The Transport Game

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Deciding to move on as quickly as possible from the hordes of tennis fans decanting from arrivals at this ten-platform railway station, we decide upon a short rail-based journey nearer to the core of the capital and we board the 1208 SWT service to Vauxhall that arrives there at 1220 on Thursday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

We catch Arriva London's No 2 bus at 1233 to Marylebone Station , arriving at 1302 Thursday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Onwards and northwards by rail as we enter Marylebone station and board the 1337 Chiltern service to Solihull that arrives there at 1505 on Thursday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

We catch the CCN 82 bus outside the station at 1515 and travel to Meriden Green, arriving 1535 Thursday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

By bus again, we decide to head for a much larger place and we board the 1616 WMT service 900 to Birmingham bus mall that arrives there at 1629 on Thursday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

International???? Must be from the time

From there we take the 1640 Virgin train to Milton Keynes Central, arriving 1718 Thursday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I must confess not to be at my most alert at the "witching" hour..


We decide to go both northwards and westwards from this "new town" and not even bother to leave the railway station, so we board the 1740 Virgin Trains service to Llandudno Junction that arrives there at 2010 on Thursday evening.

 

[dzug2]

We catch the Arriva 5 bus from the station forecourt at 2106 and travel to Caernarvon bus station, arriving at 2214, Thursday evening

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time to visit one of the better known hostelries to book in for the night at The Black Boy Inn, very near to Caernarfon Castle, awaking refreshed on Friday morning and enjoying a full Welsh breakfast before visiting the castle area, the quayside and the old walled area of the town, before making our way to the terminal station of the Welsh Highland Railway, which runs a steam service today, and we board the 1115 Welsh Highland Railway service to Porthmadog that arrives there at 1340 on Friday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

We cannot resist continuing of the Ffestiniog at 1600 to Blaenau Ffestiniog, arriving at 1720 Friday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time to sample the delights of a short bus ride in this area of dramatic landscapes, so we board the 1735 Express Motors service 1 B to Capel Maentwrog (Maentwrog) that arrives there at 1750 on Friday afternoon.

 

[Welshman]

We have a full and extensive tour of Capel Maentwrog and then wonder what to do with the remaining 1 hour and 30 minutes as we await the next Express Motors 1B at 1925, which drops us back at Porthmadog by the Park at 1938, still on Friday evening.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Time to explore Porthmadog for a while, before boarding the 2020 Arriva Cymru service X32 to Dolgellau (Pen-y-cefn Road) that arrives there at 2109 on Friday evening.

 

[Welshman]

After a drink in one of Dolgellau's several hostelries, we board the 2215 Arriva x94 Traws Cambria service from Eldon Square to Barmouth, ariving 2235, Friday evening.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

This has been a most tiring day and we seek out a B & B of good repute and ask for an early morning call as we will be starting very early, but we are reassured that a packed lunch would be ready in lieu to take with us and strangely enough, after a very refreshing sleep, it is to the railway station we go, not to board a train, but at the bus stop there, where we decide to start off Saturday with an easterly bus ride with good scenic views and we board the 0645 Arriva Cymru service X94 to Llangollen (Parade Square) that arrives there at 0841 on Saturday morning.

 

[Welshman]

Which gives us a good chance to catch-up on the breakfast we didn't have in Barmouth in one of the many cafes in Llangollen. Then, as it's a Saturday, we board the 1015 Heritage dmu of the Llangollen Railway to Carrog, arriving 1048, Saturday morning.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We have been fortunate to have had a number of heritage rail rides in recent times, but such is the scenery in this part of Wales, we decide to walk to the bus stop on the A5 and board the 1118 GHA Coaches service 5 to Ruabon (Bridge Street) that arrives at 1145 on Saturday morning.

 

[Welshman]

Wishing to stay in N Wales a little longer, but having exhausted the possibilities of the x94, 5 & 5A group of services, we turn to rail instead, and board the 1154 ATW from Ruabon to Colwyn Bay, arriving 1306 on Saturday afternoon.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

A chance to ride again on a bus service (as done in real life) as we make our way to the bus stop to board the 1334 Arriva Cymru service 27 to Conwy railway station that arrives there at 1400 precisely on Saturday afternoon.

 

[Class20]

Why do we always end up in North Wales?

We have plenty of time to make our way into the railway station to catch the 14:19 Arriva Trains Wales service (stopping on request) which takes us onto Chester railway station arriving at 15:17 on Saturday afternoon.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Why do we always end up in North Wales?

Because there are a good number of bus options, some heritage full sized services and some narrow-gauge railways there, to make life more interesting. Not all journeys have to be made by normal heavy rail services.

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We have plenty of time to make our way into the railway station to catch the 14:19 Arriva Trains Wales service (stopping on request) which takes us onto Chester railway station arriving at 15:17 on Saturday afternoon.

Time for a short rail journey, so we board the 1530 ATW service to Wrexham General that arrives there at 1546 on Saturday afternoon.

 

[Welshman]

Why do we always end up in North Wales?

We have plenty of time to make our way into the railway station to catch the 14:19 Arriva Trains Wales service (stopping on request) which takes us onto Chester railway station arriving at 15:17 on Saturday afternoon.

With respect, the game ends up where the people playing it take it! I don't grumble when we end up round the back streets of Dagenham or in the middle of Dorset! And you could have cited the 1419 ex Conwy right through to Birmingham New St or International, which is much further away from North Wales than Chester!

Back to the game:-

We then board the 1630 GHA X50 from Wrexham Bus Station to Denbigh Lenten Pool, arriving 1740 Saturday evening.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Less than 10 minutes to wait for our onward connection, as we board the 1749 Arriva Cymru service 51 to Rhyl bus station that arrives there at 1835 on Saturday afternoon.

 

[Class20]

With respect, the game ends up where the people playing it take it! I don't grumble when we end up round the back streets of Dagenham or in the middle of Dorset!

I wasn't really grumbling, more like making a point. I know the journey goes where people want to take it, they just seem to take it to the same places on a regular basis.

Anyway, since were back in North Wales again

We have time to find something to eat before heading to the railway station to catch the 19:12 Arriva Trains Wales service which takes us to Warrington Bank Quay, arriving at 20:19 on Saturday evening.

 

[gnolife]

We take the 20:25 Warrington Borough Transport service to Gemini Park, Marks & Spencer, arriving at 20:37 Saturday

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What service number was that last bus that left from Warrington Bank Quay railway station to go to Gemini Park ? There are three bus routes to there run by WBT.

 

[gnolife]

Sorry, it was an 18A

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

No problem, as I was making allowances for the need to leave a gap in service times, as you cannot return on the one you came on.


We wait with the Saturday late-finish workers from the call centres until it is time to board the 2107 WBT service 18 A to Callands (St David's Drive) that arrives there at 2113 on Saturday night.

 

[gnolife]

We then take the 21:43 Warrington Borough Transport route 18 to Warrington Interchange, arriving 21:57. Saturdya

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We then board the 2225 Network Warrington service 28A to Leigh bus station that arrives there at 2309 on Saturday evening.