York questions

it's small - you won't need a bus around the city centre

Ramblin, I was thinking of getting from my hotel (Indigo) to the Railway Museum, but I think I’ll just take a taxi

Thank you!

The HoHo bus would do that. But it would take you on it's circular route past the lovely Rowntree park, the former Terry's works (the two former big chocolate makers) in the city, and the racecourse.
Not sure of the stopping arrangements currently outside the station, as there are a lot of roadworks at that location.
Don't forget about the sightseeing boats as well. And they do an afternoon one way riverbus trip to Bishopsthorpe (home of the Archbishop of York) and Naburn (for buses back).
Agreed the centre of York is small, with many pedestrian only streets. I don't think about buses in central York either. If I did last Sunday the bus would have been very useful when I took over 30 minutes each way to walk from the station to the Minster when my right foot played silly b.... on me (and has since put me in hospital).
The city bus seems to be the 10 or 10L- on its way from Stamford Bridge (battle of) to Poppleton (a village on the Harrogate rail line)

Betsy - it's only just over a mile walking. I suspect that walking will be almost as quick as a taxi.

Stuart, I hope you are doing better!

Stuart, I could do the HoHo as long as I get up early enough - I need to be at the railway Museum by 10:30 am

The HoHo bus would do that. But it would take you on it's circular
route past the lovely Rowntree park, the former Terry's works (the two
former big chocolate makers) in the city, and the racecourse.
Blockquote

I won’t have time during these few days, but I plan on going to York (from Knaresborough) as a day trip, and I’ll do a boat cruise on that day

Not sure of the stopping arrangements currently outside the station,
as there are a lot of roadworks at that location. Don't forget about
the sightseeing boats as well. And they do an afternoon one way
riverbus trip to Bishopsthorpe (home of the Archbishop of York) and
Naburn (for buses back).
Blockquote

This is my plan :

27th - day tour

28th:

Jorvik Viking Centre - 10 am

Treasurer’s House - 11:30 am (guided tour)

York Minster - 1 pm (guided tour)

York’s Chocolate Story - 3:30 pm

** dinner/maybe a ghost tour

29th :

Railway Museum - 10 am

York Castle Museum - 2 pm

Depart

Thanks!

John, is that it? Google said it would take 26 minutes to walk to …

I might go the HoHo bus as long as I get up early enough

Thanks!

Betsy - it's only just over a mile walking. I suspect that walking
will be almost as quick as a taxi.

Betsy - google does say 26 minutes but for only 1.2 miles. Of course everyone walks at different speeds - I would expect to do that in about 20 minutes. Only you will know your own pace

John, thanks!

I doubt I’ll walk because I need to maximize my time, and the weather is looking iffy…but I’ll play it by ear as it’s not for another few days

Betsy - google does say 26 minutes but for only 1.2 miles. Of course
everyone walks at different speeds - I would expect to do that in
about 20 minutes. Only you will know your own pace

On the 29th I'm not sure what you plan to do with your luggage, but I might be inclined to reverse the day.
Leave luggage at the station, go the Castle Museum, then the NRM, then use the exit from the NRM direct onto the station on the long footbridge across all the platforms.
Sure it'll cost more than one of the internet services but maybe more convenient.

Betsy - just a "heads up" which may or may not be useful. There is a way to get to the National Rail Museum that goes through the rail station - Stuart mentioned that above.

I didn't realize this and was following Apple Maps - the map didn't match the road sign "National Rail Museum" on the street in front of me - I was quite confused! When I decided to trust Maps, I had no problem going through the station and finding the walkway to the museum.

There was construction last month around the museum and museum access - I don't know if that is still on-going, but it added to my confusion. (I am not the best at following signs or Maps in the best of circumstances.... You may not have my affliction!)

This may not even be an issue depending on where you are coming from. I visited the Museum after arriving at the train station, so Stuart's suggestion was my route. I like his suggestion, by the way.....

Stuart, I plan on leaving my bags at the hotel …..and take a taxi to that train station when it’s time.

Even had I not already booked the Railway Museum (including Flying Scotsman VR) and York Castle Museum, I would not have left my bags at the station- just wouldn’t feel comfortable.

Thank you !

On the 29th I'm not sure what you plan to do with your luggage, but I
might be inclined to reverse the day. Leave luggage at the station, go
the Castle Museum, then the NRM, then use the exit from the NRM direct
onto the station on the long footbridge across all the platforms. Sure
it'll cost more than one of the internet services but maybe more
convenient.

ORD, Stuart’s suggestion is very smart - but not for me. I’ve never left my bags at a station, & don’t want to start now. After the York Castle Museum, I’ll go back to my hotel & take a taxi to the station

And yes, I’m awful with directions, lol

Betsy - just a "heads up" which may or may not be useful. There is a
way to get to the National Rail Museum that goes through the rail
station - Stuart mentioned that above. I didn't realize this and was
following Apple Maps - the map didn't match the road sign "National
Rail Museum" on the street in front of me - I was quite confused! When
I decided to trust Maps, I had no problem going through the station
and finding the walkway to the museum. There was construction last
month around the museum and museum access - I don't know if that is
still on-going, but it added to my confusion. (I am not the best at
following signs or Maps in the best of circumstances.... You may not
have my affliction!) This may not even be an issue depending on where
you are coming from. I visited the Museum after arriving at the train
station, so Stuart's suggestion was my route. I like his suggestion,
by the way.....

Horses for courses. I would never leave luggage at a hotel, trusting their potentially crooked employees, and possibly dodgy security. Likewise for these internet companies using corner stores and the like.
But we all differ in how we approach risk.
At a station there is CCTV everywhere, access is controlled and everything is scanned for containing dodgy items.
Part of what I'm paying extra for.

I’ve never left my bags at a station, & don’t want to start now.

Hmmmmm....

Stuart, thank you for letting us know you are on the mend, albeit from a very serious infection.

For our visit to York a number of years ago we got off the train from Edinburgh and literally rolled our bags from the platform into the hotel connected to the station - currently the Milner York. From there it was a short walk along the walls and over the bridge into York proper. On the day of our departure to London we checked out, stored our bags, and walked the short distance to the railway museum, where we spent several hours. We then walked back to the hotel, retrieved bags, and rolled them back out to the platform. It was an excellent solution for those with limited time.

It’s what I’ve always done - both when I arrive before check-in, & before I leave. If I had questions about security, o wouldn’t be staying T these hotels. In this particular case, I just stayed at a Hotel Indigo in Bath

More to the point, I’ve already booked both museums, so ….

Horses for courses. I would never leave luggage at a hotel, trusting
their potentially crooked employees, and possibly dodgy security.
Likewise for these internet companies using corner stores and the
like. But we all differ in how we approach risk. At a station there is
CCTV everywhere, access is controlled and everything is scanned for
containing dodgy items. Part of what I'm paying extra for

.

just to add to the luggage at the station question - and I know the decision is made and that's fine - I'd be perfectly happy with an Excess Baggage official left luggage facility with x-ray and all the whistles and bells - but that's moot anyway. According to both National Rail Enquiries and Google, there is no branch of Excess Baggage at York... it is all third party internet disrupters.

Nigel -pardon me for being dense, but what does that mean? I assumed that leaving baggage at the station would have meant leaving them in lockers…

just to add to the luggage at the station question - and I know the
decision is made and that's fine - I'd be perfectly happy with an
Excess Baggage official left luggage facility with x-ray and all the
whistles and bells - but that's moot anyway. According to both
National Rail Enquiries and Google, there is no branch of Excess
Baggage at York... it is all third party internet disrupters.

no lockers at any stations - haven't been for many years - since the IRA was active

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/york/

Ramblin, that makes sense…so I’m done stations then they have clerks watching the bags?

no lockers at any stations - haven't been for many years - since the
IRA was active https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/york/

The station staff never have left luggage responsibility these days. That is offloaded to what is now a private company, Excess Baggage Company, https://www.excess-baggage.com/ who do an excellent job. They use the same facilities where the left luggage office used to be, and they x-ray every piece before accepting it, and store it properly. Because they are staffed the prices are higher than a third party internet disrupter. Again because they are staffed it can sometimes take a little time to reclaim if there is a queue.

A lot of this is due, as mentioned above, that during The Troubles the railway, especially the larger stations was a prime target of bombs from the IRA. So, no lockers anywhere which were often used by terrorists, attended luggage by Excess Baggage Company with the security, and third party internet disrupters popped up like mushrooms at places like nearby hotels, shoe stores, cafes, and many other places, but with varying degrees of supervision and security.

There are still plenty of terrorists around, you will hear frequent announcements on the trains asking passengers to notify staff if anything is unusual, "See It, Say It, Sorted", and there are plain clothes police that you won't notice.

That doesn't mean to go around in fear, just keep a watching eye for anything "off". Millions of people use the trains every day and incidents are very few.

Back to York - there is no left luggage facility at York station, no lockers either, so you either use your own hotel as you have said, or a third party internet disrupter, or schlep your luggage with.

I hope that clarifies?

Nigel, yes it does clarify things - very interesting…thank you!

If Edinburgh Waverley has this Excess Baggage, I might take advantage of it…

And I can’t get “See it, Say it, Sorted” out of my head! I imagine there are plainclothes officers at stations elsewhere. I know at Penn Station in NYC the military has a presence…