A Recipe for Disaster
Tomorrow, I’m attempting to get to Ipswich to see them play Nottingham Forest. The East Anglian main line through Chelmsford is shut as far as Ilford, so you have to take a tube to Newbury Park station and then get a special bus to Ingatestone, where you get the train to Ipswich. It started to go wrong today with a serious road crash outside Newbury Park. Earlier this evening, I was passing Liverpool Street station, so I went in to buy a ticket. I said that I wanted to be in Ipswich by 15:00 and wanted to return home any time after 17:00, so could I have a Cheap Day Return. The man in the ticket office didn’t think he could sell me one and wanted to charge me about £46.00 for the return. He said that I might get it cheaper, if I nomininated particular trains. But when there’s a coach service in the middle, I’m reluctant to do this.
When I returned home, I phoned National Express East Anglia and they said that Cheap Day Returns will be available.
But what with coaches, a Bank Holiday and new fares coming in, I think we have a recipe for disaster, so I’m looking at serious alternatives, including going to Cambridge and getting a train to Ipswich from there. It will be more expensive, but probably a lot more reliable. It’s also a few minutes quicker and I could have lunch in Cambridge on the way out or dinner on the way back.
The Anonymous Widower 
Longer term, have you considered contacting the Ipswich teams supporter group and finding someone who lives nearby and drives, and you could travel with them and share the cost of the petrol?
Comment by liz | January 2, 2011 |
I have done it, but most from London use the train. But I suspect not for much longer!
Comment by AnonW | January 2, 2011 |