Trains

[Drummond]

Pint and chips.... Now you're swaying me!

And Risso, it is a royal pain in the arse, but it means I can have a beer if the mood takes me, not have to drive etc. I may just do it for a Saturday game and then there's no rush!

If you get the Sheffield train to Market Harborough, I'll pick you up.

Cheers!

[Drummond]

Have you thought of linking with your local supporters club?
That’s how I do it for evening games now. I have to leave work a bit early & drive & park at the pick up point. The mini bus usually gets to Villa Park in good time for a few jars pre-match.
After the game we all get chips before getting back on the bus.
Then I stop in a hotel at the service station they drop me at (which is nearer to work than home) & that means I don’t drink & drive & it makes the morning fairly straightforward with a much shorter commute.
I know there is a really great crowd in the Yorkshire Lions, we once hitched a lift with them to Barnsley when the Sutton Lions left the local pub a bit early due to their lack of local knowledge.
It works because you don’t have to deal with the vaguearies of public transport, but still get to do the game as a social occasion, with time to meet your own mates pre-match, but also doing the whole trip with a new bunch of mates.

There's a very long story about the (now ex official) Yorkshire group.

But yes, I know a few folks, I just fancied the train to be honest! (a bit of time to plug in, let someone else do the driving whilst listening to music/podcast etc).

With my location it's just a bit awkward to meet other people without then having to drive to meet them, timing wise there's no public transport from near the motorway to home at that time, and it's a £20 cab fare pretty much. Which isn't breaking the bank, but when you add it to the train fare etc...

[amfy]

Have you thought of linking with your local supporters club?
That’s how I do it for evening games now. I have to leave work a bit early & drive & park at the pick up point. The mini bus usually gets to Villa Park in good time for a few jars pre-match.
After the game we all get chips before getting back on the bus.
Then I stop in a hotel at the service station they drop me at (which is nearer to work than home) & that means I don’t drink & drive & it makes the morning fairly straightforward with a much shorter commute.
I know there is a really great crowd in the Yorkshire Lions, we once hitched a lift with them to Barnsley when the Sutton Lions left the local pub a bit early due to their lack of local knowledge.
It works because you don’t have to deal with the vaguearies of public transport, but still get to do the game as a social occasion, with time to meet your own mates pre-match, but also doing the whole trip with a new bunch of mates.

There's a very long story about the (now ex official) Yorkshire group.

But yes, I know a few folks, I just fancied the train to be honest! (a bit of time to plug in, let someone else do the driving whilst listening to music/podcast etc).

With my location it's just a bit awkward to meet other people without then having to drive to meet them, timing wise there's no public transport from near the motorway to home at that time, and it's a £20 cab fare pretty much. Which isn't breaking the bank, but when you add it to the train fare etc...

I’m the same with location as I’m up in Morecambe and the nearest pick up is Preston which is nearly 30 miles south of me, so I used to have a fair drive after I was dropped off & still couldn’t really drink so I know exactly what you mean.
I work in Wigan now though which is a 50 mile commute anyway, so I pick up our supporters minibus at Charnock Richard and stay at the cheap Ramada at the service station (which is surprisingly good!) & then only have a short drive to work in the morning. Overall, it’s still cheaper than the train and I get a bit of a lie in compared to going to work from home so it’s worked out well!

The first weekday games I did after moving up here I actually stayed in Birmingham, got up at 5am for a train and walked straight into work. I wouldn’t have kept that up! It’s definitely been trial and error!

I don’t know if a hotel by your pick up point would work out better/cheaper for you, but your family circumstances are also different to mine, so I am guessing stopping out all night for the football wouldn’t make you popular!

[Flamingo Lane]

The (I think) number 7 bus might be an option for getting back into town.

On paper, yes, in practice less so.

[Risso]

Have you thought of linking with your local supporters club?
That’s how I do it for evening games now. I have to leave work a bit early & drive & park at the pick up point. The mini bus usually gets to Villa Park in good time for a few jars pre-match.
After the game we all get chips before getting back on the bus.
Then I stop in a hotel at the service station they drop me at (which is nearer to work than home) & that means I don’t drink & drive & it makes the morning fairly straightforward with a much shorter commute.
I know there is a really great crowd in the Yorkshire Lions, we once hitched a lift with them to Barnsley when the Sutton Lions left the local pub a bit early due to their lack of local knowledge.
It works because you don’t have to deal with the vaguearies of public transport, but still get to do the game as a social occasion, with time to meet your own mates pre-match, but also doing the whole trip with a new bunch of mates.

There's a very long story about the (now ex official) Yorkshire group.

But yes, I know a few folks, I just fancied the train to be honest! (a bit of time to plug in, let someone else do the driving whilst listening to music/podcast etc).

With my location it's just a bit awkward to meet other people without then having to drive to meet them, timing wise there's no public transport from near the motorway to home at that time, and it's a £20 cab fare pretty much. Which isn't breaking the bank, but when you add it to the train fare etc...

I’m the same with location as I’m up in Morecambe and the nearest pick up is Preston which is nearly 30 miles south of me, so I used to have a fair drive after I was dropped off & still couldn’t really drink so I know exactly what you mean.
I work in Wigan now though which is a 50 mile commute anyway, so I pick up our supporters minibus at Charnock Richard and stay at the cheap Ramada at the service station (which is surprisingly good!) & then only have a short drive to work in the morning. Overall, it’s still cheaper than the train and I get a bit of a lie in compared to going to work from home so it’s worked out well!

The first weekday games I did after moving up here I actually stayed in Birmingham, got up at 5am for a train and walked straight into work. I wouldn’t have kept that up! It’s definitely been trial and error!

I don’t know if a hotel by your pick up point would work out better/cheaper for you, but your family circumstances are also different to mine, so I am guessing stopping out all night for the football wouldn’t make you popular!

I used to go to a nightclub called Park Hall near to that hotel, many many years ago!