All Line Rover - With a twist!

[DarloRich]

I am planning an all line rover and would like some advice:

1) Best time to do it ( i am thinking late June/July/Early August)
2) ideas/plans - However - i dont want to travel on a voyager. At all. Ever. I will take a Pendolino in case of emergency!
3) I DO want to travel on all/as many hauled workings as i can. Travel between them must be by HST/90/91!
4) I will want to use both sleeper trains
5) I will want to ( if possible) explore some of Southern land as i dont know it at all well

With thanks - over to you!

 

[Greenback]

FWIW, I'd prefer to go as close to June 21st as possible, to take advantage of the longer daylight hours.

You'll want to get a ride on ATW's loco hauled service at some point, I guess. I think if you could squeeze in the north Wales coast on it that would be good!

I'd suggest taking the Night Riviera down to Penzance and returning on the day services, though there's nothing wrong with doing it the other way round. The only reason I would prefer that is that the normal trains out of Paddington tend to busier on boarding than those in Penzance!

It may be difficult to get reservations on the Inverness and Fort William sleeper portions. You may have more of a chance on the Lowland or the Aberdeen portion.

I'd also recommend a visit to Portsmouth and a ride along the coast to Brighton and Hastings, then top Ashford for a trip on a Javelin. But that's just me!

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Are you looking to spend time at some spotting locations or mostly add up the miles? I did a 14 day ALR in 2003 and a similar trip last year (although using advance tickets instead of a rover) with the emphasis more on getting to good locations for photography and spending much of a day there.

There are plenty of interesting lines in the South-West or in Scotland that are worth travelling along but might be considered a waste of time if you want photos as all you will get is a shot of a 158 at Thurso or Fort William and a long return back to civilisation.

My best tip - plan every train and make out an itinerary including plenty of notes on alternate trains and routes in case of problems, to avoid having to rely on potentially poor phone signal or local timetables to find a plan. For 2003 I had this all on paper of course, for 2013 I created a detailed PDF including links to the RTT page for interesting freight and passenger workings and generally for stations I was going to be at, set for the relevant date and time. It was invaluable, made it so easy to keep an eye on workings I wanted to see and spot new STP appearances on the network.

 

[causton]

After doing one myself which finished yesterday, I can echo some of these comments!

The trains I ended up taking are on my RailMiles and can be found here as well

I personally focused on miles, started to take pictures but soon realised I would prefer to get as much of the network in as possible and if I liked the area, I have all summer to come back for a day trip

Didn't do too much Voyager mileage if that's what you wish to avoid, but didn't do much loco hauled myself!

People asked me why I had a plan; after all, I could take any train... but to make the most of the rover you need to really plan it. Personally I picked a few areas you haven't been to before; or wish to visit; then find the cheapest hotels in the area. Make sure you know what time you need to be at the hotels to check in, and what times breakfast is/check out is likely to be. Don't be tempted to skimp on sleep; we tried that last summer and by the 7th day we "wasted" it by just going home as we were so tired! Obviously you don't have to stick 100% to the plan (i.e. I skipped the 380 from Edinburgh and did the 67 loco hauled instead; also took East Coast Grantham - Peterborough instead of the EMT 158 as I guessed it would be packed; and it was!) but it will avoid you just missing a connection; or missing an interesting working.

Personally I would go for a midweek start; learning from last year I started on a Monday and ended on Sunday; the lack of services on a Sunday made it a bit more difficult but this year as it was in the middle this year I used the day as a 'day of rest' and enjoyed the later start, to avoid wearing myself out and doing a journey I knew would take a while! (Heart of Wales)

My last tip is to make sure you get reservations for peace of mind, especially if going with someone else. I didn't really end up using all of the ones I had, but it was worth the peace of mind. If you don't want to bother a station Scotrail Telesales are more than happy to issue them; they will even have your name on them

Above all, plan it for fun and flexibility. If you can handle an 8am start and a 10pm finish every day go for it; just don't be surprised if you get worn out after too long!

 

[DarloRich]

Thanks for the suggestions,

I am not too worried about spotting (ever!) but will have my camera more to record my journeys more than anything else. I am also not too worried about running up crazy mileage. But I would like my monies worth. Is it worth the first class ticket or not? I just want to potter about exploring and travelling and going on some of the few remaining proper trains. I would like to do it in a bit of comfort if I can (hence the lack of voyagers!) I would love to get up to the north of Scotland but it seems to take 2 days out of the pot and maybe reduces opportunities elsewhere.

Long days are no problem and I have family spread out around the country so the number of hotels I need will be reduced.

I am looking at:

Anglia (90’s/ 47’s to the coast)
Chiltern (67’s)
Pretendolino
Both sleepers
Fife Circle
Welsh government train
HST (EC/EMT/GC/FGW)
The Chiltern bubble car
442 services
FGW 57 services ( do these actually run?)
ATW 67’s to Manchester? (is this actually happening?)

I guess the key is how I link the above together!


Keep the ideas coming!

 

[Greenback]

I don't think there are ATW's 67's to Manchester at the moment, and I don't know when, if ever, such services will start. It shouldn't be too difficult to get to Norwich and great Yarmouth by your chosen method, though!

Personally, I'd be keen to get GC and EMT travel done, but that's just because I haven't used the former and only rarely have I made a journey on the latter. The Chiltern 67's will be well worth it.

Deciding whether to sue first class is a tricky one. I'd say it would be worth it if you have a few long journeys planned, particularly for the free food and drink. A couple of journeys on the ECML and WCML would be done more comfortably in first, add in the WG Express, a trip to East Anglia and back, and a few more HST rides, and it will make the trip a bit more special! So if you can afford the extra, why not go for it?!

 

[Buttsy]

From where you are I would suggest doing Anglia first and Chiltern last as these will mean you're close to home at the start & finish, giving a bit more flexibility.

Would suggest as a broad outline: Fenny - Bedford - Leicester - Norwich - Yarmouth - Norwich - London - Penzance - Plymouth - Exeter - Salisbury - Portsmouth - Brighton - Ashford - London - Edinburgh - Inverness - Kyle - Mallaig - Glasgow - Crewe - Holyhead - Shrewsbury - Swansea - London - Aylesbury - Risborough - Birmingham - Bletchley - Fenny.

Obviously, ensuring that you plan to hit the services for the haulage you want.

 

[Bevan Price]

If you want to do the Far North of Scotland lines / Kyle / Mallaig, etc., I would be tempted to leave these for a separate Scottish holiday some time. Book B&B / Hotels in somewhere like Inverness and get Freedom Of Scotland ticket.

For your all line rover:
1. Keep your luggage as light as possible - take only what you really need. But be prepared to get & carry some food at the start of each day - you cannot always guarantee to have time to obtain food at some locations.

2. You will probably find it difficult to do all you want in a 7 day ALR.

3. Avoid Bank Holiday weeks, and check NR site for advance news of planned engineering work.

4. Good luck, enjoy.

 

[Hadders]

It takes a bit of time but I'd try and do the 'Skye circular' (Inverness-Kyle-Bus to Armadale-Mallaig-Glasgow). My favourite rail journey with spectacular scenery.

I've done the leg from Mallaig-Glasgow using the seated sleeper which I find very civilized. In June it's light until around 11pm in Scotland to enjoy the scenery.

 

[DarloRich]

thanks for the suggestions - any greatly accepted. Got planning to do this week!

I spend a lot of time on the move so am happy to travel light. I am hoping to keep the costs down by staying with friends and family around the country but any hotel recommendations in far flung would be useful!

 

[Buttsy]

thanks for the suggestions - any greatly accepted. Got planning to do this week!

I spend a lot of time on the move so am happy to travel light. I am hoping to keep the costs down by staying with friends and family around the country but any hotel recommendations in far flung would be useful!

Once you know where your overnighters are, I may be able to suggest places as I've done a few trips like this before.

 

[richw]

FGW are running on summer Saturdays a 57 with 3-4 sleeper day coaches between Par and Exeter.

 

[33056]

FGW 57 services ( do these actually run?)

2E75 11:25 Par to Exeter St Davids
2C51 17:50 Exeter St Davids to Penzance
SO 24/05 to 06/09.

ATW 67’s to Manchester? (is this actually happening?)

December t/t change maybe?

 

[Techniquest]

I'm still waiting to hear any gen myself on the ATW 67s to Manchester, would make trips up there slightly more interesting!

I really don't agree with those who say you've got to plan everything massively. Where's the fun in having a ticket with almost-unlimited travel for 7 or 14 days if you're sticking to a plan all week/fortnight long? Yes plan the overnight stays, for sensible and obvious reasons, but it's so much more fun if you just go for whatever as it happens.

Going by the first post, I'm assuming you've still got the badge of honour of never travelling on a Voyager and never will? If so that's good going, sadly I'm predicting a significant amount of Voyager mileage in the coming years for me. Although that said I could just use National Express and Megabus instead. But I digress...

Travelling around the Southern Region can be enjoyable, but you'll be on lots of 375/377/395/442/444/450/455/458/465/466s so probably not the best call for a loco-hauled head! However, if you can get your head around that, a trip through the Arun Valley can be quite nice and scenic. Mole Valley, less so. East Coastway and onwards to Ashford's not bad and worth a go too. Depends what you want to do on the Southern really I guess!

Travelling light, most definitely the best way. Stopping off at a Sainsburys/Asda/Morrisons/Tesco/Waitrose (depending on tastes and budget) in the morning for supplies is extremely useful, especially if it's warm stocking up on soft drinks is definitely wise. You really don't want to be spending a fortune during the week on trolley services/on-board shops/buffet cars unless necessary. It sure mounts up quickly for sure...

Enjoy the trip and the experience I say, the FGW sleeper is in my mind better than the Scottish sleeper too.

 

[Drsatan]

With regards to the Southern Region, if you are interested in relatively interesting lines I'd recommend Southampton to Weymouth. Not only will you see the intermodal terminal at Southampton it's a pleasant run through the New Forest to Bournemouth and on to Poole, where the train crosses the Avon estuary. You will probably have time for a walk to the seafront at Weymouth. I'd also highly recommend the 'Heart of Wessex Line' to Bristol Temple Meads, although on a Saturday during the summer you might find yourself standing for a fair proportion of the journey. However, two services a day on Saturdays this summer will be operated by HSTs if you don't want to spend more than two hours on a 150.

I'd also recommend Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury, which is a pleasant enough run through rural Wiltshire onboard a 158, or less commonly a 153 or 150.

On the South-Eastern division, I'd recommend a trip along the Marshlink line from Hastings to Ashford; although the landscape is largely flat you may be able to see Dungeness power station on a clear day. From Ashford I'd recommend a trip to Dover via Folkestone, since the line parallels Shakespeare cliff from Folkestone onwards, affording good views of the English Channel.

When I traveled on an ALR last year, I planned in advance around 80% of my journeys; the other 20% were largely spontaneous to take into account delays, cancellations, or visits to places of interest. For example, on one day I spent longer looking round Liverpool than I planned. Bear in mind many guards will be unfamiliar with ALR's and might question it. One FGW guard claimed the ticket wasn't valid before 0900, but as he couldn't prove it allowed me to stay on the train. Additionally, one TM on a Javelin service from Ramsgate to St Pancras claimed the ticket wasn't valid beyond Ashford; luckily I was planning on alighting there otherwise I'd have asked the guard to ring control! If you get any issues always ask the guard to ring control.

 

[Kite159]

Best place to head for soft drinks is the likes of Poundland/Poundworld/99p zone, where you can normally pick up 2 500ml bottles of pepsi (if pepsi is your thing) for £1 (or 99p).

Bigger bottles are cheaper, but take up more room and are less easy to drink from when travelling around a corner.

If doing Bristol to Salisbury at the weekend, you might just get lucky and score the FGW 159 hire unit and pretend to be posh and sit in the 1st class area (Please be aware SWT also runs along that route so make sure it's a FGW service)

 

[Qwerty133]

Best place to head for soft drinks is the likes of Poundland/Poundworld/99p zone, where you can normally pick up 2 500ml bottles of pepsi (if pepsi is your thing) for £1 )

Can get the same bottles for 45p at Heron Foods, so poundland aren't that cheap

 

[Kite159]

Just shows the profit mark-up on the smaller bottles when you get the likes of Asda doing them 2 for £2. I think the typical price for a 2 litre bottle is around 99p.

I went to a supermarket in San Francisco last march, they had 3 sizes of bottles of coke, and ranged in price so the largest was cheapest.

 

[causton]

Going off-topic for a line or two: I think the price of drinks like that is due to the convenience and being chilled etc; the Co-op near me keep doing 1.25L bottles of coke for £1 but people still get 2 500ml bottles for £2 as the bigger ones sit warm on a shelf!

Personally I head for Poundland and pick up the 2 for £1 Pepsi Max, I know Urban Gateline prefers the cheaper 2L bottles of supermarket own brand drinks but they're a bit awkward to carry sometimes!

 

[Techniquest]

I buy a large bottle of pop quite a lot on my trips, and indeed for my commutes to/from work. I simply use a 500ml bottle and refill it as necessary, much more convenient and saves me a fortune!

 

[43167]

FWIW, I'd prefer to go as close to June 21st as possible, to take advantage of the longer daylight hours.

You'll want to get a ride on ATW's loco hauled service at some point, I guess. I think if you could squeeze in the north Wales coast on it that would be good!

I'd suggest taking the Night Riviera down to Penzance and returning on the day services, though there's nothing wrong with doing it the other way round. The only reason I would prefer that is that the normal trains out of Paddington tend to busier on boarding than those in Penzance!

It may be difficult to get reservations on the Inverness and Fort William sleeper portions. You may have more of a chance on the Lowland or the Aberdeen portion.

I'd also recommend a visit to Portsmouth and a ride along the coast to Brighton and Hastings, then top Ashford for a trip on a Javelin. But that's just me!

Thats the way i've normally done the Night Riv, decent cafe for a bacon sandwich for breakfast near the station at Penzance if I remember.

 

[Kite159]

Cafe is in between the train and bus stations, a mere minute walk from the train station.

Probably is shorter walking from the front engine to the cafe than it is from the front engine to the rear engine (on a HST)

 

[DarloRich]

Thanks for the input chaps!

I have alighted on the period between 27th June and 6th July for my 7 day rover so would appreciate ideas on the best start date and I have decided to do it in style with an FC ticket!!!!!!

I have decided not to plan to rigidly as I could easily see the plan going out of the window very quickly! I had a very detailed plan but it just seemed like extra trouble. Instead I have decided to build the trip around the kind of services set out above so each day will be an area/route rather than an itinerary. My big worry is the sleeper. How do I go about trying to get a berth with a rover? Will I stand any chance on the West Country sleeper on a summer Friday? I am assuming the highland sleepers will be rammed and I am not going in the seats as I will not sleep and just annoy everyone! I hope to be able to make it back to a family member most nights, but if I can’t book the sleepers then a few hotels will be needed.

 

[Kite159]

Thanks for the input chaps!

I have alighted on the period between 27th June and 6th July for my 7 day rover so would appreciate ideas on the best start date and I have decided to do it in style with an FC ticket!!!!!!

I have decided not to plan to rigidly as I could easily see the plan going out of the window very quickly! I had a very detailed plan but it just seemed like extra trouble. Instead I have decided to build the trip around the kind of services set out above so each day will be an area/route rather than an itinerary. My big worry is the sleeper. How do I go about trying to get a berth with a rover? Will I stand any chance on the West Country sleeper on a summer Friday? I am assuming the highland sleepers will be rammed and I am not going in the seats as I will not sleep and just annoy everyone! I hope to be able to make it back to a family member most nights, but if I can’t book the sleepers then a few hotels will be needed.

Best way is to give Scotrail telesales a ring to try and make reservations (I believe seated area is free, but you need to pay extra if you want a berth) You might get lucky

 

[Hadders]

A decent booking clerk at a station can sort the sleeper berths for you.

When I did an ALR a couple of years ago I managed to book the berths a couple of months in advance but I didn't actually purchase my ALR until the day before it started.

A couple of other things that may help:

- the lowland sleepers are usually less busy so might be a suitable alternative if you can't get a berth on the highland one.
- the northbound lowland sleeper picks up at 0010 from Watford Junction so is a good may to max the validity. Similarly the southbound lowland departs Glasgow/Edinburgh just before midnight so a good train to get on the final day.

 

[DarloRich]

A decent booking clerk at a station can sort the sleeper berths for you.

When I did an ALR a couple of years ago I managed to book the berths a couple of months in advance but I didn't actually purchase my ALR until the day before it started.

A couple of other things that may help:

- the lowland sleepers are usually less busy so might be a suitable alternative if you can't get a berth on the highland one.
- the northbound lowland sleeper picks up at 0010 from Watford Junction so is a good may to max the validity. Similarly the southbound lowland departs Glasgow/Edinburgh just before midnight so a good train to get on the final day.

Cheers - just trying to work out a start day - i guess the Saturday only 57 hauled train in the SW will govern the rest! Any suggestions on a start date?

 

[Bag of Badgers]

Having done a couple of 1st ALR (did both as 14days) and doing some things on the fly, I hope this information helps?

I have found booking the Scotland Sleepers over the phone fine, even booking them on the day, try and get them in the centre if you can. The Riviera I found best to do it in person at Paddington, even did it on the night, the calls were handled by an offshore centre and I struggled to hear them, if there was no space it was not a problem as my home is in Swindon so if I could not get one I just caught the train home.

Have taken pot luck with highland, did not care where I went, just turned up on the night at Euston and asked nicely if they had any spaces and got a trip to Aberdeen and then caught the XC back to Penzance.

I can strongly recommend taking the 16:30 Euston to Glasgow for some full-speed tilting action and free food and drinks and then a trip across to Edinburgh and catch the Sleeper down from there, as there is 1st class lounge.

Have also done the Chieftain up and Sleeper back, worth it.

Also take a eye mask, ear plugs are provided on the Sleepers.

don't know why but I always managed to fail asleep most times on the south ECML whenever I went on it.

Hope that helps?

 

[Lrd]

Also take a eye mask, ear plugs are provided on the Sleepers.

Opposite way round, eye masks are provided but ear plugs aren't. In the seated section at least.

 

[Bag of Badgers]

I used the Cabins but as I used to travel a lot I had both on me

 

[DarloRich]

Planning is advancing. I was just about done until I learned about the tour de france specials in Northern land. This has thrown a spanner in the works. 57's in Cornwall or 47's in Yorkshire?

Hotel wise I think I am looking at one in Cornwall ( if I go for the Saturday only turn) an done in Holyhead as I cant see a way to get the WAG for maximum distance without spending a night there!