London to Earls Barton via Northampton or ????

The bus line which goes to Earls Barton is the X4 which leaves hourly, just after the top of the hour, from Northampton Bus Interchange. That is about a 10 to 15 minute walk from Northampton Railway Station (or a quick taxi ride).

It is about 20 minutes from the Bus Interchange to Earls Barton, so all in all a taxi from the Station to Earls Barton will be a lot more time efficient, especially with luggage, a guitar and (medium sized?) children.

On the other hand the X4 (which is a double deck bus) comes all the way cross country from Peterborough Railway Station (a 2 1/2 hour ride via Wellingborough and Kettering) or from Corby Railway Station-a 1 1/2 hour ride.

So it depends on your priorities- just the quickest and/or easiest way there, the cheapest way there, or the most scenic way there, or a combination thereof. You (especially the children) might enjoy the bus ride from Peterborough or Corby for all I know.

A lot of choices there.

Trains to Northampton leave from London Euston Station, to Corby from London St Pancras Station (on East Midlands Trains) and to Peterborough from London Kings Cross Station (LNER fast trains or Great Northern- slower) or St Pancras (Thameslink- slower). With such a menage a taxi will be the best way to any of the 3 stations from Paddington- or bus #205. I wouldn't try to use the tube with such a lot to handle.

I have local knowledge as Earls Barton is just down the road from me and where I go to a family farm to get my fruit and veg at their small shop.

While you are in Earls Barton have a look around the Saxon church on the hill which goes back to Viking days. There is an interesting potted history at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AllSaints'Church,EarlsBarton What that history ignores is the excellent ring of bells in the belfry, 8 bells in a full circle, 3 of which date to 1720, and 1 dates to 1775. The tower was last overhauled in 1934 by the famous John Taylor & Co of Loughborough. They are sweet.

Earls Barton is pretty much half way between Northampton and Wellingborough stations.

Advantages of Wellingborough station - slightly closer to Earls Barton by a choice of good roads, served by yellow taxis and minicabs. Train service twice an hour each way. EMR from London St Pancras International (upstairs in the northwest corner of the station) to Wellingborough on electric trains with a destination of Corby. Except a very few at peak times no other passenger trains stop at Wellingborough.

Disadvantages of Wellingborough station - the Down platforms used by trains from London have a sharp bend in in them which means that leaving the train involves a very large gap as well as a drop to the platform. Could be tricksy with kids and luggage and guitar - but people do it every day. When I travel with my wife she can't leave the train without (pre-booked) assistance. The EMR line was never part of Network Southeast so never benefited from lower fares. Fares are always significantly higher than on the LNWR to Northampton. Buses don't regularly serve the station and while there are yellow cabs as well as minicabs they don't always hang out on the cab rank and most people will call for a cab as they pass through Luton or Bedford - that's what I'd advise you to do.

Advantages of Northampton Station (my depot for a number of years) - a large station with modern facilities and a busy taxi rank. Taxis and minicabs can be called, but usually there are cabs on the rank. Once you get out of Northampton's local streets the usually (except at rush hour) fast A45 dual carriageway goes directly to Wellingborough via the south side of Earls Barton. Fares from London Euston to Northampton are more reasonable and Advance fares can be inexpensive.

Disadvantages of Northampton Station - traffic is usually fairly heavy in the town, the X4 (mentioned above by Stuart) at the bus station is inconvenient as the bus station is up a hill and not the nicest bus station in the country despite just being opened a few years ago. The X4 isn't the only bus linking Northampton and Earls Barton, the X46 and X47do too. All are express buses, serving local stops on some parts of the route, and non-stop on other parts. The X4 is more express from Northampton and the other two are local in Northampton, both on similar routes. Taxis will likely be more expensive to Earls Barton than from Wellingborough because Northampton is a few more miles.

One other consideration is that there are virtually no hotels in Wellingborough. There is a Premier Inn which is not on the bus line and a Travelodge also not on the bus line, and several very very budget hotels I would never recommend. The Hind Hotel is in the centre of Wellingborough near the Wellingborough bus station, not inexpensive, noisy, and in a very old building.

Northampton has a number of chain hotels - a Mercure (in what used to be the Park Inn), an Ibis between the station and bus station, gets low ratings, a Premier Inn east of the centre, on a bus route, and a low rated Travelodge. The town is a bit rowdy at weekends.

My brother stays at a nice B&B north of Earls Barton but really needs a car.

Given that you have a lot of luggage and stuff, it might be worth considering which London terminal would suit more.

The trains to Northampton from Euston are plentiful and relatively cheap but Euston is by some measure the worst of the big London stations. There’s a big concourse where people crowd around the display boards, platforms are often announced quite late and there’s often a really unpleasant stressful rush as people race for their trains. I used to travel from Euston a lot and have never been more stressed on a regular basis than I was while waiting for my train platform to be announced. At rush hour with luggage it really gets quite feral.

St Pancras is a bit different because various different companies’ trains go from different parts of the same station, plus the building itself is a much nicer place.

I don’t know if this kind of thing impacts you, but let’s just say that I’m hugely relieved I no longer have to use Euston on the regular. It also seems particularly prone to cancellations due to trespassers on the train lines. I often used to just go and get a curry buffet on nearby Drummond Street for a couple of hours just to avoid the busy-ness.

I wouldn't intend to defend the splodge that is Euston, but there is no denying that lots of trains go from there to all points northwest as well as to local and intermediate distances, There is an awful lot going on.

One advantage of going from there to Northampton is that Northampton is a major depot on the LNWR (London Northwestern Railway) so trains to there are listed by its name on the display boards. The trains run on a clockface schedule so you can plan for which will be slow (stopping) trains and which will be fast (fewer stops), and apps will predict the platform.

I have knowledge through many years of experience working trains in and out of Euston and into Northampton (which was my depot for several years).

There are two areas of platforms where LNWR trains go from, one which is known in by workers as "The Wood", platforms 8, 9, 10, 11, and then all the rest. If your train is running from a platform in the Wood, I would advise you to get on at the back of the train, many others will head for the front of the train trying to get seats away from the crowd. Actually being at the back is often less crowded, especially if the first stop is Leighton Buzzard because that is right at the head of the train; and the lift (elevator) at Northampton is right at the back of the train.

Do be aware of short trains stacked on the platform. A 12 car train can be brought in and then split in the platform to 2 trains (4 + 8 cars) or 3 x 4 car trains, with the one at the end of the platform being the one in service and the other 4 or 8 cars on the platform remaining locked up and detached. If they say Front Train, that's what is meant. That also occurs sometimes at St Pancras for trains to Wellingborough. If everybody is getting down the platform to a train at the end of the platform the advice about getting in the back is no longer good because people by their nature get in the first door that is open, which is at the rear.

By far the best advice I can give you is to avoid travelling at peak times (7-9:30 in the morning, 16:45-19:30 in the evening), and get there enough ahead that you can find your way around, get snacks, get to the train when it is called, and be patient.

The electric trains at St Pancras (EMR short distance commuters) do not have an allocated luggage area. There is an overhead rack the length of the car, otherwise you need to do your best. The LNWR trains at Euston are all electric, faster than the EMR ones at 110 mph), but again as commuters they don't have a dedicated luggage area. The overhead rack is somewhat wider and deeper than the EMR trains but you still won't get much more than a roll aboard up there. Another most excellent reason for not going at the peak.

Where will you be in London before the trip?

and apps will predict the platform.

That is one of the major issues with Euston, in that Euston has an awful lot of late platform changes, often for obscure reasons.

So people (including me) go down to predicted platforms using the apps/websites, long before they are advertised only to find altered platforms. That is what leads to the crowd surges which have been in the news recently.

I do it to specifically try to avoid the crowd surges. It has been somewhat better IMO since the new concourse departure screens were brought in, rather than the one large board. The new screens do tell you when the platform will be announced- not that it has the desired effect of stopping many passengers from just standing looking at the screens for ever, thus blocking the place up.

The idea was to get them to use the retail offerings, especially on the Piazza.

Only last week I was on a LNWR inbound service, due to arrive on Platform 2, right up to the last moment. Then at the final signal in the station throat, we were suddenly sent in to Platform 9 and running in so late (due to earlier delays) we had arrived after the unit was due back out. So, of course, as arriving passengers try to get off the train there is a surge of people racing down the ramps to board the train having come round from 2.
Worst of all I went straight round to 2 as the website was showing it as empty, and it was. Why the change, who knows?

Or a few weeks ago I was joining a peak hour Avanti service for Glasgow. Due to leave off 16, the stock arrived on time from Manchester, was cleaned and marked up for Glasgow, even the train crew were down there, so all good, 11 car train, lots of room, on time. I'm heading for Car G. Less than 10 minutes before departure (still not boarding) a 2nd crew come down- the train is now swapped out, and for Liverpool. Amidst much squawking of radios and debate of crews and platform staff (during which I'm furiously checking websites) we find out the Glasgow is now on 1 (so as far as humanly possible away) and a 9 car set.
I'd been down on 16 literally since the stock had arrived in from Manchester.
So I get a minute or so advance notice before the change is announced so I'm on my heels across the station to grab myself a seat (knowing it is a short train). Before the carnage of hundreds of other people trying to find seats on a train 2 cars shorter than booked (so no Car G or U). Result of course is a very late departure and missed connections all the way up the line, and eventually part of 1st class declassified.
No idea what caused that one either.

being diverted from 2 to 9 is no fun. I wonder if you were on top of a third rail (Overground or Lioness if you prefer)? That's their platform and it is a bit of a walk if you are on top. I had that experience just once or twice working there - it was never a usual move.

but that is really taking us off the question at hand.

Thank you for all the really detailed thoughtful responses!!

A couple of additional details:

By middle sized children, I mean that my kids are 13 and 8, so not like traveling with toddlers but at least my 8-yr-old isn’t quite big enough to carry 100% of his belongings, however we are going to try to keep to one backpack per person.

So we’re not in the need a luggage cart category of travelers, but we will also have the guitar and a suitcase with some drum hardware so not quite ready to run for trains/buses.

We are staying at the PI Paddington Station before we head to Earls Barton and then afterwards is complicated enough that I’m saving that for a different post.

One outstanding question is whether we can/should try to hire a car in Northampton or Wellingsborough for travel between the train and the show and a hotel.

Or can we get a cabs to and from the hotel? (We don’t have a hotel yet. The individual who arranged the show recommended the World’s End??)

I've had both my walking maps and my River Nene boating guide out trying in vain to find somewhere to stay in Earl's Barton itself.

The World's End is close enough to EB, with the last bus back from EB to the World's End being at 2336, Monday to Saturday, it stops outside. Says it's a 4* place so should be OK- 3.5* on TA.

To me I would just jump in a cab at either station, dump your stuff at the World's End, either ask the cabbie to wait or take the next bus to EB (every 30 minutes, 6 minute ride). Personally I don't see the need to rent a car, but it's your choice.

I was looking and Advance (Train Specific) fares to Northampton are £9, to Wellingborough £9.50- booked several weeks in advance.

I agree about Northampton Bus Station- I've done that transfer more than a fair few times from the station when walking in the area and using the bus to or from start points. And yes I know the Wellingborough set up too, as described.

Notwithstanding the current Office of Rail and Road enforcement action at Euston over perceived safety issues (and that I am personally trying to avoid Euston when I can, instance next week), all in all to me Euston has the edge as the right terminus for you. As a casual off peak passenger it should suit you, IMO. The worst you will encounter is a late platform change.

I suppose you could go out from Euston and back to St Pancras if you wanted to. The up (London) side at Wellingborough isn't as bad (from memory) as the down side.

I agree that the Up platform towards St Pancras at Wellingborough is nearly straight. Oh, don't worry that EMR train is 2 or 3 minutes late heading towards London while you are waiting for it - it almost always is, and is right time by London.

One other advantage at Northampton is that because it is a Depot there is usually a change of crew there so that there is always a bit of dwell time - plenty of time to get the kiddoes on and off safely as well as the luggage and guitar.

Do you know where you will be playing in Earls Barton?

A car would make life easier I would have thought. There is an Enterprise on the waterfront in Wellingborough, a mile or two from Wellingborough station, and I expect that they would collect. There used to be an Enterprise on the ground floor of Northampton but I was there on Wednesday and noticed it was empty.

I don't know of other car rental places in either town, but I don't need one so I haven't looked.

I've driven past The Worlds End (a nice wee walk in Ecton is enjoyable) but never new they had rooms - I always just though it a pub. I wonder if they would have a suitable room for the three of you...

or are there 4 of you?

We are playing the Kontra Roots Club which is at the Earls Barton Working Men's Club.

http://www.kcbworld.co.uk/index.html

So yes, there are 4 of us and having looked at the website for the Worlds End, I don't think that is necessarily the best lodging option for us. I'd prefer to find someplace that offers family rooms so that we don't need to book 2 rooms.

I think a cab or car to and from Earls Barton will make the most sense, especially because it will be relatively late when we finish playing. So we don't need accommodations that are on the bus line, just someplace within a reasonable cab/car ride and clean/safe/family-friendly.

I don't mind if my family experiences a little train stress, that's part of the adventure... We definitely won't be traveling at peak times, we have total flexibility as long as we are in Earls Barton by 5ish.

It sounds like there is no clear choice between taking the train to Northampton vs. Wellingborough, That being said, it sounds like there are two variables that might decide it for us.

1) I'd prefer to ride on a long-distance train rather than a commuter train if that makes sense. As someone who has ridden the commuter rail in and out of Boston for many years and watched folks struggling to deal with luggage on a train that wasn't designed for it surrounded by folks who just want to get home and put their feet up, I like to not be that person if I have a choice.

2) I think I would prefer to go the cab route so that I don't to worry about who is responsible for not driving on the wrong side of the road after our show. In which case it sounds like it might be easier to get a cab from Northampton but hire a car from Wellingborough (did I read that right). Plus then we don't have to worry about returning the car so we have options for our return travel to London (which is also complicated and probably worthy of its own separate topic thread).

I've just been looking at Booking.com.

For that night the Holiday Inn Northampton has a Double Room with two double beds on for £81 and the Hilton Northampton has a Queen Room with 2 Queen beds on for £110.

Both may be a wee bit cheaper on the Hotel's own websites. Both are on the south side of Northampton so need a cab, but not bad prices IMO.

I don't know what Nigel makes of either or both of those.

Those are both non refundable rates, each has slightly higher rates for pay at property/cancellable and also to include breakfast.

PS- Enterprise at Northampton have moved to St Andrew's Road a bit north of the station. For a 24 hour hire for a 4 door Ford Focus type car (what they call a Compact) they are charging £61.51 for a Manual[stick shift] or £89.10 for an Automatic.

From Wellingborough the same car is £58.38/£76.56.

For a Wellingborough pick up/Northampton drop it is £88.38/£108.56.

The Northampton Hilton is down by the M1 motorway which makes the ride back up to Northampton and then east several miles to the centre of Earls Barton a bit protracted. Especially if you want to be the "5ish". Traffic builds up from 3, for the school run, then drops off for half an hour or so then the early rush hour starts around 4:15, peaking about 5:30 and diminishing around 7:00 after the commuters from London have made it home.

I've used the Northampton Hilton for a number of public meetings, they are good folks. But if you do hire a car you should know that they charge an arm and a leg for parking. I wouldn't really call it local for Earls Barton. They have a pool (never used by me).

The Holiday Inn mentioned by Stuart is actually a Holiday Inn Express so breakfast is included. I don't know about their parking. They are in an light industrial estate at the junction of the M1, and there is also in that same estate a Campanile.

There is a Holiday Inn closer to town adjacent to the River Nene in a light industrial area with bank back rooms and call centres. Also a kayaking centre.

A car would open up your choices...

What about any of the Premier Inns? We really just need a place to leave our luggage during the show and then get a good nights sleep before we head back to London. So cab from train station to hotel with all our bags. Any form of transit from hotel to Earls Barton with just the guitar and instrument suitcase. Probably a cab back to hotel. Spend the night. And then cab back to train station with all our luggage.

No problem. Premier Inn on the south side of Wellingborough, now the adjacent pub is full converted to the PI restaurant, across from a McD's and M&S. Close to the A45 for the hop to Earls Barton.

or the Premier Inn, Northampton East. Next to a car par and not far from the theatre and party/bar areas, and hospital. Straight shot to Earls Barton from the other side. There's also a fancier one in the middle of town, and one on the south side.

Given your preferences one of those may be the best choice....

Re the Euston overcrowding.

As of today passengers for LNWR trains can now wait on the platform.

Those for 40% of Avanti trains can now board 20 minutes before departure, rising to 55% by Christmas.

Hurray.

Hurray!!!

Anyway, to update everyone who offered advice, we booked accommodation at the Premier Inn Northampton and decided to skip the rental car. We’re going to take the bus to/from Earls Barton.

Nigel (and anyone else who is local), come hear us play if you can and I can thank you in person.

It won’t be the whole band though, just the two of us.