All line Rover - when the dust settles

[CumbrianSausag]

Morning,

Ash and I are going to do a 7 day all line when we’re finally allowed out, am interested in how other people on the forum would approach it.

We were thinking of visiting the extremities of the network, 2 nights on the sleeper seats, 2 in hotels, 2 back at home in Yorkshire.

Any advice on what to do, not to do, things that worked for you?

All thoughts much appreciated, guess we have plenty of time to plan.

Ta.

 

[dave87016]

Morning,

Ash and I are going to do a 7 day all line when we’re finally allowed out, am interested in how other people on the forum would approach it.

We were thinking of visiting the extremities of the network, 2 nights on the sleeper seats, 2 in hotels, 2 back at home in Yorkshire.

Any advice on what to do, not to do, things that worked for you?

All thoughts much appreciated, guess we have plenty of time to plan.

Ta.

I’m pretty much doing the same thing as long there are beds available on the sleeper as they tend to be very busy in summer.

A short HST set from Cardiff - Penzance then the Cornish Night Riveria might be a good idea

 

[xotGD]

Hotels? Nights at home?

When I was young and daft it was 6 nights on the rails!

Although after getting no sleep on the overnight from Preston to Aberdeen recently I was very grateful for a comfortable bed the next night.

I would suggest doing the overnight to Fort William - the scenery gives you an incentive to stay awake. Then there is the option of the kettle to Malling.

 

[cactustwirly]

Hotels? Nights at home?

When I was young and daft it was 6 nights on the rails!

Although after getting no sleep on the overnight from Preston to Aberdeen recently I was very grateful for a comfortable bed the next night.

I would suggest doing the overnight to Fort William - the scenery gives you an incentive to stay awake. Then there is the option of the kettle to Malling.

If you didn't have a hotel, where did you shower then?

 

[_toommm_]

- The 17:16?? from Cardiff to Holyhead (or at least to Chester) in First Class. You get a three course meal for the reasonable upgrade price of £20 or £25, and it's cooked fresh in a kitchen just a few feet away from you.
- The Fort Bill sleeper and then possibly the Jacobite to Mallaig. When I did this last summer, I then got the ferry to the Isle of Skye, spent a while there, then the coach to Kyle of Lochalsh and the train from there to Inverness which I'd fully recommend!

 

[Gathursty]

Two references to the Jacobite on an ALR thread. Whilst you can go on it, is the Jacobite valid with an ALR ticket?

 

[fishquinn]

Curveball suggestion - don't do an ALR. Instead (assuming international travel restrictions have been lifted) do an Interrail. It's considerably cheaper and more fun, with some amazing places and scenery to see on the way (and is a more flexible ticket too). The money you save by not forking out for an all line could then be spent on the additional hotels or berth supplements for Europe, or even extending the trip by a couple of days (as there are many lengths of ALRs available).

 

[matt]

Two references to the Jacobite on an ALR thread. Whilst you can go on it, is the Jacobite valid with an ALR ticket?

No it is not.

 

[Kite159]

Just remember the sleeper seats are not as comfortable as they were on the old stock for Cally and just dreadful on the Night Riviera.

Also the Jacobite can sell out quite fast with tourists

 

[cactustwirly]

Curveball suggestion - don't do an ALR. Instead (assuming international travel restrictions have been lifted) do an Interrail. It's considerably cheaper and more fun, with some amazing places and scenery to see on the way (and is a more flexible ticket too). The money you save by not forking out for an all line could then be spent on the additional hotels or berth supplements for Europe, or even extending the trip by a couple of days (as there are many lengths of ALRs available).

Agreed!!
Europe has some much more interesting traction/lines to visit, plus many more interesting cities.
Nothing here comes close to a Taurus hauling EuroCity stock!!

 

[xotGD]

If you didn't have a hotel, where did you shower then?

Strip down in the toilet on the train for a wash and a change of smalls. Trying to find hot water was always a challenge!

 

[alexf380]

Depends what sort of thing you're after really. Masses of haulage? Mega mileage? New places? There are quite a few ALR trip reports on the forum, some more recent than others. Have a read and borrow some ideas.

 

[sftfan1909]

Curveball suggestion - don't do an ALR. Instead (assuming international travel restrictions have been lifted) do an Interrail. It's considerably cheaper and more fun, with some amazing places and scenery to see on the way (and is a more flexible ticket too). The money you save by not forking out for an all line could then be spent on the additional hotels or berth supplements for Europe, or even extending the trip by a couple of days (as there are many lengths of ALRs available).

Totally this, not to say an ALR isn't a great idea but an Interrail is always better in my eyes

 

[superalbs]

Totally this, not to say an ALR isn't a great idea but an Interrail is always better in my eyes

Assuming we get international travel back at the same time we do domestic...

 

[CumbrianSausag]

Interail not for us, both got young families so need to be back home a couple of times to stave off divorce.
Interests include remote shacks, variety, loco haulage, Scottish HSTs, anything about to disappear from our network.

 

[JLH]

Start the ALR mid week and have your nights at home on Friday and Saturday as these are the more expensive nights in hotels. Plan the Sunday carefully due to fewer services.

Personally I wouldn't bother with sleepers but that is because I have never managed to sleep on them.

The Cardiff to Holyhead once a day WAG train in business class is a must. If you do get to Penzance then try to fit in the line to St Ives as it is stunning.

I could go on but there are a lot of good reports online and a You Tube search will also give you ideas. For an enjoyable read, but a few years old now, take a look at: http://railwaydave.blogspot.com/2009/08/in-retrospect-all-line-rover-awards.html

 

[xotGD]

You could go for the Class 68 challenge we discussed on another thread - travel behind 68s in Scotland, on Trans-Pennine and on Chiltern all in the same day.

Get the overnight from Euston to Inverkeithing the night before and away you go...

 

[NorthWestRover]

You could go for the Class 68 challenge we discussed on another thread - travel behind 68s in Scotland, on Trans-Pennine and on Chiltern all in the same day.

Get the overnight from Euston to Inverkeithing the night before and away you go...

That sounds fun...

 

[dave87016]

I have decided that once trains are back up and running to normal timetable I am going to do my first class ALR but have decided that with the exception of the Holyhead - Cardiff WAG service and vice versa plus Euston - Fort William I am just going to do it day by day and if im going to be quite a distance from home then mid afternoon il book a hotel / b&b

 

[NorthWestRover]

I think I'd do the same (although I'd probably do an Interrail), so if I suddenly decided to go from Newcastle to Bristol, I could do. Great fun.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I did one of these 9 years ago to the day - I still have the ticket. As for hotels being pricier on the weekend, not necessarily. Tuesdays in big cities can be stupidly expensive as many businesses are holding meetings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

 

[rg177]

I did two of these back in the day, well, in 2016 and 2017.

Major points of focus were always the loco-hauled services I couldn't usually get near, and lines I hadn't been on before.

In 2016 I utilised the Night Riviera seats a lot, often getting the 23:50 to Plymouth, arriving before 5:30am, and leaping onto the 05:53 back towards the capital. The opposite option was leaving London about 21:00, and heading towards Exeter, where I'd catch the 00:59 to London, arriving 05:07ish. Not for the faint hearted!

I did that once in 2017, once the carriages had been done up, and I couldn't hack it again, it just wasn't the same.

However, the freedom is unparalleled. One morning I caught the 05:30 off Norwich towards Colchester, onwards to Hythe (on the Clacton Line), then doing some red penning on the GEML during the peak, before finishing off the stations I needed on the line to Southminster, heading to Stratford, walking across for HS1 into St Pancras simply because I could, then getting an HST up home to Geordieland to shower and change my clothes, before going back to Newcastle station, on the 20:16 down to London, deciding I was falling asleep by Stevenage, jumping onto a very bouncy 387 into the Cross. I then ended up running around a few points in the capital to red pen some units before collapsing into bed about 01:30. Again, trashing, but the fact that I could was just part of the fun.

That said, 2017 was when easyHotel was in its infancy, and I was merrily booking rooms in London very late in the day for £20/night.

I would love to do another, but it's forever getting more expensive, and these days I prefer an Interrail any day.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Unless I'm misreading completely, a 14 day All Line Rover is £1250 first class adult, whereas the equivalent Interrail for all 33 countries is £530 (€590) even without the current reduction of €59. That's a bonkers difference.

 

[cactustwirly]

Unless I'm misreading completely, a 14 day All Line Rover is £1250 first class adult, whereas the equivalent Interrail for all 33 countries is £530 (€590) even without the current reduction of €59. That's a bonkers difference.

Yes it is!!
Especially when the interrail covers much more variety of places, plus more interesting trains etc.

Although you do have to pay for mandatory seat reservations on some services (mainly high-speed services)

 

[NorthWestRover]

But no peak restrictions?

Are there still the long-distance overnight trains which save on hotels? My last Interrail was in 1985...

 

[CumbrianSausag]

Harder than I thought to plan this but here’s my thinking...

2T railcard saves us about 180 quid each and for the penalty of not starting before 09:30 seems worth it, will also enable us to actually sleep and not burn out.

I suppose the plan, living in Yorkshire is to spend it in places not very accessible, either by distance or day tickets so Scotland, Wales and a bit of South West action appeals. Add that to some 68s, not too bothered for TPE as it’s on our doorstep and the Welsh 67 and some sleepers and a plan is forming.

Oh, got to do a parkrun on the Saturday morning as well, the more remote the better, thinking Thurso, Alness or Lands End.

Set off Sunday, down through Anglia/Norwich, a 395 maybe an ex LNER HST out of St Pancras, finish London somewhere.

Monday, 1010 68 out of of London, Birmingham back to the South, Wales, finish with the 67 to Holyhead.

Tuesday, Wales and into the South West before getting home.

Wednesday, open day, just get to Euston for the sleepers to Inverness.

Thursday, Highlands, some remote shacks and Scottish HSTs.

Friday, Scottish day.

Saturday. Wake up in Thurso, Alness or Oban, parkrun then head home.

 

[ChrisC]

I’ve never done an ALR but have enjoyed doing a number of 7 Day or 8 Days in 15 Regional Rovers. Some of these cover huge areas at quite a reasonable price especially if you have a Railcard. I usually base myself in a hotel close to a station and travel out each day from there.
In recent years I’ve done a North West Rover on numerous occasions when staying with friends near Blackpool, a South West Rover based in Exeter, Heart of England Rover based in Birmingham and then again based in Crewe. Last year I had a fantastic time in Scotland with a Spirit of Scotland Rover based in Inverness and Glasgow.

The main reason why I have chosen Regional Rovers instead of ALR is that although I enjoy travelling by train I love getting out and exploring interesting locations on foot. I like to explore a smaller region spending lots of time getting on and off of trains exploring the region that I am based in depth, rather than travelling huge distances to get my money’s worth.

During my regional rover trips I tend to just do one line or small area each day in detail. For my recent Spirit of Scotland trip I did whole days exploring places on the following lines. Inverness to Aberdeen, Kyle of Lochalsh, Highland Main Line, West Highland Line, Glasgow to Edinburgh, Ardrossan and Isle of Arran and 2 days on the Far North Line.

I had a Devon and Cornwall Rover planned for end of April but that is now going to be delayed until September at the earlies.

 

[Kite159]

That said, 2017 was when easyHotel was in its infancy, and I was merrily booking rooms in London very late in the day for £20/night.

I remember those days when you could get ~ £20 rooms in the Easy Hotel in Croydon, it might have been windowless but for solely as a place to shower & sleep it was ideal.

Although the last few times I've checked the pricing of that hotel, it has been 'silly' money in comparison to the nearby hotels, i.e. before all the CV stuff kicked off looking on a couple of Friday nights in April & May, Premier Inn wanted £30 (semi-flex), Travelodge wanted £38 (fixed), Easy Hotel wanted £59.

 

[dave87016]

I’ve never done an ALR but have enjoyed doing a number of 7 Day or 8 Days in 15 Regional Rovers. Some of these cover huge areas at quite a reasonable price especially if you have a Railcard. I usually base myself in a hotel close to a station and travel out each day from there.
In recent years I’ve done a North West Rover on numerous occasions when staying with friends near Blackpool, a South West Rover based in Exeter, Heart of England Rover based in Birmingham and then again based in Crewe. Last year I had a fantastic time in Scotland with a Spirit of Scotland Rover based in Inverness and Glasgow.

The main reason why I have chosen Regional Rovers instead of ALR is that although I enjoy travelling by train I love getting out and exploring interesting locations on foot. I like to explore a smaller region spending lots of time getting on and off of trains exploring the region that I am based in depth, rather than travelling huge distances to get my money’s worth.

During my regional rover trips I tend to just do one line or small area in detail. For my recent Spirit of Scotland trip I did whole days exploring places on the following lines. Inverness to Aberdeen, Kyle of Lochalsh, Highland Main Line, West Highland Line, Glasgow to Edinburgh, Ardrossan and Isle of Arran and 2 days on the Far North Line.

I had a Devon and Cornwall Rover planned for end of April but that is now going to be delayed until September at the earlies.

I found Freedom Of The South West Rover excellent value back in 2016/17 but the price of it has rocketed up quite steeply , it probably is still good value but not as much as it used to be price wise

 

[Far north 37]

You could go for the Class 68 challenge we discussed on another thread - travel behind 68s in Scotland, on Trans-Pennine and on Chiltern all in the same day.

Get the overnight from Euston to Inverkeithing the night before and away you go...

Have the 68s not stopped worked the fife circle services now.