http://www.planetbods.org/blog/build/images/me.jpg 2007-12-28T01:28:52Z Getting around any way you can. tag:www.planetbods.org,2008:/blog/Transport/2 Movable Type Copyright (c) 2007, Andrew Bowden 2007-12-28T01:28:52Z 2007-12-28T01:27:31Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.747

Travelling by train around Christmas time is never particularly fun. Suitcases are often on the large side, and daytime trains are the domain of people dashing off across the country on mammoth treks. And importantly, trains are often full, with people standing left right and centre.

Andrew Bowden 2007-12-06T11:37:32Z 2007-12-06T13:35:00Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.739

In a slightly curious move, it appears that GNER relaunched their website on Monday. For those not that well up on the comings and goings of railway companies, the reason that this launch is rather curious is that it comes just days before GNER will cease to exist - the company will run its last train on Friday.

Andrew Bowden 2007-11-28T12:10:25Z 2007-11-28T12:03:31Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.735

Sorry to drag you back to the world of railways and trains again, however today I tried once more to get some seat reservations for the annual trip up north on the old Virgin Train.

Andrew Bowden 2007-11-24T14:44:06Z 2007-11-24T14:35:15Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.732

It's quite easy to complain about customer service, but how often do we celebrate it when it is good?

Andrew Bowden 2007-11-21T20:46:41Z 2007-11-21T20:38:00Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.731

That title up there is what my batch of train tickets that arrived from The Trainline today, proudly proclaims. Three separate trains, on two different days during Christmas, on three different train companies. And no seat.

Andrew Bowden 2007-11-20T19:03:23Z 2007-11-20T19:04:00Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.730

One of the issues of trying to work out my travel arrangements for Christmas, is always trying to get the right information about what's going on. To be fair, it's not just as Christmas either.

Andrew Bowden 2007-11-19T13:45:30Z 2007-11-19T13:43:27Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.729

Here's a question. Where is "The North"? The question came up in my mind whilst thinking about booking train tickets for the dreaded Christmas cross-country train trip in order that I might sit in a different house eating food, watching TV and drinking beer, instead of doing it in my own.

Andrew Bowden 2007-08-01T09:12:43Z 2007-07-31T09:29:21Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.433

Thanks to the wonders of the internet, it's the little piece of music that French railway company SNCF play before tanoy announcements at their stations...

Andrew Bowden 2007-06-04T21:40:18Z 2007-06-04T21:27:41Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.694

Last night when I was told that one of the best places for European railway timetables online is to pop off to Germany - in the online sense anyway.

Andrew Bowden 2007-06-04T21:40:47Z 2007-06-03T10:52:49Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2007:/blog//2.692

If there's a greater test of website usability, it's trying to find out information from a site that's in a language you don't speak.

Andrew Bowden 2006-11-15T21:35:48Z 2006-11-15T20:17:03Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2006:/blog//2.640

We were staying in Shanklin which is the final stop of the Isle of Wight's eight mile train system - running from the pier end at Shanklin, mere moments after you get off the catamaran - which meant we got to enjoy travelling the entire route of Wight's trains. The trains are operated by Island Line, the smallest railway franchise in the UK, which is owned by Stagecoach.

Andrew Bowden 2006-08-02T20:42:17Z 2006-08-02T20:39:53Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2006:/blog//2.617

It's not often that I am speechless, but as I type this, I am. But before I explain why, let me explain.

Andrew Bowden 2006-05-23T20:34:25Z 2006-05-23T20:06:11Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2006:/blog//2.601

Well it appears Friday should have been a day of celebration for the residents of Merton. For on Friday, bus company Centra London ran its last ever journies. It appears their remaining three bus services - the 200, 201 and 493 - all got new operators the following day, and the company has now given up running passenger services.

Andrew Bowden 2005-12-29T21:39:41Z 2005-12-29T21:27:25Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2005:/blog//2.562

Well with a tube strike on New Years Eve looking increasingly likely, it's time to dig into the archives and just point you towards what I wrote back in August 2004 about The PR Of Strikes. Most of it's relevant in this case with just a few minor changes here and there.

Andrew Bowden 2006-05-15T20:54:37Z 2005-11-21T22:38:08Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2005:/blog//2.542

I love a good piece of unbiased, non-partisan, well researched reporting from my news sources. Which is why I tend to avoid This Is Local London.

Andrew Bowden 2007-01-02T21:53:53Z 2005-10-25T19:33:37Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2005:/blog//2.526

And so all good things must come to an end. And by that, I mean a real end. Yes, I've put Zone 1 back on my Travelcard.

Andrew Bowden 2005-10-24T21:26:11Z 2005-10-13T21:41:29Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2005:/blog//2.505

So we all get in a stupid mess, and trains are withdrawn on safety grounds and I have hassles getting into work because the entire tube line is shut.

Andrew Bowden 2005-10-24T21:26:09Z 2005-07-23T08:48:16Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2005:/blog//2.458

It made me feel incredibly lazy, but yesterday I did it. Yes, I got the tube for one stop between Shepherds Bush and White City.

Andrew Bowden 2005-10-24T21:26:09Z 2005-07-21T19:42:05Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2005:/blog//2.457

Shepherds Bush. What an odd place to target. And what a bloomin' nuisance. The whole of Shepherd's Bush Green was sealed off as I set off for home. Which left me with an interesting problem - how to get to Kensington Olympia so I could get my train to Clapham?

Andrew Bowden 2005-10-24T21:26:08Z 2005-06-28T21:47:25Z tag:www.planetbods.org,2005:/blog//2.441

Which prat decided Crystal Palace was a good place to host a Coldplay concert on a weekday evening? I ask as one of thousands of commuters whose journey home this evening was made a misery thanks to countless train disruption on the Southern Metro network, caused by hordes of gig-goers filling trains and stations whilst railway staff struggled to cope with the crowds.

Andrew Bowden