All-line Rail Rover trip plan - would love your thoughts

[Andy Pacer]

That's a good idea but I do have a question. Assuming you don't have a reservation, how do you prove you were on a delayed train when you have an ALR?

You don't need to prove anything. A reservation isn't needed, just a valid ticket (as applies with any rover or ranger). Of course, it must be a valid claim though!

 

[davsarg]

You don't need to prove anything. A reservation isn't needed, just a valid ticket (as applies with any rover or ranger). Of course, it must be a valid claim though!

So what's to stop someone with an ALR from checking Real Time Trains or Raildar for delayed services that they haven't travelled on and then making a fraudulent claim?

 

[Andy Pacer]

So what's to stop someone from checking Real Time Trains or Raildar for delayed services and then making a fraudulent claim?

I'm sure there are systems in place to keep track of claims. It's no different to a season ticket holder, or a holder of a standard single or return ticket with no booked train to claim.

 

[bspahh]

Planning a route is fun, but one of the attractions of an All Line Rover is the freedom to then chop and change on a whim.

I would keep an eye on the various local rover tickets, particularly for trains without first class. The Anglia Day Ranger is good for the branch lines in Norfolk and Suffolk. A Spirit of Scotland ticket is good if you want to go around lots of Scotland (but only in standard class).

I would try to time a visit to St Ives at low tide, so you can walk across the beach into the harbour bay. The branch lines to Looe and Calstock are well worth a detour (perhaps using a Cornwall Ranger some other time).

 

[John Luxton]

Interesting itinerary. After leaving school in 1978 I bought a two week 1st All Lines Rover and had a great time. I enjoyed it the following year so much I bought a 14 day one. Had great fun did quite a few sleeper services to keep going I recall the 1st compartments were just £5 back then. Unfortunately by 1980 the need to do dissertations came along, then a other priorities took over and I learnt to drive.

Retiring at the end of 2019 and obtaining an over 60s railcard I intended to get a an All Lines in summer 2020 and then C19 came along.

All Lines was back on the agenda for 2022 then unexpectedly my PC went on the blink.

I thus blew my Railrover budget on a new power PC and the All Lines has been deferred to 2023.

Your planned Itinerary has given me some ideas for what I should be looking todo. Living not too far away from you I could adapt it - I like the idea of Aberdeen to Penzance!

However, I would make some suggestions at the Cornwall end.

St Ives Line is short and gets very busy as does St Ives itself in the summer, best time to visit and appreciate St Ives is out of season.

If I were you I would consider doing the Liskeard to Looe line - Looe, in particularly West Looe does not get as busy as St Ives - is on the coast and is just as interesting, The Looe Branch is also delightfully quirky with its separate Liskeard station at 90 degrees to the mainline station. This now boasts a heritage centre in its waiting room with various items of memorabilia on display and access to the business side of the former Looe Branch ticket office. Apparently the heritage centre opened in 2021. However, the heritage centre only appears to be open when the ticket office in the main station is open. When I went on Thursday it was open. When I took a second trip in the late afternoon on Saturday it was locked as the station ticket office closes at 15:00.

The other "must do" line is to Gunnislake up the former SR mainline to the junction at Bere Alston - the signal box there has recently been splendidly restored for use internally as a scout base. Here the train reverses to head up the former Callington Branch to Gunnislake. This section is a former Colonel Stephen's light railway with steep gradients and the spectacular Calstock viaduct offering superb views across the Tamar then follows the up hill grind to Gunnislake with stops at ungated crossings.

Personally I think the Gunnislake line is probably the most interesting and scenic of the Cornish branches.

 

[bspahh]

However, I would make some suggestions at the Cornwall end.

St Ives Line is short and gets very busy as does St Ives itself in the summer, best time to visit and appreciate St Ives is out of season.

I took these photos on a visit to St Ives in February a few years ago

St Ives 16-17th Feb 2018

Explore this photo album by Andrew Henry on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[mrcheek]

That's a good idea but I do have a question. Assuming you don't have a reservation, how do you prove you were on a delayed train when you have an ALR?

I have never been asked for proof. Just a photocopy of the ticket

 

[Class800]

Gunnislake is only every 2 hours - good on a regional rover but maybe harder to fit into a productive ALR? To be honest, I would probably prefer the idea of ALR and then do a Cornwall Day Ranger the next day to get value and an extra day

 

[Class800]

I have never been asked for proof. Just a photocopy of the ticket

Comes down largely to honesty, but if a lot of suspect claims are identified, it won't do anyone any good

 

[John Luxton]

I took these photos on a visit to St Ives in February a few years ago

St Ives 16-17th Feb 2018

Explore this photo album by Andrew Henry on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Yes best time to visit! Back in the late 1960s my parents took me on a few self catering holidays to St Ives and even then it was getting silly busy at times. They decided after three years of doing that to stop staying there because of the parking problems and crowds. Also around that time it was regularly invaded by hoards of hippies! Last time I went right into the town must have been late October 2010. Unfortunately when busy it loses its charm.

 

[John Luxton]

Gunnislake is only every 2 hours - good on a regional rover but maybe harder to fit into a productive ALR? To be honest, I would probably prefer the idea of ALR and then do a Cornwall Day Ranger the next day to get value and an extra day

There are good connections at Plymouth though - the first time I did the line was on my ALR in 1978 took the sleeper to Plymouth and then I think the first or second train of the day up the line. Timetable hasn't changed that much since then the line still starts off early as there is a fair amount of commuter traffic on weekdays.

 

[Class800]

St Budeaux Ferry Road is a very difficult one to get for those looking to tick off stations

 

[Andy Pacer]

The Heart of Wales line was a simple choice - I've never travelled that line and I've been wanting to do it for ages (again, Geoff and Vicky have inspired me). However some have pointed out that it might be better to do this as a separate trip another time.... this is something I am considering

If looking at doing the Heart of Wales line on a different trip, the Explore South Wales ticket is excellent value and covers it.

GB RAIL ROVER GUIDE - Explore South Wales Pass

How to find rail rover and ranger tickets on the national rail network. Rover and ranger tickets are cheap tickets for rail travel

www.railrover.org

 

[woolos]

I had ALR in the late 70 in those day.there was a sleeper from Edinburgh to Bristol on the cushion Which was good to get to Penzance. And travel back to Dawlish for over night ina bed

 

[ChrisC]

Last October, when I using an 8 Days in 15 Devon and Cornwall Rover on one of those days I visited St. Ives. It was a lovely sunny day and the tide was fully out. I walked from Lelant and went down onto the beach near Lelant Church and then walked all the way along the beach to Carbis Bay and then the final bit into St. Ives along the coastal path. Well worth doing if the tide is out and a complete change to your other long days of train travel.