Easy Access North-west Meet (Warrington), Sat 17th Oct. 2009

[Lizzie_Claymore]

Bill! Excellent news to hear that you're still hoping to make it - we'll keep a welcome in the ....er... well, no hillsides round there as such but you know what I mean anyway!

I can't believe your 'flu will still be lingering by 17th October so, hopefully, you'll be running on all cylinders by then.

[BillShipton]

I bloody hope the flu will be better by then. It is pissing me off.

[cumbrian]

Should be able to make this one, hope to meet a few interesting types!!!!

[muckypup]

It would be good to see some new faces there, and it'd be brilliant if you could make it Bill!

Any other lurkers who might be interested?

[Richard]

Claymore, that train times website is totally MAD. I looked at it just for fun; from Southampton it sent me first to Reading,(change) then to Paddington,(change) tube to Euston with much legwork,(change) then to Bank Quay.
By staying on the first train to Manchester Piccadilly, you could then get on a train direct to Warrington Central, avoiding London altogether as well as all those changes!!!
OK, so I'm a railway nutter and can find my own way around but I pity anyone who blindly follows their loony directions!

[andy250]

Anybody coming from London or south of, I would agree straight in to Piccadilly Mcr, then change to platform 13 and go direct to Warrington on a passing train. IE it does not orignate from Mcr Piccadilly. Or just come and visit us and get flanned!!

regards

Andy
(still Bulldoze Warrington.)

[BillShipton]

Yes, the website is odd. Even if you type in exactly the right destination (as in my Bristol trip) it fails to offer quicker alternatives. To find the direct train from Brighton to Bristol I had to add 'via Warminster' otherwise it would have had me go through London. It was only cos I knew that train existed (but didn't know when it went) that I persisted. There might be a Brighton-Warrington train. I must look!

[andy250]

There might be a Brighton-Warrington train. I must look!

Hmm???? maybe not!!!!

If they'll supply a train direct, I hope its not a pacer!!! those seats!!!!!!!

regards

Andy

[muckypup]

That site does seem a little odd! If you are anywhere near Euston or that line it's probably easiest to get on the train to Glasgow (don't fall asleep!) and get off at Warrington Bank Quay. Direct in only 1hr 44!

Warrington has excellent transport links

[andy250]

Pup who put all those roundabouts in????? there mad.

regards

Andy

[Lizzie_Claymore]

How odd. The TrainTimes site should be providing exactly the same info that you would get if you went to the National Rail enquiries website as that's the data it uses. (It just does away with all the distractions and 'cuts to the chase', so to speak. However, I've always found that computer-based timetabling is a bit 'iffy' at the best of times. That's why I also posted a link to the Network Rail pdf of the good old-fashioned paper-based 'bible reference' timetable. Table 65 is for the West Coast Main Line. (The paper version is always better as it shows you exactly what's running. The computer-based ones only show what you can officially make within the specified connection times at stations. i.e. if a station has an 'official' connection time of, say, 10 mins and you are scheduled to get in 9 mins ahead of a train you could catch, it won't actually show you that one!) I think the timetables on computer-based versions default to 'via London' as that's the way that most people would probably do it for speed. (Usually more expensive, however, which is probably also why they do it!)

Roundabouts are a classic for the former 'new towns', Andy - you should try Telford (or Swindon)! What about Runcorn? - Millions of them! Mind you, if you were coming off the M62 (which, admittedly, you probably wouldn't, being so local) there are only about 3 or 4 max on that run so it's not too bad.

Bill, I suspect in this case it will almost certainly be faster to go via London, even if there is a Brighton to Warrington service as you'd get fast Pendolino service from Euston to Warrington Bank Quay. I think I sent you some suggestions for timings in our PM exchange a while back. (May have been someone else but fairly sure.) I think it worked out at a bit over 4 hours but that included a very leisurely stroll across London for an hour. (I think you could have cut it down to about 3½ if you were confident of getting across London in less time.)

[Rhoobarb]

Hello

I and my partner will be there. We're coming down from Scotland to go to a party in Manchester in the evening, so we've planned a trip into Warrington in the afternoon making sure we'll have enough time to come to the meet.


I'm looking forward to it and hope to meet some nice people.

[muckypup]

That's excellent, it'll be great to see some new people there!

[dan]

Wish I could be there, but I have prior commtiments, hope theres one more my way!!!

[muckypup]

Wish I could be there, but I have prior commtiments, hope theres one more my way!!!

Where's your way?