To Liverpool, The Mersey and HM Passport Office
TRIP REPORT: Still for the Friends
Before a big adventure, it’s time to sort out something rather important for the next ten years – my passport. That means it’s time to head to the North West of England and to the Passport Office. A little sidequest before the main adventure.
- Still for the friends
- But first. A trip to Liverpool, North West England. But why?
- To the… daytime Heathrow run?
- Lounging around the usual suspects
- AA87 London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare
- HOTEL: Crowne Plaza O’Hare
- HOTEL: Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Exploring Modern Photography at MCoP
- Gundam Base, Chicago
- Quick Food Adventures
- An Early Return to O’Hare and the American Airlines Flagship Lounge
- AA882 to Chicago O’Hare to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport
- An Atlanta Transit
- BA226 to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport to London Heathrow Terminal 3 in World Traveller
- Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
- Still for Friends
Unusually for a long-distance trip, I’m starting it a few weeks earlier. You join me at Birmingham New Street Station, first thing in the morning, and I am nowhere near awake.
Morning Ozzy.
Nothing changes.
For booking, I used Uber to book my train tickets (as they have access to the National Rail Booking System), and I caught them when they offered Uber Credit on train bookings, which is a nice small kickback.
My trip up to Liverpool today is for a single reason – to replace my old faithful passport. Whilst it’s about 9 years old, it’s getting to the point where replacing it would be… a logical idea. That and I have one of the older passports, which carries over unused time on it.
Considering I travel to the EU a little bit… It’s easier to get a compliant passport than to stand in queues and be kicked off flights/trains/ferries for having the wrong expiry date. That and the thought of paying twice for ESTA within 12 months was also enough to pay out for a new passport now, and suffer later (given a US ESTA is now $40.27 per application).
I took the 07:04 from New Street Station – mainly as that would get me to Liverpool before 9:00, even though my appointment was at 10:00. Whilst I trust the trains to get me from A to B, I don’t trust them THAT much to be that on time.
London Northwestern Railway uses its Class 350s on this route – and that’s fine, as it’s a four-car unit on an Inter-regional route (although those of us with memories will remember CrossCountry Intercity trains going to Liverpool in the past).
Thankfully, London Northwestern Railway run a half-hourly service during the day, maintaining frequent links between the two cities.
On the plus side, the train is not a Voyager. That’s a positive we can all agree on. It does feel like a local train, with nine stops – Cosley (just outside Wolverhampton), Wolverhampton, Penkridge, Stafford, Crewe, Hartford, Runcorn, Liverpool South Parkway, Mossley Hill and Liverpool Lime Street – the terminus.
As for the seating, nothing special, with a mixture of airline and table seating in a 2-2 formation. If you’ve ridden on a Siemens Desiro, the seating is best described as “firm” backed. I have no problem with it. Others do.
Notably, in this configuration (and on this trainset), the table seats have power outlets, whilst the airline seats do not. At least there was internet connectivity to keep my brain amused, and I wouldn’t be in the office. So positive things all around.
Passing Crewe station, a celebrity locomotive was hanging around – one I haven’t seen in years. 89001 – the unique Bush Electric Prototype Locomotive.
89001 Avocet, in Intercity Swallow Livery.
From a one-off prototype, to service on the East Coast Main Line, to it being laid up, then brought back, then repaired the brought back before being preserved, 89001 has had a life and a half. And it’s going to have further life as it’s readied for life on the main line again with the AC Traction Group and Locomotive Services Limited.
Arriving a few minutes late at Liverpool Lime Street Station, I made it through the barriers and had time to spare. Nothing new – but at least I had the time to spare, rather than rushing all over the place.
At the buffer stops
Given it was a 20-minute walk to the passport office, a spot of breakfast on the way was no bad idea, depending on what looked passable. Heading into the centre, I found myself in a shopping centre and a discount bakery, where a sausage roll was £1.
No bad deal there.
I took my time heading up the High Street before turning right and following the GPS to the Passport Office.
Relevant art. Even today.
I, of course, arrived way too early and was at the front door at 9:40 (no matter how much I slowed down).
Thankfully, the security guard asked for my details and allowed me in around 20 minutes early. After a security scan, I was able to check in with the staff for my appointment.
Waiting area
I had a total of one minute wait before being called forward.
My interview was carried out, with it taking five minutes as information was verified. My old passport was corner-snipped at that point (indicating it was no longer valid for travel).
I was given a pick-up slip and asked to come back at 13:45 – four hours later.
With it not being the nicest day out, I parked in a coffee shop for a few hours. As much as a bus tour or walking around for hours was tempting (or even a trip across the Mersey), I passed three hours whiling away at the keyboard, before going out for an hour to stretch my legs
Wrapped.
Baracaded.
Truth
Keep Liverpool gum-free
Looking towards the Mersey
At 13:45, I returned to the passport office. After another security screening and completing paperwork, my new blue passport was issued to me.
I was asked to sign it in person, so it was valid.
It’s alive!
With that, my reason for being in Liverpool had come to an end. I therefore jumped on the bus and headed over to the Wirral to see some of my best friends
After a good afternoon with them (as well as bus adventures), it was time to head back under the Mersey and to Lime Street Station for the late evening train back to Birmingham.
Lime Street station at night
The return train to the Midlands.
With the passport ageing a few days, the next fun task was completing a US ESTA (Visa Waiver Programme), whose costs have spiralled from $21 to $40.27.
Compared to other programmes and how long they last… that’s getting expensive. At least my ESTA only took a few hours to get approved.
With that, I have all of the ingredients I need to travel to the USA. I’d suppose I’d better pack…
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