Changing at Plymouth

[whole diary]

[spring91]

Hi

This is my first post, I hope it's in the right place!

We have decided to leave the car at home and travel by train to St. Ives for our holiday this year (my idea, the wife and kids were not so keen!) .

Travelling down tomorrow, Friday 14th from Birmingham New Street arriving at Plymouth at 13:48 change to Penzance train that leaves at 13:54.

I'm getting concerned that 6 minutes is cutting it fine to find out which platform we need and lug suitcases etc. especially if it involves stairs.

Does anyone know if I can find out the platform numbers in advance to make it a little easier?

Should I get the oldest to run ahead and hold the door if we are struggling?

Any other advice (e.g. what we do if the first train is delayed or we miss the connection) would be very welcome.

thanks

Simon

[Timmer]

Welcome to the forum spring91. I hope you and your family have a good journey down to Cornwall tomorrow. I'm sure some of our regular posters from the Devon/Cornwall area will be able to answer your question regarding connections at Plymouth.

[marky7890]

Hi,
I have been trying to work out train diagrams for local units in cornwall. using platform numbers at Plymouth, from the National Rail website, the 13:54 Plymouth - Penzance train should be on platform 5 at Plymouth. Plymouth has lifts and stairs down to subway which connects the platforms together.

Hope you enjoy your holiday, the St Ives branch is lovely.

Mark

[devon_metro]

Is indeed booked to use platform 5, but do bear in mind that the connection to this train was missed today. Next train to Penzance being 15:11!

However, this should mean you will get refunded if the same happens (which i'm sure it won't)!

[devon_metro]

Oh, worth pointing out that the 1348 arrival into Plymouth is due in platform 6, so I think that is a cross platform interchange.

[bemmy]

The XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains have at least 6 minutes recovery time between Totnes and Plymouth (not to mention plenty of padding further up the line), so it's more like a 12 minute connection if your first train's on time. There are tv monitors on every platform so it shouldn't take long to check which platform it is, and as Devon Metro says you're likely to find it just across the platform. Despite what happened today, I think that most days the connection would be made.

I went on the St Ives line just last week for the first time in decades, I'd forgotten quite how beautiful the views are.

[chrisoates]

Plymouth is very easy to negotiate as it has a single subway and the stairs all rise in the same direction, you will likely only have to cross a platform or at worst one subway junction.
Weather here glorious today, Seals are in the harbour every day & it's Lifeboat day next thursday.
Remember when boarding the branch at St Erth to sit on the side you enter for the best views.
 

[spring91]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I feel less anxious now!

If we miss the connection we might have a problem because I split the tickets Birmingham / Cheltenham / Plymouth / St Ives which made it cheaper but the time is on the ticket. Oh well, fingers crossed! I'll let you know how we get on.   

[devon_metro]

Hmm. Well it shouldn't be late, normally early. Do you have reservations? The 1348 arrival is a 5 car Voyager so will probably be busy.

[spring91]

We have reservations from Birmingham to Plymouth but were not able to reserve seats from Plymouth to St Erth. I'm hoping we won't be standing!

[jester]

Hmmm, its Friday, its only a two car unit train and ALL the trains into and out of Cornwall at the moment are EXTREMELY busy, be prepared!!

[spring91]

Thanks jester I'll not mention it to the wife beforehand! I hate driving and hope this is the first of many similar journeys by train. I want it to run smoothly so the family feel the same way. Got to get some zzzz now because only half packed!

[devon_metro]

1348 arrival arrived 5 minutes early. I trust the connection was made with limited fuss!

[Tim]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I feel less anxious now!

If we miss the connection we might have a problem because I split the tickets Birmingham / Cheltenham / Plymouth / St Ives which made it cheaper but the time is on the ticket. Oh well, fingers crossed! I'll let you know how we get on.   

I think you ought to be OK with AP split tickets (if you miss the connection and have to catch a later train) so long as the connection is an advertised connection.  IS that correct?

[JayMac]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I feel less anxious now!

If we miss the connection we might have a problem because I split the tickets Birmingham / Cheltenham / Plymouth / St Ives which made it cheaper but the time is on the ticket. Oh well, fingers crossed! I'll let you know how we get on.   

I think you ought to be OK with AP split tickets (if you miss the connection and have to catch a later train) so long as the connection is an advertised connection.  IS that correct?

Nope. An Advance ticket from Birmingham to St Ives (no splits) would cover you for late running and allow travel on a subsequent service. But only if the delay was the railways fault. However multiple Advance tickets covering a journey from Birmingham to St Ives do not cover you for network delays EVEN if the connection(s) are advertised ones.