I wanted an easy start to the day, so the day off work was booked and a lazy 2pm set off was booked. A bus ride into the City Centre and a walk to Moor Street for the first train of the day.
Some of you may remember my rant on GhettoIFE.com about “
The Perfect Bag”. In this trip, I’m using my new Etnies Transport backpack. I’ll let you know what I think of it at the end...
Yes, the new backpack. And yes, I'm site agnostic 
Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone
Chiltern Railways, Class 168
Price paid: £5 Single
The photos:
http://www.photoblog.com/kevincm/201...to-london.html
The train to London
Normally, I wouldn’t bother with this bit, but today - I’m going to as the Chiltern lines have been through a bit of an upgrade (and I’ve been on the sharp end of the upgrade when travelling down to London and the line has been closed down due to engineering works).
The aim of this wonder-upgrade is to decrease train times from a boring 2 hours and 2 minutes to a faster 1 hour and 37 minutes from Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone.
So, does it deliver? The answer is a resounding Yes. The service made it’s calls at Solihull, Warwick Parkway, Leamington Spa and Banbury, and didn’t loosen up on speed until High Wycombe, where it accelerated and basically hit the brakes just before Marylebone.
There was no service to speak of on board the train - other than the ticket check. Nothing unusual about that for an off peak train heading to London.
The trains are reasonably equipped, with power-at-seat, and air conditioned. And as the train was half empty - a pleasant - and fast way to get to London.
Overall: For a Fiver, it’s bargain of the month. Whilst the Class 168’s aren’t the last word in comfort, they’re great little trains that’ll get you to A to B.
What is more important is that there is now a viable alternative to the Virgin Trains service. For those of you who do the Birmingham <> London run, some numbers:
Virgin Trains - 1 hour 24 to London Euston <> Birmingham New Street
Chiltern Railways - 1 hour 37 to London Marylebone <> Birmingham Moor Street
London Midland, 2 hours 20 to London Euston <> Birmingham New Street
National Express Coach 2 hours 40 London Victoria Coach Station <> Birmingham Digbeth Coach Station
With a few hours to kill in London (and a deadline to be at Victoria by 19:30, that gave me a few hours to head to the Bureau de Change to get my Canadian Dollars and some Euros (pin money). Afterwards, I made camp at St Martins in the Field for a bit and watched the world go by.
After some time, I wandered around the West End, doing random FourSquare Checkins to get some more hotel points (dread the thought, my HHonors balance will one day resemble more than a pittance), before getting bored and catching the Tube to Victoria Coach Station.
Being early of course never helps.. but as the queues built up, it was a good idea. Eventually, check-in begun and moved v-e-r-y slowly, to the point where they had to hold the two coaches - one heading to Frankfurt, One to Dortmound - for 20 minutes.
This was it quiet. It got a *lot* busier
Eventually, we finally pulled off with a full coach load.
Eurolines Coach 163
London to Dover (Cross Channel Crossing), Calais - Brussels via Ghent
£29+£4 booking fee.
The Photos
http://www.photoblog.com/kevincm/201...and-ferry.html
To say there was a fair mix of people on-board would be an understatement. All backgrounds and all sorts were on board as the coach trundled through London, and out onto the M2. The seat pitch as you can guess was akin to Low Cost Carriers level. On top of that, there was also minimal stowage space, so the backpack had to be at floor level for most of the trip
Originally schedule to make various stop to Dover, the coach ran down the M2, and then back onto the A2, finally reaching the classic Dover Eastern Docks. Now for those of you with a sense of nostalgia for the old days when you used to go to Calais for the day, or even took a coach for a “Booze Cruise”, one of the sights you can’t forget is the final approach down to Dover docks along the Jubilee Way.
And yes, it’s here on Youtube - and apologies this was shot in the dark...!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpuKup9WCv0
As we picked up our last passenger for a bit, we approached the UK/France Border, where everyone was kicked off the coach, processed and when customs were happy, let back on the bus. A drive around the docks, and we parked up where it seemed to be German Foreign Exchange Student Season as there were coachloads of them heading home.
In other words, it was loud but fun. As we had a good 15 minutes before boarding, everyone got off the coach to grab some fresh sea air. And whilst it was fresh, it was by no means “cold” - a pleasant 17c or so.
The call eventually went out for people to re-board their vehicles, and soon enough the loading of the ferry begun. We parked up, and were told to come back before docking.
Making my way upstairs, I had all sorts of nostalgia. And yes, I had been aboard The Pride of Calais when I was a lot younger, it still had that wonderful sensation of people aboard, the ferry buzzing and people looking forward to going to places. Or dread the thought “The Romance of Travel”.
As it was a late night, it was loud and raucous, but no one over drunk (even though Duty Free was doing a fair olde trade in canned beer... ). There were some places - like outside that were devoid of life and quiet though.
Night on the deck
I merely took this opportunity as I was away from any wireless network to get on resorting my Photographic Portfolio and not be disturbed. A pleasant way to spend an hour or so.
The port of Calais ahead
The ferry took it’s way across the Channel in darkness, only to see light as we approached Calais. Soon enough it was time to bid farewell to this old friend, and then back to the crammed conditions of the coach with my new friends.
Off we go again.
After docking, the mass scramble to get out of the ferry begun, and soon enough, the night travel begun, taking it’s way through France and into Belgium, initially arriving at Ghent Station. A quick pit-stop to drop more people off, and then it was off to Petrol station in the middle of nowhere on the E40 for a driver break.
Truly the middle of nowhere...
A short blast down a highway, and soon enough we entered the land of compromise and politicians - Brussels.
At 5:45, we reached Brussels North Station where I wearily got off the coach, back aching, but happy I had made it.
Overall: Coach travel is what you make of it. I found pain relief helped a long way, and the ferry a trip down nostalgia way. However if hotels are a mite cheaper next time, there’s this wonderful thing called Eurostar. Nuff said?
However if you’re on a tight budget, the coach has a lot going for it. Just don’t expect to sleep that much on one.
Onto Brussels Airport.
Onwards!
After stretching a bit, I made my way upstairs to the mess that is Brussels North Station. Of course, the ticket booth was closed until 6am, so for a laugh I tried to use the ticket machines.
Of course, they don’t take standard Visa or MasterCard. Annoying. 6am passed and eventually, the ticket windows opened up and I was able to waste €5.20 for a ticket to the airport (or €3 with a €2.20 Diablo surcharge. More diabolic if you ask me...)
After working out where the train was going from, I grabbed some cold morning air as trains zipped in and out until this old rickety 2 car electric unit arrived - the gateway to the airport. However, once I got on I noticed a fair amount of commotion on the platform with an irate conductor explaining in 3 different languages there was a problem. As we pulled out of the station, the conductor went person to person explaining there was a fault at Brussels airport, so we were being sent to the village of Zaventem, where a bus would take us to the airport.
And that’s what happened. At Zaventem, we were all kicked off the train, where we waited for the bus. And waited. And waited some more. 3 buses came and went, all going the wrong way until one was going the right way - and two trainloads of people boarded the bus. Never fun.
Where am I? In the Village.. of Zaventem...
To be honest, this is London Transport levels of disorganisation. Frustrating more than annoying, but eventually, the bus parked at Brussels Airport and I made my way to check-in.