Saturday 26 May 2007
Half Price Travel in Devan and Cornwall
This weekend (26 + 27th May) as part of Community Rail Week, branch lines in Devon and Cornwall are offering half price fares. Further information is available at www.firstgreatwestern.com. Tickets can be purchased from booking offices or on board trains.
Saturday 19 May 2007
Southend Air Show
The Southend Air Show is one of the largest free air shows in Europe. The famous Red Arrows will be there together with displays of aircraft, helicopters, flight simulators and wing walkers! The event takes place over the weekend of Sunday 27th and Monday 28th May 2007. There will be limited parking nearby so the best way to get there is by train. The C2C rail operator is arranging extra trains to Southend Central over the two days to get people there with ease. Also available will be Weekend Cheap Day Return tickets (also being made available for Monday) and Groupsave, so that 3 or 4 people can travel together for one low fare. The groupsave must be purchased by at least 1800 the day before.
Enjoy the show!
Enjoy the show!
Saturday 12 May 2007
New Timetable
A new timetable will start for all rail routes in the UK on the 20th of May. The timetable will run until the 8th of December and includes extra services and changes for the summer months. You can access them from the main part of the Britain by Rail website. If you were planning any trips over the summer months, make sure it's the new timetable you are using for your planning!
You can expect some minor changes on most routes, however the main highlights are listed here:
Arriva Trains Wales opens a new route this Autumn! The new line will link Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale Parkway. New stations along this route will be: Rogerstone, Risca & Pontymister, Cross Keys, Newbridge, Llanhilleth and Ebbe Vale Parkway. There is no opening date set yet, but when the trains do start running they will be hourly. No doubt people living in the area and visiting will be glad of this new rail line!
Also to open is a new railway station serving Llahharan, on the Cardiff to Maesteg line. I've no idea how these towns are promounced if you are trying to book a ticket by phone!
C2C Railway have a new service between London Liverpool Street, Stratford and Barking. They will also introduce more through services on some routes so you will have fewer changes of train.
First Great Western will end the separate section of the Night Riviera Sleeper for Plymouth. This means passengers will need to join or leave the train as normal upon it's arrival in Plymouth. Perviously a separate section was added at Plymouth so that you could get to bed earlier in the evening and wake later in the morning. While it clearly makes it easier for the railway not to carry on this practice, it does mean that passengers will have a later departure or earlier start depending on which way they are traveling.
There is better news at First Scotrail where a new route is due to open between Stirling and Alloa. No date has been set yet but this will open up more journey options in the Stirling area.
Great North Easter Railway have introduced more services between Leeds and London.
Also on the East Coast a new railway company is due to start up in the Autumn. The Grand Central Railway will start a new direct service between Sunderland, Hartlepool & Teeside to York and London. Aside from this being a timetable change, the proposals show this to be another rail operator that will be seeking high customer service and some comfortable trains. More on this in the Britain by Rail site to follow.
Finally on One Railway, there are extra trains to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) sites at Lakenheath and Buckenham on Sundays to cope with increased visitor numbers at weekends. A result of the promotion of that link at Britain by Rail? Probably not, but it's great to hear of the development. Enjoy your day out if you plan to visit either of those sites.
Also watch out if you plan to travel to several stations on the One network this Autumn as they are getting new names! Woodham Ferrers becomes South Woodham Ferrers Station, Walton-on-Naze becomes, Walton-on-the-Naze, Clacton becomes Clacton-on-Sea (a future candidate for the 'on-the-sea' treatment?), Frinton becomes Frinton-on-Sea and Whittlesford becomes Whittlesford Parkway.
All other train operators have only minor changes (but hey 5 minutes here or there can leave you standing on the platform - so do check) or no changes at all. Many also have some extra summer services.
You can expect some minor changes on most routes, however the main highlights are listed here:
Arriva Trains Wales opens a new route this Autumn! The new line will link Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale Parkway. New stations along this route will be: Rogerstone, Risca & Pontymister, Cross Keys, Newbridge, Llanhilleth and Ebbe Vale Parkway. There is no opening date set yet, but when the trains do start running they will be hourly. No doubt people living in the area and visiting will be glad of this new rail line!
Also to open is a new railway station serving Llahharan, on the Cardiff to Maesteg line. I've no idea how these towns are promounced if you are trying to book a ticket by phone!
C2C Railway have a new service between London Liverpool Street, Stratford and Barking. They will also introduce more through services on some routes so you will have fewer changes of train.
First Great Western will end the separate section of the Night Riviera Sleeper for Plymouth. This means passengers will need to join or leave the train as normal upon it's arrival in Plymouth. Perviously a separate section was added at Plymouth so that you could get to bed earlier in the evening and wake later in the morning. While it clearly makes it easier for the railway not to carry on this practice, it does mean that passengers will have a later departure or earlier start depending on which way they are traveling.
There is better news at First Scotrail where a new route is due to open between Stirling and Alloa. No date has been set yet but this will open up more journey options in the Stirling area.
Great North Easter Railway have introduced more services between Leeds and London.
Also on the East Coast a new railway company is due to start up in the Autumn. The Grand Central Railway will start a new direct service between Sunderland, Hartlepool & Teeside to York and London. Aside from this being a timetable change, the proposals show this to be another rail operator that will be seeking high customer service and some comfortable trains. More on this in the Britain by Rail site to follow.
Finally on One Railway, there are extra trains to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) sites at Lakenheath and Buckenham on Sundays to cope with increased visitor numbers at weekends. A result of the promotion of that link at Britain by Rail? Probably not, but it's great to hear of the development. Enjoy your day out if you plan to visit either of those sites.
Also watch out if you plan to travel to several stations on the One network this Autumn as they are getting new names! Woodham Ferrers becomes South Woodham Ferrers Station, Walton-on-Naze becomes, Walton-on-the-Naze, Clacton becomes Clacton-on-Sea (a future candidate for the 'on-the-sea' treatment?), Frinton becomes Frinton-on-Sea and Whittlesford becomes Whittlesford Parkway.
All other train operators have only minor changes (but hey 5 minutes here or there can leave you standing on the platform - so do check) or no changes at all. Many also have some extra summer services.
Thursday 1 March 2007
Virgin Trains Motorbikes
I came across something totally new to me today - a motorbike that will take you to your destination from the railway station! Virgin Trains now have their own bikes on a service they are calling 'limobikes' from London's Euston station to any location in central London. It's being offered as a way to beat the traffic and they even provide the passenger with safety clothing for the journey. From the website it seems they are offering this service for ten pounds. Ok, I'll probably stick with my feet and the underground but for anyone who normally takes a taxi that will be a saving! Not only that but it seems like a lot of fun too!
You can find out about it at www.virgintrains.co.uk
Monday 12 February 2007
Bikes by Tram
The Isle of Man Electric Railway is investigating the use of wagons to transport bikes behind passenger trams which link towns on the East Coast of the Isle of Man. The plan is to make the going easy for cyclists who wish to use the rail service. The new service could start as early as May this year.
The Manx Electric Railway runs between Douglas (the island's capital), Laxey and Ramsey in the north of the island. There is also a steam railway to the towns in the south of the Island.
Saturday 10 February 2007
Book French Sleepers by Monday 19th February 2007 for Savings
www.raileurope.co.uk are offering huge discounts on French sleeper trains for tickets purchased by 19th Feb 07 for travel between 4th Feb and 30th March 2007. More details and bookings from Raileurope
Save money on the Snow Train
Eurostar's snow train to the French Alps is now on sale. Savings of up to 30 pounds per person are on offer for the 2007 season. The Ski train runs direct from London and Ashford in Kent to ski resorts in the French Alps. Tickets can be purchased online from www.raileurope.co.uk and are available to UK, EU and US residents. Trains depart late on Friday afternoon and travel overnight so you arrive early Saturday morning to start your holiday.
Monday 5 February 2007
Cheaper Travel for Young People in Scotland
If you are aged 16 - 18 or up to 25 and a full time volunteer, the Scottish Executive has launched a concessionary travel scheme for young people covering buses, trains and ferries.
The card gives 1/3 off the adult single fare on most buses across Scotland, a free Scottish Youth Rail card giving you 1/3 off rail travel and 2 free return ferry journeys to the mainland each year if you're resident on a Scottish Island.
The card is free and can be obtained from www.givememycard.org
The card gives 1/3 off the adult single fare on most buses across Scotland, a free Scottish Youth Rail card giving you 1/3 off rail travel and 2 free return ferry journeys to the mainland each year if you're resident on a Scottish Island.
The card is free and can be obtained from www.givememycard.org
Welcome
This new blog has been added to the Britain by Rail site to give up to date travel information and news on offers. I hope you find this useful.
Kevin
Kevin
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