travelling by train to gigs

Subject: travelling by train to gigs
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 01:59 PM

are there many other performers who like myself prefer to travel to their gigs by train?
next week I am playing in England and I will be travelling to all my gigs by train.
by booking tickets in advance, the cost is reduced, plus there is a beneficial affect for the environment.
I believe Martin Carthy and VinGarbutt also travel by train is there anyone else?http://www.dickmiles.com

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: GUEST,999
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 02:09 PM

Me from now on and when possible. The airports have become a friggin` pain and busses are shite compared to a train. IMO.

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 02:12 PM

Vin used to but I think Pat his wife drives him now.

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 02:15 PM

Martin Carthy's been doing it for years.

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: Mark Ross
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 04:23 PM

I try to every chance I get. Unfortunately, sometimes the train doesn't go there. I have been traveling by train for years, lately I have even started using tickets.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: Leadfingers
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 04:38 PM

Its a bit of a pain trying to get a full PA , with several instruments and mics, stands , etc ANYWHERE by Public Transport !
But I DID use the train on Saturday as it was only Instruments , and probably about the same travelling time by train as by car

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: DebC
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 04:47 PM

I did train travel last summer in the UK and I found it to be difficult. I always travel light and have three pieces of luggage: a suitcase, a rucksack, and a guitar. But even with this, it was hard to go the train route because there were many times the trains were so crowded that there was no place left to place the luggage. All the luggage areas were taken by passengers who had gotten on the train before me.

Deb Cowan

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 04:49 PM

if you book in advance you have a seat reserved.
leadfingers,that is the advantage of playing the concertina.

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: DebC
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 07:37 PM

All of my seats last summer were booked in advance. It wasn't a problem with seats, but an issue of where to put luggage.

Even though it is very expensive, I find that hiring a car works the best for me. YMMV.

Debra

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: GUEST,Dan In NS: Now on tour in UK
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 08:16 PM

I buy a britrail pass and find that works best for me. (At the moment I'm halfway through a 30 day consecutive England pass.) Here's teh web site : http://www.britrail.com/ I can hop on and off any train I want or need and as I only travel with a pack and guitar everything is relatively simple.

Dan McKinnon

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: black walnut
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 09:05 PM

I've taken the train going from Toronto to Ottawa to a gig with Jeff M. It was great. We took all our luggage and instruments, and were able to come home without much stress after a long day, without having to worry about traffic and rain. A much better way to go than driving.

~b.w.

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: Effsee
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 11:21 PM

Cyril Tawney regaled me with his tales of travelling on trains to his gigs...and his travails with Initial Towels!

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: Will Fly
Date: 07 Jun 10 - 03:45 AM

It's a great concept if you can do it (and I'm the proud possessor of a Senior Citizen Railcard), but there are often things which make it very difficult. I live 5 miles from the nearest station, so I have to be driven or drive to the station car park to start with. Then there's the complexity of the journey - changes from one line to another, with perhaps a bus or taxi ride at the other end - and then the question: when does the last bus/train leave? Some venues can be in quite remote locations or in areas with poor public transport.

So, it's much simpler to pop the instruments into the old Volvo, switch on the SatNav (if a newly-visited venue) and trundle along to the door in comfort.

When I was gigging in London, many years ago, I used to take a guitar and small amp everywhere by tube. But then, the price of the tube fare from Queensway to Oxford Circus was... 4d (yes, d, not p).

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: GUEST,Gail
Date: 07 Jun 10 - 04:19 AM

"if you book in advance you have a seat reserved."

Except that each train has a sign saying reservations are not guaranteed. I commute on UK inter-city trains every week day and reservations are frequently cancelled because of overcrowding, carriage failures, 2 trains being combined into 1 etc.

My advice would be to avoid commuter times; you may not be able to board an overcrowded train at all, even with a reservation, and you will be very unpopular if you have luggage/guitar cases etc at peak times.
If you have to travel earlier to avoid rush hour problems, this could result in a lot of time hanging around before your gig.

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: Bounty Hound
Date: 07 Jun 10 - 04:44 AM

Lovely idea! Perhaps when I give up playing four different instruments and take up the triangle!

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: GUEST,Guest - Lin
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 01:34 AM

I think if you really do your planning in advance and definitely have reservations on the train. You could also call or go to the train station ahead of time and ask them what train is your least crowded train?
Or course if it is certain holidays probably all trains are crowded but try your best to travel at off peak or non-rush hour times.

For a relaxing journey, you could book yourself in an inexpensive
B & B that is not too far from your gig. There again, this takes planning as you need to know how far the B & B would be from the gig address. That way, you can go into the town in the afternoon, go to the B & B you are booked at and either just relax in your room until you have a meal or just take a leisure walk around the town during the day, relax a bit before your gig. Then the next day you can leisurely book yourself on a train (after rush hour dies down a bit) and go home.

Yes, this does involve the expense of a B & B but at least you can still travel by train and have a nice relaxing afternoon at your hotel until your gig starts. If you stay at a B & B you don't have to worry about getting back to the train after your gig and can just go back to the hotel, sleep and leave the next day. Well...anyway this is how I would do it.

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: bubblyrat
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 08:13 AM

Not much of an option round here,I'm afraid ( Henley).....to get to Bourne End,a few miles away,I'd have to get a train to Reading,another train to Maidenhead,then yet another train,the "Marlow Donkey" !! It's bus-pass or WFD's car for me !! Although I DID used to go to Sidmouth by train, in the days when one could ! And I did a "gig" in Arbroath once,with a big band....night sleeper from Euston ! ---Howzat ?? ( Her Majesty's Government paid for the ticket !).

Subject: RE: travelling by train to gigs
From: Leadfingers
Date: 08 Jun 10 - 08:51 AM

Straight in and out of a Major City in UK is usually not a problem -EXCEPT at Main Commuter times ! But any thing else can be VERY involved , as Bubbly said ! I had to turn down a St Paddy's (WELL Paid) thirty miles away because I couldnt drive and the train COULD have got me there , leaving at 10 am , but wouldnt get me home without an overnight stay !