Travelling next week - am I mad?

[WestAnglian]

I like to go on an all-lines rover about once a year. In a fit of weakness I told my wife she could accompany me this year. That limits when we can go due for dog care and work reasons. So we're planning to go next Saturday. I have refundable (three days notice) hotels booked as well as several non-refundable tickets to attractions.
ASLEF will be taking action short of a strike from Monday next week, and RMT are out on Thursday 20th. I can avoid the RMT action by sticking to Scotrail that day (can't I?) but the ASLEF stuff is trickier. I planned to use the 0722 XC from St Austell to Edinburgh but that hasn't run this week (when there was also ASLEF action). One we set out our accomodation will no longer be refundable so there's financial risk involved, not to mention the spectre of overcrowded trains forcing us OAPs to stand for hours.
Am I mad for thinking I can probably plan around it so should go ahead?

 

[Train Maniac]

If your up for the challenge then no reason not to. Try and be as flexible as possible and always have an alternative plan to hand

To the best of my knowledge Scotrail has managed to keep a grasp on their industrial disputes so trains are running normally (they were back around Easter at least)

While not much consolation, most of the main hotel chains do allow you to rebook for a small fee (£5 i think)

 

[WestAnglian]

My planning is usually meticulous, and survives at least day 1. Rarely all of day 2. But this time I do have the hotels lined up.
I've just looked at RTT to see how my current plans would have been this week, when ASLEF were taking action. Apart from 1S43 everything ran, but I'd have missed a couple of connections due to late running.
We go ahead!

 

[Purple Train]

To be honest, you're mad for going on an ALR anyway. But there's nothing wrong with being pleasantly mad enough! Once you're in Scotland, everything should be alright, even if you have to devise a madcap scheme in order to get there/back. You will have to be flexible, of course, but that's the beauty of an ALR! Wishing you and your wife a lovely time

 

[mrcheek]

I always say, you dont have to be mad to do an ALR, but it helps.

Just allow yourself plenty of extra time for each journey. Even when there havent been strikes lately, a lot of companies have been cancelling the "last train of the day".
Time was, when I did an ALR (Ive done 13 of them, always 2 weeks at a time), I would always aim to be on the last train home. But now I would plan to finish by 10pm