Sheffield / Birmingham airport help. Sheffield / London Help

[bainy]

Any ideas / suggestions on how to buy cheap train tickets for this return journey to birmingham airport from sheff. Travelling off peak later in month midweek, coming back following day. 3 adults. Online I Can buy a tik sheff to derby next day return (£13 per adult) - derby brum (£15 per adult) equals £23 total. Is this the cheapest option?? or are there hidden deals. Any advise appreciated

Also

I used to get pretty cheap adult tickets when midland mainline run the sheff / london service (often went for £12 or £16 return!!) These are now more expensive and harder to get. Travelling sat 6th dec early a.m / need to return after 430pm same day - £43 return!! Has been this price for last 4 weeks...can anyone advise of a cheaper option.
Many thanks

 

[yorkie]

other than advance purchase (bit late for that as you know!) there isn't really much more you can do than split the ticket at Derby.

As for the higher prices and lower availability on EMT compared to MML, that's EMT for you - and probably partly due to the fact that they are lowering capacity on the Sheffield route. The higher prices are in preperation for this and won't rise again when the timetable changes.

The only decent length trains on that route now are the ones that originate/terminate at Leeds - they are HSTs from Neville Hill depot which does not maintain the shorter DMU trains.

Indeed some trains, including the 16xx from Sheffield are now only 5 car

More seats during the day

If you’re travelling from Nottingham to London during the day, you’d better sit down as we’ve got some news regarding your train service. There are now over 700 more seats on your service, which means we can pass on some great value fares from just £12 each way available online. Good news for your bottom and your wallet. So now you can enjoy more days out shopping or sightseeing in the capital for less, in more comfort

Translation:
If you’re travelling from Sheffield to London during the day, you’d better sit down as we’ve got some bad news regarding your train service. There are now over 700 less seats on your service, which means we can pass on some fare rises to you. Bad news for your bottom and your wallet. So now you can enjoy less days out shopping or sightseeing in the capital for more, in less comfort.

 

[class 313]

The only decent length trains on that route now are the ones that originate/terminate at Leeds - they are HSTs from Neville Hill depot which does not maintain the shorter DMU trains.

Indeed some trains, including the 16xx from Sheffield are now only 5 car

And some 222s being 10 car which is longer than an HST...

 

[yorkie]

And some 222s being 10 car which is longer than an HST...

That post is a bit meaningless. Which diagrams are they? I suspect it only applies to very few trains.

And the issue is capacity, not length. Not that a 2x5 car Meridian is significantly longer than a 2+8 HST anyway.

A 10-car meridian has a capacity of around 336 std + 128 1st, compared to a HST of around 360 std + 113 1st. The figures may be slightly different in reality and may be out of date but not by much.

If you can provide evidence to backup your claim that more capacity is being provided then I'd be interested to read it, thanks.

And of course this is before we get to the issue of having the train split so that you have to open 2 buffet cars (or half the customers don't have a buffet), 2 train managers, and if one section is getting a bit full you can't walk through the train!!!

 

[Edvid]

According to 222001 the capacity for all ex-MML formations are as follows:

5 car Meridian: 192 STD, 50 1ST
7 car Meridian: 236 STD, 106 1ST
2+8 HST: 327 STD, 110 1ST
10 car Meridian: 384 STD, 100 1ST

As far as Standard Class is concerned, seats are most plentiful in 10 car Meridians (especially if 007 makes up half of such a formation*), and there is a big gulf between 2+8 HSTs and 5/7 car Meridians. Mind you, First Class seating capacity varies little unless you get a 5 car Meridian.

[* 007 still consists of 4 STD carriages and a single 1ST carriage]