Birmingham New Street - Inverness | 3 Train Operating Companies | What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

[@steve-marsh]

Great video, thanks for taking us along guys! I tend to be quite lazy and just use Trainline. I know they don't have the best rep, but I've never had any issues and of course they do split ticketing too. ps. who needs a holiday when you can have an adventure like this!

[@Timstravels01]

😂 absolutely! It's all about the adventure!

[@flyingmyles]

Oh no! I didn't know that farm shop was at Oxenholme, so guess where I'll be spending my money next time I go there! 🤣🤣 The only thing I can think with the faulty train, is the depot that fixes them is in Manchester, that's all I can think. I hate to say it but I'm not surprised it was TPe that let you down! After 10.5 hours, you have a very understanding wife 🤣, I think mine wouldn't let me plan a trip again if I did that! I did first from London to Hull after a flight to Corfu and that was risky haha! What a great video as always Tim! Take care

[@Timstravels01]

Cheers mate! I really do wonder how my wife puts up with it all. 😂

[@caithnessrailrambler2698]

Nice Video Tim! Sorry that it was not going to plan ither! 😢 keep the good videos coming!

[@Timstravels01]

Cheers mate. The joy of TPE eh!

[@DaveMansbridge]

I am with Mrs Tim on this I would have flown ......My take on split ticketing is that it is brilliant if you can split ticket in the SAME TRAIN ...... Great video Thanks Tim

[@Timstravels01]

She’s right more often than not. 😁 Thanks so much for watching.

[@SeanMidlandstransporthub]

Great video! I did Rugby to Inverness via Glasgow when i went this year and paid £45.34 with a mixture of split ticketing to Glasgow and then an advance single to Inverness

[@Timstravels01]

That’s a fantastic price! There are good deals to be had.

[@duncangrant7240]

I've just stumbled on your channel. I'm from Grantown. Last week I went to Cardiff by train from Glasgow. I had several split tickets. I use Trainline and TrainPal apps. It worked out fine. I too changed in Preston. I could have caught an earlier Avanti service but my ticket restricted me to TPE.

[@Timstravels01]

Thanks for watching! Split ticketing is great when it works and I certainly haven’t been put off by this particular experience. I love Grantown, beautiful spot.

[@joshua.910]

"See it, say it, sort it"😂 legendary.

[@Timstravels01]

😂 absolutely!

[@kevinellis8869]

Just found your channel and have added it to my subs as I love travel. I look at EMR (where I live) for the initial fare and then check it against Trainpal. I do try to avoid Advance tickets wherever possible due to the lack of flexibility if things go wrong. Going to watch a few more of your videos now.

[@Timstravels01]

Aye, the Advance ticket can be perilous. Thanks so much for watching and subscribing. I hope you're not too disappointed! 🤣

[@ohheyitskevinc]

Great video! Might have to pay a visit to Oxenholme now! I could smell that farm shop’s pies from here, and I’m in the states. I just use Trainline since I probably wouldn’t use any points I’d earn, but I’ll take a look and compare anyway. The northbound train presumably couldn’t go north of Carlisle as it was previously “found handling a salmon in suspicious circumstances” on a Sunday (I looked up weird Scottish laws to see if there was a reason and that’s all I could come up with).

[@Timstravels01]

Oxenholme is a fab station and that shop is amazing. I'm glad you found a reason for the Carlisle abandonment! 😂

[@GabrielsReviews]

Trainline ? I'd strongly recommend not buying with them . I've seen plenty of stories of falsely alerting of a cancelled train when really it's only leaving a minute or two earlier or later or not running its entire original journey but the section you need is still running.

[@paulharvey9149]

They need to reinstate a verrsion of the late lamented Clansman - with Class 158 seating (though not for me, as it's much too cramped). 158 seats in normal inter-city seat positions, perhaps?? I normally use the Scotrail website to book, or sometimes lumo's.

[@Timstravels01]

Aye that would be great. The age of the train isn’t quite what it was to my mind.

[@martindyer6528]

We had an issue with service disruption and split tickets - easy to resolve, just get the conductor on the disrupted service to endorse the tickets - our Avanti train from BHM to Glasgow was cancelled so caught the next Avanti train as far as Carlisle changing to TPE (Avanti sorted out a ticket acceptance) - quick walk from Glasgow Central to Queen Street we had endorsed tickets so did not need to buy new tickets from Glasgow to Inverness and we claimed a full refund of our Birmingham to Glasgow leg via delay repay.

[@Timstravels01]

We live and learn, I’ll know exactly what to do next time! We did get our delay repay so that’s something. Thanks so much for watching, I really appreciate it.

[@martindyer6528]

@Timstravels01 - you are welcome. Always enjoy your videos. I research split tickets via the Train split website to work out the best options and then purchase usually via Northern or Scotrail as they offer cashback via Top Cashback - every little helps as they say! 🤣

[@Timstravels01]

@martindyer6528 you're not wrong!

[@simonboulton4490]

I always buy my tickets at my local station as I know the people in the ticket office and they will always look for the best way to do it and look at all tickets and the saving I can make.

[@Timstravels01]

That's great. There is a lot to be said for the local station ticket office. If I'm travelling from my local station it's buy on board.

[@terrycrossley4918]

Trainline is my source. It too provides split tickets.

[@Timstravels01]

It's a very popular option.

[@sandiandgregh]

When we’re in N Ireland we just buy at the station day of, or on the train itself except if we’re taking the Enterprise down to Dublin. We book that in advance. In Scotland, usually we book in advance. We’re on vacation though and have deadlines and plans so advanced organization required.

[@Timstravels01]

I strive to book in advance also. If I'm travelling from my local station it's buy on board as there is no longer a ticket office or a ticket machine on the platform.

[@doubledutch13]

My theory. The faulty train could make it back to Manchester because that’s where the repair resources were and if it went to Edinburgh and couldn’t go further it’s in the wrong place for repairs. All about the £’s here too I’d say?

[@anthonyholroyd5359]

From a railway operations perspective? This makes sense. Frankly, it seems like a rather elegant piece of railway operations ballet. Transpennine have quite limited maintenance options north of the border - if the fault isn't so serious that the train has to be pulled from service? But is serious enough that it needs relatively prompt attention? Best to get the set back to a depot where Transpennine have the ability and workforce available to rectify the fault, and have the train back in service as quickly as possible.

[@Timstravels01]

I like the ballet analogy. It seems the fault may have been in the front cab hence the need to return south.

[@armstrongleworthy5420]

@@Timstravels01I would agree with that. The only other thing it might have been a faulty pantograph - collecting power from the overhead wire. It seems on the TPE trains they use the one at the front in the direction of travel.

[@Timstravels01]

@doubledutch13 I think you're spot on. A fault in the leading cab has been suggested too. All good fun! 😂

[@Timstravels01]

@armstrongleworthy5420 that's a good point. It would be fascinating to know what actually happened.

[@TheUncleGrant]

I did the journey from Iverness to Birmingham New St Via Edinburgh Waverley on one single Ticket .It was and Off Peak, Single, Senior Railcard. There was a about a Two Hour wait at Waverley for the Cross Country Train to New Street, But everything went great and the entire trip took 9 hours. So in 2019 it cost me £112.15 for the entire journey.

[@drsteele]

Once had an issue at Newcastle where the issue was a cracked windscreen and to ensure the journey continued the driver switched to the other end and we went round the outskirts of Newcastle and ended up back on the ECML essentially backwards from how we had started the journey.

[@Timstravels01]

That's impressive!

[@roboftherock]

Before watching to see your answer mine is - On a good day, absolutely notthing. Realistically, all sectors are fraught with potential problems, but we trust that no-one/nothing will do something to upset the schedule.

[@Timstravels01]

Absolutely spot on.

[@TravelSignal]

The fault - this very fact was highlighted in a Lateral with Tom Scott podcast. The fault was with the windscreen wiper on one end - so it could safety return in the opposite direction but not continue.

[@Timstravels01]

I just watched. That's uncanny.

[@malcolmgeorge1180]

There's was in the past a direct service between those two cities

[@Timstravels01]

Would that have been the Clansman service? Another viewer mentioned it.

[@Mat0305]

I found a ticket price discrepancies for some journeys that wouldn't show on split ticketing apps, where tickets to and from further stations on the same route even same train are cheaper, on one example a single ticket from Wolverhampton to Liverpool lime street is half the price of booking ticket to Crewe , an earlier stop on the same train, likewise the same tickets to Liverpool were cheaper if booked from Birmingham new Street - 1 stop before Wolverhampton on the same train. I'm wondering if anyone knows of other strange ticket prices like this

[@Timstravels01]

Interesting you mention that. I’ve seen Tain (my local station) - Nairn (on the line to Aberdeen) as cheaper than Tain-Inverness. I don’t understand why. I asked Scotrail about it who replied saying there was more to ticket pricing than the distance travelled.

[@TheJamster2006]

Oh Tim, so much to say on this one as you'd expect 😅 First of all we'll talk about the actual trains, out of all the plastic trains in the uk, the Pendolino used to be my least worst, that was until they were refurbished. That refurb is awful, the seats are horrendous as MRS TT suggested and it looked far too warm for her, the on board temperature is often an issue. These were never issues before the Pendolinos were refurbished. The Avanti franchise is partly operated by First group who love ruining train interiors! Transpennine Express are an absolute joke of a company, i always try to avoid them. Their trains do not have enough carriages, ever. If you are unfortunate enough to get a seat they are extremely uncomfortable and I think its their staff are hired on the basis of how rude they can be to their passengers. That change of trains at Carlisle was odd, although the maintenance depot for those class 397s is in Manchester so that could clear that up. You're lucky they thought up a plan, usually its just a case of sod the passengers! I'm glad the Edinburgh to Inverness part of your journey went smoother than the rest of it. Mrs TT is an absolute legend, she doesn't like 170s! That awful sound at 21:39. Enough to turn your ears insides out! I use the Train Pal app for my split tickets, and it seems to offer similar change of trains to your Virgin Apps. What i tend to do is look for the cheapest ticket with the least number of physical changes, as you mentioned you can change seats several times in one journey but stay on the same train. I tend to look for the cheapest ticket with maybe just one change of train, and then i try and avoid certain types of trains such as Azumas, class 185s or class 170s. Its amazing i get anywhere 🤣 I definitely don't think you should have bought a new ticket from Edinburgh to Inverness. The delay was out of your hands, the ticket office at Edinburgh would have endorsed your ticket for travel on the next available train and if you were more than an hour late into Inverness you would have got your entire fare back on delay repay, a nice £100 refund. I appreciate you were trying to do the right thing but thats how these buggers make money 🤣 Anyway sorry for the rant, brilliant video. All the best!

[@Timstravels01]

I love a Jamster rant! I’ve learned that my stand-alone Advance ticket would have been alright so that’s good to know for future reference. We live and learn eh. It’s just a bit of a lottery with the trains. Which is why I like to book through Virgin, at least I’m getting my air miles. I see Uber do the same, Avios points for rail bookings. Mrs TT says it as it is, 170s are definitely out. 🤣 It’ll be HSTs or nothing in future. Although their days are numbered. Thanks so much for watching and sharing your thoughts. They made for a very enjoyable read.

[@GabrielsReviews]

​@@Timstravels01 I'd rather take a Citylink than a class 170!

[@Timstravels01]

@GabrielsReviews a very valid point. I’m not a huge fan of 170s either.

[@GabrielsReviews]

@@Timstravels01 No . I've done one journey Glasgow to Arbroath, to call at all the smaller stations between Dundee and Arbroath. I found the 158 preferably on the way back to Dundee.

[@iam433]

Perhaps the fault was associated with the north facing cab. If that’s the case then they (TPE) should be applauded for the quick actions which I’m sure only inconvenienced a few people but most got to their destination with minimal delay and no overcrowding by trying to squeeze another trainload of people on to the one train.

[@Timstravels01]

Unexpected events happen and your suggestion may have been the issue. Perhaps TPE could have provided more information.

[@simonboulton4490]

You should not of had to buy new tickets as the fault was with TPX so scot rail should have accepted your ticket and claimed from TPX. I had the same problem and they just marked my ticket to show the guard to accept the ticket.

[@shropshiregirl9279]

I agree

[@Timstravels01]

That’s interesting. I got in touch with Scotrail via the socials at the time and they said it was at the conductors discretion to let us travel. I just didn’t want to be any later, as Inverness wasn’t our final destination that night. Having been up from 4am I just wanted to guarantee we were on a train!

[@shropshiregirl9279]

@@Timstravels01 I totally understand, but if your tickets had been bought in one go and you had an iterinary then you are entitled to use the next available train from scotrail, as you being late was the fault of the railway and not yours. You would also be entitled to delay repay payment depending on how late you got to Inverness

[@Timstravels01]

@shropshiregirl9279 that’s good to know for future reference. I had assumed that a stand-alone advance ticket meant I was done for. We live and learn.

[@shropshiregirl9279]

@@Timstravels01 have fun on your next trip!!

[@BIGV710]

the fault is they do not have another driver to take over the train to edinbourgh simply just say its a fault or it might be the driver on that train did not have route knowledge to edinburgh- 3 /when i travel from southampton to inverness i get a throught ticket via brum but as im on manchester train from southampton i change at wolverhampton then train to glasgow central the from queen street to inverness its easy you might save money on splits but it can bugger you up on trainline i get advance ticket southampton to inverness for £83.60p 2nd class

[@Timstravels01]

That's a fantastic price for that journey! I think even split ticketing would be hard pressed to beat it.

[@billyshearer117]

Ooooof. That's all.

[@Timstravels01]

What more is there to say?

[@anthonywarrener1881]

Clearly someone from TPE was not telling the truth. If your northbound train which was said to have a fault, it shouldn’t have returned to Manchester.with the passengers off the southbound train that was terminated at Carlisle. This sound all too typical of TPE, and don’t forget, they are now publicly owned !

[@Timstravels01]

This is what I struggled to comprehend. Others have a suggested a fault in the leading cab, hence the return to Manchester. I guess we'll never know.

[@stevelknievel4183]

Your story about train swapping sounds very familiar. It looks like its not the first time its happened if this video is anything to go by. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpqQqaCFncllrNE

[@Timstravels01]

Wow! That's uncanny.

[@anthonywarrener1881]

Your wife was right ! A flight from Birmingham to Inverness would probably be cheaper anyway, so long as you booked your flight in advance. The time taken by train is absurd, though if you are not in a hurry, it is a very scenic ride !

[@Timstravels01]

I always enjoy a train journey, but you're absolutely right-listen to your wife! 😂

[@baggies54]

You can't now fly direct from Birmingham to Inverness - Loganair or KLM will take you on a magical mystery tour via Bristol, Belfast, Amsterdam etc. In April we took the train from Birmingham, split tickets, and only had to change trains at Waverley. Marvellous journey ! Coming home we had a flight booked to Manchester to pick up our pre-booked taxi. Unfortunately Loganair did a Loganair ! Having faffed around for a couple of hours they then did exactly what we knew they would do and cancelled the flight at 8pm on Sunday night. Dropped off at a hotel at 10pm with taxis booked for 5 am the next morning. Strangely the Monday morning flight didn't seem to have many additional passengers beyond those of us from the evening before. Hmmm. We will be going to the Highlands again - but it will be by train there and back !

[@Timstravels01]

@baggies54 indeed, back in the day Flybe was an option but those days are long gone.

[@webrarian]

I'm with Mrs TT on this one.

[@Timstravels01]

She is seldom wrong!

[@webrarian]

@Timstravels01 😂

[@sharonmulvaney1971]

Well said, MRS TT 😂😊

[@Timstravels01]

She is very seldom wrong.