Anglia Plus Day Ranger zones

[Royston Vasey]

Hi all - I'm at a loose end at the weekend and I'm looking to cover some miles but need to clarify the area validity of this ticket. The National Rail and Greater Anglia websites both carry a map showing three county zones, the season tickets being available and clearly priced for one, two or three of those zones. However the £18.50 Anglia Plus Day Ranger does not explicitly state that it is valid for all three zones, so I am just looking to check that this is valid for all three zones, or whether it is valid only for one chosen zone? The wording does state "wherever you like" but I just wanted to check.

A one county seven day season is £50.90, a three county seven day season is £184.40, whereas the day ranger is an off-peak ticket priced at £18.50. Clearly 5x or 7x £18.50 is a lot less than £184.40, but I am hoping that the difference is due to the £18.50 being off peak, rather than due to being limited to a single zone? CBG-LWT off peak day return prices at £18.30 so the £18.50 sounds reasonable for a three zone ranger

Thanks in advance

 

[causton]

In short, yes. It covers all of the stations shown on the map and the "zones" are only for the season tickets

 

[Royston Vasey]

In short, yes. It covers all of the stations shown on the map and the "zones" are only for the season tickets

Thanks Causton, it was implied but by no means obvious!

 

[ac6000cw]

Agreed, and yes, it's off-peak only (plus some specific earlier trains) and is NOT valid on XC services between Cambridge and Ely. It's also quite good that it's valid on all First bus services in Norfolk (Norwich park-and-ride excepted).

 

[Royston Vasey]

Shame this is not valid to Kings Lynn but it will cover a lot of nice countryside. I think I know the answer to this, but would a summer Saturday afternoon return out of Yarmouth or Lowestoft be rammed? Is the CL. 37 diagram operational this weekend or will it be solid 170/156/153?

 

[CaptainHaddock]

With it being a bank holiday weekend, why not get a 3-in-7 Anglia Rover? It's only £37 so effectively you pay the equivalent of 2 day rovers and get a third day free!

 

[ac6000cw]

Shame this is not valid to Kings Lynn but it will cover a lot of nice countryside

For some reason it never has been, and years ago it wasn't valid between Cambridge and Ely either.

I think I know the answer to this, but would a summer Saturday afternoon return out of Yarmouth or Lowestoft be rammed?

Depends on the weather really (same for the Felixstowe and Cromer/Sheringham trains).

 

[bspahh]

I had a trip a few months ago where I set off from Ely at 10.32. Then from Stowmarket with a class 90, top and tail 37s to Great Yarmouth, back to Norwich and then top and tail 68s to Lowestoft.

I then went from Lowestoft to Ipswich, to Felixstowe and back, from Ipswich to Norwich then to Sheringham and back. When I came into Norwich again about 9pm, there was a London train with the class 90, the trains with the two 37s, two 68s and also a class 57 in the station, all at the same time. I got back to Ely about 10pm.

 

[47513 Severn]

For some reason it never has been, and years ago it wasn't valid between Cambridge and Ely either.

Are you sure? It has its origins in the old BR Anglia Day Ranger which was once valid to Kings Lynn (I spent many Saturdays riding the loco hauled trains using one in the late eighties!) and Peterborough. Whilst the area has subsequently been reduced I can't imagine Cambridge to Ely being removed and then reinstated, it has always had services provided by the incumbent 'Anglia' franchise. Are you perhaps thinking of the non validity on XC?

 

[Royston Vasey]

Thanks for your help all, I've sketched out a leisurely and varied itinerary with enough breaks for contingency and grabbing a sandwich or a quick pint... can always divert back to Cambridge at various points, or take an extra hour if I fancy as most timings are roughly hourly. I didn't realise at first that I could not only use the loco hauled LST-NRW but also class 37 Norwich to Yarmouth - sealed the deal! Not covering Cromer or Felixstowe or the fabled Berney Arms... maybe next weekend

CBG - IPS 2W13 10.44 - 12.02 Cl 170
IPS - NRW 1P22 12.08 - 12.50 Cl 90
NRW - GYM 2C60 13.18 - 13.49 Cl 37
GYM - NRW 2C61 13.55 - 14.25 Cl 37
NRW - LWT 2J80 14.58 - 15.37 Cl 153/156?
LWT - IPS 2D89 16.07 - 17.36 Cl 153/156?
IPS - NRW 1P44 17.44 - 18.27 Cl 90
NRW - ELY 1G72 18.57 - 19.45 Cl 158
ELY - CBG 1T79 20.06 - 20.23 Cl 365

Three half hour gaps at Norwich - enough time for a pint each

 

[Royston Vasey]

I had a trip a few months ago where I set off from Ely at 10.32. Then from Stowmarket with a class 90, top and tail 37s to Great Yarmouth, back to Norwich and then top and tail 68s to Lowestoft.

I then went from Lowestoft to Ipswich, to Felixstowe and back, from Ipswich to Norwich then to Sheringham and back. When I came into Norwich again about 9pm, there was a London train with the class 90, the trains with the two 37s, two 68s and also a class 57 in the station, all at the same time. I got back to Ely about 10pm.

I like the itinerary - similar to mine - I could do Sheringham and Felixstowe but weekend timings make it a long time out - also sadly no Cl 68 on a Saturday

 

[ac6000cw]

I like the itinerary - similar to mine - I could do Sheringham and Felixstowe but weekend timings make it a long time out - also sadly no Cl 68 on a Saturday

The 68s are definitely worth a trip if you can manage it on a weekday

Maybe you should do the Sheringham trip when the North Norfolk Railway are having a gala weekend. The sea views from the train between Cromer and Sheringham are also very nice.

 

[ac6000cw]

Are you sure? It has its origins in the old BR Anglia Day Ranger which was once valid to Kings Lynn (I spent many Saturdays riding the loco hauled trains using one in the late eighties!) and Peterborough. Whilst the area has subsequently been reduced I can't imagine Cambridge to Ely being removed and then reinstated, it has always had services provided by the incumbent 'Anglia' franchise. Are you perhaps thinking of the non validity on XC?

Good point about the Kings Lynn line - thinking again I think you are correct (I'm trying to remember back over nearly 40 years).

(Just from memory) I think Cambridge - Ely may have been removed in early Anglia Railways days (from 1997), when the ticket was essentially an AR product. AR didn't operate services between Cambridge and Ely (that was WAGN and Central Trains) until the new Cambridge - Norwich service started up in 2002. The XC non-validity is fairly recent (within the last few years).

 

[stevetay3]

I did the old anglia day ranger many times during the 1980s .If I rember correctly it was valid from Hitchin & Bishops Stortford to Kings Lynn and Peterborough via Cambridge,but not on ECML,Many loco hauled in those days.

 

[Royston Vasey]

I'm looking at a different itinerary with an 8 minute connection between arriving at Cambridge and starting the Ranger to Ely on Saturday morning... are these tickets available from the machines at Cambridge, which should be Greater Anglia machines? I don't want to risk being stuck in a ticket office queue, nor having to persuade a GN or EMT guard to sell me one on board!

If I miss the GN connection there I can theoretically catch up at Ely on XC but with just one minute to spare and requiring a separate ticket to Ely!

 

[causton]

The machines will not sell the tickets.
The GN train will not have a guard to sell them - but may have RPIs who will issue you a Penalty Fare if you do not have a ticket.
Can you not buy it from a ticket office (or a guard on another train) on one of the days beforehand, or before you get to Cambridge on the day?

 

[Royston Vasey]

The machines will not sell the tickets.
The GN train will not have a guard to sell them - but may have RPIs who will issue you a Penalty Fare if you do not have a ticket.
Can you not buy it from a ticket office (or a guard on another train) on one of the days beforehand, or before you get to Cambridge on the day?

Thanks for your reply

Cambridge to Kings Lynn does have a proper guard, or did when I used it last year.

My local station is unstaffed but I think I can work something out at Cambridge or Royston (despite being out of the Ranger area)

 

[causton]

Thanks for your reply

Cambridge to Kings Lynn does have a proper guard, or did when I used it last year.

My local station is unstaffed but I think I can work something out at Cambridge or Royston (despite being out of the Ranger area)

Royston should be able to issue it.

If they use Tribute, which I believe GN stations do, it is under the Rovers/Rangers section (click on the camper van - really! ) and then they just need to find the relevant Anglia Plus Day Ranger option.

 

[47513 Severn]

Cambridge ticket office queues on a Saturday morning can be long. I have occasionally booked through to Ely (only a couple of quid more than Cambridge) and then bought the ranger there to avoid the queues.

Regarding the history of the ranger area, there is an interesting blog post and 1982 map here:
https://joemasonspage.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/the-anglia-ranger/

 

[Royston Vasey]

Cambridge ticket office queues on a Saturday morning can be long. I have occasionally booked through to Ely (only a couple of quid more than Cambridge) and then bought the ranger there to avoid the queues.

Regarding the history of the ranger area, there is an interesting blog post and 1982 map here:
https://joemasonspage.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/the-anglia-ranger/

And valid on XC, if I fancy the rush of the one minute connection at ELY!

 

[jopsuk]

At Cambridge on a Saturday the queue for the machines and the queue for the desks are about as long (in time) terms and unless you're talking very early 8 minutes is not enough. If I was buying or collecting a ticket at Cambridge this Saturday I'd be factoring in at least 15-20 minutes in my plans.

 

[Royston Vasey]

At Cambridge on a Saturday the queue for the machines and the queue for the desks are about as long (in time) terms and unless you're talking very early 8 minutes is not enough. If I was buying or collecting a ticket at Cambridge this Saturday I'd be factoring in at least 15-20 minutes in my plans.

Thanks, this was my feeling too. I may be passing through CBG tomorrow lateish evening so can buy it then, or first thing at Royston tomorrow to annoy the commuters.

 

[jopsuk]

it's been a bit better with the new ticket hall but only in a "bad is better than terrible" way. Summer weekends it just doesn't cope, and probably wouldn't with twice as many windows and machines.

 

[GW43125]

Shame this is not valid to Kings Lynn but it will cover a lot of nice countryside. I think I know the answer to this, but would a summer Saturday afternoon return out of Yarmouth or Lowestoft be rammed? Is the CL. 37 diagram operational this weekend or will it be solid 170/156/153?

Something to be aware of: If Norwich City are at home, trains off Yarmouth or Lowestoft will certainly be cosy... I discovered this on Tuesday on a single 153(!) from Lowestoft to Norwich.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Something to be aware of: If Norwich City are at home, trains off Yarmouth or Lowestoft will certainly be cosy... I discovered this on Tuesday on a single 153(!) from Lowestoft to Norwich.

Hadn't thought of that but they're away! Ipswich are at home so the planned 17.17 IPS-LWT may be interesting... might reshuffle the plans. Good thinking. Most of the plan now centres on Norwich including four Cl 37 legs and at least two Cl 90 legs

Unexpectedly varied collection in prospect anyway of 387, 365, 158, 37, 90, 156, 153 and 170, a shade over £20 all in

 

[danielson00]

According to the map on https://joemasonspage.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/the-anglia-ranger/ ... did Bury St Edmunds have an "Intercity Service" in 1982?

 

[ac6000cw]

According to the map on https://joemasonspage.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/the-anglia-ranger/ ... did Bury St Edmunds have an "Intercity Service" in 1982?

Looking at the route on the map, I think it would have been a version of the long-running daily 'North Country Continental' service (originally a Manchester - Harwich PQ service via the GC, GN/GE Joint Line and GE) which eventually got cut back in stages to just a non-IC Peterborough - Harwich PQ service (and I think even that has gone now - just a Cambridge - Harwich train left).

 

[86246]

Good point about the Kings Lynn line - thinking again I think you are correct (I'm trying to remember back over nearly 40 years).

(Just from memory) I think Cambridge - Ely may have been removed in early Anglia Railways days (from 1997), when the ticket was essentially an AR product. AR didn't operate services between Cambridge and Ely (that was WAGN and Central Trains) until the new Cambridge - Norwich service started up in 2002. The XC non-validity is fairly recent (within the last few years).

From my memory it only went as far west as Thetford until the Norwich - Cambridge service started under AR. Also it only went as far west as Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. This was also extended to Cambridge and Ely once the previously mentioned service was introduced.

 

[alistairlees]

According to the map on https://joemasonspage.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/the-anglia-ranger/ ... did Bury St Edmunds have an "Intercity Service" in 1982?

The European to Glasgow C via Manchester V (at least, after May 1982; before then via the S&C possibly? I'll have to check).

There's a thread here: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=110515

 

[LowLevel]

Thanks for your reply

Cambridge to Kings Lynn does have a proper guard, or did when I used it last year.

My local station is unstaffed but I think I can work something out at Cambridge or Royston (despite being out of the Ranger area)

They're Driver Only Operation with 'On Train Hosts' appearing from time to time who are effectively rebadged RPIs.