The Transport Game

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Let us try this posting again as it is almost "the witching hour".........


Exhausted from all this travelling, we book into the Marine Hotel and ask for an early morning alarm call. We awake early as a result, but realise that today is a Bank Holiday Monday and are fortunate to have obtained the bus timetable from reception for that type of service provision, so we make our way back to the bus stop, where we board the 0647 Cardiff Bus service 94 to Lower Penarth (Windsor Terrace) that arrives there at 0712 on Monday morning.

 

[High Dyke]

As much as 'Gavin & Stacey' may have liked this settlement we need a change of scenery. We board the first bus off the island - the 05:00 Cardiff Bus 95 service and alight at the terminus Cardiff Bus Station arriving 05:28 on Monday morning.

 

[dzug2]

We continue on the 0841 Cardiff Bus 94 service to the sorting office, Penarth Moors, arriving 0849 BHM morning


Remember it's bank holiday - no 0500 bus

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We continue our Bank Holiday travelogue of the area by boarding the 0905 Cardiff Bus service 94 to Cadoxton (The Royal Hotel on Church Road) that arrives there at 0938 on Monday morning.

 

[dzug2]

There's an hour to wait for onward transport in the form of the next CB 94 service at 1038, which we take to Barry Hospital, Colcot Road, arriving at 1103 bank holiday Monday morning

 

[High Dyke]

The bank holiday timetable means we have a while to wait the next bus. We board the 10:16 Cardiff Bus 94 service and alight at Lower Penarth (Windsor Terrace) at 10:37 on Monday.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The bank holiday timetable seems means we have a while to wait the next bus. We board the 10:16 Cardiff Bus 94 service and alight at Lower Penarth (Windsor Terrace) at 10:37 on Monday.

I think that you have not allowed for the previous posting, time-wise.

 

[High Dyke]

I think that you have not allowed for the previous posting, time-wise.

Sorted! Too busy checking that the journey was valid on a BH.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There's an hour to wait for onward transport in the form of the next CB 94 service at 1038, which we take to Barry Hospital, Colcot Road, arriving at 1103 bank holiday Monday morning

As we now get the hang of the Bank Holiday Monday timetables, remembering that a Sunday service applies, we change from the 94 bus route that has served us so well recently and wait for our next onward connection, which is the 1203 Cardiff Bus service 96 to Cardiff Central station that arrives there at 1240 on Monday afternoon.

 

[dzug2]

We return to the rails and catch the 1300 FGW service to Patchway, arriving at 1338 BHM afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Thankful to be back on the rails once again, we note there is a service to a settlement of some note, so we board the 1439 FGW service to Taunton that arrives there at 1601 on Monday afternoon.

 

[High Dyke]

We decide a trip to the seaside is in order. We board the 16:10 FGW service as far as Weston-Super-Mare arriving 16:40 on Monday afternoon

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Now to return to a major rail hub as we board the 1715 FGW service to Bristol Temple Meads that arrives there at 1744 on Monday evening.

 

[dzug2]

We continue on FGW to Ashchurch at 1841, arriving at 1959 Monday evening

 

[High Dyke]

Being a BH there's little in the way of local buses from the station. Luckily there's a 20:05 XC departure which we board and travel through to Attenborough arriving at 21:58 on Monday.

 

[dzug2]

We backtrack to Derby on the 2225 EMT departure, arriving at 2249 Monday evening

 

[High Dyke]

Not long to wait until the next service eastbound. We board the 22:59 XC service to Beeston arriving 23:20 on Monday

 

[dzug2]

I doubt if there's time to cross the line for the 2321 departure, so we hang around for half an hour and catch the 2351 EMT departure to Nottingham, arriving at 0002 Tuesday morning

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Being somewhat intrigued by the early morning coach connection to Derby, which seems to be in lieu of a train service, we decide it is better to wait on the station instead and we are fortunate to have a kindly-disposed member of train crew who is willing to give his views on the proposed upgrading of Nottingham railway station. Time flies by and it is soon time to board the 0531 EMT service to Wellingborough that arrives there at 0637 on Tuesday morning.

 

[dzug2]

We attempt some breakfast and then get the nonstop EMT train at 0714 to Luton Airport Parkway arriving at 0740 Tuesday morning

Hang on - aren't we supposed to take that coach under the rules? Though the journey planner I'm using says it was a train anyway - dep 0152 arr 0210

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Hang on - aren't we supposed to take that coach under the rules? Though the journey planner I'm using says it was a train anyway - dep 0152 arr 0210

I am unsure if we are allowed to use rail-replacement night buses, hence the wording of my posting (The one that I had looked at was the 0216 from Nottingham to Derby, arr.0246). I will send a PM to Zoe for clarification on this specific matter to obtain an adjudication.

 

[Zoe]

From the rules:

Timetables
You should use the current timetable for the relevant day not including timetable variations for engineering works. On 25/26 December this game considers a full timetable for the relevant day to be in use.

Unless the rail replacement bus forms part of the normal timetable (which I believe it can do if for example there are to be engineering works over a long period) then it should be ignored.

 

[High Dyke]

Hang on - aren't we supposed to take that coach under the rules? Though the journey planner I'm using says it was a train anyway - dep 0152 arr 0210

Are we getting bogged down in the mire of specifying bank holidays when it comes to journey planners? I can appreciate about a SO service [i.e. Brigg] and that revised services operate on some routes on a B/H, but is this going to cause more trouble than it's worth?

For what it's worth, the last train from STP - DBY via NOT is a bus from NOT - DBY: http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/Global/Engineering_Work_0405_1005_v2.pdf

 

[Zoe]

For what it's worth, the last train from STP - DBY via NOT is a bus from NOT - DBY: http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/Global/Engineering_Work_0405_1005_v2.pdf

That's a timetable variation for engineering works though and should be ignored in this game as stated in the rules above.

 

[High Dyke]

Being somewhat intrigued by the early morning coach connection to Derby, which seems to be in lieu of a train service, we decide it is better to wait on the station instead and we are fortunate to have a kindly-disposed member of train crew who is willing to give his views on the proposed upgrading of Nottingham railway station. Time flies by and it is soon time to board the 0531 EMT service to Wellingborough that arrives there at 0637 on Tuesday morning.

That's a timetable variation for engineering works though and should be ignored in this game as stated in the rules above.

In view of the adjudication, and picking up from where the game was last; we join the 06:53 EMT service for the short trip to Bedford arriving 07:06 on Tuesday

 

[Zoe]

HOLD HOLD HOLD
Wasn't there a train that the bus was replacing? If so then the rules would require this train to be used if it doesn't leave before 0010. Looking at the normal timetable, there is a departure from Nottingham at 0152. This hold is called on the move away from Nottinham posted by Paul so it will be left for Paul to decide to either post the valid move or declare open floor.

 

[High Dyke]

HOLD HOLD HOLD
Wasn't there a train that the bus was replacing? If so then the rules would require this train to be used.

It's a bang head here moment!

Yes the normal service train is shown, though on B/H Monday / Tuesday the 23:15 STP - DBY service did indeed run direct from EM Parkway to DBY (as confirmed by NR) and a replacement bus operating to NOT and DBY, as shown in the EMT Engineering notices.

I will therefore strike througn my previous posting and await until someone else decides what they are doing regards this!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Out of sheer embarrassment when I logged on and read the adjudications and the subsequent posting discussion, I call open floor and ask others to continue matters from what has been decided as the correct point to resume.

I am pleased, nonetheless, that my PM appeal calling for adjudication was replied to by Zoe so very quickly indeed.

 

[Zoe]

To get things moving then, we RESUME by boarding the 0152 East Midlands Trains service from Nottingham to Derby arriving at 0210 on Tuesday.

 

[High Dyke]

To get things moving then, we RESUME by boarding the 0152 East Midlands Trains service from Nottingham to Derby arriving at 0210 on Tuesday.

Long gone is the postal activity that saw Derby a hive of activity overnight for us to watch; however there is quite a bit of freight to observe, and if we're lucky, some LUL stock commencing its journey from the Bombardier Works.

We therefore have to wait until the 04:55 EMT departure which conveys us to Kettering arriving at 05:49 on Tuesday morning.