jmhopton Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Just had an email from Avanti asking me if I'd 'like something different'. I felt like replying 'Trains would be nice'! 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 6 minutes ago, jmhopton said: Just had an email from Avanti asking me if I'd 'like something different'. I felt like replying 'Trains would be nice'! I thought the same as I consigned the email to the bin! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 9 hours ago, jmhopton said: Thanks Scherezade. I'm determined to make it! I think it's going to be via the coach from Chelt. I don't know why the coach service is so good from Chelt and so abysmal from Preston. There are loads from Manchester but no direct coaches from Preston to Manchester apart from a Flixbus service which is actually the London coach but doesn't get into Victoria until 19.20. Coaches from Liverpool no longer go direct to London - they go via Birmingham and the time it takes now makes it unfeasible for most things! We North Westerners are really penalised aren't we Joan!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: Coaches from Liverpool no longer go direct to London - they go via Birmingham and the time it takes now makes it unfeasible for most things! We North Westerners are really penalised aren't we Joan!!! Yes we certainly are Janet! If the government wanted to get serious about levelling up, the coach service (or lack of it) would be a good place to start. The irritating thing is it used to be quite good pre covid. I don't know why they think no one now wants to travel by coach from Preston but do want to travel from Cheltenham which has its pre covid service virtually intact. Anyway, I've booked my seat for the 3rd and hope the coaches don't now decide to strike! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Well, the NW train service strikes again (not literally this time but the result is the same). Network Rail have now announced rail works cutting off Preston for 4 successive weekends (except for Sat March 11th). the 'complexity' of upgrading switches and crossings means the railway must close between Wigan North Western and Lancaster. The closures will occur on Saturday, February 18, and Sunday, February 19; Saturday, February 25, and Sunday, February 26; Saturday, March 4, Sunday, March 5; and Sunday, March 12, with no trains serving Preston on these dates. So, having had to cancel seeing Vadim this Friday as one of our dogs was ill and we had to cancel going to Cheltenham where I'd booked a coach, my visit 4th of March to see Fumi is now under threat unless we can re-schedule the Cheltenham visit. Going to the theatre is supposed to be a pleasure but these days it involves military manoeuvre type planning. I don't blame the strikers at all (no prizes for guessing whom I do blame!) but it does make life stressful as you're never sure if you're going to get to a performance or if you can then get home on the correct day. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 I know engineering work is needed but the weekend replacement service is truly grim: train Penrith to Lancaster, replacement bus to Manchester, train to London. The journey time is more than double the normal time and with three legs to the journey and Avanti’s staffing problems, I’d be very surprised if all three legs operated without incident. I’ve therefore cancelled a London trip 24/25 February. I’ve had to cancel a day trip on Saturday for Tannhauser - highly likely to be post strike disruptions in the morning and the revised train table has the last return train before 18:30 rather than 19:30 when I booked my ROH ticket. I now see the engineering work means I’ll either have to cancel my 3/4 March plans or stay Sunday night. That’s tempting as I might be able to get to Sleeping Beauty in the evening & Rusalka on Sunday. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 I think you deserve that extra Sunday night as a little treat JohnS! After all those cancellations and upsets. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Another email from Avanti saying it's 'Time to get back on track'!!! and thanking me for having 'stuck with us'. ( I haven't, I've been booking coaches), and saying their new timetable is out. This is presumably the timetable with no Lancaster to Wigan services on the 4 weekends I mentioned above. They're completely shameless. If their franchise is extended in April I will certainly be writing to the government minister concerned. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 I've just checked for a random couple of nights in London in April. Looking at the timetable there are no extra trains between Liverpool and Euston - Avanti telling porkies again!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 Yet more strikes announced - BBC News - "Members of the RMT union from 14 train operators will strike on 16, 18 and 30 March, and 1 April, the start of the Easter school holidays for many." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 Drat, I was supposed to be seeing Woolf Works on 16th. In fact the unions must really not like Ferri as there are strikes on 2 of her 4 Woolf Works dates! I guess I'll have to try to get a rush ticket for 11th as that's the only one of her performances I can now get to. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 Drat- me too. I saw that earlier today on BBC and was so annoyed. I too have tickets for Ferri’s performance on a strike date. 50% of all my bookings this year have now been wiped out by the strikes. A few I was able to reschedule, the rest I couldn’t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 I (in common with many others) will be affected for Vadim's Cinderella matinee on April 1st. The first matinee I recall him performing (certainly in several years) and there's a strike! It's virtually a sell out and many will be relying on the train. I had to cancel his SB I'd booked as one of our dogs was ill and now this. Seem fated not to see him and its my last chance to see him live (as opposed to cinema) before the new season in Oct. Hope we can go to Cheltenham and I can get the coach from there. Will be a month after my previous visit to get to Fumi's SB matinee 4th March (rail engineering works). It's certainly a challenge being a ballet supporter at the moment! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 (edited) @EmeraldsI guess I've been fairly lucky so far as Woolf Works will be the first time I've lost an RB booking to strikes - though I have lost bookings for other theatres - & at least I can potentially make another date. I'm busy praying they don't add any more strikes later in April. Most of my Cinderella bookings are for the only date I can see each respective cast so no chance to swap to another date if I can't get to London when I'm booked. Edited February 16, 2023 by Dawnstar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 16, 2023 Author Share Posted February 16, 2023 (edited) I'm affected too but incredibly, my trip to see my favourite songstress live for the first time in seven years on the 31st March has been spared!!! Edited February 16, 2023 by Rob S 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 Yes I daren't even think about later in April. I've now got 3 more weekends booked on the 14/15, 22 and 29. It should have just been the 14/15 and 22nd but when I started idly checking for accommodation on the 22nd (I'd booked both performances) I was horrified to see all my usual places were either full or double the cost. When I checked, the London marathon was being run on the 23rd! Ironically, I booked the 22nd rather than the 29th (identical casts) to avoid the May Day weekend and ended up with the London marathon which is worse. Had to keep the 22nd matinee as I got standing tickets for myself and a friend but changed my evening ticket for the same seat on the 29th and managed to get cheap accommodation. If the rail strikes continue I'm bound to have at least one weekend affected (in addition to the 1st). The 22nd will affect my friend (only her second visit to the ROH) but the 29th will affect my final performance with Morera. Aaaaaagh! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 However they do swap the days around as I predicted March would be on Thursdays or Saturdays! So in April they haven’t done Monday and Tuesday for a while and then it would be Wednesday and yes possibly a Friday next!!!! However as May 1st bank holiday falls on a Monday this year I suspect then that unfortunately they might go for that weekend and choose Saturday 29th April and Monday May 1st!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 On 16/02/2023 at 22:48, Dawnstar said: @EmeraldsI guess I've been fairly lucky so far as Woolf Works will be the first time I've lost an RB booking to strikes - though I have lost bookings for other theatres - & at least I can potentially make another date. I'm busy praying they don't add any more strikes later in April. Most of my Cinderella bookings are for the only date I can see each respective cast so no chance to swap to another date if I can't get to London when I'm booked. I managed to get a ticket for WW on 11 March, but will have to rethink the tickets I normally book from now on as the swaps and cancellations as a result of the strikes mean that the £4 charges are close to exceeding the actual value of the tickets I end up being able to attend. I don’t mind donating to the Royal Opera House in principle, but I don’t like feeling forced or dictated to as to when or how much to give away. (Yes, I could resell in this forum, but my bookings are often awkward, eg three to five seats together and not in the popular SCS areas that members frequent.) I have a feeling they might add other April dates around the Easter period. Not trying to stress out readers here, but they do often seem to be targeting holiday time travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 Yes I’m pretty sure at least one of the April dates will be around/attached to the Easter weekend!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 @Emeralds I'm going to have to wait for Friday rush to see if I can get a ticket for 11th March Woolf Works, as there aren't any stalls circle tickets I can afford still available for that date. If they're going to add more strikes in April I wish they'd just tell us now. The uncertainty is so stressful. I have Cinderella tickets for 5th & both performances on 10th so will be extremely disappointed if I can't get to both those dates. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 Strikes have been suspended pending a new pay offer 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 21 minutes ago, Rob S said: Strikes have been suspended pending a new pay offer That's some good news at least - assuming the revised offer is agreed with Network Rail and RMT. The dispute with Aslef is still ongoing I think though? Also the dispute with RMT and the individual train companies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swan Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 That’s encouraging news as I have a Woolf Works on 18/3 and a Cinderella on 1/4 and both would be affected. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 I bought a cheapish ticket for Alessandra Ferri on 16/3 this afternoon, knowing it was a strike day but taking a chance, there does seem to be a calling off of strikes momentum starting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 I really hope the train companies will clarify as soon as possible what disruption there will still be on the strikes dates. I need to know by Friday whether I need to try to get a rush ticket for Woolf Works on 11th or whether I'll be able to use my original ticket for 16th. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 It doesn't seem to be as clear cut as the news first stated 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 No indeed! All a bit confusing! And anyway it’s a pause while the new offer is considered one hopes all can be happy but why do I get this feeling things still won’t be right. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 (edited) I guess it hinges on the vote...although they haven’t said when the vote will be done and counting completed! My feeling is that if the unions haven’t categorically confirmed that the strike on the 16th or 18th (whichever date one’s show is) is definitely off, the safest bet is to buy a ticket during Friday Rush (or earlier, if budget allows) anyway. At least if you’ve gone to the first show you can always put up the second ticket for resale. But if the strike/s go/es ahead and one hasn’t attended the earlier date, then you’re left with nothing. 11, 16, 18(evening) March are Ferri’s last performances in WW. Marianela Nuñez’s last 2 performances in WW are 18 (matinee) & 21 March. Natalia Osipova’s last performance in WW is 23 March. and although none of her shows are affected by rail strikes, 23 March is her last remaining show that the general public can book. Tickets for 21 & 23 March are currently sold out and tickets for the other shows are currently 97% to 99% sold, apart from the extra Friday Rush tickets to be released on 10 & 17 March, and any returns that may go back for resale. Edited March 8, 2023 by Emeralds 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 These are the March strike dates for SWR trains as confirmed just now: Thursday 16 March Saturday 18 March Thursday 30 March Saturday 1 April 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 This evening Avanti notified me that rail tickets were now on sale for 17 March and the timetable seemed pretty reasonable given the strikes on 16 and 18 March. Still no timetable for the two strike days. And more good news: no weekend engineering works (at least to Carlisle) so I’ve been able to book my Sunday return. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to book train tickets a whole week before travelling. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 Not strike action but while we're on the subject of rail disruption: for anyone going towards London from west of Bristol or Castle Cary, there are no trains running through Taunton between 20th and 23rd March. https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/planned-engineering/taunton-upgrades Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 Just want to thank all who contribute to this thread. My upcoming trip to England will require trains (Yorkshire, Nottingham and Cirencester) and the information y'all provide makes me nervous but at least I'm an informed nervous. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 I am incandescent with rage. It has been announced today that Avanti has been given another 6 month extension on its franchise. How can the government justify this ludicrous decision??? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts