Hello, all you lovely helpful forum people!
I was wondering if anyone could come up with a suggestion for me. I live in Derby and I have to get to Totnes (in Devon) in December for an open day/audition.

I have looked up train times on thetrainline.co.uk, the only one that would actually be possible is to leave at 6am and get there with about 15mins to spare, but this is cutting it a bit fine! Otherwise it means leaving at 11pm the night before and getting there with about 45mins to spare

Have also looked up national express buses, except they take 10 - 11 hours each (2 long changeover waits) and I really can't afford to miss 3 days of school (+ another one for an audition on the monday!)

Also tried BMI baby (out of desparation)...except I can't work the website and figure out how on earth to get there! My dad can't drive me there because he can't get time out of work, and my mum won't drive for 4 hours (I doubt her car would make it!) so I'm getting a bit stuck for ideas now!!!

Any help would be much appreciated!
love hoxie
xxx

You should be able to get a Derby or Newcastle train to Plymouth - most of which call at Totnes. Failing that, get a train to London, hop over to Paddington and do it that way...I'll look at it for you...

What date in December, and when do you have to be there?

Thanks, I will take a look at that!
It's on Wed 13th of December, I have to be there by around 10am (10.30am at the latest)

Ahh, OK. Seeing as it's that early, you might do better to stay overnight somewhere down south...

Yes, you don't want to be arriving stressed and flustered.

That was the original plan, except I couldn't find any trains that wouldn't mean me missing a day of school on Tuesday as well! My dad has said he might be able to take me now, but it means I have to leave the house at 6am and get smartened up in a service station! eep! Still, at least that wouldn't involve a 11-hour journey - I couldn't cope with that, even if it was the day before!

Could you not go in the middle of the day on the Tuesday? Or could you just miss school - I know it's a pain, but it might be worth it.

What you could do Hoxie, is get a Midland Mainline service to St Pancras, get to Paddington and get the sleeper service for Penzance into Totnes. Though you have to book the sleeper, it's a fair price but you can sleep on board hehe But gosh, what a buggar

Unless of course you got a super early service to St Pancras, got to Paddington somehow and in some way shape or form get to Totnes with time to spare!

Question...why Totnes? Lovely place but...why?

Can you get up to Manchester Airport ? I think you can fly to Exeter from there.

By public transport, Manchester Airport would be a pain from Derby. Though if I recall, there's some quite early services from Sheffield that run to the airport, which is close enough to Derby :S

Derby-Crewe-Manchester Picadilly-Manchester airport on the train, the Crewe-Airport line's down I think!

Irish Loony, have you sorted out your early morning issues? After my fiasco, My audition is now the 29th at 11:30, meaning I can get the 7:48 Crewe-Euston Service and get there on time (theoretically)

In response to 'why Totnes?' it is for Dartington College of Arts, based in Dartington in/near Totnes

My dad seems to think he can take me, which although it means leaving at 6am it may be the least stressful solution! Thanks for all the routes and ideas though - I will take a look in case he can't get the day off work!

It shouldn't be on a weekday. There's commuters from Wilmslow and Styal that depend on that line of a weekday, of a weekend I wouldn't be suprised though. But alternatively, if Hoxie can get to Sheffield early enough, she can get a direct service to the airport.

I got in touch with the admissions person from TCM and they are trying to move me back later in the day but I need to wait on comfirmation.

Tip for you Kate: Get an earlier train (first one if you can, 0559 off Crewe) just to be on the safe side. It's what I did for Birmingham and I'm glad I did! There were signalling problems at Stafford later causing delays :S

I've booked my tickets now and can't afford to change them!! 0559.... fine but it depends if I want to be awake whilst playing!! At the end of the day if it is late than there's not much I can do about it and there's no point getting in a stress - I stay calm and contact them. Less than 2 weeks!! - with that I'm off to practise!

Well good luck for getting there on time

I got my TCM audition time moved back to 11:30 YAY!

That's a better time, at least you might be awake!