Spa Valley Railway to Belfast. ECML or WCML?

[bangor-toad]

I've managed to get some time off and I'm looking forward to going to the Spa Valley Railway Gala tonight thanks to a quite reasonable Easyjet flight. However, not unexpectedly, the return flights on Sunday 5th are expensive and as I've time spare, it's time for another SailRail trek from SE England back to Northern Ireland.

Obviously I can't get a ticket from the Spa Valley Railway to Belfast so I'll get one from Haywards Heath as a) I can get a lift there and b) there are early enough trains. Given that I've not been using trains on the mainland since the timetables went nuts, any advice on my actual choice of trains would be appreciated.

On Sunday 5th there are options to use either the WCML or the ECML.
The two services which give a bit of flexibility in case of late running are the
8:48 Kings Cross - Edinburgh with a highly optimisitc connection to Glasgow Central or a far more sensible one to Glasgow Queen Steet
- or -
8:45 Euston - Glasgow Central

As there is no flexibility in the SailRail bus from Ayr at 5:05pm I want to make sure that I get to Glasgow to get the train to Ayr and I don't mind having a bit of extra time at Glasgow Central as that can be used for getting some food.

What would be the recommended route this weekend? ECML or WCML? Are the services I've mentioned likely to be *really* busy?
At the moment I'm thinking ECML as there is another Kings Cross - Edinburgh service at 9:00am in case of delays (and it makes a change from the WCML)

Any comments welcome,
Mr Toad

 

[318266]

Is it by any chance that highly optimistic connection is the 1313 CrossCountry?

 

[bangor-toad]

Is it by any chance that highly optimistic connection is the 1313 CrossCountry?

Yes. That's the one.
From experience, a 7 minute connection at Edinburgh is possible but it's not something I'd like to absolutely rely on. The 13:30 service to Queen Street via Falkirk is the connection I think is more likely. That one still provides plenty of time to walk across Glasgow and get some food so it shouldn't be stressfull at all...
Cheers,
Mr Toad

 

[Kite159]

Be aware the 13:13 Crosscountry is only going as far as Motherwell on Sunday due to engineering works. The 13:30 to Queen Street will be the better service.

 

[bangor-toad]

Be aware the 13:13 Crosscountry is only going as far as Motherwell on Sunday due to engineering works.

It's this sort of information that is so useful. Kite159 - thank you very much for this. Little details like this make it all so much smoother and simple.
Thanks very much,
Mr Toad

 

[318266]

That's why I asked!

 

[318266]

The latest you could leave Glasgow Central for Ayr is 1600, arr 1653. That has a 12 minute connection onto the 1705 bus to Cairnryan.

The WCML service is meant to arrive 1405, so that leaves 1hr 55mins in Glasgow

The ECML service is meant to arrive Edinburgh at 1306, then you catch the either the:
1313 XC to Motherwell, changing there for a bus at 1405 to Glasgow Central, arriving at 1435, leaving 1hr 25mins to spend in Glasgow
1330 SR to Glasgow Queen Street, arriving at 1422, leaving 1hr 38mins to spend in Glasgow