How often do you travel by train?
 

In a separate thread David Hicks asked members to nominate their "TOC of the Year"
Because the response has been fairly slow it got me thinking. "How many of our members actually travel by train?........just because we have an interest in railways doesn't mean we use them!!"
Just for curiosity please take a few minutes to respond to the poll that I have set up. Your identity will not be divulged and there's no need to make any comments as the results of the poll should say it all:)
Please DON'T include trips on heritage railways or on special enthusiast trains. I am just talking about regular service trains operated by a TOC.
Thanks.

Well I commute on SouthEastern but I sure as hell won't recommend them ... not for 'TOC of the year' anyway ;)

Being unemployed I can't go on the train as often as I would like.
I went to Nottingham just before Christmas @ £6.10p return I think is a little pricey for about 15 miles each way.

My two trips to Keighley this year were the first time I've travelled by train for over a decade. The first trip was great, everything on time and no problems. The second trip coincided with engineering works between Leeds and Shipley so we had to travel on coaches between the two destinations. It shortened our time in Keighley, which was a bit disappointing, but in general I've been quite impressed with the service and the price. Admittedly, we booked our tickets many weeks in advance which was how we kept the price down. Has the 'turn up and go' principle at an affordable price been abandoned?

Yes Trev. Apart from local journeys I think it has.:(
When I am waiting in the queue at Warrington Bank Quay I quite often overhear someone buying a "walk on" tickets to some distant place. Most of them are obviously on company business as they don't bat an eyelid when the fare is given but for the rest of us I'm convinced that ticket office staff should be trained in resuscitation:D

I travel every day mainley by Merseyrail (Northern Line) alotogh a relible service the trains are allways crowded all day long 3 coach trains in peak times.

And the fares go up next year what do we get for our extra money for me it is an extra £1.20 a week on my season ticket will io even get a space for my bike for that or even a seat on the 08.22 train from Blundelsands and Crosby.

Even traveling by Northern Rail you can be squashed in like a sardeen no wonder people what to travel by car for me i have no choice but to travel by Train & Bike.

The truth is that this courntry is backwards as i belive if we had a king instead of a queen then things would get better especially the railways as in anothe year or two we arn't going to get any were by train as all these 20 & 30year old DMU's and EMU's arn't going to be abnle to move they will be compleatley failled as they can't cope with the stress they are put under.

TOC's constantly trying to revive old stock with very little money the next thing will be the roads will be that conjested the roads will be at a stand still and trains won't be able to move becuase they will all be knackered clapped out the buses the same and the whle country will be at a stand still unless the Person at the very top steps down.

That's my feeling completely. How long before we have to check in luggage? Remember the fact that the Duke of Wellington objected to the railway as it would encourage the lower orders to travel? :(

Sometimes I really do despair.

John, what would a gender change of the monarchy have to do with it?

I suppose I travel about once a month. Mostly on business, so I dont worry about the walk-on fares. But when it's my money I give the National Rail Enquiries webpage some very serious study.

I travel between Manchester and the East Midlands every so often, and I usually travel by rail and local journeys to town (ends up being cheaper and quicker than the bus).

walk on fares are iffy at best, my brother lives 200+ miles away if I buy a direct ticket (discounted for a pass) I end up spending twice the price than if I buy two tickets for the same journey and I don't even cross london!

That said I prefer the railway to any other form of transit.

Well Northern, Merseyrail, First Great Western and South West Trains aren't held with high regard. In my opinion CrossCountry, London Midland and National Express East Coast are too new to be named TOC of the year. So while that leaves quite a few companies it might be that people don't travel on those operators frequently enough to be able to nominate them.

I used to use a Northern Rail service every weekday, but now use the train about 3 times over a fortnight. I probably would use the train less if I wasn't eligible for a railcard.

im a fan of class 465s and my user names southeastern-465 but i wouldnt recomend them for 'toc of the year' as fog hut as already said but i would recomend southern!

It's 15 months since I posted the above I am now 60 & have a bus pass the bus stop for the south Notts service for Nottingham is at the end of my street.
I can use my bus pass to get half fare on the trains to Nottingham,Leicester,Derby,Peterborough,Nuneaton,G rantham & Market Harborough. The railway station is at the other end of my street

And too bad !!!!

I would nominate Transpennine and Wrexham and Shropshire, but I don't use either of them regularly.

If only ! Unfortunately South Notts haven't existed as a separate company since 1991 !!

I have to admit to using a car for most of my travels. The reason is that there are no trains to the towns I visit most. Tetbury has no trains at all and no buses from Bristol, Glastonbury and Wells have no trains, the bus runs to these towns but I could fill my tank with the cost of the fares for the wife and myself. Portishead and Clevedon both have no trains as does Thornbury. I could catch a train to Bristol Parkway or Chipping Sodbury and then a taxi to Thornbury, but the taxi alone would cost over £18. Sorry guys but I have to use a car.

Yes I know they are now owned by Nottingham city Transport but the buses still have South Notts on them.
The buses are painted Green rather than blue & purple.
The depot at Gotham is still in use and the South Notts name is still on the depot wall.
And people round here sill refer to them as South Notts

When I have a spare weekend day I go trainspotting on the ECML. But because my station is on a quiet branch line I have to get on a train to go trainspotting. But because I have a busy life I only get round to doing it about once a month.

I usually travel off peak to London on First Great Eastern National Express Anglia Coaches or whatever it is called now! on business or leisure. I drove across London from Chelmsford to Chiswick last Christmas hols and not only did I try following the satnav but gave up trying to spot traffic cameras instead of traffic lights or bus lanes - it was absolutely hideous (when I first started work I would drive my 100E down the A13 to London every day for a year so I used to know the roads very well, but now it has been altered beyond recognition) I am sure it is a greater plan to make the roads so impossible to drive that you must use public transport to preserve your sanity. Mind you, there is always the chance of catching yet another virus during the trip to spread round home and office - even if the train is air conditioned!

I use the train quite a lot. I use southwest trains to Putney and London Waterloo on the Windsor and Eaton Riverside line. Its a much nicer journey than the tube from Hatton Cross into central London. The price during the week even off peak is fairly eye watering. However the price is reduced during the weekend with my Network rail card. The service is ok and the rolling stock good.I wish you could pay for your fares using the Oyster pay as you go card. I have moved away from air travel when I go up to Glasgow.You can get great deals on advanced tickets during the weekend and travel first class for quite a good price. Nothing better than sitting back in your seat and watching the world go by. Plus you have not got to deal with all the rubbish you have to deal with when you travel by air these days.

I have no set pattern but then I have retired and get Free boxes with 12 still to use from last years allocation and will be using them this month as I have to visit Cambridge a few times and possibly more.

I dont travel by train
 

I am now one of the lucky ones who have retired with a decent pension.
But I have to say that when I was working, until 12 months ago I used to travel by train. In this country that was hard work with trains that dont run or not on time etc, etc. :(
But I also used the trains in Holland and Germany, they were brilliant, nice and clean, always on time and the staff were always polite.
I once used the Ice train and that was superb.
Now I just watch them hurtle by.:)

Thanks