allow you to replan if necessary.

 

[87015]

If you can leave Oxford earlier there is a 0924 service direct from Birmingham New Street to Holyhead, via Wrexham, which arrives at Holyhead at 1319 which should make the boat (albeit a bit tight for my liking). There should be a similar setup an hour earlier aswell albeit with an additional change at Shrewsbury.

Although, engineering work appears to be at Stoke itself and therefore shouldn't affect LM services Birmingham-Crewe anyway? I *think* the "buses replace trains Stafford-Crewe" will only affect those which should originate Euston and then go Stafford-Stoke-Crewe, just usual LM crap information being published. Therefore your original train to Crewe should be unaffected. Anyone with access to TRUST or similar able to double check?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

:roll: Thought that London Midland services from Birmingham New Street to Liverpool run direct on the main line between Stafford and Crewe (not via Stoke-on-Trent) so is there a problem?

N.B. According to Virgin Trains' publicity material, Stoke-on-Trent station is closed all of the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, so there will definitely be rail replacement buses operating between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent, and onwards from Stoke-on-Trent to Macclesfield.

Between Tuesday 26 May 2009 and Friday 29 May 2009, only Platform 1 at Stoke-on-Trent will be open bi-directionally, which limits the number of train movements, and on Saturday 30 May 2009 and Sunday 31 May 2009, it's buses only again!

 

[dan_atki]

Thought that London Midland services from Birmingham New Street to Liverpool run direct on the main line between Stafford and Crewe (not via Stoke-on-Trent) so is there a problem?

Ah, if that's the case then the original itenary is fine and would explain why no bus information has been uploaded for that journey! As a result a bus shouldn't need to be used.

 

[87015]

:roll: Thought that London Midland services from Birmingham New Street to Liverpool run direct on the main line between Stafford and Crewe (not via Stoke-on-Trent) so is there a problem?

According to LM publicity material it just says "buses replace trains between Stafford and Crewe" hence the confusion in the OP. Seems fair enough to me, not sure why the need for rolling eyes.

 

[kcsp]

Wow, thanks for all the replies!! So, the Birmingham to Crewe train doesn't pass Stoke, and therefore won't be affected, yeah? Yay!

(And even if it was, there'd be a bus waiting to transfer us... and even if I miss the 1410 ferry, there's a 1715! )

Thank you, that's a load off my mind

A follow-on question: if I did indeed need to take the later ferry, would I be able to use the same ticket (assuming I hadn't reserved seats)?