Nottingham to St Pancras and beyond Part 1

[firbeck 860]

Last Saturday my brother drove down to Braintree for a couple of days visit, my initial plan was to travel to Nottingham by train on Thursday or Friday, but I had to cancel that as I had to work on Saturday, so I went up with him on Monday so I could visit my mother, I then planned to come back by train on Tuesday.

This was my first experience of Internet ticket booking and the totally confusing and illogical train fare pricing system. I first started to try to get a single from Braintree to Nottingham/Derby, then from Cambridge, then Stansted, even Chelmsford, the price variations were astonishing and totally irrational. What happened to the old Day/Weekend/Period returns or standard singles, purchased from a proper ticket office.

When I swapped to come the other way, things were easier, I managed to get a reasonably priced single from Nottingham to Braintree via London for £28:50, travelling by HST leaving at 14:32, across London by tube to Liverpool St, arriving back at Braintree 18:28, I was surprised that the London leg of this cheapo journey was during the rush hour peak period when they really rip you off, but there you go that's the system for you.

After seeing my mother, then battling our way through the nightmare tram works all the way from Chilwell to Midland Station, I got my first look at the renovated Nottingham Station, very nice I thought, pity they hide the toilets away though. The HST came into Platform 5, there were just three of us waiting for it, then on boarding, nearly all the seats had reservation tickets and of course, mine was in the corridor, facing backwards with the window obscured by the carriage structure. I moved, only to find a seat to be given up to disabled people, so I went in the next carriage and found a twosome next to a window with very little leg room.

I worked out then that the last time I'd travelled to St Pancras was in 1974 on a Trent Poly trip to the Building Exhibition, hauled by a Peak with BR Mk1 carriages when much of the old steam era infrastructure was still in place along the network.

We set off 3 minutes late, despite the train announcement that we were on time and the fact that the train had been standing in the station for 35 minutes, I suspect it may have been something to do with the longest tanker train I'd ever seen that had just seemed to spend forever passing through the station, I saw it sitting on the Radford curve, probably stretching all the way to Trowell.

Despite all the forest of seat reservation tickets, the train seemed to be almost empty, those that were on board were sitting fiddling with or talking into their I-Phones, it is clearly now the sole occupation of the great British public to do this, I was the only person actually looking out of the window absorbed by the view, watching the real world go by.

To be concluded, it's 15:45, I'm working at the bike hire centre today and have a lot of sorting out to do before I close up in 15 minutes.

[MelissaJKelly 2,124]

I've down the Nottm to St Pancras and back again a fare few times in the past 2 years and always enjoy the journey. However the 2 seater leg space is horrendous I agree! I'm also like you. I love to look out of the window with my headphones in watching the world pass by. Pure bliss I think. Yet to go inside the new renovated Notts station but should be shortly

[barclaycon 569]

What you've witnessed Firbeck is the current state of travel by train.

Restrictive, horrendously expensive and uncomfortable.

East Midland Trains use these tiny, cramped Meridian trains that are a nightmare if you have any baggage - not to mention the legroom and lack of space to even read a magazine. Last time I went up to Notts there was a woman on the train with 2 kids and a baby buggy. It was a nightmare. The poor woman couldn't stowe her bags and the buggy properly, and what she could put away meant very little room for anyone elses bags.

I used to love train travel but it's just too expensive now.

Like you say, the internet ticketing thing is just a pain. Even if you get a reasonably priced seat, you are restricted to a specific train and you'd better not sit anywhere else other than where you've been told! And.......if through no fault of your own you miss that nominated train, they have a zero tolerance policy and charge you the most expensive fare possibel.

Privatisation ruined train travel.

[hippo girl 1,995]

I use east mids Nottingham to London, every two weeks and it is a nightmare at times......no good complaining , they don't care.

I have travelled on the last train with nobody on ( quite scary ) , travelled first class with no seats !!!!!! and on trains where all the loos out of order !!!!!

It's worse than Ryanair at double the price.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

Well how the hell do you expect to make a profit ?

I use the trains quite a bit but usually for short distances

Loughborough - Nottingham - Lincoln

Loughborough - Leicester

And have found no grounds for complaint

I do go to see my mother about twice a year who lives in Tywyn and the service there is usually quite good.(a train every two hours & three hours to get there from Birmingham )

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Pete, I worked at Derby CS when the Meridians were introduced. We all said they were badly designed for passengers. I have used them to London a couple of times but like you say, a lot of the seats don't give you a good view out of the window. Last time I went, the electronic reservation system wasn't working in several of the coaches so people who hadn't booked had no idea where to sit.

If you travel anywhere by rail, send me an Email. My eldest son works in the travel centre at Derby and he can let us know of what is the best time to travel.

[mick2me 3,033]

I used to use the train regularly to travel to Nottingham, until Midland Station Refurb and they laid on a bus service instead of trains.

Then I discovered normal bus service got me into Nottingham about the same time and with overall journey time the same, AND FREE, with my bus pass.

Will I again be buying a 30 quid rail pass and paying £5 return - NO!¬

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

HA Ha! I'm a retired railwayman. You know what that means don't you.

[DJBrenton 738]

HA Ha! I'm a retired railwayman. You know what that means don't you.

It's all your fault?

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

I do travel by bus(I have a pass)but not too keen on trips of over 20 - 25 miles.

So for journeys over that distance I use the train if I can.

I'm off to Chesterfield to-day cost £13.85(with rail card) journey time 45 minuets.

I do have one or two minor problems with Meridians like some seats have a restricted view the non table seats are a bit cramped but they are fast, reliable & kept clean.

But I would rather have an old HST any day.

[Bilboro-lad 294]

If you are travelling to Chesterfield you must be in the UK - why does your clock show local time that is an hour behind the rest of us?

[notty ash 372]

Its not all bad news - I booked a return trip from Chesterfield to St Pancras for the grand total of £9 a couple of weeks ago thro the EMT web site. I wonder how long ago you could book the same journey for the same price in the so called good old days?

[hippo girl 1,995]

How did you do that Notty Ash ? I book my tickets way in advance and have never found one that cheap !!!!!

[notty ash 372]

Well, I booked the tickets on the EMT website for mid-July. I chose 2 trains with single tickets at £9, plus postage at £1. Then there was a £10 discount, so the net amount was £9.

I think the discount is over now.

[DavidA 153]

Often when booking advance tickets Nottingham to London the first class tickets are just a few quid more. It's well worth it... loads of leg room, few passengers, and free refreshments. Just last week I trabelled first class and was the only person in the carriage.

[ChrisB 150]

HA Ha! I'm a retired railwayman. You know what that means don't you.

Yes I know!

Sixteen boxes and the rest at quarter fare!

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Plus Europe and discount on the London Underground.

[StephenFord 866]

Quick tip - if you book tickets on the Internet, do it through Arriva Trains Wales site - they don't charge the £1 postage.

[StephenFord 866]

By the way - me too, but I have 20 boxes - and first class (plus all stations Western Region). Nah-nah-ne-nah-nah!

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I've always been a second class dude.

[hippo girl 1,995]

East mids trains the b......s, have to catch an earlier train on Sunday and they want £10 to change the ticket..what's that all about ??????

[benjamin1945 16,229]

Robbery?

[denshaw 2,878]

East mids trains the b......s, have to catch an earlier train on Sunday and they want £10 to change the ticket..what's that all about ??????

I'll be on the 0825 from Beeston.

[hippo girl 1,995]

Hi den, will be on the 1257........was on the last train at night as it was cheapest, now cost me a lot more !!!!! Are you staying in London or going for the day

[mercurydancer 1,104]

I last travelled from Midland station to St Pancras a couple of months ago. They hadn't got the station into anywhere near something useful and easy. How long do they need to get this station right? It was awful. The entrance was still on Station street, and no lifts so me carrying a 20kg case and hand luggage, gets very uncomfortable. Toilets - Apart from the drunk in the corner, and the vomit on the floor, not too bad. I did note that the toilets had been inspected, but I suspect that they just signed the page and did nothing about the state of the toilets at all.

EMT costs are just plain weird. The costs can vary hugely from hour to hour, let alone day to day.