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Title: Changing at Plymouth Post by: spring91 on August 13, 2009, 17:22:11 Hi
This is my first post, I hope it's in the right place! We have decided to leave the car at home and travel by train to St. Ives for our holiday this year (my idea, the wife and kids were not so keen!) . Travelling down tomorrow, Friday 14th from Birmingham New Street arriving at Plymouth at 13:48 change to Penzance train that leaves at 13:54. I'm getting concerned that 6 minutes is cutting it fine to find out which platform we need and lug suitcases etc. especially if it involves stairs. Does anyone know if I can find out the platform numbers in advance to make it a little easier? Should I get the oldest to run ahead and hold the door if we are struggling? Any other advice (e.g. what we do if the first train is delayed or we miss the connection) would be very welcome. thanks Simon Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: Timmer on August 13, 2009, 18:15:44 Welcome to the forum spring91. I hope you and your family have a good journey down to Cornwall tomorrow. I'm sure some of our regular posters from the Devon/Cornwall area will be able to answer your question regarding connections at Plymouth.
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: marky7890 on August 13, 2009, 18:59:58 Hi,
I have been trying to work out train diagrams for local units in cornwall. using platform numbers at Plymouth, from the National Rail website, the 13:54 Plymouth - Penzance train should be on platform 5 at Plymouth. Plymouth has lifts and stairs down to subway which connects the platforms together. Hope you enjoy your holiday, the St Ives branch is lovely. Mark Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: devon_metro on August 13, 2009, 19:07:02 Is indeed booked to use platform 5, but do bear in mind that the connection to this train was missed today. Next train to Penzance being 15:11!
However, this should mean you will get refunded if the same happens (which i'm sure it won't)! Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: devon_metro on August 13, 2009, 19:08:08 Oh, worth pointing out that the 1348 arrival into Plymouth is due in platform 6, so I think that is a cross platform interchange.
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: bemmy on August 13, 2009, 19:17:26 The XC trains have at least 6 minutes recovery time between Totnes and Plymouth (not to mention plenty of padding further up the line), so it's more like a 12 minute connection if your first train's on time. There are tv monitors on every platform so it shouldn't take long to check which platform it is, and as Devon Metro says you're likely to find it just across the platform. Despite what happened today, I think that most days the connection would be made.
I went on the St Ives line just last week for the first time in decades, I'd forgotten quite how beautiful the views are. Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: chrisoates on August 13, 2009, 20:50:53 Plymouth is very easy to negotiate as it has a single subway and the stairs all rise in the same direction, you will likely only have to cross a platform or at worst one subway junction.
Weather here glorious today, Seals are in the harbour every day & it's Lifeboat day next thursday. Remember when boarding the branch at St Erth to sit on the side you enter for the best views. Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: spring91 on August 13, 2009, 22:39:09 Thanks so much for all the replies. I feel less anxious now!
If we miss the connection we might have a problem because I split the tickets Birmingham / Cheltenham / Plymouth / St Ives which made it cheaper but the time is on the ticket. Oh well, fingers crossed! I'll let you know how we get on. Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: devon_metro on August 13, 2009, 22:52:23 Hmm. Well it shouldn't be late, normally early. Do you have reservations? The 1348 arrival is a 5 car Voyager so will probably be busy.
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: spring91 on August 13, 2009, 23:35:49 We have reservations from Birmingham to Plymouth but were not able to reserve seats from Plymouth to St Erth. I'm hoping we won't be standing!
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: jester on August 13, 2009, 23:48:46 Hmmm, its Friday, its only a two car unit train and ALL the trains into and out of Cornwall at the moment are EXTREMELY busy, be prepared!!
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: spring91 on August 14, 2009, 00:16:58 Thanks jester I'll not mention it to the wife beforehand! I hate driving and hope this is the first of many similar journeys by train. I want it to run smoothly so the family feel the same way. Got to get some zzzz now because only half packed!
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: devon_metro on August 14, 2009, 15:13:22 1348 arrival arrived 5 minutes early. I trust the connection was made with limited fuss!
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: Tim on August 14, 2009, 15:55:24 Thanks so much for all the replies. I feel less anxious now! If we miss the connection we might have a problem because I split the tickets Birmingham / Cheltenham / Plymouth / St Ives which made it cheaper but the time is on the ticket. Oh well, fingers crossed! I'll let you know how we get on. I think you ought to be OK with AP split tickets (if you miss the connection and have to catch a later train) so long as the connection is an advertised connection. IS that correct? Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: JayMac on August 14, 2009, 16:15:38 Thanks so much for all the replies. I feel less anxious now! If we miss the connection we might have a problem because I split the tickets Birmingham / Cheltenham / Plymouth / St Ives which made it cheaper but the time is on the ticket. Oh well, fingers crossed! I'll let you know how we get on. I think you ought to be OK with AP split tickets (if you miss the connection and have to catch a later train) so long as the connection is an advertised connection. IS that correct? Nope. An Advance ticket from Birmingham to St Ives (no splits) would cover you for late running and allow travel on a subsequent service. But only if the delay was the railways fault. However multiple Advance tickets covering a journey from Birmingham to St Ives do not cover you for network delays EVEN if the connection(s) are advertised ones. Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: devon_metro on August 14, 2009, 16:22:58 Yes they do.
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: JayMac on August 14, 2009, 16:35:35 Yes they do. Am I missing something here. Not long back I had split Advances from Bristol to Blackpool split at New Street. The AXC service was delayed and I missed my VWC service. This was an advertised connection to Preston had I been travelling on a flexible walk on ticket. I was told by Virgin at BHM that my ticket was no longer valid and I had to purchase a new walk-on single. I didn't - I walked to Digbeth and got on a coach to Blackpool. Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: eightf48544 on August 14, 2009, 16:42:03 Do we know if spring91 made the connection in Plymouth today?
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: devon_metro on August 14, 2009, 16:45:38 Yes they do. Am I missing something here. Not long back I had split Advances from Bristol to Blackpool split at New Street. The AXC service was delayed and I missed my VWC service. This was an advertised connection to Preston had I been travelling on a flexible walk on ticket. I was told by Virgin at BHM that my ticket was no longer valid and I had to purchase a new walk-on single. I didn't - I walked to Digbeth and got on a coach to Blackpool. This post (from another forum) may be of interest to you: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=273049&postcount=5 Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: JayMac on August 14, 2009, 16:53:46 Yes they do. Am I missing something here. Not long back I had split Advances from Bristol to Blackpool split at New Street. The AXC service was delayed and I missed my VWC service. This was an advertised connection to Preston had I been travelling on a flexible walk on ticket. I was told by Virgin at BHM that my ticket was no longer valid and I had to purchase a new walk-on single. I didn't - I walked to Digbeth and got on a coach to Blackpool. This post (from another forum) may be of interest to you: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=273049&postcount=5 Ah, but that seems to apply to splits on one service. My journey involved 3 services covered by 2 seperate AP tickets. I see nothing in NRCoC that covers this. I tried the 'goodwill' route but Virgin weren't playing ball that day. Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: vacman on August 14, 2009, 20:06:03 Yes they do. No they don't! however, he must have had a normal CDS for that train as it's non-reserveable! (1354 Ply-Pnz that is)Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: spring91 on August 16, 2009, 11:24:00 The journey down was fine, no problems with the connection. The Plymouth- Penzance train was very full but we all got seats. I'm glad I didn't drive. St Ives is lovely as usual.
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: jester on August 16, 2009, 17:52:51 Glad you had a good experience! St.Ives is always very lovely, if a little full at the moment!!
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: Tim on August 17, 2009, 09:07:53 Yes they do. No they don't! however, he must have had a normal CDS for that train as it's non-reserveable! (1354 Ply-Pnz that is)Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: slippy on August 19, 2009, 18:31:56 The journey down was fine, no problems with the connection. The Plymouth- Penzance train was very full but we all got seats. I'm glad I didn't drive. St Ives is lovely as usual. Did you get a heart shaped ticket stamp??? lol Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: inspector_blakey on August 19, 2009, 22:33:41 Wouldn't be surprised if there are still some heart-shaped ticket nippers in circulation in that neck of the woods...according to my BR ticket examiner's handbook (circa 1988) that was the shape used by Devon and Cornwall (or was it Plymouth...?) conductors.
Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: spring91 on August 26, 2009, 00:49:21 Yes the holes are heart shaped :)
Can anyone tell me the platform number for 16.25 Plymouth to York today (Wed)? Also arrival platform 15.57 from St Erth? Thanks! Title: Re: Changing at Plymouth Post by: devon_metro on August 26, 2009, 13:39:28 Can anyone tell me the platform number for 16.25 Plymouth to York today (Wed)? Also arrival platform 15.57 from St Erth? Thanks! 1625 from platform 6 1557 arrival is onto 7. This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |