Plymouth to Newcastle

[ginsterman]

MYself and the boy are travelling from Plymouth to Newcastle on Weds returning on Saturday via York for a quic stop off at the NRM, we have a super off peak return (any route). We can either go on the XC straight to Newcastle or via London, are any other routes valid on this ticket? i.e via Carlisle or via Manc Piccadilly, just to break the journey up a bit, not to worried about how long it will take but 6 hrs on a XC seems a bit mind numbing!

Thanks

 

[LexyBoy]

At least it could be a HST rather than a Voyager with Virgin!

Clearly taking a detour is going to add even more time to the journey than either going direct or via London (you are paying a premium for the privilege of travel via London BTW). There are some vaguely sensible alternatives but none will leave you much time to look around.

Via Manchester is permitted following Plymouth - Birmingham - Manchester - Leeds - York (either route) - Newcastle. Via Carlisle is not permitted.

There's a few variations on the cross-country route permissible (but maybe not practical), such as going via Westbury to Bristol, Worcester to Birmingham or via Leicester for Birmingham-Derby. You can't however use the Marches line to Manchester.

Plymouth-London can be via the Berks & Hants, via Bristol and GWML, or via SWML from Exeter.
London-Newcastle can be via the ECML (optionally via Cambridge and/or Leeds and/or Sleaford/Lincoln) or via the MML (optionally via a load of places in the E Mids and S Yorks).

Remember to take into account the ticket restrictions when planning your route. This seems to be a very permissive ticket, with no restrictions between London and Newcastle (unless I am missing something), and no restrictions at all if not travelling via London (although good luck trying to use it on XC before 0930).

 

[bangor-toad]

Hi there,
To break up the journey a bit you could try to sample a few different TOCs and train types.

You could use (not checked for timetables):
GWR HST to Bristol.
XC voyager to Cheltenham or Birmingham
XC 170 to Derby
EMT Meridian to Sheffield

If you can get to Sheffield by 1:30pm you can use the twice a day NT service (probably a Pacer) via Pontefract Baghill to York.
If not, TPE 185 to Doncaster

Then VTEC 91 or HST from either York to Doncaster to Newcastle.

Have a good trip!
Mr Toad

 

[CaptainHaddock]

At least it could be a HST rather than a Voyager with Virgin!

Unlikely - most Plymouth-Newcastle services seem to be Voyagers - only the 1225 is usually a HST.

I'd suggest going as far as Birmingham then taking a XC 170 to Nottingham, an EMT from Nottingham to Newark Castle, walk across to Newark Northgate and get a through VWC train to Newcastle. You might even be able to take in a Grand Central service between York and Sunderland, though I'm not sure that would be a valid route.

Either way, congratulations to the OP on his first post for nearly 5 years!

 

[ginsterman]

Thanks everyone, yes this was a return to the forums after a long time away, i think the Manchester route is the one we will go for and return via London. Little un is looking forward to seeing the Flying Scotsman at Shildon on Friday and then we will break the journey back at York for a couple of hours to have a quick blast round the NRM.

 

[robbeech]

Many many options here they're a very useful ticket if you have time. Have you considered breaking the journey overnight on the way back, lots of good suggestions of places to stay on here.
The any permitted bit is a premium but not likely to be that much more surely? I know a Sheffield to Plymouth was about £10-11 difference, well worth it if you wanted to go to London on the way there or back. Either way i definitely suggest varying your return route from your outward.