The Transport Game

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time for a hot drink before we board the 1009 LM service to Droitwich Spa that arrives there at 1101 on Thursday morning

 

[gnolife]

We take the 11:33 London Midland service to University (B'ham) arriving 11:59 on Thursday

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Deciding to end the "yo-yoing" to and from the Birmingham area, we look at our options and decide our best plan of action is to board the 1236 XC service to Cardiff Central that arrives there at 1429 on Thursday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

Has anyone kept track of what the quiz date is - even if it's only notional?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Has anyone kept track of what the quiz date is - even if it's only notional?

It will be a day that is in a 7-day period of the current day. For example, the quiz date is Thursday, whereas the actual date at present is Monday, 30th July, which means as time does not go backwards in real life, the quiz day/date will be Thursday, 2nd August.

This is important when modes of transport such as heritage railways are involved.

 

[dzug2]

We spend a while exploring Cardiff, then head north on the Stagecoach T4 bus at 1550, eventually alighting in the Wye Valley at Erwood Post Office at 1815, Thursday evening

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time to explore to find any signs of long-closed railways, but to no avail, so we board the 1952 Stagecoach in South Wales service T4 to Brecon Interchange that arrives there at 2015 on Thursday evening.

 

[dzug2]

Onward travel seems hardly worth investigating in rural Wales in mid evening, so we find accommodation for the night and depart at the civilised hour of 0910 next morning (hearty breakfast optional) on Veolia's X63 to Dan-yr-Ogof Caves/Ogofâu, arriving at 0943 on Friday morning

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The name of the area where Dan-y-Ogof Caves is situated is GLYNTAWE, if my memory serves me right

We realise that we will actually be soon trying to recreate in real life and time, by omnibus, some of the journeys in mid and central Wales of the Closed Stations Journeys quiz, which pleasant enough to contemplate, will take far too many weeks in one particular area of Britain, so knowing that we have no shortage of time until our onward connection arrives, we spend our time exploring this area. However, when all our curiosity is exhausted, we return to the bus stop and board the 1413 Veolia X63 service to Swansea bus station that arrives there at 1515 on Friday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

We make our way to the station for 1he 1600 ATW departure to the resort of Tenby arriving at 1745, Friday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We are fortunate to only have a 15 minute wait for a short service that commences from Tenby, so we board the 2000 ATW service to Pembroke Dock that arrives there at 2035 on Friday evening.

 

[dzug2]

We explore the extremely limited delghts of Pembroke Dock for an hour or so, then return to the station for the 2223 ATW train to Whitland, arriving at 2317 Friday evening

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We await an early morning onward connection and board the 0224 ATW service to Llanelli that arrives there at 0306 on Saturday morning.

 

[dzug2]

Not really too long to wait for the ATW 0453 departure to Hopton Heath, arriving at 0742 Saturday morning

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

After that rail journey we need to stretch our legs but do not have too long to wait before boarding the 0803 Arriva Midlands service 740 to Ludlow (Corve Street) that arrives at 0838 on Saturday morning.

 

[dzug2]

We only have time for a quick breakfast in the UK's slow food capital before catching First's 292 bus at 0900 to Bewdley, Viaduct on Kidderminster Road, arriving at 0955 on Saturday morning

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time to go to the Severn Valley heritage railway where we are just in time to see the first train (a diesel) depart, but we want a steam hauled experience, so we spend time looking around before boarding the 1050 Severn Valley Railway service to Bridgnorth that arrives there at 1144 on Saturday morning.

 

[dzug2]

We continue on an industrial heritage mission and catch Arriva's 99 service at 1247 from Hollybush Road outside the SVR station and travel to Ironbridge arriving at 1320 opposite Bedlam Furnaces on Waterloo Street

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time soon to make a bus journey to a place with many connectional options and after a short viewing time of much industrial history, we reluctantly find the bus stop at The Square, where we board the 1359 Arriva Midlands service 96 to Shrewsbury bus station that arrives there at 1440 on Saturday afternoon.

 

[Welshman]

We walk to the railway station and arrive in nice time to admire the semaphore signals, before boarding ATW's 1527 departure. We sit in the rear 2 coaches to ensure an undisturbed journey to Morfa Mawddach, where we arrive at 1747, Saturday tea-time.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time indeed for some relaxation after such a busy day's travelling so we find some peaceful areas to stroll around, before seeking out somewhere to have a leisurely Saturday evening meal and being undecided as to stay or go, we are reminded that there still is a late train northwards, so after yet another helping of a pudding that is really not good for our waistlines, we make our way to the railway station to board the 2209 ATW service to Criccieth that eventually arrives there at 2317 on Saturday night.

 

[dzug2]

We continue our journey on Sunday morning on National Express 545 coach service at 0747 and travel to Flint, Ship Inn, arriving at 1055.

 

[Welshman]

After stretching our legs by strolling round the ruins of Flint Castle, we return to the Ship Inn for the 1214 Arriva 11A service to Holywell, arriving at the Bus Station at 1227.

 

[dzug2]

We connect into the 1230 11M Arriva bus to Rhyl Bus Station, arriving at 1330 Sunday afternoon

 

[Welshman]

Hoping the rain will keep off for an hour or so, we board the 1357 Open-Top Arriva No. 1 service to Pensarn, where we arrive at the Gorsaf [station] at 1417, Sunday afternoon.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Back to a more usual style of omnibus as we board the 1427 Arriva Cymru service 12 to Llandudno (Mostyn Street) that arrives at 1522 on Sunday afternoon.

 

[Welshman]

We would have liked to pay our respects to St Tudno, but, unfortunately, are much too late for the Tacsibus at 1035, so we take a short walk to Gloddaeth St Stop C to board the 1545 Arriva Service X5 to Llanfairfechan [Y Bont], where we arrive at 1623, Sunday afternoon.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Sunday afternoon in North Wales is something to bear in mind when travelling by omnibus so after a stroll to the sea front, we make our way to the bus stop to board the 1657 Arriva Cymru service 5 to Bangor bus station that arrives there at 1715 on Sunday afternoon.

 

[Welshman]

Fortunately, at Bangor, buses congregate around the Cloc, so it's only a short walk to Safle D for the 1720 Express Motors Service 58 to Beaumaris, where we arrive at Ena's at 1753 on a Sunday teatime.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time to relax and unwind here and we make our way to the path near the small jetty and find a seat where we then do nothing more than watch the waters of the Menai Strait flow by and are at peace with the world, but all too soon, it is time to make our way back to the bus stop where we board the 2000 Express Motors service 58 to Menai Bridge (Wood Street) that arrives at 2017 on Sunday evening.