FGW Excursion To Minehead (10/05/2008)

[whole diary]

[John R]

So call me churlish, but when my tickets arrive today there's a message that Butlins is no longer available, due to an event taking place. Having hyped up the trip to my boys, shown them the leaflet for Butlins, got them all enthusiastic etc, etc, do I feel a bit ripped off? Yep, I certainly do.


 

[Phil]

I must admit, the main reason I have kept quiet until now and didn't buy into this trip was that I had a feeling Butlins wouldn't be available next weekend.

I usually attend the ATP^▸ (Automatic Train Protection) rock festival which takes place at Butlins Minehead in May - the only reason I'm not going this year is that I'm off to another festival in the USA in a few weeks time.

ATP opens to the public next Thursday (15th). I have considerable experience of this, as an event curator myself, and there is no way the three stages can be built, all the sound and lighting installed and everything got ready for 40 bands and several thousand fans to descend on it in under a week.

Quite frankly, there was never a glimmer of a chance that a trainload of tourists would be allowed to wander around the site whilst all that work was going on.

And even if they were, Butlins would be all but closed - even when ATP is taking place there in mid-May it's still officially pre-season and very few of the attractions are open (or indeed staffed).

Knowing Minehead as well as I do, the thought of having to kill 5 hours there out of season filled me with dread. It's a shame, as I would have loved to have ridden the train all the way down for once, but in this instance, I just couldn't see it working out. Sorry.

[John R]

I've now got exactly that prospect to look forward to. And, even worse, a hacked off rest of family blaming me "these train trips always go wrong.....".

I've just got to hope that the 4 tickets I magicked up for the FA Cup Final will redeem me in their eyes. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

John, you do have my sincere sympathy.  I was hoping to take my son on that trip, too, but family / domestic commitments took precedence - otherwise we, too, would have gone - and I'd also be blamed for 'everything going wrong'. 

May I suggest Dunster as a 'sort of' alternative?  Lovely village, shops, and the castle is good for boys - a bit of Harry Potter atmosphere: cellars, dungeons, weapons on walls, if that appeals?

[John R]

Thanks for the suggestion Chris. Current thinking is we might write the cost off, particularly if the weather is poor, and particularly as we are now away the following Saturday.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Fair enough!

Ermm ... not travelling there by train, are you ?   

[laird]

Does anyone happen to know whether there will be on the day ticket sales now the telephone booking option has finished?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hello, laird, and welcome to the forum!

I've no idea about the possibility of 'walk up' fares being available, quite honestly - but please bear in mind, the goalposts have been shifted somewhat, from what were originally advertised as various attractions for this excursion!

Chris

[grahame]

Does anyone happen to know whether there will be on the day ticket sales now the telephone booking option has finished?

Hi, Laird ... I'm going to suggest that you call the number (even though the deadline has passed).  It's possible that they may no longer be allowed to sell seats ("APEX" only) because much of the route is shared with other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) and it would be deemed to be competing with them (SWT^▸ (South West Trains), AXC^» (Arriva Cross Country - about) and WSR) unfairly in law. Also possible that they don't have an accounting system set up that would let them handle fares on the day.  But on the other hand, I suspect the train is far from fully sold.

Different subject - if any of you were aware of the original routing of the train, that's changed too. Pity really; a rare opportunity to use a piece of track that doesn't to my knowledge often see passenger services.

http://www.bristol-rail.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1525

[swlines]

This train is not subject to NR^» (Network Rail - home page) ticketing and as such you would be best off contacting First Great Western at the first possible opportunity requesting whether it will be possible to buy on board.

[John R]

They appear to have extended bookings according to the website. But still advertising Butlins too!

[Jim]

Pay on day available as well apparently - also I belive train is only 1/5 full atm!

[John R]

That's a real shame (even given my comments about the non-availability of Butlins). Maybe if they put a sticker across the station posters to advertise it is pay on the day and then it's nice weather, loadings might increase.   

[eightf48544]

grahame

Different subject - if any of you were aware of the original routing of the train, that's changed too. Pity really; a rare opportunity to use a piece of track that doesn't to my knowledge often see passenger services.

Which bit? Studying my Baker the only bit I can see is through St Phillips Marsh but that would mean reversing at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)).

Would probably got more takers if starting from London.

I've done the Hertfordshire trains to the beer festival. Excellent straight off the train and there's the beer.

[laird]

Thanks for the advice, it is always disappointing when a tour route changes except when luckily you weren't planning on the section of route removed :-)
I did try calling the number to book numerous times today but there appeared to be a fault so I'm hopeful they will still be selling tickets tomorrow/on the day.
Did anyone else experience a problem where the recorded announcement that the call may be recorded is played but then the line drops out?
By any luck is there an alternate number to the 0845 678 2976 number given on the website - even a reception number?
Trying after 430 the message does change but to an equally unhelpful message saying the service is unavailable.

BTW^▸ (by the way) the route if it had been via St. Philip's Marsh would be depart from East End of Temple Meads, branch off at North Somerset Junction along the Goods Road into the Goods Through Siding rejoining the Down Main at Bristol West Junction (other routes through St. Philips Marsh mean passing through the shed itself which I guess is prohibited for passenger carrying services?). Signalling is shown as Bi-directional in the Trackmaps Western 4th edition so it could be done in the opposite direction if needed.