[Gllug] GLLUG - August Meeting - Bletchley Park

[Colin Murphy]

On Friday 08 Aug 2003 2:13 pm, Frank Scott wrote:
> On Fri, Aug 08, 2003 at 01:38:17PM +0100, Colin Murphy wrote:
> > I'm [was] looking forward to the day. 

> If you're going by rail from London, bear in mind that the track is
> closed northwards from hemel hempstead so that the nominal journey
> time is increased to 1:49 to take account of the bus journey :(

That is if there is a bus journey. Thius is taken from the Silverlink website. 
I hope people still try to make the effort.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Travel Difficulties on Silverlink
Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 August

Network Rail have advised Silverlink and other Train Operating Companies that 
they will need to block the whole line between Hemel Hempstead and Milton 
Keynes for the entire weekend 0100 Saturday16 August until 0500 Monday 18 
August. The need for this blockade, which will close the line on the weekend 
immediately prior to the pre-planned 9 day closure, has only just been 
communicated to Silverlink.

Given that Network Rail have assured us that there is no alternative, 
Silverlink is now addressing the issue of what alternative travel 
arrangements can be made at such short notice, bearing in mind:

    * that it will not be possible to use Milton Keynes station as a 
rail/coach interchange (there will not be time to make arrangements for the 
Traffic Orders)
    * A larger than usual number of passengers (especially long distance) are 
expected. Many people had planned to travel earlier to avoid the line 
closures for the following two weekends that have been advertised since 
Christmas last year.

Silverlink is working closely with the rest of the industry which hopes to 
provide, subject to the availability of coaches and drivers, the following 
service:

    * A special Silverlink rail shuttle service between Euston and Hemel 
Hempstead
    * A special Virgin Trains service between Milton Keynes and Birmingham New 
Street calling at Northampton and running via Nuneaton, not calling at 
Coventry or Birmingham International
    * A non-stop coach service between Hemel Hempstead and Northampton
    * A semi-fast coach service calling at Leighton Buzzard and all stations 
to Northampton
    * An all stations coach service between Hemel Hempstead and Milton Keynes
    * A coach service Northampton to Coventry calling at Long Buckby and Rugby

NORTHAMPTON WILL BE THE INTERCHANGE BETWEEN COACH AND TRAIN FOR PASSENGERS 
NORTHAMPTON AND NORTH THEREOF – NOT MILTON KEYNES.

Trains from the north will continue to Milton Keynes for those whose journeys 
fiinish there, and will start from Milton Keynes for those whose northbound 
journeys commence there.

These arrangements are currently being planned and have yet to be confirmed, 
but coaches and trains will in any case be very busy. Silverlink will do 
everything it can to look after customers who need to travel with us during 
this weekend, but strongly advise customers to postpone their journeys if it 
is at all possible.

Commenting on these developments Route Director Julian Drury said” Passengers 
have, throughout the modernisation work, become used to plenty of notice of 
forthcoming travel disruption – indeed the Easter and August blockades have 
been advertised since December last year. I can understand their concern at 
such short notice of this further blockade, and wanted to let them know as 
soon as we received the information ourselves. For those people who will need 
to travel with us during this weekend, we have had plenty of practice in 
looking after you. I would, however, urge customers not to attempt to travel 
on this weekend unless it is absolutely necessary. I really am extremely 
sorry that many people will face yet another weekend of disruption, but 
everyone in the rail industry will be doing all we can to look after 
passengers and make their journey as smooth as possible in the 
circumstances.”

Details of services will be published as soon as they are finalised.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If they are ever finalised.

-- 
colin at SpudULike.me.uk
I am a man for all seasons, especially pepper.

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