art_enthusiast Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 There really are better things to spend money on…. Does it really cost that much to rebrand? Yikes How about spending the money on actually improving the service! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Well, not really a transport issue, but I decided to while away a 40-minute journey this morning by taking my baby laptop with me. I went to shut it down as we came into Charing Cross, only to find it was suddenly saying "installing updates - don't shut down"! Given that trains usually come in and are turned round in about 10 minutes or so at Charing Cross, and invariably go off down another line to the one they came in on, I was distinctly worried Fortunately, it did finish updating before I was forced to get off the train, but the situation was a little hairy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Anyone planning on using Southern, Thameslink or Gatwick Express this evening, do check before you travel. There are currently major problems on all 3. The National Rail website estimates they should be sorted by 3 pm, but you never know ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I see the estimate has now changed to 6pm, though it's gone from being marked red to yellow so looks like it's improving. On the other hand, travel into Paddington is now being flagged as red for major disruption due to a landslip. So that's south into London & west into London screwed up so far today. I have everything crossed that north into London stays okay for the next few hours! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 Knowing my current run of luck in trying to get to any Ballet performances I’m just waiting to hear there will be a train strike around 27/28th March as the next thing I’ve got booked is Carmen on 27th!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 In the interests of balance I should say I very much enjoyed my Avanti Platinum Club free 1st class trip to London. Going mid week meant I could enjoy the catering. I was offered breakfast, coffee and lunch for the journey starting at 10:00 and getting into London before 1:30, a few minutes late. I said ‘no thanks’ to the breakfast but it certainly looked ok. Coffee and lunch were very welcome. I do think the Gold and Platinum deals have been rather good, particularly because they require no effort on my part - Avanti simply tell me I’ve done sufficient journeys to get the Gold or Platinum free return journey. I’ll look forward to my return leg on Wednesday. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 1 hour ago, Dawnstar said: I have everything crossed that north into London stays okay for the next few hours! Famous last words! At ten past four Greater Anglia announced that there are severe delays from Broxbourne to Hertford East due to a fallen tree. I tweeted to ask if there were also delays on the main line through Broxbourne & was told there might be. So I've just had a frantic scramble to get the 16.55 train, rather than the 17.25 I was planning to get, to give some leeway if there are delays. I caught it but I'm feeling extremely stressed. 50 minutes ago, LinMM said: Knowing my current run of luck in trying to get to any Ballet performances I’m just waiting to hear there will be a train strike around 27/28th March as the next thing I’ve got booked is Carmen on 27th!!! I really hope there won't be as I have the MacMillan triple bill booked on 27th. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 39 minutes ago, JohnS said: In the interests of balance I should say I very much enjoyed my Avanti Platinum Club free 1st class trip to London. Going mid week meant I could enjoy the catering. I was offered breakfast, coffee and lunch for the journey starting at 10:00 and getting into London before 1:30, a few minutes late. I said ‘no thanks’ to the breakfast but it certainly looked ok. Coffee and lunch were very welcome. I do think the Gold and Platinum deals have been rather good, particularly because they require no effort on my part - Avanti simply tell me I’ve done sufficient journeys to get the Gold or Platinum free return journey. I’ll look forward to my return leg on Wednesday. This does sound wonderfully civilised. Hoping your return leg is just as good. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 Hope you make it Dawnstar! Am jolly glad didn’t have to go up to London today as severe delays on Brighton to London line earlier today. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 7 minutes ago, LinMM said: Hope you make it Dawnstar! Am jolly glad didn’t have to go up to London today as severe delays on Brighton to London line earlier today. I thought of you when I saw that this morning & wondered if you would be affected. At least your cold saved you from train-related sufferings! Not that that's probably much consolation for you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I’m in a desperate race too due to fallen tree/landslide between Reading and Paddington that has been affecting services most of the day but looked like it has cleared up until my train was terminated at Reading so I’m on a slow train to Waterloo should be there at 1905 so may make it for act 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Good luck to everyone struggling with trains! I hope you all get there in time. Will look forward to reading reports of this evening (I'm not seeing this cast until Saturday). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 (edited) @Rob S I thought of you when I saw earlier about the Paddington delays. Hope you make it alright. So infuriating when you think a problem has been cleared then suddenly it reoccurs. My train has got through Broxbourne with no delays so it now looks like I'll be too early. Typical! You can bet if I'd got the later train I'd planned to get then there would have been delays. @bridiem I can only see this cast today, as on Saturday I have no trains! Edited February 26 by Dawnstar 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 35 minutes ago, Rob S said: I’m in a desperate race too due to fallen tree/landslide between Reading and Paddington that has been affecting services most of the day but looked like it has cleared up until my train was terminated at Reading so I’m on a slow train to Waterloo should be there at 1905 so may make it for act 1 You should be okay, Rob, especially if you can hop on a train from Waterloo East to Charing Cross. One is due in about 10 past, and into Charing Cross at something like quarter past, and I've made it - just - on that one both times I've tried. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 4 minutes ago, alison said: You should be okay, Rob, especially if you can hop on a train from Waterloo East to Charing Cross. One is due in about 10 past, and into Charing Cross at something like quarter past, and I've made it - just - on that one both times I've tried. Thank you, we have to navigate flooding at Richmond yet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Made it with five minutes to spare, as did Dawnstar. And I got to see Mariko Sasaki on Waterloo Bridge 🙂 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 That's a relief, we want the photos. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 48 minutes ago, Mary said: That's a relief, we want the photos. I’m sure I’d have made it for the final act but was so relieved to be there in the building to hear the five minute warning 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I noticed you'd made it 😀 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I hope everyone who had booked tonight made it in on time despite the transport issues. Glad @Dawnstar and @Rob Smade it in time -and not just because of photos (though I do enjoy the photos from you both)! Looking forward to the reports! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 (edited) I think I spent at least as much time in tonight's intervals when talking to other Forum members complaing about trains than discussing ballet! Edited February 26 by Dawnstar 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 That's all right: we've been known to spend entire intervals not discussing ballet! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Southeastern services at a standstill at London bridge. Avoid. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Had to make a fairly major detour to get home, too, with a number of my usual options not available for one reason or another Not much use Southeastern telling you that your train is starting from London Bridge when there aren't any trains available to take you there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 yes, with no trains from Charing X (to London Bridge), had to go from Victoria, and get through Selhurst area before 11pm when the engineering works started. Meant I missed the last act, as the thought of having to swop around routes with the headache I already had, was not an appealing thought! Fortunately, I have no more shows this week except Saturday afternoon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 1 hour ago, zxDaveM said: Meant I missed the last act Goodness - that’s awful. Despite Avanti’s grim record, so far I’ve always managed to get to my booked performances (albeit sometimes having to add an extra night for industrial action/grim weather) and never had to miss an Act. And I’m enjoying my Platinum bonus freebie return journey, including a bacon sandwich second breakfast. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 (edited) 50 minutes ago, JohnS said: Goodness - that’s awful. Despite Avanti’s grim record, so far I’ve always managed to get to my booked performances (albeit sometimes having to add an extra night for industrial action/grim weather) and never had to miss an Act. And I’m enjoying my Platinum bonus freebie return journey, including a bacon sandwich second breakfast. Avanti have failed tonight. Anyone hoping to get the last train back to London after saying farewell to César Morales will find the train cancelled. Ive decided to go glass “half full” booked a cheap B&B and a ticket to tomorrow’s BRB matinee. (let’s face it, as things stand Birmingham could benefit from any inward investment, even my few pounds) Edited February 28 by PeterS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Wow. What on earth is wrong with the Birmingham area? The late Moor Street to London trains are cancelled too. And Dave, I didn't know there were engineering works at Selhurst. I must just have got through before they started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 5 hours ago, zxDaveM said: yes, with no trains from Charing X (to London Bridge), had to go from Victoria, and get through Selhurst area before 11pm when the engineering works started. Meant I missed the last act, as the thought of having to swop around routes with the headache I already had, was not an appealing thought! Fortunately, I have no more shows this week except Saturday afternoon I'm impressed you had the strength of mind to miss the last act. I don't think I could make myself to do that for Manon. (Sleeping Beauty maybe, when the plot's already wrapped up at the end of Act II!) I feel guilty enough when I have to cut a curtain call in order to run for a train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 They haven't yet put up details of 'planned engineering work' for late May so booking Winter's Tale is going to be an even more nail-biting undertaking- oh well, I might be returning some seats. The May Bank Holiday seems an obvious weekend for extensive works of all kinds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Very pleased to be on the train heading for London for today’s double Manon. Avanti are running pretty much to time and I don’t think there’ve been any cancellations so far this morning, at least on the main line. With a covering of snow and ice, not the easiest of drives to Penrith but I’d allowed double the normal journey time. I’m pretty sure all the snow will have gone by Sunday afternoon and next week’s Swan Lake General Rehearsal drive should be easier. Whether Avanti continue their recent run of good performance (at least as far as my own arrangements are concerned) may be more of a question. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 22 minutes ago, JohnS said: Very pleased to be on the train heading for London for today’s double Manon. Avanti are running pretty much to time and I don’t think there’ve been any cancellations so far this morning, at least on the main line. With a covering of snow and ice, not the easiest of drives to Penrith but I’d allowed double the normal journey time. I’m pretty sure all the snow will have gone by Sunday afternoon and next week’s Swan Lake General Rehearsal drive should be easier. Whether Avanti continue their recent run of good performance (at least as far as my own arrangements are concerned) may be more of a question. Keep your fingers crossed and have a good trip! Will also be there this evening... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 A friend in Sydney has just told me of a genius hack for this type of thing: she's a member of a group of a dozen or so ballet, theatre and opera fans who have between them rented a three-bedroom apartment in inner-suburban Sydney. Not CBD but less than 20 minutes from the Opera House on train or light rail. Rent is about $6K per month. Each member of the group pays an annual amount into a joint bank account set up to pay the rent and other outgoings. Two people are the official tenants, and each generally stays there for about three months on a rotating basis, managing cleaning, laundry, basic foodstuffs, and coordinating the others' stays. They have the ensuite bedroom, and the other two, twin beds, share a bathroom. If desperate the living room sofa bed comes in to play. She tells me it's been working since 2018, and that due to the size of the group and the location of the apartment, it works out that if a person spends 12 nights a year there, they save 30-35% or more depending on what class of hotel they'd normally book. More than that and the relative cost goes further down. She was even able to volunteer to be the managing tenant for a six-month period when her daughter was undergoing cancer treatment in Sydney! I've told her I'm interested in joining the scheme for 2025 as the AusBallet Melbourne season will again be severely truncated and expensive Sydney will be a better option. I would happily manage a Forum flat somewhere in London for this sort of opportunity!! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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