National Rail Enquiries most stupid journey suggestion yet

[tkboomer2]

Their website suggested from Altrincham getting a tram (not running at present, although the stated times would suggest using a replacement bus.) to Manchester Victoria, then getting a train to Salford Crescent, then a train back to Manchester Victoria!

The journey in full:

Leg 1 of 3
Depart: 10:26 Altrincham (ALT)
Arrive: 11:29 Manchester Victoria (MCV)
Travel By: Metro


Leg 2 of 3
Depart: 11:29 Manchester Victoria (MCV)
Arrive: 11:35 Salford Crescent (SLD)
Travel By: Train

Leg 3 of 3
Depart: 11:43 Salford Crescent (SLD)
Arrive: 11:52 Manchester Victoria (MCV)
Travel By: Train

[martin adamson]

How much did they charge for that one?

[Seth]

Well Salford Crescent MUST be such a pretty station

Seth

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by Seth

Well Salford Crescent MUST be such a pretty station

Seth

Seth, You missed a word out between "pretty" and "station"

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by tkboomer2

Their website suggested from Altrincham getting a tram (not running at present, although the stated times would suggest using a replacement bus.) to Manchester Victoria, then getting a train to Salford Crescent, then a train back to Manchester Victoria!

The journey in full:

Leg 1 of 3
Depart: 10:26 Altrincham (ALT)
Arrive: 11:29 Manchester Victoria (MCV)
Travel By: Metro


Leg 2 of 3
Depart: 11:29 Manchester Victoria (MCV)
Arrive: 11:35 Salford Crescent (SLD)
Travel By: Train

Leg 3 of 3
Depart: 11:43 Salford Crescent (SLD)
Arrive: 11:52 Manchester Victoria (MCV)
Travel By: Train

If you ask it for the same journey tomorrow departing at 10:26 it suggests a direct journey from Altrincham - Manchester Victoria by Metro.
However for a departure 1 minute later at 10:27 it suggests:-
Altrincham - Deansgate (Metro)
Deansgate - Manchester Oxford Road (train)
Manchester Oxford Road - Salford Crescent (train)
Salford Crescent -Manchester Victoria (train)

We should have a competition on the forum to see who can generate the strangest route suggestion.

[Arthur Maunsell]

beats the traditional " i want a return" "where too?" "here of course" gag....

[hstudent]

The Metrolink replacement buses only call at Deansgate and St. Peter’s Square. So for Victoria you’ve have to either change to a tram at G-Mex or walk from St. Peter’s Square. The replacement buses take 50 minutes at peak times and 40 at off peak times. So it looks like National Rail Enquires has just made something up!

If they had the correct information they’d probably suggest something like getting a replacement bus to Deansgate, a train to Salford Crescent and then a train to Victoria.

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by hstudent

......................If they had the correct information they’d probably suggest something like getting a replacement bus to Deansgate, a train to Salford Crescent and then a train to Victoria.

That's probably why it suggested this route in my previous post :

Altrincham - Deansgate (Metro)....where the "Metro" leg is a replacement bus.
Deansgate - Manchester Oxford Road (train)
Manchester Oxford Road - Salford Crescent (train)
Salford Crescent -Manchester Victoria (train)

Looking at the National Rail timetable it is probably slightly quicker to catch a train to Oxford Road from Deansgate and then return on a non-stop service to Salford Cresent than it is to wait at Deansgate for the next direct service.