Rover
Member
I have been told from a very reliable source that the three Cherwell Valley Day Rangers are to be withdrawn on the 20th May, so if you're thinking of having one you'll need to do it before then.
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Cherwell Valley Day Ranger to be discontinued
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swt_passenger
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Well that solves the issue of eligibility to Bicester mentioned in a post a few days ago...
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/cherwell-valley-day-ranger-bicester.163440/
Dhassell
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Very sad news, It was a very good priced rover for the distance you could get out of it!
185143
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Wasn't it just!
Buying one at Wilmslow was fun-as was showing it to the RPIs at Didcot Parkway when they noticed the origin!
adrock1976
Established Member
Is this the day ranger that can only be used on Saturdays and Sundays, plus holiday Mondays?
Furthermore, was this a day ranger introduced by British Rail, or was it introduced in recent years?
Furthermore, was this a day ranger introduced by British Rail, or was it introduced in recent years?
swt_passenger
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Fairly recently, there was a thread in about 2012 that pointed out the lack of info about it. That thread also pointed out that at that time it was also showing as “FGW only” despite FGW no longer running to Bicester Town (now Village) as per the map. Looks like it’s gone through new, misleading, and obsolescent stages in only a few years!
Somewhat disappointed about this.....
I really cannot see GWR's logic in withdrawing it. As the ticket can only be used on GWR services, this means that no revenue splitting needs to occur with XC. Therefore GWR keep the full fare.
Surely this is better for GWR? Rather than having to split the £6.45 (Railcard fare) to Oxford, or even the £8.85 (Railcard fare) to Banbury with XC, even though I used GWR services.
Admittedly, someone at Reading ticket office did say they didn't sell many of them.
However this I put down to a lack of promotion by GWR and overall awareness by passengers. It is also somewhat daft that you couldn't purchase them from ticket machines, rather than having to queue up and buy one.
Over the last few years of must of bought dozens of Cherwell Day Rangers, even hoping to purchase one today to go to Banbury.
I really cannot see GWR's logic in withdrawing it. As the ticket can only be used on GWR services, this means that no revenue splitting needs to occur with XC. Therefore GWR keep the full fare.
Surely this is better for GWR? Rather than having to split the £6.45 (Railcard fare) to Oxford, or even the £8.85 (Railcard fare) to Banbury with XC, even though I used GWR services.
Admittedly, someone at Reading ticket office did say they didn't sell many of them.
However this I put down to a lack of promotion by GWR and overall awareness by passengers. It is also somewhat daft that you couldn't purchase them from ticket machines, rather than having to queue up and buy one.
Over the last few years of must of bought dozens of Cherwell Day Rangers, even hoping to purchase one today to go to Banbury.
Rovers as a whole aren't very well publicised - take the North East Rover I've just done, it allows a 200 or so mile stretch on the ECML, imagine how much that would cost in singles, even with advances, if someone was to track bash.
The rangers can present excellent value for money, but due to the wide variety of TOCs they normally cover, revenue gain is little for each TOC. But as Mark said, all the money goes to GWR for this one so unless there's something we're missing, the reason seems unfathomable.
The rangers can present excellent value for money, but due to the wide variety of TOCs they normally cover, revenue gain is little for each TOC. But as Mark said, all the money goes to GWR for this one so unless there's something we're missing, the reason seems unfathomable.
TT-ONR-NRN
Established Member
This is the worst thing Late Western Railway have ever done. Doing a Cherwell now, such good value!
Still very disappointed about this....
I first discovered the Cherwell Day Ranger in August last year. Not through any GWR advertising but the National Rail website. Since then, I have purchased 18 Cherwell Day Ranger tickets, primarily to go from Reading to Oxford.
The same journeys from Reading will now cost £6.45 to Oxford and £8.85 to Banbury (with Railcard).
My understanding of the breakdown for tickets is:
8% commission to the organisation that is responsible for the ticketing system.
92% goes to the TOC, or in the case of two operators on the same route, 46% each.
Therefore with a Cherwell Day Ranger, GWR will keep £4.60 of the total £5 (with Railcard) value, 40p will go to the ticketing organisation.
With a £6.45 Reading to Oxford ticket. 51p will go to the ticketing organisation, £2.97 to GWR and £2.97 to CrossCountry.
Therefore GWR are out of pocket by £1.63, which is why I am confused at their logic for getting rid.
I solely lay the blame at GWR's feet for not doing enough active promotion of the ticket. You would not know it existed, unless you did your own research. It was not advertised at stations, nor did many ticket office staff know about it. Details could be found online, or in the "Rovers and Rangers" booklet, which is usually hidden away from customer view in ticket offices and information counters. When I asked for a "Rovers and Rangers" booklet yesterday, I was told they had run out of them. When I asked about a month ago, the same excuse was used.
Many of the "great unwashed" are not aware of Rangers and Rovers, and the benefits of them. Even a great many I know who use GWR to often travel to Oxford, were not aware of the existence of the Cherwell Day Ranger.
Agree with the post above, is something more sinister going on? The eventual discontinuation of all GWR ranger and rover tickets? I wouldn't be at all surprised.
Is there any way to complain to GWR about this ticket being withdrawn, or is it just going to be a complete waste of time?
I first discovered the Cherwell Day Ranger in August last year. Not through any GWR advertising but the National Rail website. Since then, I have purchased 18 Cherwell Day Ranger tickets, primarily to go from Reading to Oxford.
The same journeys from Reading will now cost £6.45 to Oxford and £8.85 to Banbury (with Railcard).
My understanding of the breakdown for tickets is:
8% commission to the organisation that is responsible for the ticketing system.
92% goes to the TOC, or in the case of two operators on the same route, 46% each.
Therefore with a Cherwell Day Ranger, GWR will keep £4.60 of the total £5 (with Railcard) value, 40p will go to the ticketing organisation.
With a £6.45 Reading to Oxford ticket. 51p will go to the ticketing organisation, £2.97 to GWR and £2.97 to CrossCountry.
Therefore GWR are out of pocket by £1.63, which is why I am confused at their logic for getting rid.
I solely lay the blame at GWR's feet for not doing enough active promotion of the ticket. You would not know it existed, unless you did your own research. It was not advertised at stations, nor did many ticket office staff know about it. Details could be found online, or in the "Rovers and Rangers" booklet, which is usually hidden away from customer view in ticket offices and information counters. When I asked for a "Rovers and Rangers" booklet yesterday, I was told they had run out of them. When I asked about a month ago, the same excuse was used.
Many of the "great unwashed" are not aware of Rangers and Rovers, and the benefits of them. Even a great many I know who use GWR to often travel to Oxford, were not aware of the existence of the Cherwell Day Ranger.
Agree with the post above, is something more sinister going on? The eventual discontinuation of all GWR ranger and rover tickets? I wouldn't be at all surprised.
Is there any way to complain to GWR about this ticket being withdrawn, or is it just going to be a complete waste of time?
Royston Vasey
Established Member
Revenue splits are based on seats/capacity through the ORCATS mechanism. It won't be anywhere near an even split with XC. Otherwise Grand Central would get half of all the York to Kings Cross interavailable revenue.
Dhassell
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There is also the Oxfordshire Day Ranger, which offers a little bit more distance for a big increase in price... Might be one of the reasons Cherwell is being discontinued?
Rover
Member
I think that's very unlikely as GWR are one of the very few that allow you to buy rovers and rangers online. Their website used to be rather shy in promoting rovers/rangers but they are far more open about them now. On their website they can be found just one page in under "find cheap train tickets".
The question is why don't they promote them as enthusiastically at stations?
The odd thing is that the Rail Rover website (www.railrover.org/pages/cherwell-valley-day-ranger.html) has them as available at weekends and public holidays only, yet if you search for one via the GWR site for tomorrow (Friday 18th) it lists the Cherwell Valley Ranger as an option, but it doesn't for Saturday 19th.
It has already disappeared from the rover and ranger ticket page on the GWR site, though.
Much as I regret the demise of any rover or ranger ticket, I think it a bit surprising that GWR ever did see fit to offer them for such a short distance in the first place, especially as I wouldn't tend to think of the Reading-Didcot-Banbury corridor as a particularly touristy area apart from Oxford itself. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.
It has already disappeared from the rover and ranger ticket page on the GWR site, though.
Much as I regret the demise of any rover or ranger ticket, I think it a bit surprising that GWR ever did see fit to offer them for such a short distance in the first place, especially as I wouldn't tend to think of the Reading-Didcot-Banbury corridor as a particularly touristy area apart from Oxford itself. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.
Rover
Member
That's correct. The GWR website also states this as does the National Rail website.
A programming error. A ticket delivered the next day which not only would be out of date when you received it but wasn't even valid for the date it was issued. Tickets for the 19th would not be delivered in time so they got that one right.
As mentioned in a previous post the Oxfordshire Day Ranger is available covering the area and is valid for each day of the week, mind you it costs a lot more!
As for it being a touristy area - I wouldn't like to comment
didcotdean
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Although I am by no means absolutely sure, some of these tickets may well have originated back in the days of Thames Trains, who might have had more of a specific interest in drumming up additional weekend or evening business over the stopping services.
The Oxford Canal Line Ranger. See the Oxford Mail.
Well, I purchased a Cherwell Day Ranger for the final time on Saturday, with the lady at Reading ticket office saying that she had never sold one before!
I still believe its demise was partly based upon very few knew about it. Then again, would GWRreally like to sell more £5 tickets over £6.45 ones, even though they have to split the revenue with XC?
It seems that all the cheaper options of travel are slowly being discontinued, just to make you pay more. It could be the case, as I have noticed a couple of "hacks" have been taken away. For example the Super Off Peak from Moreton-In-Marsh to Worcester. It used to be available all day at weekends, now only after 6pm.
Before 6pm on Weekends - £13.40
After 6pm on Weekends - £3.80
It used to be £3.80 ALL DAY on weekends!
I still believe its demise was partly based upon very few knew about it. Then again, would GWRreally like to sell more £5 tickets over £6.45 ones, even though they have to split the revenue with XC?
It seems that all the cheaper options of travel are slowly being discontinued, just to make you pay more. It could be the case, as I have noticed a couple of "hacks" have been taken away. For example the Super Off Peak from Moreton-In-Marsh to Worcester. It used to be available all day at weekends, now only after 6pm.
Before 6pm on Weekends - £13.40
After 6pm on Weekends - £3.80
It used to be £3.80 ALL DAY on weekends!
185143
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I used one of these last year, the Banbury-Reading version. I purchased a few tickets at Wilmslow for that day, and the ticket seller commented that seemed ridiculously cheap.
I-helpfully(!)-just missed a Reading connection at Oxford, but managed to get onto an XC to Reading. The TM simply made sure I was going to Reading as it obviously didn't stop anywhere else, and gladly let me on-which was nice. It didn't mention 'valid on GWR only' on the ticket though.
The barrier staff at Didcot later on were rather surprised to see that Wilmslow had managed to sell the ticket!
It was a fantastic day scoring loads of shacks in a bit of the world I'd never been to, something that'd be much more expensive to do now.
I-helpfully(!)-just missed a Reading connection at Oxford, but managed to get onto an XC to Reading. The TM simply made sure I was going to Reading as it obviously didn't stop anywhere else, and gladly let me on-which was nice. It didn't mention 'valid on GWR only' on the ticket though.
The barrier staff at Didcot later on were rather surprised to see that Wilmslow had managed to sell the ticket!
It was a fantastic day scoring loads of shacks in a bit of the world I'd never been to, something that'd be much more expensive to do now.
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