The Transport Game

[dzug2]

SWT carry us ever onward on their 2203 departure to Hedge End, arriving at 2237, Monday evening

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We decide to wait on the station and take the next train, which is the 2256 SWT service to Portsmouth & Southsea which arrives there at 2334 on Monday evening.

 

[dzug2]

Apart from a few Harbour terminators nothing is moving tonight. So we find a hotel and catch the 0604 FGW train to Dilton Marsh, stopping by request at 0743 Tuesday morning

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We join with the morning commuter flow at the bus stop outside the railway station and board the 0759 Beeline Coaches service X58 to Trowbridge Town Hall that arrives there at 0843 on Tuesday morning.

 

[dzug2]

We have a quick breakfast en route to the station and catch the FGW 0921 train to Castle Cary arriving at 0959 Tuesday morning

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time to spare before we board the 1031 FGW service to Exeter St Davids that arrives there at 1122 on Tuesday morning.

 

[dzug2]

Time to catch First's X9 bus from outside the station at 1145 and travel to Holsworthy Library, arriving at 1303 Tuesday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time to explore the area and to have a mid-day meal which sees the time fly past far too quickly, but we need to remember our onward bus journey and return from once we first arrived and in that area, we board the 1555 Western Greyhound service 599 that arrives at Okehampton (Thomas Cook) at 1630 on Tuesday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

We catch Holsworthy bus 118 from West Street (just the other side of the road) at 1640 and travel to Tavistock bus station, arriving at 1727, Tuesday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We decide to see where the proposed new rail link will be and have a stroll around generally, before deciding to visit the other end of the rail link, so we board the 1820 Jacketts Coaches service 87A to Bere Alston that arrives there at 1836 on Tuesday evening.

 

[dzug2]

Having rather carelessly got off the bus well short of any onward transport other than waiting for it to come back from the station go back to Tavistock, we resign ourselves to a rather long walk to the station where we catch the FGW 1933 departure to Bere Ferrers, arriving at 1938 Tuesday evening

 

[Zoe]

Not many options here other than to wait for the 2246 First Great Western service to Plymouth, arriving at 2323 on Tuesday.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Not too long to wait until we board the 2351 FGW service to Exeter St Davids that arrives there at 0055 on Wednesday morning

 

[MattRobinson]

Having decided that we're bored of the South, we decide to sleep for a few hours and catch the 0622 to Edinburgh arriving at 1410.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Always remember to note the "running quiz day" at the end of a posting.



Just time enough to have a hot drink, before we board the 1435 First ScotRail service to Perth that arrives there at 1556 on Wednesday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

We make our way the short distance to the bus station for the 1605 Stagecoach service 23 to Aberfeldy, arriving at 1749 in Chapel Street, Wednesday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We have not really the time we had wished for to look around at this time, so we settle for a light meal, before boarding the 2045 Stagecoach Perth service 23 to Waterloo (Post Box) that arrives there at 2133 on Wednesday evening.

 

[dzug2]

Given that it's 9 hours before anything is going anywhere we seriously regret getting off the bus just a stop or two before civilisation.

So in the interests of comfort whilst still (just??) remaining within the rules of the game we walk the mile into Bankfoot, spend the night in a hotel, and walk out of town again next morning, taking the Stagecoach 27 from Waterloo at 0624 to Ballinluig Turning Circle, A827, arriving at 0650 on Thursday morning

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

A pleasant time of the morning to stroll down to the banks of the river Tummel then back to the village, where we join with the "commuters" and board the 0746 Stagecoach Perth service 24 to Pitlochry (Atholl Road), that arrives there at 0755 on Thursday morning.

 

[sonic2009]

We find a local shop in Pitlochry, for a few magazines, drinks and nibbles, before making our way to the train station for 0923 taking the East Coast 'Highland Cheiftain' HST all the way to London Kings Cross arriving at 1554 Thursday afternoon.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We decide that Scotland still has more to offer, so we board the 1630 EC service to Edinburgh that arrives at 2150 on Thursday evening.

 

[dzug2]

The 2239 Scotrail service takes us on to Perth, arriving 0007 Friday morning

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time to book into a small hotel and request an early morning alarm call to enable us to see a famous ski resort later in the day and after a good breakfast, we return to the railway station and board the 0804 First ScotRail service to Aviemore which arrives there at 0947 on Friday morning.

 

[D6975]

Would you believe it, this Friday the Strathspey starts running a Friday service for the Summer, so we catch the 10:30 to Boat of Garten, arrive 10:45.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We spend time enjoying the ambience of the area and eventually, it is time to board the 1155 Strathspey Railway service to Aviemore, that arrives at 1210 on Friday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

We continue ever northwards on the 1248 Scotrail service to Inverness, arriving at 1325 Friday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The excellent last rail journey gives us enough time to board the 1334 First ScotRail service to Achnashellach that arrives there at 1508 on Friday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

Onward or backward? 20 minutes is long enough in this remote hideaway

The 1529 Scotrail departure takes us back to Dingwall, arriving at 1637 Friday afternoon.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I have many "interesting" settlements (if that is what you can call some of them) in my "armoury of facts", as you will soon find out....

Dingwall has much historical interest (Dingwall Castle was the largest, north of Stirling) and Tulloch Castle on the outskirts of the town has parts going back as far as the 12th century, so it is with regret that less than two hours can be spent investigating the town before returning to the railway station to board the 1826 First ScotRail service to Altnabreac that arrives there at 2113 on a Friday night.

 

[dzug2]

Having anticipated this possibility and armed ourself with a bivouac bag and small tent, we find a secluded spot to spend the night and while away the hours before continuing on the first northbound train next day at 1032 to Scotscalder, arriving 1041 on Saturday morning