Reply to: Car or Train to Temporary place of work?

[stek]

What train company is this? And where is this?

The train companies I've used have first class carriages not rows. (When they have first class.) But they are on the longer routes.

Trans-Pennine have the first (or last) third of the one (or two) carriage(s) in that format. Seats are 2+1 not 2+2 so a bit wider, and the only division is the door aisles so there's usually some prole stood near the automatic door sensor and the fecking thing is going 'whoosh, whoosh' like the Star-Trek doors on steroids....

Was £350 a mo LDS-PICC, £250 second, £200 on the Caldervale, SC only line

[SueEllen]

The "First Class" is just 4 rows of normal seats at the end of the 1st, 4th, 5th & 8th and in the same carriages as the rest of SC. There is no Partitions, Privacy or WiFi like on some services (Virgin?), and certainly not enough seats for the 1st class ticket holders so they end up very unhappy sitting next to you in SC waving an ticket and cursing loudly over the mobile about the overcrowding, Oh my heart bleeds.

What train company is this? And where is this?

The train companies I've used have first class carriages not rows. (When they have first class.) But they are on the longer routes.

Quality?... Are you really saying that 95% of the commuters working in London are of substandard quality compared to your Elite 1st Class?

There is no need for

First class travel I know varies around the country i.e. on London suburban services there is none because it doesn't make enough money but on longer distance trains to/from another large town/city to London there are carriages

[BS1397]

Its not the facilities you pay for, its being surrounded by people who can afford to pay more. These people behaviour better, you could say its a better class of people. Worth every penny.

The "First Class" is just 4 rows of normal seats at the end of the 1st, 4th, 5th & 8th and in the same carriages as the rest of SC. There is no Partitions, Privacy or WiFi like on some services (Virgin?), and certainly not enough seats for the 1st class ticket holders so they end up very unhappy sitting next to you in SC waving an ticket and cursing loudly over the mobile about the overcrowding, Oh my heart bleeds.

Quality?... Are you really saying that 95% of the commuters working in London are of substandard quality compared to your Elite 1st Class?

[Spacecadet]

I had a FC season ticket for Leeds - Manchester (Trans-Pennine), about 13 seats in all, you got one coffee and a biscuit and a share of a paper and more often than not the proles from SC took some FC seats cos SC was full....

Decided it wasn't worth it and took the Caldervale line via Halifax, and saved £150....

I was doing the same route but in the opposite direction.
What I found is that it's best to learn which trains run double length, then there is less chance of the proles ending up in first class, unless of course the train is only half the length it's supposed to be.

The larger seats, bigger tables (good when using a laptop), curtains and complimentary drink was nice. Plus use of the lounge at Leeds station if there were any delays.
Some of the eastern european girls working the trolley service weren't too bad looking either but they all seemed to disappear last Christmas.

[SueEllen]

Thanks for all the replies.

The line of work I am in I could actually work on the train, am I allowed to take this out of my core 7.5 hours per day or is that entirely up to the company?

It's entirely up to the client.

From my experience it would be more likely that you would be able to secure some days working from home, than working on the train.

I would use the train journey as an extension of your leisure time particularly if you like reading, gaming or are studying a course.

[stek]

Its not the facilities you pay for, its being surrounded by people who can afford to pay more. These people behaviour better, you could say its a better class of people. Worth every penny.

I had a FC season ticket for Leeds - Manchester (Trans-Pennine), about 13 seats in all, you got one coffee and a biscuit and a share of a paper and more often than not the proles from SC took some FC seats cos SC was full....

Decided it wasn't worth it and took the Caldervale line via Halifax, and saved £150....

[escapeUK]

News Flash!!! The difference between 1st & 2nd is just a head cloth that says "First Class", Unlike the old Slam Shut trains where you actually had a visible difference in a closed section with wider better seats. So if now the seats are identical and the toilet is the same stinker, and the ticket clearly doesn't promise you can get in the first place... I think the inflation busting fare increases year on year is expensive enough as it is.

Its not the facilities you pay for, its being surrounded by people who can afford to pay more. These people behaviour better, you could say its a better class of people. Worth every penny.

[stek]

Thanks for all the replies.

The line of work I am in I could actually work on the train, am I allowed to take this out of my core 7.5 hours per day or is that entirely up to the company?

I really think that's an issue between you and your ClientCo don't you?

[icemancomeths]

Thanks for all the replies.

The line of work I am in I could actually work on the train, am I allowed to take this out of my core 7.5 hours per day or is that entirely up to the company?

[IR35FanClub]

As do East Coast and Hull Trains. Basically if you are travelling on anything but one of the South East commuter routes into Lonon 1st class is a lot better.

Check the prices on virgin .. I often used to get a Peak time first class advanced ticket (at 18:03) for about £10 less than a standard off peak on the Friday night train home (at 19:03). I.e. I could leave an hour earlier, get dinner and a couple of glasses of wine thrown and a coffee thrown in, and save money in the process. Plus if the train is late getting to Euston - you can hang around in the 1st class lounge and get free coffee instead of standing watching the departure boards. All deducted as an expense before you take any profits. Don't forget to sign up to a frequent flyer too - I've now got about 6,000 miles with virgin - all from popping up and down the west coast mainline!

[BolshieBastard]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to contracting and have a quick question. I am about to start a 3 months contract (maybe extend) and will be driving 100 miles per day in my private car.

I have worked this out and it will cost about £300 per month. But I can claim around £600 per month.

The cost of the same journey by train will be £300 per month.

I have a limited company and I am the only employee.

Is it beneficial for me to claim mileage expenses or train expenses, if I claim the mileage expense wont this be taken from my potential dividends?

Cheers for any advise.

Regards

Iceman

Doesnt make much of a difference, the money still comes out of your co's pot.

Your mileage rate will drop after the first 10,000 miles (which wont be long driving 100 miles a day. Then your rate will drop from 45 ppm to 25ppm so you'll be out of pocket. Plus, all the mileage you'll put on the car will quickly drive down its resale value.

I've trained it in the past and found it to be better than driving as I can catch a few zzzz's which you cant do when driving.

Each to their own though.

[DaveB]

You need to travel Virgin trains from Euston. I don't do it very often, but FC has bigger seats, food, drinks, free WiFi, newspaper and is empty by comparison to the Cattle Class.
Mind you, at £200 from Lancs to London one-way (£400 return), they have to provide something for the money eh!

As do East Coast and Hull Trains. Basically if you are travelling on anything but one of the South East commuter routes into Lonon 1st class is a lot better.

[manclarky]

News Flash!!! The difference between 1st & 2nd is just a head cloth that says "First Class.

You need to travel Virgin trains from Euston. I don't do it very often, but FC has bigger seats, food, drinks, free WiFi, newspaper and is empty by comparison to the Cattle Class.
Mind you, at £200 from Lancs to London one-way (£400 return), they have to provide something for the money eh!

[BA to the Stars]

Also consider your journey. How long by car - are there frequent traffic jams, is it an easy drive, plenty of paarking at the client site, etc against the train such as frequency of service, parking at station (any costs, do you have to be there early), how esy is it to get from destination station to client site. This may influence your decision as opposed to the cash implications only.

[Scrag Meister]

Is there work that you can do whilst on the train? Perhaps you can allocate your commute into your working day so that you are actually in the office a little less.

Train is, mostly, a more relaxing trip than concentrating when driving.

I would have thought fiscally you would be well remunerated if you drove. As others have said it is only 3 months,
@ 45p per mile, 100 miles per day. That I would have thought would be a good contribution to maintenance, tax, insurance and some left over.