Where is 0650

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

Fort William? Hah....I'm trying to get to/from Portree on the Isle of Skye on January 1, while aiming to celebrateNew Year's Eve at home!

Early flight from Heathrow to Glasgow, picking up one of very few trains to Kyle of Localsh & persuading a taxi to take me 34 miles over the bridge to Skye. Seems Scotland's public transport is still stuck in the 20th Century over that holiday!

There appears to be no ScotRail trains on 1st January? I guess you'll need to hire a car (assuming you drive of course) from Glasgow airport, unless you've typo'd on the date above!

Indeed, no trains in Scotland on New Years Day. That may seem very last century, but it's a long standing close down in Scotland. England and Wales are also very last century with their near total network close down on Boxing Day.

[grahame]

I'm seeing a CityLink Coach from Glasgow to Portree on 2nd January at 10 a.m. - the only one that day - as the first service of the New Year to Portree ... no way on 1st, without a car or taxi (you could charter a limo if you wanted to turn heads, I suppose  )

On original topic ... In spite of the offering via "0650" and Whitham/Witham from the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) site, I'm fairly convinced there's a bus / coach at 19:32 direct from Liverpool Street, and in view of the heavy luggage I'll have, I'll look to minimise changes.  An hour and 50 minutes wait at Westbury is unpleasant and I may call in a favour and get a lift there from home, or use a taxi.

[TaplowGreen]

Fort William? Hah....I'm trying to get to/from Portree on the Isle of Skye on January 1, while aiming to celebrateNew Year's Eve at home!

Early flight from Heathrow to Glasgow, picking up one of very few trains to Kyle of Localsh & persuading a taxi to take me 34 miles over the bridge to Skye. Seems Scotland's public transport is still stuck in the 20th Century over that holiday!

There appears to be no ScotRail trains on 1st January? I guess you'll need to hire a car (assuming you drive of course) from Glasgow airport, unless you've typo'd on the date above!

Indeed, no trains in Scotland on New Years Day. That may seem very last century, but it's a long standing close down in Scotland. England and Wales are also very last century with their near total network close down on Boxing Day.

Indeed, and it's high time the situation changed on Boxing Day.

[stuving]

On original topic ... In spite of the offering via "0650" and Whitham/Witham from the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) site, I'm fairly convinced there's a bus / coach at 19:32 direct from Liverpool Street, and in view of the heavy luggage I'll have, I'll look to minimise changes.  An hour and 50 minutes wait at Westbury is unpleasant and I may call in a favour and get a lift there from home, or use a taxi.

That direct bus is is RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website), and in GA^▸ (Greater Anglia)'s timetable here. So why are you only "fairly convinced" in its existence? Whether you believe the timing for its arrival is another question.

[grahame]

That direct bus is is RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website), and in GA^▸ (Greater Anglia)'s timetable here. So why are you only "fairly convinced" in its existence? Whether you believe the timing for its arrival is another question.

Because two separate official channels for my enquiry told me "no trains ... and sent me via Newbury Park and Witham (or 0650 and Whitham if you prefer), and one of the sources that DID^▸ (Didcot Parkway) give me the bus / coach was also clearly faulty in that it gave me an 18:59 arrival into Waterloo to connect with the bus/coach at 19:32, which I also think is flawed.

I'm sure enough to be convinced that the 19:32 exists, with a fallback to being able to make merry hell if it didn't.  . In contrast, I'm rock sure that the 23:00 boat from Harwich to Hook of Holland does exist and won't be replaced by a bus service between the two places.

[ChrisB]

Where RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) is someone's 'plaything' snd not official at all

[JayMac]

All data on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) comes from the Rail Delivery Group's (formerly ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here)'s) Rail Settlement Plan feeds. For which a licence is required. It is updated on a weekly basis and is just as accurate as the feeds provided directly to Train Operating Companies. 

The direct bus this evening to Harwich International from London Liverpool St is listed on all booking engines I've viewed as well as National Rail Enquiries. It's a direct replacement for the usual Sunday timetabled 1932 direct boat train.

[ChrisB]

So ot doesn't go onto Harwich then, but just to the port.

Do you know how far short of Harwich that is? Not a cheap taxi

[grahame]

So ot doesn't go onto Harwich then, but just to the port.

Do you know how far short of Harwich that is? Not a cheap taxi

There is a local train running (if anyone needs it) ... half an hour after the scheduled bus arrival to Dovercourt and Harwich Town - a couple of miles.

Definitely a BOAT train replacement, this one.  Skips little hamlets like Chelmesford and Colchester along the way!

[grahame]

Turned out to be a 2 coach service 



On time at Liverpool Street, about 20 minutes late by HPQ

[Adelante_CCT]

Turned out to be a 2 coach service 

If only Melksham could have that   

[JayMac]

Looks like high quality coaches too.

[grahame]

Looks like high quality coaches too.

Undoubtedly so ... but still the most enormous reminder that trains are far smoother and quicker.  Almost impossible to type / work ... resorted to sleeping and catching up with what I had to do on the ship!

[eightf48544]

Interesting Scotland not running many trains on Boxing Day.

In the early 60s keen gricers used to go to Scotland for Christmas as they ran trains on both  Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

A4's Glasgow - Aberdeen?

[TaplowGreen]

In the early 60s keen gricers used to go to Scotland for Christmas as they ran trains on both  Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Seriously? I don't think even religious cults demand that sort of commitment!!!