Edinburgh Waverley station needs me.

I always found it very confusing. To the point that I preferred to change twice, eg at Doncaster and York, to avoid Edinburgh Waverley.

<marked safe from Edinburgh Waverley>

Just passed through with DD13 & there were no incidents other than my heel coming off & Timpsons not having time to fix it.

We’re feeling so triumphant at negotiating the station so well that we’re thinking of going back to do some shopping later in the week 😮 Currently getting all overexcited & overconfident from the safety of the 17.41 to Glenrothes 😀

Wacky Hat man can often be found standing with his back to the old booking hall facing the big announcement boards - I've never accosted him because I find the hat unnervingly Willie Wonka, and it undermines any info he might give me. No-one has mentioned the cleverly hidden taxi rank nowhere in sight of the station - it does mean I get there before any poor tourists, but there really should be a big yellow line for people to follow. I've taken to alighting at Haymarket coming back from London as it dodges the Waverley lunacy. Coitus interruptus indeed, I shall try to forget I read that.

This is not just Costa, this is Waverley Costa.

Waverly is a mess, platforms all over the place and mad mental signs

@TallOrLong YANBU

Plus, the Costa has re-opened but it is now also confusing because a) where you pay and where you get your coffee has swapped around (why?) and b) there’s a coffee machine 1 and a coffee machine 2 and you are told where yours is coming but if it’s coffee machine 2, it doesn’t have a sign so 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I will also update for anyone who would like to know - the map of Waverley station is in the corridor where the toilets are. There are actually two - presumably so ladies and gents can look at the one opposite their respective loos.
I am not sure anyone could have come up with a more obscure place to put the maps but maybe there is some logic in so far as many passengers may use the toilets and then think, oh good a map - although having found the loos, I imagine they can then navigate their way to the platforms as well without this.

Just to reassure you all, one of the Waverley steps escalators is not working, life is normal.

Yesterday I had an email from Costa telling me that the Edinburgh Waverley branch, which has been closed for refurbishment, is due to re-open tomorrow.

I've just had a second email from them apologising, saying they jumped the gun and it's actually not re-opening until 20th Oct.

It'll be an unmonitored inbox otherwise I'd be temped to reply and ask them if the delay is due to the fact that the construction staff can't find their bearings in the station. Perhaps they've been wandering around trying to deduce where they're supposed to be working 🤔Or they found it but then couldn't find their platform to travel home and they've spent weeks going round in circles in the vortex that is Waverley until they don't know their own names any more 😀

It won't be there next time...like the backstreet curio shop with the old Chinese guy running it in an eighties movie.

I made it! Connection was on platform 1 which is about a 5 mile walk but I got out alive! Also found a wee tunnel thingy into the waiting area. I'm sure that has never been there before.

🎵🎶🎵 “but I can’t go back there “ 🎵🎶🎵

Will you try to rescue @Hedjwitchwhile you are there?!

We’re going the last weekend of October. I’ll report back if I make it out.

Did you make it out alive?

I think k this should go into 'Classics'. Anyone want to Second me ?

You, madam, are a genius! I use Waverley on average once a month these days. Pre-pandemic it was once a week. I never ever got the platforms organised in my head as to their order.
You're right - clockwise they go - explaining why platforms 1 and 20 are at opposite ends of the same long platform!

Posting as I head to Waverley. Just in case I'm never seen again.

Loving this thread. I grew up in Edinburgh but sadly don't live there now although I go back to visit often.

My DH and DC think I'm ridiculous because whenever we get a train anywhere (live in France now) I always want to get to the station early. Now I know why! It's because Waverley is my station of reference and I expect them all to be like that 🤣

I too remember the good old days when you could drive down the ramp into the station.

I love people's reactions when they come up the main ramp and arrive in the splendid glory that is Edinburgh city centre.

Last time I was in Waverly I was meeting a friend arriving on a train from Glasgow. Can't remember now which platform she arrived on but there was a comical moment when we could see and practically touch each other but couldn't figure out how to actually get to each other. Twas a classic Waverley moment.

I have leaned the lesson never to change trains at Waverley since we had a very stressful trip down to York with exactly 10 minutes between trains - which were of course the long distance platforms at either side. As we were not Usain Bolt and laden with luggage we missed the connection, station staff were lovely and put us on the next one no extra charge but the stress was unbelievable. Allow at least half an hour to change trains, more in festival times...

YANBU!

I got horribly lost trying to find the Ladies loo, and then the correct platform for my connecting train to Glasgow. It's like a maze in there.

I should add that as a wheelchair user I would absolutely not be put out at finding you in an accessible space, @siliconcover .

In fact they're usually full of luggage and gigantic buggies which the owner doesn't want to fold but has no idea how to park.

There are sometimes a few of us cronks gathered in the accessible area, and we're generally very experienced at shuffling ourselves round to make sure everyone's different needs are met. "Oh I'm fine to move to the double ordinary seat for three stops, I just need my feet raised; you can have the floor area for the wheelchair and your guide dog; and the elderly chap I saw coming in the station wheelchair will need that supportive seat nearest the door."

The accessible space is definitely your space! You need it! So please feel free to use it!

has @MinnieMountain made the train?!? 🚇

I’ve lived away from the area for over 30 years now but am loving this thread, so nostalgic !
Platform 18 was “my” usual platform, going home to Dunfermline after a day/night out in Edinburgh. No one who didn’t already know where it was stood any chance of finding it.

Are the Talisman bar and superloos still there?