National Rail journey planner
- tractakid
- The Twilight Zone
- Posts: 3320
- Joined: 15 Nov 2011, 20:04
- Location: Milton Keynes
National Rail journey planner
I find it entertaining to try and find ridiculous journeys that journey planner will offer. I find it amusing when a journey that could be so simple is offered as a contorted mess of changes (a TFL example, West Ruislip to Ickenham using tube only). On the other hand, I find it pleasing when a journey you might expect to be horrific actually turns out to be relatively simple. I just planned 'Gainsborough Central to Melksham' and it managed to come up with a journey with 2 changes platform to platform.
Bonus points for using parliamentary trains effectively.
What are some fun examples you can find?
Here's the surprisingly effective GNB to MKM:
Train 16:20 Gainsborough Central [GNB] 2 Sheffield [SHF] 17:23 8A 1h 03m
Northern Rail service from Cleethorpes to Sheffield show calling points
Train 17:54 Sheffield [SHF] 5 Cheltenham Spa [CNM] 19:50 1 1h 56m
CrossCountry service from Glasgow Central to Plymouth show calling points
Train 20:01 Cheltenham Spa [CNM] 1 Melksham [MKM] 21:33 1 1h 32m
And here's how to get from Milton Keynes Central to Coombe Junction Halt:
Train 17:22 Milton Keynes Central [MKC] 1 London Euston [EUS]
18:18 0h 56m
London Midland service from Birmingham New Street to London Euston show calling points
Tube 18:18 London Euston [EUS] London Paddington [PAD]
19:01 0h 43m
Check for live travel updates
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 23:45 London Paddington [PAD] 1 Liskeard [LSK]
06:07 1 6h 22m
First Great Western service from London Paddington to Penzance show calling points
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 08:33 Liskeard [LSK] 3 Coombe Junction Halt [COE]
08:39 0h 06m
First Great Western service from Liskeard to Looe
Bonus points for using parliamentary trains effectively.
What are some fun examples you can find?
Here's the surprisingly effective GNB to MKM:
Train 16:20 Gainsborough Central [GNB] 2 Sheffield [SHF] 17:23 8A 1h 03m
Northern Rail service from Cleethorpes to Sheffield show calling points
Train 17:54 Sheffield [SHF] 5 Cheltenham Spa [CNM] 19:50 1 1h 56m
CrossCountry service from Glasgow Central to Plymouth show calling points
Train 20:01 Cheltenham Spa [CNM] 1 Melksham [MKM] 21:33 1 1h 32m
And here's how to get from Milton Keynes Central to Coombe Junction Halt:
Train 17:22 Milton Keynes Central [MKC] 1 London Euston [EUS]
18:18 0h 56m
London Midland service from Birmingham New Street to London Euston show calling points
Tube 18:18 London Euston [EUS] London Paddington [PAD]
19:01 0h 43m
Check for live travel updates
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 23:45 London Paddington [PAD] 1 Liskeard [LSK]
06:07 1 6h 22m
First Great Western service from London Paddington to Penzance show calling points
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 08:33 Liskeard [LSK] 3 Coombe Junction Halt [COE]
08:39 0h 06m
First Great Western service from Liskeard to Looe
*insert boasting about notable tube accomplishments here*
- RobbieM
- All Zones
- Posts: 2636
- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 21:14
- Location: Guildford
Re: National Rail journey planner
I'm right with you there, TractaKid!
I recently enquired about a journey from Guildford to Spean Bridge. This should normally be undertaken via Waterloo, then King's Cross, then Edinburgh, Glasgow Queen St and finally Spean Bridge. Start 1017am, arrive 2151pm. However, that's not what I got. In fact, I was so surprised by the result that I contacted NRE to query it. Here's an extract from my reply:
I've been meaning to get back to them about this, but haven't done so yet. Maybe you've spurred me on to do so...
I recently enquired about a journey from Guildford to Spean Bridge. This should normally be undertaken via Waterloo, then King's Cross, then Edinburgh, Glasgow Queen St and finally Spean Bridge. Start 1017am, arrive 2151pm. However, that's not what I got. In fact, I was so surprised by the result that I contacted NRE to query it. Here's an extract from my reply:
- "The Online Journey Planner by default displays services with 3 changes or less. If there aren’t any services with 3 changes or less then it displays the services with more than 3 changes. This means that journeys with more than 3 changes will not be returned unless we cannot find 3 change journeys at all.
On the journey from Guildford to Spean Bridge there is a service with 2 changes at 19:38, therefore the journey planner does not search for any more services. The services before 19:38 are with more than 3 changes and therefore are not directly displayed.
However, on the Journey Planner in Advanced Search there is an option to Exclude interchange, Travel via or avoid traveling via a particular station. If you select ‘Travel via’ London Kings Cross and then click on ‘Go’, you will get the earlier services. "
I've been meaning to get back to them about this, but haven't done so yet. Maybe you've spurred me on to do so...
Personal record: 270 Stations in 9 minutes and 3 seconds
- tubeguru
- Site Administrator
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Re: National Rail journey planner
You mean you haven't looked at the ATOC Routeing Guide to try to find a more "interesting" route?
One thing only do I know, and that is that I know nothing - Socrates.
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
- RobbieM
- All Zones
- Posts: 2636
- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 21:14
- Location: Guildford
Re: National Rail journey planner
Not on this occasion; I just wanted to get there in a single day, without be forced to split my ticket!tubeguru wrote:You mean you haven't looked at the ATOC Routeing Guide to try to find a more "interesting" route?
I usually take several days to return from Scotland, via ATOC's permitted 'interesting' routes...
Personal record: 270 Stations in 9 minutes and 3 seconds
- tubeguru
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Re: National Rail journey planner
So you've worked out how to actually USE the Routeing Guide?
One thing only do I know, and that is that I know nothing - Socrates.
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
- tractakid
- The Twilight Zone
- Posts: 3320
- Joined: 15 Nov 2011, 20:04
- Location: Milton Keynes
Re: National Rail journey planner
Wow. Lelant Saltings to Nairn takes 32 hours! Can anyone beat that?
15:13 Lelant Saltings [LTS] St Erth [SER]
15:17 3 0h 04m
First Great Western service from St Ives (Cornwall) to St Erth
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 17:49 St Erth [SER] 2 Bristol Temple Meads [BRI]
21:47 9 3h 58m
First Great Western service from Penzance to London Paddington show calling points
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 06:27 Bristol Temple Meads [BRI] 7 Edinburgh [EDB]
13:06 11 6h 39m
CrossCountry service from Bath Spa to Glasgow Central show calling points
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 19:28 Edinburgh [EDB] 17 Nairn [NRN]
23:46 1 4h 18m
15:13 Lelant Saltings [LTS] St Erth [SER]
15:17 3 0h 04m
First Great Western service from St Ives (Cornwall) to St Erth
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 17:49 St Erth [SER] 2 Bristol Temple Meads [BRI]
21:47 9 3h 58m
First Great Western service from Penzance to London Paddington show calling points
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 06:27 Bristol Temple Meads [BRI] 7 Edinburgh [EDB]
13:06 11 6h 39m
CrossCountry service from Bath Spa to Glasgow Central show calling points
This journey involves a wait of over 90 minutes for a connecting train.
Train 19:28 Edinburgh [EDB] 17 Nairn [NRN]
23:46 1 4h 18m
*insert boasting about notable tube accomplishments here*
- RobbieM
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- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 21:14
- Location: Guildford
Re: National Rail journey planner
Well, I did a few years ago, then they changed the website and it got a bit more complicated.tubeguru wrote:So you've worked out how to actually USE the Routeing Guide?
Map 'AS' is my 'Bible' for return trips from Loch Ness to Guildford.
Personal record: 270 Stations in 9 minutes and 3 seconds
- tubeguru
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Re: National Rail journey planner
Map 'AS'?RobbieM wrote:Well, I did a few years ago, then they changed the website and it got a bit more complicated.tubeguru wrote:So you've worked out how to actually USE the Routeing Guide?
Map 'AS' is my 'Bible' for return trips from Loch Ness to Guildford.
One thing only do I know, and that is that I know nothing - Socrates.
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
- RobbieM
- All Zones
- Posts: 2636
- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 21:14
- Location: Guildford
Re: National Rail journey planner
See http://www.atoc.org/clientfiles/File/Maps.pdf - the first two pages is 'Map AS'. If you've not seen these before, they're a joy to behold...tubeguru wrote:Map 'AS'?RobbieM wrote:Map 'AS' is my 'Bible' for return trips from Loch Ness to Guildford.
Personal record: 270 Stations in 9 minutes and 3 seconds
- tubeguru
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Re: National Rail journey planner
Ah I see - two of the maps of the Routeing Guide. They're very insistent in their instructions that one isn't supposed to use the maps before the rest of the guide.
One thing only do I know, and that is that I know nothing - Socrates.
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
- RobbieM
- All Zones
- Posts: 2636
- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 21:14
- Location: Guildford
Re: National Rail journey planner
It's actually one map on two pages, (though I've got it printed on one.) I've used Scotland-to-Surrey tickets on a large number of the AS routes!tubeguru wrote:Ah I see - two of the maps of the Routeing Guide. They're very insistent in their instructions that one isn't supposed to use the maps before the rest of the guide.
Personal record: 270 Stations in 9 minutes and 3 seconds
- al
- Zone 6
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Re: National Rail journey planner
AS I think stands for Anglo-Scottish, so if you have a London - Scotland ticket, AS is a safe bet
Held some Alternative Challenge records for a long time.
Doesn't any more.
Doesn't any more.
- RobbieM
- All Zones
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- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 21:14
- Location: Guildford
Re: National Rail journey planner
Well, I never knew that! One learns something new every day. I'll never see that map in the same way again now!al wrote:AS I think stands for Anglo-Scottish
Personal record: 270 Stations in 9 minutes and 3 seconds
- tubeguru
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Re: National Rail journey planner
You will notice that a lot of the map acronyms can be guessed at based on their geographical scope.
One thing only do I know, and that is that I know nothing - Socrates.
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
- RobbieM
- All Zones
- Posts: 2636
- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 21:14
- Location: Guildford
Re: National Rail journey planner
Yes, my favourite is 'ZZ' ...tubeguru wrote:You will notice that a lot of the map acronyms can be guessed at based on their geographical scope.
... the Sleeper services!
Personal record: 270 Stations in 9 minutes and 3 seconds
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