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Sideshoots - associated subjects => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: grahame on January 27, 2015, 08:47:15



Title: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: grahame on January 27, 2015, 08:47:15
It struck me as I was writing another thread that - although I don't use the train anything like daily - I never the less see quite a few stations. For December and January (thus far), I came up with this list where I have joined or left trains:
Swansea, Cambridge, Montpelier, Neath, Syon Lane,  Swindon, Westbury, Motherwell, Glasgow Central, Barry, Cardiff Central, Chippenham, Trowbridge, Bridgend, London Paddington, London Euston, London King's Cross, Bristol Temple Meads, Reading, Melksham, Staines.

Whilst some journeys have been made in support of the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership / Melksham Railway Developemnt Group, none has been a pleasure only / enthusiast's trip, nor even have any been purely learning exercises to "see how others do it".

My tally of stations is 21, and I expect to ride on 6 more trains before the month's end, but they should not add to my station tally. Obviously (?) staff members of the rail industry will have far higher counts - but what about those of us who don't work for the railways?


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: autotank on January 27, 2015, 15:01:37
Here is my list from the past two months of the stations that I have entered or exited from:

Twyford, Henley-on-Thames, Shiplake, Reading, Paddington, Ealing Broadway, Windsor and Eton Central, Cholsey, Taunton, Farringdon, Blackfriars, Didcot Parkway and Reading West.

So 13 in total. It would be much higher if I included tube stations. I imagine in the summer months the number will be much higher, but a most of them would be for leisure purposes!


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: grahame on January 27, 2015, 15:07:11
Amazing how little overlap we have!

Plus Slough, perhaps, if you used Windsor and Eton Central!


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: LiskeardRich on January 27, 2015, 15:42:29
Looking through my tickets,
Redruth, Camborne, Truro, Penzance, St Erth, St Ives, Carbis Bay, St Austell, Par, Newquay, Penryn, Falmouth Town and Plymouth.
13 all but Truro used for leisure travel. My cornwall and Devon railcard has certainly had its moneys worth.

I've also done 4 Ride Cornwall tickets. I think one of them I went to Bodmin Parkway, but as was 27h November I have excluded as was exactly 2 months ago from today


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: tom m on January 27, 2015, 16:33:13
17 in the last two months, here is my list:

Egham, Addlestone, Weybridge, Datchet, Reading, Stonehouse, Langley, Slough, Windsor & E C, Windsor & E R, Heathrow T5, Heathrow CTA, Paddington, Waterloo, London Euston, Edinburgh Waverley & Coventry.

I do use the train most days to and from work, but that's only 2 of the above, the other 15 have all been for leisure.


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: rogerpatenall on January 27, 2015, 17:11:06
Can't compete, really. Castle Cary, Paddington, Blackheath, Westcombe Park, Charlton, Rochester, Greenwich, London Bridge, Cannon street, Stratford, Gidea Park, West Ham, Upminster, Barking (these three on C2C), and, if they count, Ebbsfleet, Paris GdN, Valognes and Paris St Lazare


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: LiskeardRich on January 27, 2015, 17:17:52
I wonder if as a forum we have managed every station used by FGW in the last couple of months.


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Red Squirrel on January 27, 2015, 17:19:14
OK; hands up for Pilning!


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Electric train on January 27, 2015, 18:24:50
Leaving out the 3 usual commuting ones

These are all mainline
Waterloo
Waterloo East
London Victoria
Three Bridges
Blackfriars
Farringdon
City Thameslink
St Pancras (hi and low level)
Kings Cross
Moorgate
Alexandra Palace
Windsor & Eton Riverside
Windsor & Eton Central
Woking
London Bridge
Woolwich Arsenal
Ebbs Fleet

I am sure there are others


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Alan Pettitt on January 27, 2015, 18:47:43
Mine certainly seem to be in a more concentrated area! : Cardiff Central, Bristol Parkway, Yate, Stapleton Road, Bristol TM, Chippenham, Swindon, Melksham, Bath Spa, Westbury, Frome, Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon, Yeovil Pen Mill, Yeovil Junction, Maiden Newton, Dorchester West, Salisbury, Axminster, Castle Cary, Taunton, Southampton Central, Avoncliff, Dilton Marsh ; which makes 24, I would have had Freshford as well but I was so used to going to Bath that I forgot to get off.


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: JayMac on January 27, 2015, 19:30:59
Mine from the last two months, off the top of my head:

Severn Beach, St Andrew's Road, Avonmouth, Shirehampton, Sea Mills, Clifton Down, Montpelier, Stapleton Road, Bristol TM, Bristol Parkway, Cardiff Central, Cardiff Bay, Swansea, Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Reading, London Paddington, London Cannon Street, Tonbridge, Waterloo East, London Waterloo, Chippenham, Bath Spa, Trowbridge, Westbury, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Exeter St Davids, Exeter Central, Dawlish, Newton Abbot, Plymouth.

Which is 32. Possibly more but I'm not recording ny journeys at present and my memory is atrocious.


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: bobm on January 27, 2015, 19:34:19
I would have had Freshford as well but I was so used to going to Bath that I forgot to get off.

That's surely worth a bonus point?  ;D


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on January 27, 2015, 22:53:21
... I'm not recording ny journeys at present and my memory is atrocious.

... as is your spelling.  ;) :D ;D


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: JayMac on January 27, 2015, 23:28:55
... I'm not recording ny journeys at present and my memory is atrocious.

... as is your spelling.  ;) :D ;D

Ny smelling is fyne, its the tiping with fit fangers on a smartpone that's the prblm.


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: JayMac on January 28, 2015, 14:43:51
Mine from the last two months, off the top of my head:

Severn Beach, St Andrew's Road, Avonmouth, Shirehampton, Sea Mills, Clifton Down, Montpelier, Stapleton Road, Bristol TM, Bristol Parkway, Cardiff Central, Cardiff Bay, Swansea, Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Reading, London Paddington, London Cannon Street, Tonbridge, Waterloo East, London Waterloo, Chippenham, Bath Spa, Trowbridge, Westbury, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Exeter St Davids, Exeter Central, Dawlish, Newton Abbot, Plymouth.

Which is 32. Possibly more but I'm not recording ny journeys at present and my memory is atrocious.

Still January, so a few more to add from today. Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester and Newport (Gwent) That last one for less than a minute where I made a -2 minute connection. You may very well think that spending a minute in Newport (Gwent) is a minute too long, but as my colleague Chris from Nailsea would say, I couldn't possibly comment.  ;D


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Phil on January 28, 2015, 16:27:32
Seven if we're including Texaco, Sainsbury's and BP in our statistics of stations used.


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: ellendune on January 28, 2015, 18:32:02
So far just, Paddington, Swindon, St Pancras International,  Paris Gare du Nord, Cheltenham,  Burton on Trent and Derby.

Edited to correct autofill 'helpfully' added by android


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Red Squirrel on January 28, 2015, 18:59:46
...Newport (Gwent)...

You've been out in your time machine again... I thought you were still trying to keep that under wraps?  ;)


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on January 28, 2015, 20:46:09
You may very well think that spending a minute in Newport (Gwent) is a minute too long, but as my colleague Chris from Nailsea would say, I couldn't possibly comment.  ;D

On the contrary: my comment would be that you could instead have spent a week at Pilning.  ::)


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: JayMac on January 28, 2015, 21:11:22
You may very well think that spending a minute in Newport (Gwent) is a minute too long, but as my colleague Chris from Nailsea would say, I couldn't possibly comment.  ;D

On the contrary: my comment would be that you could instead have spent a week at Pilning.  ::)

Nah, I'd walk to Severn Beach and get the train home.


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Cynthia on January 28, 2015, 22:58:30
Oh dear, ashamed to say, reading this thread, I haven't been on a train at all in the last two months.   :-[  Hopefully that will soon change, when my daughter moves to Backwell, within walking distance of the station.  I just have to work out how to get there from Melksham.  Any clues, anyone?


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on January 29, 2015, 00:47:20
Anywhere in Backwell will be within reasonable walking distance of the railway station.  ;)

Travelling from Melksham, you will need to go to Bristol Temple Meads and change there. It's then a half hourly service to Nailsea and Backwell for most of the day.

If you have more specific dates and times of intended travel, I'm sure we can provide more detailed suggestions, Cynthia.  :D


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Cynthia on January 29, 2015, 09:09:21
Thanks very much for that Chris.  My usual habit is to visit my daughter on a Monday, this week I'll be using the car but hopefully will start getting into the train habit thereafter.  I will be looking for a train about 9.15am onwards, return time depending on whether I've put the dog into kennels for the day; if so, I have to be back in Melksham by 5pm or she turns into a pumpkin.


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: JayMac on January 29, 2015, 14:39:26
On a weekday, 1004 from Melksham, changing at Chippenham and Bristol TM, gets you to Nailsea & Blackwell at 1139.

Returning from Nailsea & Backwell at 1629, changing at Bristol TM and Chippenham, gets you back to Melksham at 1803.

Off Peak Day Return for ^11.10, and you can take the dog with you at no extra cost. ;D


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Cynthia on January 30, 2015, 08:31:41
Thanks for that, BNM.  :)


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: eightf48544 on January 30, 2015, 09:36:03
Not many in last two months

Taplow Slough Paddington plus bus and tube.

Aylesbury
Aylesbury Vale Parkway.


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on January 30, 2015, 23:20:49
... gets you to Nailsea & Blackwell at 1139.

Don't ... you ... dare ... !  :o ::) >:( ;D


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: JayMac on February 02, 2015, 03:05:21
... gets you to Nailsea & Blackwell at 1139.

Don't ... you ... dare ... !  :o ::) >:( ;D

It wlas a tlypo. Hlonest gluv.  :P ;) ;D


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: Cynthia on February 02, 2015, 08:00:59
On a weekday, 1004 from Melksham, changing at Chippenham and Bristol TM, gets you to Nailsea & Blackwell at 1139.

Returning from Nailsea & Backwell at 1629, changing at Bristol TM and Chippenham, gets you back to Melksham at 1803.

Off Peak Day Return for ^11.10, and you can take the dog with you at no extra cost. ;D

I have to say, these timings do nothing to help me get out of the car and onto the train.  Add onto this journey the time taken to walk to and from the station and I have a very much shorter day with my family than driving there and back.   Sorry!


Title: Re: How many stations have you used in the past 2 months?
Post by: grahame on February 02, 2015, 10:35:15
I have to say, these timings do nothing to help me get out of the car and onto the train.  Add onto this journey the time taken to walk to and from the station and I have a very much shorter day with my family than driving there and back.   Sorry!

You're spot on, Cynthia.  Not all journeys work well by train, and with the limited service we (thus far) have managed to get back onto the TransWilts, there are many timings covered, but many not (yet).   Of course, it's not just timing - it's also the geography of the lines.  On the other hand, you can sleep, stroke the dog, read a book or have a stiff drink if you're using the train - and I would recommend against any of those if you're driving.  You are also fortunate enough to be able to drive.



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