Bodmin & Wenford Railway query

[chrisp37]

We're planning a trip to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway the week commencing 5 June as we'll be on holiday in Cornwall, and I had a few queries.

We'd be travelling there by train so would ideally like to board the train at Bodmin Parkway. However, the railway's website says that if you do that they don't guarantee you a seat on the train and they strongly recommend you to start your journey at Bodmin General. Seems a bit of a shame to have a connection to the mainline and then encourage visitors not to use it!

I can also see that you can save money by buying your ticket through GWR. Does anyone know whether that offer is still valid? Pretty poor if it's not given it's on GWR's website, but there is quite a price difference (£13 vs £22) so I wondered whether it was outdated information that they just hadn't removed from their website. Just seems a bigger saving than I would expect.

Secondly, if you do make use of that offer and board the train at Bodmin Parkway (assuming there is space on the train), I assume that would still entitle you to travel on both branches? Could you, for example, travel up to Bodmin General, spend some time there, do the other branch, and then return to Bodmin Parkway at the end of the day? So you'd basically be doing one branch in one direction only, then the other branch, then the Bodmin Parkway branch in the return direction.

Obviously if it was going to be a very busy day I probably wouldn't want to risk it, but it will be a weekday outside of school holidays so seems unlikely that any service will be completely sold out.

I appreciate I could just phone and ask but thought I would ask here first.

 

[Cowley]

We're planning a trip to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway the week commencing 5 June as we'll be on holiday in Cornwall, and I had a few queries.

We'd be travelling there by train so would ideally like to board the train at Bodmin Parkway. However, the railway's website says that if you do that they don't guarantee you a seat on the train and they strongly recommend you to start your journey at Bodmin General. Seems a bit of a shame to have a connection to the mainline and then encourage visitors not to use it!

I can also see that you can save money by buying your ticket through GWR. Does anyone know whether that offer is still valid? Pretty poor if it's not given it's on GWR's website, but there is quite a price difference (£13 vs £22) so I wondered whether it was outdated information that they just hadn't removed from their website. Just seems a bigger saving than I would expect.

Secondly, if you do make use of that offer and board the train at Bodmin Parkway (assuming there is space on the train), I assume that would still entitle you to travel on both branches? Could you, for example, travel up to Bodmin General, spend some time there, do the other branch, and then return to Bodmin Parkway at the end of the day? So you'd basically be doing one branch in one direction only, then the other branch, then the Bodmin Parkway branch in the return direction.

Obviously if it was going to be a very busy day I probably wouldn't want to risk it, but it will be a weekday outside of school holidays so seems unlikely that any service will be completely sold out.

I appreciate I could just phone and ask but thought I would ask here first.

From my personal experience of travelling on the line reasonably frequently I’d say that you should be fine if it’s a mid week non school holiday visit.

 

[pdeaves]

if you do that they don't guarantee you a seat on the train

No guarantee of a seat does not mean cannot travel.

 

[JonathanH]

I can also see that you can save money by buying your ticket through GWR. Does anyone know whether that offer is still valid? Pretty poor if it's not given it's on GWR's website, but there is quite a price difference (£13 vs £22) so I wondered whether it was outdated information that they just hadn't removed from their website. Just seems a bigger saving than I would expect.

Secondly, if you do make use of that offer and board the train at Bodmin Parkway (assuming there is space on the train), I assume that would still entitle you to travel on both branches? Could you, for example, travel up to Bodmin General, spend some time there, do the other branch, and then return to Bodmin Parkway at the end of the day? So you'd basically be doing one branch in one direction only, then the other branch, then the Bodmin Parkway branch in the return direction.

I had no problem using the through ticket last October, including travel to Boscarne Junction, travelling from Redruth, and back to Penzance.

The fare appears to now be £14.70.
https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=PNZ&dest=L100

 

[railfan99]

We're planning a trip to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway the week commencing 5 June as we'll be on holiday in Cornwall, and I had a few queries.

We'd be travelling there by train so would ideally like to board the train at Bodmin Parkway. However, the railway's website says that if you do that they don't guarantee you a seat on the train and they strongly recommend you to start your journey at Bodmin General. Seems a bit of a shame to have a connection to the mainline and then encourage visitors not to use it!

Secondly, if you do make use of that offer and board the train at Bodmin Parkway (assuming there is space on the train), I assume that would still entitle you to travel on both branches? Could you, for example, travel up to Bodmin General, spend some time there, do the other branch, and then return to Bodmin Parkway at the end of the day? So you'd basically be doing one branch in one direction only, then the other branch, then the Bodmin Parkway branch in the return direction.

I will be doing exactly on a September 2023 weekday what you propose, though I'll have a Eurailpass, whereas you need a main line GWR plus branch B&W ticket. Similar to Cowley, I couldn't see problems.

My major worry will be if the GWR connecting train runs late, but coming from Plymouth I have a 35 minute connection that gives time to photograph the surrounds and visit any cafe/shop.

Even if the train was crowded - unlikely on most days - some kind soul would squeeze up to give you a seat.

The two separate journeys are not long, and there'll usually be the occasional traveller more interested in having his or her head out the window and standing to do so.

I am informed by another of my countrymen that upon departing Bodmin Parkway, the best views are to the right.

Well done for using rail to connect.

 

[chrisp37]

I'm pleased to report that we managed to acquire the GWR through ticket (from an on-board guard who had never heard of it before but found it on the system) and got on the train at Bodmin Parkway. We did the full line (technically two lines) up to Boscarne Junction and back to Parkway, with just enough time at Bodmin General to go to the café, shop, and take a quick peek at Bodmin town centre.

It was a lot busier than I would have expected for a Tuesday outside school holidays, which was pleasing to see, although I did get a bit nervous when the lady in the café at Parkway told me, when I presented the ticket, that she would have to ring up to see whether there was any space for us on the train. Luckily there was. It seems as though you are automatically assigned the next available service as your return journey, which leaves little time to explore, but I think if you just say that you would prefer to catch a later train back then they would accommodate that.

It's a funny thing the through ticket. It's incredibly good value; for £14.70 you get a return journey from any station in Cornwall (and Plymouth I believe) to Bodmin Parkway *and* a full trip on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. One trip on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in the peak period alone costs £22. So you save £7.30 on the standard adult price and get your travel to and from the railway thrown in as well. Yet the existence of the ticket is barely advertised anywhere.

Anyway, a lovely railway, which we were lucky to enjoy in glorious sunshine.

 

[railfan99]

I'm pleased to report that we managed to acquire the GWR through ticket (from an on-board guard who had never heard of it before but found it on the system) and got on the train at Bodmin Parkway. We did the full line (technically two lines) up to Boscarne Junction and back to Parkway, with just enough time at Bodmin General to go to the café, shop, and take a quick peek at Bodmin town centre.

It was a lot busier than I would have expected for a Tuesday outside school holidays, which was pleasing to see, although I did get a bit nervous when the lady in the café at Parkway told me, when I presented the ticket, that she would have to ring up to see whether there was any space for us on the train. Luckily there was. It seems as though you are automatically assigned the next available service as your return journey, which leaves little time to explore, but I think if you just say that you would prefer to catch a later train back then they would accommodate that.

It's a funny thing the through ticket. It's incredibly good value; for £14.70 you get a return journey from any station in Cornwall (and Plymouth I believe) to Bodmin Parkway *and* a full trip on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. One trip on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in the peak period alone costs £22. So you save £7.30 on the standard adult price and get your travel to and from the railway thrown in as well. Yet the existence of the ticket is barely advertised anywhere.

Incredibly useful information! Huge thanks. Very pleasing that the heritage railway was busy, and that you enjoyed the day.

We now have reports on RailForums of at least four busy gala days recently at NNR, SVR, a personal favourite WSR and one other. You tell us even on a 'normal' day B&WR was well patronised. Great.

How busy was your mainline train? Where did it originate?

The only disadvantage from your experience seems purchasing the through ticket doesn't give passengers the option of 'roving' all day on the Bodmin and Wreford i.e. multiple trips, not just a later train option as you mention.

However, the GWR website mentions "unlimited travel" on the B&WR. So that doesn't accord with what you suggest occurred on the day

Perhaps GWR is loath to advertise as it may lead to fare evasion/less revenue on that wonderful main line, one of my favourites in England.

 

[chrisp37]

Our mainline train originated from St Erth and our journey started at St Ives as that's where we were holidaying. As an aside, the St Ives Bay Line is only very short (takes about 10 minutes end to end) but one of the most beautiful train journeys I have ever done. I could go up and down that line all day and not get tired of the view. An absolute must if you haven't done it. I agree that the mainline itself is lovely, particularly from around Dawlish until you cross the Tamar. Something quite magical about the train running so close to the water.

The train from St Erth to Bodmin Parkway wasn't overly crowded. Plenty of free seats. I think we got the 9.20 from St Erth arriving at Bodmin Parkway at 10.29. That gave us roughly half an hour until the steam train pulled in. Platforms 1 and 2 at Parkway are the mainline and platform 3 is for the steam railway.

They give you an Edmonson ticket at the Bodmin Railway on presentation of your through ticket. It says "rover" on it but they suggest you only get one trip on each of the branch lines. That's actually the same for all visitors now, it seems, even if you pay the full adult standard price. My guess is that you used to be able to pay once and ride all day and then at some point (maybe during covid) they introduced a fixed-seating policy and allocated you one trip on each line. That said, I suspect if you asked whether you could have another ride and there was space on the train they might let you.

 

[railfan99]

Our mainline train originated from St Erth and our journey started at St Ives I think we got the 9.20 from St Erth arriving at Bodmin Parkway at 10.29.

I will be travelling on this train from Plymouth, as it's the obvious connection. I did all the Cornish branches in one day (starting at Penzance) years ago: agree re St Ives, and am doing it again this year. Pleasing that you had a comfortable trip on the wonderful GWR mainline.

They give you an Edmonson ticket at the Bodmin Railway on presentation of your through ticket. It says "rover" on it but they suggest you only get one trip on each of the branch lines.

A "rover" is just that. For heritage railways, I don't like a 'reserved seat'. Puffing Billy in Melbourne introduced that: previously the busiest heritage railway worldwide, patronage has since plummeted, partly due to COVID.

At least though with Bodmin and Wreford one can turn up on the day and purchase a ticket.