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All Line Rovers - what would be most important to you?

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crispy1978

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Imagine you have in your hand a 7 (or 14) all line rover. Your holiday off work is booked, you have a wad of cash in your hand (or a limitless debit card!)

What is going to be your main priority?

> Covering as much track as possible
> Visiting as many stations as possible across the network
> Visiting as many stations in a particular area
> Getting in to as many branch lines as possible
> Covering as many TOCs as possible
> Maximising use of sleeper trains
> Visiting specific areas to achieve goals (i.e. scenery in Scotland/Lake District/Wales, etc)
> Covering as many different classes of trains
> Something else......please specify.

Interested to see what people's goals would be if they were able to spend 7 (or 14 days) with no restrictions on the trains.
 
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SS4

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Covering track. My coverage outside the WMDR area is shocking

Since the above are not mutually exclusive the order is as follows (imagine the points above are numbered sequentially from 1): 1, 7, 6, 3, 2, 4, 5, 8
 
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flymo

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All of the above. Every trip is different, every person is different. Done way too many ALRs in the 80s and early 90s, maybe 3 per year (7 day at Easter, 14 day in summer then 7 day in Nov/Dec) and each was different. Mix and match and do what you feel you want to.
 

overtonchris

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For me it would be to cover as much mileage as possible over lines that I've never done -maximising value for money-whoever's paying! (Sadly far too many lines unbashed).

It would have to include a trip to Inverness to Cop 08 308.......that little swine hides in the shed whenever I go up there!

Don't suppose I'll ever do an ALR though-Doubt whether 'Mrs Chris' would let me out on my own for that long!!!!!!!!!!:lol:
 

Seacook

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My aim is cover as much track as possible, then go to places I have never seen. For various reasons I avoid spending nights away from home, so I tend to plan large circular journeys - my next ALR is in three weeks and will follow that pattern.

One idea I had was to find as many negative easements as possible in order to ignore them.
 

D841 Roebuck

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14 day ALR in 2010 highlights included:
A dozen or so locos scored for haulage on NR
Three diesel galas visited with concomitant red pennage
Amongst other bits, the St Ives, Falmouth, Newquay, Looe, Severn Beach, St Albans Abbey, Bedford to Bletchley, Harwich and Walton on Naze branches covered for the first time.
The Bodmin and Strathspey heritage lines covered for the first time.
Several curries
Lots of beer.
Watching Rochdale lose at St James Park (new ground).
An unexpected and rather pleasant one night stand;)

May do a - bowdlerized - trip report if there is a demand.

When I go again, I'll try something similar...
 

D6975

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I stopped doing ALRs a long time ago, using advances to get to an area then using regional rovers and covering the area fully is so much more cost effective.
If I was given an ALR, I'd concentrate on doing the bits that aren't covered by any regional rovers. There are quite a few outer London lines that can only be done by ALR or 'normal' tickets. SWT land in particular has many of these.
 

crispy1978

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I stopped doing ALRs a long time ago, using advances to get to an area then using regional rovers and covering the area fully is so much more cost effective.
If I was given an ALR, I'd concentrate on doing the bits that aren't covered by any regional rovers. There are quite a few outer London lines that can only be done by ALR or 'normal' tickets. SWT land in particular has many of these.

Great plan - doing my first rover in October - going round Tyne Tees!
 

Bevan Price

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ALR now too expensive for me, and also it would probably be more like hard work than pleasure. Used to get one or two a year until 1990s, but apart from HS1 & some Scottish reopened track, I have done almost all the required track available on public passenger services. The end of summer saturday services and the sprea of "air-con" stock made it difficult to get new loco haulage, and although I record which units I have travelled upon, I cannot raise much enthusiasm to get "haulage" on every single emu/dmu in London & South East or Scotland, etc. My last ALR was partly used to visit several heritage lines at lower cost than using single or return tickets for the same trips.
 

Dreadnought

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It would have to include a trip to Inverness to Cop 08 308.......that little swine hides in the shed whenever I go up there!
No need to go to Inverness anymore as it has left and according to reports is now at Ketton cement works.
 

CallySleeper

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> Covering as much track as possible YES
> Visiting as many stations as possible across the network NO
> Visiting as many stations in a particular area YES. There are definitely areas of the country I'd like to see more of (South West, Wales, Cumbria/Pennines)
> Getting in to as many branch lines as possible YES, especially areas listed above
> Covering as many TOCs as possible NO (although it's sometimes nice to use a TOC you don't use very often/at all
> Maximising use of sleeper trains PROBABLY!
> Visiting specific areas to achieve goals (i.e. scenery in Scotland/Lake District/Wales, etc) (see above)
> Covering as many different classes of trains NO
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
(My YPR expires at the end of next year so ideally I am hoping to do this before then!)
 

Blindtraveler

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Nowhere near enough to a Pacer :(
Living in Scotland means not wanting or needing to do as much up here, the acception being the fortwiliam sleaper in its entirety and also the FGW Sleaper. Other fun would include a trip on every toc with a sheduled loco hauled service in England and Wales, every TOC opperating HSTS in England and Wales, the chilton class 121 and in between all that, bash as many Pacers as possible!↲
 

High Dyke

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Personally i'm a track man myself, not so bothered on the type of traction these days. Last time i did an ALR with a mate we manged to score a pair of 26's off Ayr...literally minutes after we had arrived there. I'm showing my age now.

There are still many parts of the network that i have yet to visit and some very scenic routes too. These would be higher up my list of 'to do' things.
 

bnm

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Saving money.

Coming up next month I may have to make daily trips from Taunton to London for one week. Travel will be in the peak.

A Standard Class season for the week will cost me £342.40. A Standard Class 7 Day All Line Rover will cost £306.25 with my railcard.

No brainer. A £36 saving plus far greater validity.
 

Blindtraveler

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Nowhere near enough to a Pacer :(
big question here is did the journey planner fare section on NRE or any other engine suggest this? I am not at all well aquainted with GW Peek commuter runs however id gues peek season validitty is restrictive?
 

CallySleeper

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big question here is did the journey planner fare section on NRE or any other engine suggest this? I am not at all well aquainted with GW Peek commuter runs however id gues peek season validitty is restrictive?

There are some morning peak restrictions listed here, namely on some East Coast, EMT, Virgin and Cross Country services but on all others (including FGW) there are no restrictions, which can mean for some (including bnm), it can (but not always, especially with longer period season tickets or less distance) be better value.
 

Requeststop

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For myself it's coverage of the network that is the more important, and re-covering lines I've only done the once and then a long long time ago.

This year, I have done all of South Wales, Settle and Carlisle, West Highland, South of the Clyde to Stranraer, and East Anglia in one ALR and some lines out of Nottingham on another, and I have plans for an England Rover Ticket in October and will be basing myself at York, to get a lot of the Red on my route coverage map to become Blue, especially in North East England, Cumbria, and some lines in the south of London I have never been on. If my October trip is successful, then I will have done nearly 6,500 miles this year in 3 visits to the UK, 60% on new routes.
 

trentside

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I'm another person who's mainly interested in the track - so it would be doing things that aren't normally easily accessible. I've not ever got around to doing an ALR (despite promising it many times), but if I ever do it would be doing most of Scotland and the South West - as these aren't something I can do there and back in a day or a couple of days.
 

breadfan

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I'm starting a 2 week ALR, 1st class, on the 9th of this month.

I figure some of the lines I'd like to do are served only by standard class accommodation so it would be a bit of a waste doing too many of these. South West lines and Scottish ones etc can be covered on a weekly rover while staying in the areas.

A huge priority for me is real ale, so I will be spending the evenings exploring new pastures for real ale pubs. So far I have nights booked in Exeter, Deal, Hartlepool, Newport (for trying either cardiff or Bristol then travelling to Newport late on). I've also booked the Night Riviera from Penzance to London as I've never done a sleeper before. I'll probably look to book a run on the Caley sleeper from Inverness too.

I'm looking forward to a run on Grand Central, which ties in nicely with Hartlepool.

I'm not sure I'd like to do a standard class ALR as they are so tiring, getting a seat and having a good ol' relax is essential.

I'll probably have a run on the 47s from Norwich if they are about, for old times sake and a loco hauled run on the Chiltern even though I do it quite often. Would like a do on a 121 too. I've been offered the use of a flat in central London whenever I need it, which will save a load of cash.

Toying with the idea of evenings in Chichester, Weymouth and a few others are kicking about.

The main thing is to enjoy myself :)
 

D6975

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This made me look up the last time I did an ALR. The following list is the locos that I had for haulage on that trip.

08739 08753 20034 20042 26005 26021 26041 31160 31467 37070 37097 37109 37197 37216 37254 37294 37380 37403 37404 37409 37412 37413 37416 37417 37418 37419 37421 37423 37425 37683 47003 47004 47017 47215 47227 47229 47293 47297 47346 47417 47423 47450 47460 47461 47462 47469 47508 47512 47527 47530 47533 47543 47561 47562 47632 47642 47646 47649 47658 47661 47701 47706 47708 47710 47711 47712 47714 50035 58017 73109 73138 81005 85013 85020 85032 86212 86224 86225 86227 86233 86240 86243 86244 86250 86261 86402 86416 86418 86426 86428 86433 86435 87009 87011 87012 87025 87031 87034 87101
 
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dcd

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I have in the past gone for routes and mileage. Covering routes I have not done before but usually not branches as they cut down on the mileage, I use the sleepers for the mileage. Next year however I have a hope to clear what's left of Scotland and mid/north Wales. Hope to finish South Wales later this year. Then I shall spend time on Northern where most of my unit needs are based.
 

crispy1978

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I have in the past gone for routes and mileage. Covering routes I have not done before but usually not branches as they cut down on the mileage, I use the sleepers for the mileage. Next year however I have a hope to clear what's left of Scotland and mid/north Wales. Hope to finish South Wales later this year. Then I shall spend time on Northern where most of my unit needs are based.

That is the "problem" with the branches - generally you got to travel up them to travel back down them unless you are prepared to seek out bus routes between two branches - which sometimes may be an option, but isn't always. Add to that the wait at the branch terminus as well.
 

D6975

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That is the "problem" with the branches - generally you got to travel up them to travel back down them unless you are prepared to seek out bus routes between two branches - which sometimes may be an option, but isn't always. Add to that the wait at the branch terminus as well.

Some branches are easier than others, Wick/Thurso used to take all day back in loco hauled days, but it wasn't a chore when you were travelling behind 37s all day.
Scarborough-Whitby looks like a bus is a good idea if you need both those, Whitby takes ages. There are quite a few around London where a bus or even a walk will save you lots of time getting 2 branches for the price of one. In Scotland, using the ferry makes Helensboro C/Gourock less of a bind too.
 

crispy1978

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Some branches are easier than others, Wick/Thurso used to take all day back in loco hauled days, but it wasn't a chore when you were travelling behind 37s all day.
Scarborough-Whitby looks like a bus is a good idea if you need both those, Whitby takes ages. There are quite a few around London where a bus or even a walk will save you lots of time getting 2 branches for the price of one. In Scotland, using the ferry makes Helensboro C/Gourock less of a bind too.

I'm doing Inverness-Thurso in a couple of weeks! Feels like it takes all day!!!

But yeah, utilising other modes of transportation will cerainly be advantageous - I know how long Whitby to Scarborough can take!
 

Buttsy

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Last ALR I did was to cover off a number of lines & curves I had yet to do that were spread over the country - Shenfield - Billericay (slow), Colchester - Wivenhoe (dive-under), Allington curve (E-S), Doncaster - Pontefract, Durham - Newcastler via High Level bridge, Alloa, Warrington BQ - Runcorn East (not mainline), Barking - Liverpool Street and a few more that escape my memory at the moment. Also did the grand tour: Edinburgh - Inverness - Kyle - Skye - Mallaig - Glasgow - Edinburgh.
 
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Requeststop

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This is one of the joys of an ALR. The chance to cover a section of line you missed out of be it a loop, my most notorious missed loop is Frome, (never done it even though in nearly 60 years I've passed by it hundreds of times), or a section of line missed out due to engineering or cancellations etc. (Strathcarron to Kyle is a glaring omission to my route map)

The fun is with an ALR is that you have the chance to do huge omissions as well as those little bit's missed. Of course careful planning is a must especially as the dreaded "engineering works" can spoil the best laid plans.

One day soon Frome (pronounced Froome to those outside the South West) and Kyle will be completed, and my magnifying glass will be searching over my Baker, TrackAtlas and Quail's to see what I have missed or not done for many years, and that is the total fun of it all.
 

D6975

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This is one of the joys of an ALR. The chance to cover a section of line you missed out of be it a loop, my most notorious missed loop is Frome, (never done it even though in nearly 60 years I've passed by it hundreds of times.

I was the other way round, it took me ages to get the bypass at Frome because I was usually behind a 37 on the Weymouth when going that way and they always called at Frome.
 
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