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Phil
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« on: July 12, 2009, 21:17:08 » |
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Hello, some advice please, people. We have some American friends visiting in a couple of weeks who will be travelling around southern and western England by public transport. They wish to take in a heritage railway while they are here. On a weekday, preferably
Can anyone think of one other than Didcot which is accessible by mainline train? (that's only open in school holidays from what I remember). I considered Cholsey-Wallingford but that only tends to be open very occasionally.
Getting to Swanage means getting a Cross Country service to Bournemouth or Poole, a local from there to Wareham, and an irregular Wilts & Dorset bus to Swanage. Similarly you can get to the Mid Hants Railway by making for Winchester, down the hill through the city centre, on to the bus station and getting a bus to Alresford. There is a bus link between Taunton and Bishops Lydiard for the West Somerset Railway, but I'm not sure how to direct my friends out of Taunton station for the bus.
Is there an easier one than that? I have a feeling I'm missing the blindingly obvious here somewhere.
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plymothian
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« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2009, 21:21:25 » |
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Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway - next door to Paignton
South Devon Railway - a short walk from Totnes
Bodmin & Wenford - cross the platform at Bodmin Parkway
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« Last Edit: July 13, 2009, 11:10:30 by plymothian »
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Please be aware that only the first 4 words of this post will be platformed on this message board.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2009, 21:30:27 » |
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Phil, I'm a great fan of the West Somerset Railway - easily accessible from Taunton station: see http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/where_to_find_us.html The nearest mainline railway station to the West Somerset Railway at Bishops Lydeard is Taunton. The bus link between there and the WSR is operated by First Somerset and Avon Bus service 28.
Service 28
First Somerset and Avon operate Service 28 daily from the stop at the south side interchange next to platform 2 and from stop C in Station Road out of the main station entrance and then left under the bridge. This Service operates direct to and from Bishops Lydeard Station on West Somerset Railway operating days.
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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paul7575
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« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2009, 21:34:56 » |
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The Mid Hants is better approached via Alton surely, depending on where else they might be in 'southern England' of course.
IIRC▸ SWT▸ at Alton sell MHR tickets...
Paul
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Electric train
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« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2009, 21:35:05 » |
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Mid Hants connection at Alton
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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devon_metro
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« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2009, 21:37:40 » |
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I'd recommend the South Devon Railway. You'd be forgiven for thinking you'd gone back in time.
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Phil
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« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2009, 21:40:27 » |
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Great stuff, thanks guys. Gotta confess I completely forgot Paignton - nice one.
This sort of information needs to be on the web somewhere really. I'm sure I remember there being directions to heritage rail locations on the National Rail site at one time (probably when it was still Railtrack), but nowadays National Rail directs one towards the, forgive me, but rather amateurish Heritage Railway Association site - which doesn't feature even something as simple as an overlay map.
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« Last Edit: July 12, 2009, 21:47:00 by Phil »
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2009, 21:43:12 » |
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Fair comment, devon_metro - the South Devon Railway would be my second choice, certainly (if only because it's further from my home station, and the preserved line is shorter). |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01
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« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2009, 21:43:29 » |
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i do want to talk you into the dartmoor railway, but saying that if you go to the one at paignton you will get to see tornado! if you get down early enough there is no reason you cant fit in both :-)
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devon_metro
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« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2009, 21:52:31 » |
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I imagine they'd rather a steam train. Paignton is easy to get to, and they'd probably enjoy an afternoon in Dartmouth which is day tripper paradise.
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John R
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« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2009, 22:03:33 » |
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Severn Valley Railway also has a main line connection at Kidderminster.
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Btline
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« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2009, 22:08:40 » |
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Severn Valley Railway also has a main line connection at Kidderminster.
And on Saturday, 15th August, the SVR will have a direct train to London Marylebone courtesy of Chiltern Railways! |
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John R
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« Reply #14 on: July 12, 2009, 22:13:44 » |
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Indeed it will. Another good example of Chiltern's postiive attitude is their running of a steam excursion from Marylebone to Stratford in July.
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