project SiC's consolidated moderns - 2004 BMW Z4 2.2, 2005 BMW 330i and (borrowed) 2007 Porsche Cayman

[SiC]

Day booked off for a car collection tomorrow. Just need to figure the best way to get from Nailsea & Backwell (near Bristol) to Bebington (near Wirral). Split ticket is about £60 standard or £97 first class which I'm tempted to do. 3 changes and not sure what happens if I can't get the next train - presumably loose out?

No point hiding what it is as I'm sure many who have seen any of my recent posts will know already!

[Cookiesouwest]

Some tickets, as I'm sure you know, let you take any train.

If you are on a fixed ticket I.e  particular trains, they will usually let you catch a later one, if your train was missed because a connecting train was late.

Depends on what mood the guard is in.

When I went to the smoke to pick up Prince Rupert Saab, I missed my connection and the guard let me get the next one (actually it was the second next) without any trouble.

Oh and first class all the way. Seats are much better.

[SiC]

Train tickets booked and car money sent. Must remember that I need to pick the tickets up from the station ticket machine.

I'll need to sort car insurance but can do that on the train.

The only split tickets that are an advanced reserved and must not miss is the train from Bristol Temple Meads. So I might catch the earlier train to BRI and gives me plenty of time to not miss it. The rest are standard off-peak times. So hopefully everything will be golden.

For some reason, the train from Stafford to Liverpool has no first class. Presumably because no scouser going home would ever consider buying first class? And they'd sit in there anyway until the ticket inspector tried to chuck 'em out.

[SiC]

#breakfastofchampions

 

[High Jetter]

Chodspeed!

[SiC]

It's going to be a longer one. 4hr15 or so on the train and similar driving back. 

First chariot of choice

Fast golf bros

Split ticket nonsense 

Next chariot 

Has just arrived. Early!

[SiC]

Train is here and waiting. But locked. 


I'm just a generic riff raff guy and so I've never been first class. Will be an interesting experience. Front of the train so first to impact something in a crash 🙃

(Tbh this voyager first class doesn't look very special peering through the window!)
 

[83C]

XC first class is alright to be fair, take advantage of the free drinks and snacks.

[SiC]

It's a rattly old thing - I think I'm sitting on the engine? The HST is my favourite for NVH comfort. Sadly no longer used on my usual commuting route. 

Why is this air vent different to all the others? Genuinely intrigued!

[Andy F]

Chodspeed! Collection threads during the week are my favourite. I also have a pint of water for breakfast every morning. No ice though, too posh

[purplebargeken]

Train from Lime Street to London on Xmas eve many years ago. Had a reserved seat in cattle class. Boarded the train, some cunt is in my seat. Train rammed. Spoke to conductor person who basically said tough, they may get off at Crew. People sat in the space between carriages. Bollocks to that. 
Sat in 1st class as only one person there. Conductor comes over, all indignant and says you can’t sit in here, people have paid extra.  I slowly looked around and said, don’t you mean person? I also paid for a seat but it isn’t available, so I’m staying here. Tough.  She went away stuttering and sputtering and I journeyed all the way to London in my 1st class seat.

[Twiggy]

Good luck ! I hope it all goes well.

[purplebargeken]

Hmm, s’pose I’d better get the V5 ready lol.

[SiC]

1 minute ago, Andy F said:

Chodspeed! Collection threads during the week are my favourite. I also have a pint of water for breakfast every morning. No ice though, too posh

Our kitchen was designed around that American fridge freezer and making sure it fitted. 🤣

As someone who doesn't drink anything else (unless alcohol) that isn't water or sometimes juice, it gets a lot of use!

[SiC]

1 minute ago, purplebargeken said:

Hmm, s’pose I’d better get the V5 ready lol.

I ought to get my insurance ready too! I'm quite enjoying the comfy seat and pleasant view though. 

It was really sunny down in Bristol but it's gone a bit grim now we're at Gloucester. 

[SiC]

I'm glad I paid the extra. People keep trying to sit up here as the rest of the train is full. 

[Cookiesouwest]

22 minutes ago, SiC said:

I ought to get my insurance ready too! I'm quite enjoying the comfy seat and pleasant view though. 

It was really sunny down in Bristol but it's gone a bit grim now we're at Gloucester. 

Its always grim up north

 

[SiC]

Just now, Cookiesouwest said:

Its always grim up north

 

Ssh you can't say that otherwise we'll get even more people realising the truth that the South (West) is nicer place to live and move down pushing up prices further! After all we get enough people coming down in the summer months. 

[SiC]

Grim station. On the move again thankfully 

[SiC]

Lunch!

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

3 hours ago, SiC said:

#breakfastofchampions

I'm also allergic to BMWs, but I've never had to take antihistamines before I can drive them 😁

[SiC]

9 minutes ago, Sigmund Fraud said:

I'm also allergic to BMWs, but I've never had to take antihistamines before I can drive them 😁

I hope to have the roof down the whole way if I can!

[SiC]

Now at Stafford. Got off at platform 5 and planned ahead to go onto platform 3. Stood at platform 3 ... "Liverpool Lime Street is now on platform 5".

Got to love platform planning. I imagine it's an absolute nightmare if you're not a native English speaker. 

No more first class so got to slum it from now on. 

 

Checkout this old BT payphone. Haven't seen this branding for years!

 

If any pictures are stereotypical British transport infrastructure!

[SiC]

Shite train has arrived. An hour of this packed nonsense.

Thankfully I used the toilets before hand as none at all are working on this train. 🤨

 

[SiC]

Next stop is an extended stop for those that need the shitter. Never known a train to be late due to passengers needing toilet stops. 🤣

 

[SiC]

Some old trains

 

[83C]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

It's a rattly old thing - I think I'm sitting on the engine? The HST is my favourite for NVH comfort. Sadly no longer used on my usual commuting route. 

Why is this air vent different to all the others? Genuinely intrigued!

Each carriage is powered, Cummins QSK-19 with 750bhp per coach. They go ok but they’re not the most refined of things to be a passenger on.

Vents - no idea.

[SiC]

Liverpool! I like Liverpool. Train late enough that I missed the next one. So might have a bit of a wander. 

 

[SiC]

Had a quick gander for a breather.

[SiC]

On Mersey Rail again now. 

This station is like it's been nicked from a Disney film set.