XC HSTs...on a saturday

[whole diary]

[Mookiemoo]

Does anyone know which services from bristol to brimingham and back are HST^▸ (High Speed Train) on a saturday?

Need to go to brum this weekend for a tutorial and if I could get a HST in at least one direction will make it more bareable

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

knowing xc the quiet ones.....

[thetrout]

17:30 off of Bristol Temple Meads IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) is a HST^▸ (High Speed Train)

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

17:30 off of Bristol Temple Meads IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) is a HST^▸ (High Speed Train)

i said it out of sarcasm however it would seem thy just proved my point 

[JayMac]

To Birmingham from Temple Meads:

d1330 a1456 (Newquay to Dundee)
d1600 a1726 (Paignton to Manchester)

From Birmingham to Temple Meads:

d0942 a1112 (Manchester to Paignton)
d1312 a1442 (Glasgow to Newquay)
d1512 a1642 (Glasgow to Penznance)

Source: (Arriva Cross Country - about).pdf" target="_blank">125group.org.uk.

Disclaimer: Engineering work can affect weekend trains as can the whim of CrossCountry!

[Mookiemoo]

Thanks - looks like its vomiter up and HST^▸ (High Speed Train) back

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

ive been on 4 voyagers today all packed they need to sort it out!

[Timmer]

ive been on 4 voyagers today all packed they need to sort it out!

Something that's not going to change for at least a few years.

[Mookiemoo]

Ok so my tutorial is 2pm which means it's vomited both ways - is it worth me going down the way fro. Nai,sea to pick the vom up eArlier to get a decent seat in first for weekend upgrade - last two times I did the temple meads join I ended up with one of then pseudo airline seats

Where can I pickup a vom before temple meads to get me to newbstreet by 1330

[chrisoates]

ive been on 4 voyagers today all packed they need to sort it out!

Strange one on Monday - joined a Voyager from Penzance to somewhere 'up north' at St Erth and it was already full & standing - TM^‡(resolve) was imploring folk to get off and join the following FGW^▸ (First Great Western) service.
Three standard class carriages is just not enough for long haul journeys - when RB ran them as Virgin at least there were four carriages - never understood why he had the franchise taken away - staff were chirpy - seats had entertainment sockets - there was a shop - they all ran to Penzance rather than terminating a Plymouth.

[JayMac]

Ok so my tutorial is 2pm which means it's vomited both ways - is it worth me going down the way fro. Nai,sea to pick the vom up eArlier to get a decent seat in first for weekend upgrade - last two times I did the temple meads join I ended up with one of then pseudo airline seats

Where can I pickup a vom before temple meads to get me to newbstreet by 1330

There are 14 'at table' seats in a XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Voyager 1st Class. Eight in two bays of 4 and six in three bays of 2. The rest have a kind of half table.

The 1000 CrossCountry starts from Bristol, so you shouldn't have a problem bagging the 1st Class seat of your choice, unless it's heavily booked with ADV 1st Class. Arrives Brum 1126 which maybe a touch early for you. Checking online using the CrossCountry carriage plan for seat reservations shows all table seats in 1st Class still available at the time this reply was posted.

The 1030 from Bristol, (starts at Penzance) has 9 of the 14 1st Class table seats currently available, including one whole bay of 4.

You could go for the 1034 from Weston Super Mare arriving Brum 1226. This service starts at Plymouth and terminates at Manchester. Carriage plan shows that there are currently five unreserved 'table' seats. Three in the bays of 4 and two in the bays of 2.

Unfortunately, whilst you can buy the walk-up Standard fare and the upgrade online at the same time you cannot reserve a 1st Class seat. Reservations using the seating plan are only possible with dedicated 1st Class tickets.

You can save money on the through fare to Birmingham by splitting your tickets at Cheltenham. I'm not sure there is any particular rule that prevents you buying one upgrade to accompany a split ticket journey on one train. It would be a particularly officious (and possibily incorrect) Train Manager who makes you buy seperate upgrades to go with the split tickets.

[Super Guard]

I would go with the 1000 starting at Bristol, as the 1030 coming up from Penzance will be bursting at the seems, and you won't have very long to attempt to get your first class reservations, as people will upgrade en-route regardless/kick off at the TM^‡(resolve) and stick themselves in 1st, and even if you do get a seat you can bet they'll be others standing in the vestibules etc.

For the sake of half an hour, I bet you'll save yourself a load of grief.  I also wouldn't recommend any train going through WSM either for the same reasons.

Just my opinion though.

[Mookiemoo]

Thanks all

Think I'll go for the 1000 - can get lunch in brum

Normally I have the 10am tutorial slot so rarely do I have an issue as I go up earlier than the shoppers/returnees and getting the train back at 1pm seems to miss the return rush as well

[Btline]

last two times I did the temple meads join I ended up with one of then pseudo airline seats

I prefer the "pseudo airline seats", as they're more private, the tables only slightly smaller and there's no chance of someone taking over the table.

[Mookiemoo]

last two times I did the temple meads join I ended up with one of then pseudo airline seats

I prefer the "pseudo airline seats", as they're more private, the tables only slightly smaller and there's no chance of someone taking over the table.

You mean someone like me?