Birthday trip, Melksham to Penzance - 28th January 2025

[whole diary]

[grahame]

It's the 18th Birthday of the Coffee Shop on 28th January 2025, and what a long way we have come forward in that time, and yet how many of the very same objectives, goals and issues remain.

I have just bought myself in the January Sale tickets from Melksham to Penzance and back on the actual Birthday.   Very much a personal trip, and there will be much of a feeling of achievement in there within the services use.  If you happen to be on the train, or indeed wish to join me partially or even whole, you will be very welcome.  There were 6 tickets left in the sale after I purchased mine.

06:32 Melksham to Trowbridge
06:46 Trowbridge to Bath Spa
07:24 Bath Spa to Penzance, arrive 11:40 (train 1C55)

17:50 Penzance to Chippenham
22:46 Chippenham to Melksham, arrive 22:55 (train 1A39)



(18 years of data remains in our archive as a resource - right down the the trademark spelling errors.  Look and feel now designed to take us forward in the next decade)

[grahame]

For "Old Times Sake" I notice from http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/locohauled15.html

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Castle Class HST^▸ (High Speed Train) Power Car + 4 Mk3s + GWR Castle Class HST Power Car
(43004, 43042, 43093, 43097, 43098, 43156, 43186, 43187, 43188, 43198)
        
Monday - Friday

Diagram 1

2C02 06:38 Plymouth - Penzance (a.08:35)
2P08 08:50 Penzance - Plymouth (a.10:47)
2C68 11:42 Plymouth - Penzance (a.13:40)
2P17 13:50 Penzance - Plymouth (a.15:45)
2C31 15:55 Plymouth - Penzance (a.18:10)
2P27 18:50 Penzance - Plymouth (a.20:51)


Diagram 2

2C11 10:15 Plymouth - Penzance (a.12:12)
2P15 12:50 Penzance - Plymouth (a.14:44)


Diagram 3

2C65 10:42 Plymouth - Penzance (a.12:40)
2P16 13:15 Penzance - Plymouth (a.15:09)
2C29 15:47 Plymouth - Penzance (a.17:40)
2E26 18:15 Penzance - Exeter St.David's (a.15:45)

and wonder about a side trip back up to Camborne (should be OK - not Wednesday) or St Ives as well as time spent in Penzance.

[LiskeardRich]

For "Old Times Sake" I notice from http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/locohauled15.html

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Castle Class HST^▸ (High Speed Train) Power Car + 4 Mk3s + GWR Castle Class HST Power Car
(43004, 43042, 43093, 43097, 43098, 43156, 43186, 43187, 43188, 43198)
        
Monday - Friday

Diagram 1

2C02 06:38 Plymouth - Penzance (a.08:35)
2P08 08:50 Penzance - Plymouth (a.10:47)
2C68 11:42 Plymouth - Penzance (a.13:40)
2P17 13:50 Penzance - Plymouth (a.15:45)
2C31 15:55 Plymouth - Penzance (a.18:10)
2P27 18:50 Penzance - Plymouth (a.20:51)


Diagram 2

2C11 10:15 Plymouth - Penzance (a.12:12)
2P15 12:50 Penzance - Plymouth (a.14:44)


Diagram 3

2C65 10:42 Plymouth - Penzance (a.12:40)
2P16 13:15 Penzance - Plymouth (a.15:09)
2C29 15:47 Plymouth - Penzance (a.17:40)
2E26 18:15 Penzance - Exeter St.David's (a.15:45)

and wonder about a side trip back up to Camborne (should be OK - not Wednesday) or St Ives as well as time spent in Penzance.

Recently one of the diagrams has been subbed for a 5 car iet, a 158, and on one particular day I travelled 2 x 150 making a 4 car 150. 2/3 are pretty safe to be a 2+4.

From rail staff locally they’re hoping to be phased out in the May timetable change 

[GBM]

Wondering aloud, perhaps alighting at St Erth and taking the branch to St Ives and back to St Erth.
Then (timings permitting) take a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) to Camborne, thence HST to Penzance?

[GBM]

Looking at timings, could fit quite well, arriving Pz 13h40; provided of course, the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) schedule stays as is!

[Mark A]

**snip**

and wonder about a side trip back up to Camborne (should be OK - not Wednesday) or St Ives as well as time spent in Penzance.

Depending on the order in which you visit those two, you might avoid the need to cross Tower Bridge† too. Also, if St Ives is last on the list, it's straightforward to catch the branch train that connects into that service up to London via Bristol and Chippenham.

Mark

† Local nickname for St Erth's new footbridge and lift towers, I'm told.

‡ Straightforward and hopefully not at all anxiety inducing, despite the fact that should the connection fall to pieces, the result, given later options for travel, presents a 'Situation'.

This is something that's presumably fairly well recognised locally, as the one time I was on the branch train and it threatened to miss the connection at St Erth (owing to a large number of passengers travelling to the previous park and ride at Lelant Saltings), we then arrived at St Erth to find the London train waiting, and infinite care being taken by staff there to check that all passengers safely conducted themselves along with their luggage from one to the other before its departure.

[Red Squirrel]

I’m in St Ives at the moment, exploring the railways at this end of Cornwall for the first time. Very enjoyable!

I can see why the locals call it ‘Tower Bridge’. Not much fun lugging two large suitcases and a guitar over it - might be a bit easier when the lifts start operating!

Very amused by the on-train PA^▸ (Public Address) heading towards the main line from St Ives; they pronounce it ‘St Eurghh’, as though they’ve discovered they’ve stepped in something nasty halfway through the announcement…

[grahame]

I can see why the locals call it ‘Tower Bridge’. Not much fun lugging two large suitcases and a guitar over it - might be a bit easier when the lifts start operating!

Perhaps if we had a member who played the violin it might be a bit lighter ...

[grahame]

Wondering aloud, perhaps alighting at St Erth and taking the branch to St Ives and back to St Erth.
Then (timings permitting) take a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) to Camborne, thence HST to Penzance?

Will take a look - but I suspect the advance/sale fare does not allow me to end my journey before my ticketed station?  I remember someone getting into serious trouble buying a "This train only" London to Southampton Central ticket and getting off at Eastleigh.

[LiskeardRich]

Wondering aloud, perhaps alighting at St Erth and taking the branch to St Ives and back to  St Erth.
Then (timings permitting) take a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) to Camborne, thence HST to Penzance?

Will take a look - but I suspect the advance/sale fare does not allow me to end my journey before my ticketed station?  I remember someone getting into serious trouble buying a "This train only" London to Southampton Central ticket and getting off at Eastleigh.

There’s no barriers and never seen a revenue check at StErth, but I’m sure they could arrange one knowing what train you’re on