h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The National Rail site is still a bit vague as to what's happening on the trains on the Saturday of the meet, but here's as best as I could find:

The RMT seem to have ruled out strike action *on the National network* (ie. not the Underground but everything else) before Sunday 11th July. So there will be trains.

However, as cannot have escaped your notice, there is a major programme of engineering work going on this summer and travel is patchy, especially at weekends. So, here goes:

All VIRGIN TRAINS services:
The cheap Virgin Value fares and other advance bookings are apparently unavailable at weekends, until the train operator knows what trains will be affected by works which will not.

Saturday and Sunday:

Trains into EUSTON:
The West Coast Main Line will be *closed* between Rugby and Milton Keynes Central. I don't know what will happen to Silverlink County services, but some Virgin Trains services are being re-routed via Northampton. The Journey Planner does not show any West Coast services for the whole day. Alternative services are available on Chiltern Railways (B'ham Moor St. -> Warwick/Leamington Spa -> Banbury -> Bicester -> London Marylebone) but are likely (as with works at half term) to be overcrowded and delayed. Another alternative that worked for me was to take Virgin XCountry to Reading and change for London Paddington - takes a little over 2 hours. Fares for this or Chiltern are around £30 including travel within London.

Trains into BLACKFRIARS or LONDON BRIDGE:
Line closure affects journeys from Luton, which will start and terminate at Moorgate.

There are also several things happening on the Sunday if you're staying overnight - check http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ or 08457 48 49 50 for details.
Whoami?

10th July Virgin services from oop norf to darn sarf (l'pool/manchester to Euston) appear to all be on the virgin site as per normal (via watford) but no reservations yet available (although it says to keep checking).

The National Rail Enquiries site is not offering West Coast services to London that day, from Birmingham or Coventry (both normally served) - it's bus to Rugby. On the return leg, it indicates a bus as far as Northampton, although this doesn't tally with the information about Engineering Works on the same site.

Aha! This explains all: according to the Virgin Trains site:

Sat & Sun:

Diversions via Nuneaton mean no service B'ham International or Coventry.
Buses replace trains London Euston > Northampton from 2130 Saturday to 1430 Sunday.
All Virgin West Coast journey times will be extended by 20 mins due to Northampton diversion

So in summary, you'll be OK (if a little late) on the way to London, but getting back may turn out to be more trouble than it's worth.

Whoami?

but only if you live in B'ham or cov

As i live north of Brum (albeit only just) the trains are fine. OK 20 mins longer, but whats that on a 2 hr jourmney anyway. they normally manage to be 15-20mins late even when theres now works!

Yeah - but when are you heading back? The bus Euston > Northampton might take a while...

Saturday, only going to the afternoon do and Virgin claims there are trains direct from Euston to my home town taking about 2.5 hrs instead of the usual 1.75 ~ 2Hrs

Yeah - if you're not going to the pub, you'll be fine...

The good news is they seem to have finally sorted the Signalling box at Birmingham international that someone blew up. Taken them nearly a week mind!

Whats the state of the Underground, weren't they going to be on strike that weekend?

Don't think so - wouldn't weekday strikes have rather more impact?

well i am comeing to london from nuneaton will there be any problems for me getting over to london? best wishes melanie.

Best check with National Rail Enquiries at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ or +44 (0)8547 48 49 50. As far as I can tell, no problems getting down but maybe getting back...

Whoami?

Thanks i got my tickets now so i will be going. hope to see you there best wishes melanie.

Anyone checked out trains recently? I don't know where everyone is coming from, so I can't easily do it

I think my route is OK for Saturday, but my bloke (who drives a freight train) tells me that the tunnel at Ipswich will be closed from Sunday and therefore there will be some bus services involved on the east coast line between London Liverpool Street and Norwich. So, as far as I know (but I intend to check nearer the time) anyone travelling to/from Liverpool Street on Saturday will be OK, but if you are not travelling home until Sunday, be prepared to bus!

Liz
~

I Don’t know if these routes affect anyone, but I was checking myself for planned and known of delays for Saturday and Sunday (when I’m off to Bristol), and I grabbed anything out that might conceivably affect peoples travel for Saturday, certainly anything that mentioned a London station


Bad weather warning this week

Time reported
15:55

Description
We understand from the Met Office that storms are expected over the next 48 hours, with strong winds of 50mph. Additionally localised flooding is likely,
with up to 70mm (3 inches) of rain falling in some places. All areas of the UK are expected to be affected, apart from Scotland. Network Rail have extreme
weather teams standing by to deal with rail emergencies

**
Ipswich rail tunnel will be closed for rebuilding continuously from 11 July until 05 September 2004

Start date
Sunday 11 July 2004

End date
Sunday 5 September 2004

TOC(s) affected
one

Description
Ipswich rail tunnel will be closed for rebuilding. No direct train services between Ipswich and London. Some direct services between London and Norwich
will be provided via an alternative route during weekday peak periods
(I have it on reliable authority, that expected time increase through road replacements, from Norwich-London/Ipswitch-London, and similar, adds approx half an hour to journey time)


**
Line closed between Balham and Beckenham Junction from 01.00 Saturday 3,10 July until 04.00 Monday 5,11 July

Start date
Saturday 3 July 2004

TOC(s) affected
Southern

Route affected
London Victoria - West Croydon: London Victoria - Crystal Palace - London Bridge and London Bridge - Crystal Palace - Beckenham Junction

**
Lines closed at Stockport

Start date
Saturday 3 July 2004

End date
Sunday 5 September 2004

TOC(s) affected
Central Trains, First North Western, Virgin Trains, Arriva Trains Wales, Transpennine Express

Route affected
London Euston, Birmingham, Crewe, Buxton and Sheffield - Stockport – Manchester

**
Line closed between Birmingham, Tamworth, Burton-on-Trent and Derby 10,11 July

Start date
Saturday 10 July 2004

End date
Sunday 11 July 2004

TOC(s) affected
Central Trains, Virgin Trains

Route affected
Bristol - Birmingham New Street - Derby / Nottingham - Sheffield - Leeds -York – Newcastle

**
Line closed between London Blackfriars and Tulse Hill Saturday 10 July and Sunday 11 July due to engineering work

Start date
Saturday 10 July 2004

TOC(s) affected
South Eastern Trains, Southern, Thameslink

Route affected
Luton - London Blackfriars - London Bridge - Tulse Hill - Sutton – Wimbledon

Trains on the Euston - Rugby route (going past Milton Keynes, Northampton etc.) are stopping early Saturday evening.

The last train to leave Euston is at 2005 (8pm). After that is a replacement bus service


(still deciding whether to leave early and get the train, or brave the buses again, after last year ended up being stranded for hours at Watford Station until about 2am, along with the entire northern contingent of Bon Jovi fans!)

or come back to Cambridge spend the night here, and get kicked out early, as I get ready to head off to Bristol Actually, trains from here to that way wouldn't be much cop I bet