Need help with proposed route season ticket cost..........

[whole diary]

[Mookiemoo]

This is not the right forum but im not sure there is one but need help from the industry insiders.

I potentially have a long term contract in Tytherington near macclesfield.  I would like to commute by train but being out side my area I have no idea what the best route would be or what trains to avoid.  The only criteria I can specify is:

1. Prefer to go first class if there is one
2. Want to avoid kidderminster to moor street and the schlep across birmingham (I always end up wet) and dont mind doing WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) to birmingham even if it means a slightly longer journey all told (I live further from WOS).  In this I am assuming my route would take me through birmingham - I am happy to be corrected if not the case
3. Are there any nice breaks in journey that could bring my cost down (like my oxford break)
4. How overcrowded is it likely to be - I would need to be at tyherington by 830 or Macclesfield by 815 or so and I cant guarantee leaving before 6.

Just wondering if its worth pursuing the contract really.

Mooks

[Btline]

The only train to get you there in time is the one that arrives at Macc at 0818.

It is the same train from both Worcester Shrub Hill (d 5.30) and Kiddy (d 548). Four changes.

I looked at Ludlow, but the first train gets you there too late.

[IndustryInsider]

Pretty horrible trip to contemplate that one! It always seems to be the case when you want to get somewhere quite a long way away in the fairly early morning that involves travelling across the direct routes into London.

Still, if you can persuade your hosts to tolerate a slightly later arrival you could be at MAC for 08:36 by catching the 06:26 from Shrub Hill and changing the once at B'ham N.St - with a comfortable 24 minute connection. I think that'd be more realistic than four changes for an 18 minute earlier arrival, but I guess that depends on how flexible your arrival time can be. I'll let the Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains) experts work out the fares for you... 

[Mookiemoo]

Pretty horrible trip to contemplate that one! It always seems to be the case when you want to get somewhere quite a long way away in the fairly early morning that involves travelling across the direct routes into London.

Still, if you can persuade your hosts to tolerate a slightly later arrival you could be at MAC for 08:36 by catching the 06:26 from Shrub Hill and changing the once at B'ham N.St - with a comfortable 24 minute connection. I think that'd be more realistic than four changes for an 18 minute earlier arrival, but I guess that depends on how flexible your arrival time can be. I'll let the Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains) experts work out the fares for you... 

I think I can swing 18 minutes either way!  They were ball park guidelines!  First week or so I'd stay over to make a good impression anyway.

I could have done the national rail thing myself but asked here because sometimes the national rail is either not taking into account what is possible 4/5 days (e.g. if I get the 0730 ish from WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) to RDG^‡(resolve) I can connect with a train to slough that leaves 3 minutes later - with the padding, 4 out of 5 times you would make it) and does not take into account - avoid if you want to be a sardine.

On the fairs - I'm guessing a standard season from WOS to BNS^▸ (Barnes (not Birmingham New Street)) (I know its not BNS but I love Butter Nut Squash and Birmingham New Street reminds me of BNS) then a first XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) to MAC.  Not sure if there are any handy commuter break points on there!

Also - how bad is that New Street to MAC likely to be in terms of sardine cans

[Mookiemoo]

The only train to get you there in time is the one that arrives at Macc at 0818.

It is the same train from both Worcester Shrub Hill (d 5.30) and Kiddy (d 548). Four changes.

I looked at Ludlow, but the first train gets you there too late.

Thanks - I'd discounted Ludlow since I know LUD to Manchester doesnt stop at Macclesfield and the one train an hour does not bode well for connecting at wilmslow or stockport!

[IndustryInsider]

Pretty horrible trip to contemplate that one! It always seems to be the case when you want to get somewhere quite a long way away in the fairly early morning that involves travelling across the direct routes into London.

Still, if you can persuade your hosts to tolerate a slightly later arrival you could be at MAC for 08:36 by catching the 06:26 from Shrub Hill and changing the once at B'ham N.St - with a comfortable 24 minute connection. I think that'd be more realistic than four changes for an 18 minute earlier arrival, but I guess that depends on how flexible your arrival time can be. I'll let the Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains) experts work out the fares for you... 

I could have done the national rail thing myself but asked here because sometimes the national rail is either not taking into account what is possible 4/5 days (e.g. if I get the 0730 ish from WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) to RDG^‡(resolve) I can connect with a train to slough that leaves 3 minutes later - with the padding, 4 out of 5 times you would make it) and does not take into account - avoid if you want to be a sardine.

Also - how bad is that New Street to MAC likely to be in terms of sardine cans

I can't see any obvious short-cuts or possibilities - the possibility of using Smethwick Galton Bridge and it's dual level station did occur (as BTlines suggestion involved), but as no XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s stop there you soon lose any advantage over going through the heart of Birmingham with a Wolverhampton/Stafford change to consider. I've no personal experience of the train concerned, but it starts at New Street - and is probably a little early for the real hoards to start massing, so I guess you'd be fine for a seat. Butternut Squash would be quite appropriate an hour or so later mind you!

[Mookiemoo]

Pretty horrible trip to contemplate that one! It always seems to be the case when you want to get somewhere quite a long way away in the fairly early morning that involves travelling across the direct routes into London.

Still, if you can persuade your hosts to tolerate a slightly later arrival you could be at MAC for 08:36 by catching the 06:26 from Shrub Hill and changing the once at B'ham N.St - with a comfortable 24 minute connection. I think that'd be more realistic than four changes for an 18 minute earlier arrival, but I guess that depends on how flexible your arrival time can be. I'll let the Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains) experts work out the fares for you... 

I could have done the national rail thing myself but asked here because sometimes the national rail is either not taking into account what is possible 4/5 days (e.g. if I get the 0730 ish from WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) to RDG^‡(resolve) I can connect with a train to slough that leaves 3 minutes later - with the padding, 4 out of 5 times you would make it) and does not take into account - avoid if you want to be a sardine.

Also - how bad is that New Street to MAC likely to be in terms of sardine cans

I can't see any obvious short-cuts or possibilities - the possibility of using Smethwick Galton Bridge and it's dual level station did occur (as BTlines suggestion involved), but as no XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s stop there you soon lose any advantage over going through the heart of Birmingham with a Wolverhampton/Stafford change to consider. I've no personal experience of the train concerned, but it starts at New Street - and is probably a little early for the real hoards to start massing, so I guess you'd be fine for a seat. Butternut Squash would be quite appropriate an hour or so later mind you!

Thank you

Remember my standards are not just a seat but include a table and space to work (which probably means FC^‡(resolve) not being full)   

If I cant guarantee that then I need to price a two time a week return and three nights in a hotel and work out if its profitable

[Btline]

Going out of BNS^▸ (Barnes (not Birmingham New Street)) (I don't care that it means somewhere else!) in the morning peak will be fine, esp in First Class - I would have thought.

I would definitely avoid changing at Smethick Galton Bridge!

I have been stuck there in the cold of night waiting for a train, but the waiting room was locked to "prevent vandalism".

I wondered why, because in the room there was:

*a bench

[Mookiemoo]

Going out of BNS^▸ (Barnes (not Birmingham New Street)) (I don't care that it means somewhere else!) in the morning peak will be fine, esp in First Class - I would have thought.

I would definitely avoid changing at Smethick Galton Bridge!

I have been stuck there in the cold of night waiting for a train, but the waiting room was locked to "prevent vandalism".

I wondered why, because in the room there was:

*a bench

Done it a few times going to hemel recently - horrid station

kiddie to smethick - smeyhick to sandwell - sandwell to watford - watford to hemel

Its not even a bench really - just a metallic mesh forming something vaguely horizontal to park your posterior on

[Btline]

It's a shame, as LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)/ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) have not marketed the extra destinations available from the station for "Snow Hill" Line passengers. The awful state of the station does not help. It should be manned well into the night, so that bench can be utilised.

If you want to go to Liverpool or Barmouth, most people around here will drive to Wolverhampton/Telford and catch a train; they are put off by the B'ham station change, or they don't know about/ don't want to use SGB and its connexions!

I doubt many people go to B'ham Airport by rail, despite the hourly service from SGB! (then again, I would never use the train to get to an airport - I draw the line there. One problem, and your holiday is ruined)

[Steve Bray]

I'm not sure that this proposal meets any of your criteria, but here goes....

Ludlow dep 0613, Crewe arr 0725
Crewe dep 0733, Kidsgrove arr 0746
Kidsgrove dep 0804, Macclesfield arr 0818.

The Crewe connection is 2 minutes short of the 10 minute official connecting time