Train London/Southampton ENGINEERING WORK?

[CruisinD]

EEEK! I need advice from someone in the UK who understands these things!

 

I was just checking on times etc. for Sunday, May 22 London Waterloo to Southampton. It appears that there will be work on the rail lines on the portion from Basingstoke to Winchester, per the SouthWest train line site, but I'm not sure if I understand. To me, it reads as if they will "Bus" us on that portion. However, when checking the trainline.co.uk site, they list 9:54, 10:54, 11:54 as "direct" ALONG WITH same times (another train?) showing partial bus use. (and other trains with changes)

 

So what does this mean? Will there be a direct (but longer ride) "no change" train that takes an alternate route? Or is that a mis-print and there really will only be the train/bus/train service?

 

We of course will have luggage to contend with so I am not enamoured of the idea of getting on and off a train, bus, etc.

 

I had been planning to go "first class" on the train for a bit more seating comfort along with the possibility of more room for luggage, etc.

 

Could someone please decipher the conflicts for me?

 

If it truly is a change and the train ride will include a change to bus for a portion, are we then better off simply taking the National Express bus from Victoria Coach station? I really like trains and that's why I did not look into a limo type service for the 3 of us. It also costs a bit more! I think it might be a little late to try to hook up with fellow cruisers (Golden Princess) on this one.

 

Denise

[Globaliser]

I understand the aggravation! My suspicion is that the trainline.co.uk data still includes the cancelled direct services which have been replaced with the "2 change" services that are train-bus-train. It may be my natural cynicism but I doubt that the train company would both run the service on an alternative route and also run another one on the normal route with a bus to bridge the gap where the works are taking place.

 

The most odd thing is that these works aren't listed on National Rail's central list for that weekend (there are similar works listed for the following weekend), but I suspect that the timetable data is probably more reliable.

 

If I were in your shoes, I would be looking for an alternative way of doing it, too. Train-bus-train isn't fun at the best of times, let alone with a whole cruise's worth of luggage.

[CruisinD]

Globaliser,

 

Thanks for the input and now here's another puzzle. And I thought I'd had it figured out until you responded! I found another site this morning that I'd had bookmarked - transportdirect.info - when I followed that to train journeys, etc. it showed maps of the routes the trains are to take that day. The ones that are no stops seem to be "all" train and take a different route - via Guildford and Havant. It just takes a while longer.

 

Does this make sense to you? Can I trust it? If so, any way to insure that I get "that" train rather than the other when I'm at London Waterloo? (would the board say "Weymouth" vs. Basingstoke/Southampton?)

 

If you really think it isn't to be trusted, what do you think of going to, say, Portsmouth, Bath or Salisbury the day before, staying overnight there and taking the train to Southampton the 22nd? We have a Priceline hotel in London so it we'd not be losing alot if we gave up that last night there. We'd already planned a day trip to Bath on Saturday May 21 so all in all we wouldn't be losing a lot of tourist time; it might all even out.

 

Our luggage might *just* fit the National Express limitations (although the garment bag would take it over limit) but a 2 1/2 hour bus ride seems a bit constricting. Or am I making too much of that?

 

Denise

[Globaliser]

That's a brilliant site - thanks! I never knew about it, although it looks like it may only recently have been released and it certainly still has some bugs in it. It looks like it's basically driven by the same engine that drives the Transport for London Journey Planner.

 

Anyway, now that I can get on to the South West Trains website, it looks like you're safe to take the no-change trains. The maps that the transportdirect site show are consistent with the way that South West Trains describes what's happening on 22 May:-

BETWEEN BASINGSTOKE AND SOUTHAMPTON – UNTIL MID-MORNING

BETWEEN BASINGSTOKE AND WINCHESTER – FROM MID-MORNING

 

The lines between Basingstoke and Winchester will be closed all day. Until mid-morning the lines between Winchester, Southampton and Fareham will also be closed.

 

· Services between London Waterloo and Weymouth will run via an alternative route between Woking and Southampton Central, calling at Guildford, Havant and Fareham. Services will start earlier than normal from London Waterloo. From late morning additional trains will operate between Winchester and Southampton Central. These trains will connect with buses between Basingstoke and Winchester, also with the altered Weymouth services at Southampton Central.

 

· Services between London Waterloo and Bournemouth / Portsmouth will only operate between London Waterloo and Basingstoke. Services will start earlier than normal from London Waterloo. A bus service will operate between Basingstoke and Winchester, connecting with a train service between Winchester and Bournemouth. A shuttle train service will operate between Eastleigh and Portsmouth.

 

· Until mid-morning the Bournemouth and Portsmouth services above will be replaced by buses between Basingstoke and Southampton (for Bournemouth trains) and between Basingstoke and Fareham (for Portsmouth trains).

 

· Train services between Reading and Brighton will not operate between Reading and Winchester or Eastleigh. Passengers use alternative train / bus services to connect.

 

· Until mid-morning the service between Romsey and Totton will be replaced by a bus service. From mid-morning the normal train service will operate on this route.

 

· Until mid-morning Wessex Trains services will call at Eastleigh instead of Southampton Central. Passengers use replacement bus services to connect.

 

· Virgin Trains services to / from Bournemouth will be altered due to this work and also work north of Oxford. Passengers should confirm travel arrangements before setting out.

The direct trains you're seeing are obviously the Weymouth trains, re-timed and re-routed. The train-bus-train combinations are made up of the Bournemouth or Portsmouth trains running only as far as Basingstoke, the bus connection over the gap, and the additional Winchester-Southampton trains that are being laid on.

 

The Weymouth trains will say Weymouth on the destination board, but will have Southampton Central in the list of en-route stops.

[CruisinD]

Thanks so much! I always like to know what I'm up against so that I have some contingencies in the back of my mind. (Hey, I can be flexible as long as I know what I can "flex" with!) Ever since a friend and I were on our first trip to England several years ago and got on a train that "split" (who knew?) I now try to at least "appear" to know what I'm doing.

 

That transport direct site is neat. I don't know how long it's been there as it was a link on a bookmarked site. Just found it this morning as I was desperately looking for some reassuring information and cross-checking other dates for comparison. The South West Train web site was down for me this AM so I went surfing.

 

The internet is a wonderful thing! I hope I can return the favor to you sometime.

 

Denise

[shellyc]

Denise, we are on the May 22nd Golden and are also planning on the train from Waterloo to Southampton. Thanks to both of you for doing furthur research. I was not going to buy my ticket until Saturday night, after I get off the Eurostar at around 9PM. I'll keep watching this post for further updates. We were looking at the 9:54 or the 10:54 for our trip and also 1st class because we will also have cruise luggage (but not much, Eurostar limits passengers to 2 medium suitcases and one carryon).

Michele

[Nickwolf]

Thanks for the website CruisinD it is excellent.

 

Nick.

[shellyc]

Do you think it is still ok to buy the tickets the day before we take the train to Southampton from Waterloo?

[Globaliser]

Do you think it is still ok to buy the tickets the day before we take the train to Southampton from Waterloo?

Yes. Most people here actually don't buy tickets for this sort of journey until the day itself. You only really save real money buying in advance for long journeys. Southampton is almost commuter land.