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ALR Help/Advice/Criticism

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DarloRich

DarloRich

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I have unexpectedly come into a bit of cash and some time off next week and am proposing a very short notice 1st class ALR.

I have done them before so know most of the "gen" but wondered if i could ask for some advice as planning time is short. What i would like to do is travel by as many proper trains as possible. in particular I want to max out on HST usage. I want to avoid Azumas ( as I have years to use them) and Pendo's as much as possible ( as i use them every day!) and voygers because voyagers!

My main questions are:
  • Have the TPE class 68's started in public service?
  • What routes are the Scotrail HST's running
  • Are the Anglia class 37's still in use
  • Are the Welsh 37's in use
  • Is the Manchester ATW loco hauled still regular or has it gone over to unit operation)
  • Is the Cardiff to Holyhead evening train still a regular loco hauled turn?

I am free on days other than day 1 cant start until a bout 11:00 so I thought I may as well head north to Edinburgh and cover the fife circle. I can spend that night with my mum and spend day 2 on Scottish HST perhaps with another overnight in Scotland. After that i am free!

Because time is short I don't think i will be able to book on a sleeper or get many nights in hotels so will have to get back to MK most evenings.

Any advice or comments gratefully accepted.
 
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Oscar46016

Oscar46016

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DarloRich said:
  • Are the Welsh 37's in use

  • Is the Cardiff to Holyhead evening train still a regular loco hauled turn?
Click to expand...

Yes to both the above - however the 37 & Holyhead are both early morning INTO Cardiff and Evening outbound - you could do the 37 to queen st and then get a unit back for the outbound holyhead.

Whilst in Cardiff / Bristol there are three sets of short form HSTs running between Cardiff and Taunton - it's possible to get all three sets in one day.
 
cactustwirly

cactustwirly

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DarloRich said:
I have unexpectedly come into a bit of cash and some time off next week and am proposing a very short notice 1st class ALR.

I have done them before so know most of the "gen" but wondered if i could ask for some advice as planning time is short. What i would like to do is travel by as many proper trains as possible. in particular I want to max out on HST usage. I want to avoid Azumas ( as I have years to use them) and Pendo's as much as possible ( as i use them every day!) and voygers because voyagers!

My main questions are:
  • Have the TPE class 68's started in public service?
  • What routes are the Scotrail HST's running
  • Are the Anglia class 37's still in use
  • Are the Welsh 37's in use
  • Is the Manchester ATW loco hauled still regular or has it gone over to unit operation)
  • Is the Cardiff to Holyhead evening train still a regular loco hauled turn?

I am free on days other than day 1 cant start until a bout 11:00 so I thought I may as well head north to Edinburgh and cover the fife circle. I can spend that night with my mum and spend day 2 on Scottish HST perhaps with another overnight in Scotland. After that i am free!

Because time is short I don't think i will be able to book on a sleeper or get many nights in hotels so will have to get back to MK most evenings.

Any advice or comments gratefully accepted.
Click to expand...

To put my two cents in, if you're looking for "proper trains" then have you considered an Interrail or something similar?
There's lots more opportunity for LHCS stock on the continent, especially in Eastern Europe, plus there's quite a few in Austria and Germany.
It's about half the cost of an ALR and you might still be able to find some cheap easyJet/Ryanair flights and cheap hotels.
 
scotrail158713

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DarloRich said:
What routes are the Scotrail HST's running
Click to expand...
Edinburgh to Aberdeen is your best bet. They can also turn up on Edinburgh to Inverness or Glasgow to Aberdeen, but just quite sporadically. Asking on the Scotrail HST thread on the day is probably your best bet to confirm.

For the Fife Circle, is it the loco hauled service you’re aiming for? If so, get the 17.12 from Waverley to get the full trip round the circle. I’ve only done it halfway round, via Dunfermline, but it was definitely worth it.
 
DarloRich

DarloRich

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cactustwirly said:
To put my two cents in, if you're looking for "proper trains" then have you considered an Interrail or something similar?
There's lots more opportunity for LHCS stock on the continent, especially in Eastern Europe, plus there's quite a few in Austria and Germany.
It's about half the cost of an ALR and you might still be able to find some cheap easyJet/Ryanair flights and cheap hotels.
Click to expand...

Honestly: Yes but this has all come about at such short notice i don't feel equipped with enough knowledge to wing it and/or enough time to plan it!
 
DarloRich

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Oscar46016 said:
Yes to both the above - however the 37 & Holyhead are both early morning INTO Cardiff and Evening outbound - you could do the 37 to queen st and then get a unit back for the outbound holyhead.

Whilst in Cardiff / Bristol there are three sets of short form HSTs running between Cardiff and Taunton - it's possible to get all three sets in one day.
Click to expand...

thanks - i think i am going to either overnight in Holyhead/Chester or Cardiff. Cant see a way to cover the three atw loco hauled trains in one day. I suppose i could ignore the Manchester and look to do that on a different day
 
Iskra

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Anglian 37's are still running but their days are numbered
No first class on the Manchester 67 set, so perhaps a bit of a waste compared to the Premier service.
Don't forget 68's are also readily available on Chiltern and the Fife Circle. Probably see the relevant thread on here for when TP 68's start.
For HST's EMT's breakfast trains are well worth a go if you can make that work, LNER still have some (consider the Highland Chieftain or Aberdeen services) and GWR short sets might be worth ago.
Scotrail HST's are primarily between Glasgow/Edinburgh and Inverness/Aberdeen but also some service between Inverness and Aberdeen.
There is also CS for 67/73/92 if you are feeling brave ;)
 
DarloRich

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Iskra said:
There is also CS for 67/73/92 if you are feeling brave
Click to expand...

getting the booking at short notice is going to be the issue!

Iskra said:
Don't forget 68's are also readily available on Chiltern and the Fife Circle. Probably see the relevant thread on here for when TP 68's start.
Click to expand...

the Chiltern class 68's are easy for me from home so will feature but don't need much planning

Iskra said:
Anglian 37's are still running but their days are numbered
Click to expand...

Do they run on weekends?
 
DarloRich

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eastwestdivide said:
I'm with you there on the overnight seats - also, try and build in some downtime to stop and eat something other than sandwiches/burgers on the go!
Click to expand...

I have enough on board reserves if required ;)

( that is why i hope to be home most evening: get a decent meal and a wash)
 
S

superjohn

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My main tip for ALR and Interrail weeks is to get any specific trips you want to make done early in the week. Later on you will start to flag. I would also leave some days where you just make it up as you go along, the great benefit of such rover tickets. This also allows you to revisit anything that catches your eye earlier in the week. In the age of live train times online it is much easier to plan on the fly.

I took this approach on my last Interrail trip earlier this year. I did the two trips I definitely wanted to make (Puttgarden train ferry and down to Basel for the TER loco hauled to Strasbourg, both requiring 5am starts from my base in Kassel) on the first two full days and just went with the flow for the rest of the week. The days got progressively shorter with last day being little more than a day out to the DB museum.
 
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cambsy

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I have done quite a few 7 day 1st class ALR’s, and doing one end of September, I will stay out for pretty much the full 7 days, starting mid Sunday Morning and ending Saturday night, ill use sleepers for 6 nights[berth every night], not sure yet exactly what my plan is, as waiting see when various new stock makes it into service, Ill do the Caledonian sleepers for 5 of the nights, in the Mk5’s and MK3’s if they still on the Highlanders, I want to try the TPE Nova’s, if they are running by then and other new stock, just see how it goes.

The 37 hauled trains are all standard class, and personally wouldn’t do as waste of ticket,I’d do on other rovers, The Cardiff to Holyhead premier service is 67 hauled and is nicknamed The Gerald, as in welsh its Y Gerallt Gymro, on your ticket you get a cooked Breakfast on the morning train and evening meal on the evening train, so well worth doing if you can, there is still a decent number of HST’s on the LNER, as Azumas only just started running, the HST’s do London KX to Inverness, Aberdeen, Sunderland, some Edinburgh runs etc, they are shown in timing loads on RTT.

In terms of needing take food with you, you wont really need to, as generally First class offers complimentary food and drinks, On Virgin trains its Cooked Breakfast to Sandwiches etc, depending on time of day, on LNER its Cooked Breakfast to Sandwiches again with Hot food option, Scotrail on their units it biscuit and coffee etc, dont know if same on their HST’s, my advice is just do whatever you enjoy, and take at whatever pace suits you.
 
DarloRich

DarloRich

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superjohn said:
My main tip for ALR and Interrail weeks is to get any specific trips you want to make done early in the week. Later on you will start to flag. I would also leave some days where you just make it up as you go along, the great benefit of such rover tickets. This also allows you to revisit anything that catches your eye earlier in the week. In the age of live train times online it is much easier to plan on the fly.

I took this approach on my last Interrail trip earlier this year. I did the two trips I definitely wanted to make (Puttgarden train ferry and down to Basel for the TER loco hauled to Strasbourg, both requiring 5am starts from my base in Kassel) on the first two full days and just went with the flow for the rest of the week. The days got progressively shorter with last day being little more than a day out to the DB museum.
Click to expand...

I will be out on the first train and back on the last train I can in order to get best value out of the ticket. Luckily living in MK I can get trains early and late. The main annoyance is the not before 10 am rule on Intercity trains out of London form the 3 north bound terminals. VERY frustrating but the new LNWR timetable should help reduce that a bit.
 
cactustwirly

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DarloRich said:
I will be out on the first train and back on the last train I can in order to get best value out of the ticket. Luckily living in MK I can get trains early and late. The main annoyance is the not before 10 am rule on Intercity trains out of London form the 3 north bound terminals. VERY frustrating but the new LNWR timetable should help reduce that a bit.
Click to expand...

There are ways to get round this
 
cactustwirly

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I have to say, I almost fell off my chair when I saw the price of one of these! :lol:
 
DarloRich

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I think day one is sorted:

MKC>Manchester> ( fart about) >Llandudno>Crewe>Inverness

Ideally I would like to get the horrible Voyager to Chester but I am not sure I will get away to make the 12:41 train.

Day 2 will start with the Highland Chieftain back south
 
cactustwirly

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DarloRich said:
I think day one is sorted:

MKC>Manchester> ( fart about) >Llandudno>Crewe>Inverness

Ideally I would like to get the horrible Voyager to Chester but I am not sure I will get away to make the 12:41 train.

Day 2 will start with the Highland Chieftain back south
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great start.
Maybe a chance to get a new 195 whilst you're in Manchester?
 
DarloRich

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cactustwirly said:
Maybe a chance to get a new 195 whilst you're in Manchester?
Click to expand...

I hoped so yes.

I may also potter off to Shrewsbury of somewhere to fill in the time at Crewe. I could also have booked the Fort William sleeper from Crewe but that loses me basically a complete day. Would rather save up and do that when the new trains start.
 
cactustwirly

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DarloRich said:
yes - like local train to Stevenage and LNER from there - but it eats up time and frustrates me.
Click to expand...

Nope, you can use a ticket such as a single to Finsbury park, and in combination with the NRCoT condition number 14, you can use it to board a train at Kings Cross for example before 10am
 
DarloRich

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Day one has changed a bit as i can now have the full day off work! It looks something like this:

MKC> Euston (via LM)> Marylebone> Birmingham> Nottingham > STP > Euston> Manchester> ( fart about) >Llandudno>Crewe>Inverness
 
47403

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Sounds like fun. I wondered who won the Euro Millions the other week. After paying the for the first class ALR you cant have much left now.:lol:

The Cally Sleepers seems a great idea to me, sparky and a chance of some ED haulage North of the Border, would be too good an opportunity to turn down in my book, however it's not my money either.

The best way to get both Fife cats was to take the 2nd one to Dunfermline, bail over over to opposite platform, where I think you have a plus 5 for the unit to Inverkeithing and wait 40 mins for the 1st one off Waverley back. I'd check the new timetable though, timings may have changed since I last done it.

God knows when the TPE Cats start, supposed to be the end of July, however they didn't say which July.

Wherever you get or whatever you do. Have a great trip Rich. Hopefully we'll get a trip report to read about your adventures too.
 
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Marton

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cactustwirly said:
Nope, you can use a ticket such as a single to Finsbury park, and in combination with the NRCoT condition number 14, you can use it to board a train at Kings Cross for example before 10am
Click to expand...
Presumably this works in reverse as well going south?
 
Andy Pacer

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I did a 1st class ALR in May and thoroughly enjoyed it and looking forward to getting another in the diary sometime soon. I did a lot of LNER as, in my opinion, they offer possibly the best 1st class complimentary offering plus I was trying to use the opportunity to tick off my last HSTs and 91s.
 
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