ChrisC
Established Member
I've been reading interesting reports in this forum for years of other people’s trips. Over this time I have read dozens of fascinating reports from people doing All Line Rover trips and always thought that was something that I must do one day. Now that I have retired, and have the time, I've thought about it, but have come to the conclusion that 7or 8 day Regional Rovers plus occasional Day Rangers and bus tickets are more for me. I've always enjoyed travelling by train, but prefer a series of shorter journeys with time in between to explore interesting locations rather than speeding from one end of the country to the other on fast longer journeys. I know that you don't necessarily have to do that but if I had an ALR I think I would end up doing that to try to get my moneys worth!
Therefore during the past 4 years, since I was fortunate enough to be able to retire a few years early, I have taken a number of week long breaks in various parts of the UK each year. I usually find myself a reasonable hotel, within easy walking distance of a railway station, and explore a an area of the country slowly at my leisure. My stays usually being 6 or 7 nights, I try to find a comfortable hotel at as reasonable price as possible, rather than a cheap hostel or B&B which I agree are great for one night stays. Premier Inn is probably my minimum standard for this length of trip although I have found upgrading to a Super room in some of the newer Travelodges reasonably acceptable
Below is a report from my latest trip a few weeks ago based in Plymouth. I am able to comment upon where I travelled and the type of train but I'm afraid I don't collect numbers or types of buses!
Devon and Cornwall
For this trip I booked a room for 8 nights at the Copthorne Hotel just 5 minutes walk from Plymouth Station. I paid a little more than usual for the location close to the station. It was a nice hotel with friendly staff and excellent breakfast. Room was very comfortable but a bit dated.
For tickets I was originally intending getting an Off Peak Return from Nottingham to Cheltenham and then an 8 Days in 15 South West Rover, to cover the rest of my journey and allow 6 days travel whilst there. The other alternative was Off Peak Return travel to Tiverton Parkway (splitting at Cheltenham Spa) and then an 8 Days in 15 Devon and Cornwall Rover. There was very little difference in the price between the two options.
Although I have now reached 60 and have a Senior Railcard, I will not get my bus pass for another 6 years and as I wanted to travel to areas not served by train it would cost me an additional £60+ for bus tickets. First Kernow Weekly @£26 and Plymouth City Bus Weekly @£30 and any additional fares if I wanted to travel by bus in Devon (Devon Day @ £9.20).
It soon became clear that a far cheaper option was to travel from Nottingham to Plymouth with Off Peak Returns (splitting at Cheltenham). I know I could have saved a small amount extra by also splitting at Bristol and Tiverton Parkway.
For my days out in Cornwall I used a Ride Cornwall Ticket @ only £10.75 with my railcard and covered all First Kernow and Plymouth City Buses in Cornwall in addition to all rail travel in Cornwall. A First Kernow bus day ticket alone would have cost me £13!
DAY 1
I travelled down from Nottingham to Plymouth changing at Derby and Tiverton Parkway.
It was during the Bristol Parkway blockade and so XC were diverted via Newport and the HST's were only running as far as Exeter St. David's. I travelled down on the 11.29 HST from Derby intending to change at Exeter for a local GWR service to Plymouth. By Taunton the train was running approx. 5 minutes late and I knew that I had quite a tight connection at Exeter. Looking at the National Rail App to check platform numbers at Exeter I discovered that my connection had been cancelled. I quickly decided to get off at Tiverton Parkway for a 40 minute refreshment break, and then caught a GWR HST from there to Plymouth only arriving about 25 minutes later than planned.
DAY 2
The weather forecast was for heavy rain and gale force winds. I had therefore planned a day around some of the Plymouth museums and shops. However, the morning was very overcast and dry and so I decided to be slightly more adventurous and travel a short distance into Cornwall.
I got the 1020 Plymouth City Bus service 72 to Polperro and enjoyed a couple of hours wandering around a place that I hadn't visited for nearly 30 years! It still hadn't started raining when I got the 1355 return service and so I got off at Looe and had another couple of hours wandering around there before getting the next bus back to Plymouth. By then it was beginning to rain in Looe nd the sea was extremely rough. I had travelled on the Liskeard to Looe branch line a couple of years ago, so I was quite happy using the bus which gave me a different view of the bridges over the Tamar at Saltash.
DAY 3
Fantastic weather. Still windy but warm with clear blue skies.
Today I got the 0921 (refurbished 150) train from Plymouth as far as Redruth. From there I quickly exited the station with just 5 minutes to spare to get the First Kernow L1 service to The Lizard. Lovely walk down to the lighthouse and coffee shop followed by a walk along some of the cliff top paths.
Back up the to The Lizard Village a couple of hours later to get the L1 back as far as Helston. Here I had decided to make my way across to Falmouth for my first trip on the Falmouth branch line. I didn't have to wait long for First Kernow U4 to Penryn University Campus. I then quickly walked down the hill to Penryn station to travel down to Falmouth Docks and then straight back up to Truro. There I got a very busy GWR nicely refurbished 158 back to Plymouth.
DAY 4
Absolute washout. Torrential rain and gale force winds all day.
Got soaked just visiting a few shops and going out in the afternoon to get something to eat.
I used my Plymouth City Bus Ticket for a ride out around Plymouth but a waste of time as the rain was so heavy, bus windows misted up and I couldn't see anything of Plymouth Spent most of the day in my comfortable hotel room reading!
DAY 5
Woke up the next morning to still more heavy rain but by morning the sun was shining.
A good day to explore Plymouth visiting the Barbican area and walking along Plymouth Hoe.
Later in the afternoon I took a bus out to Saltash and looked at the bridges from yet another angle. Then took an other bus to visit Plymouth Prince William Yard which was quite interesting.
DAY 6
0921 train to Bodmin Parkway (2x153) today, from where I caught the Plymouth City Bus 11A to Padstow. It is just over 50 years since I last visited Padstow as a small child aged about 8. I remembered travelling down there by train from Nottingham with my parents and grandparents and arriving at Padstow Station on an old DMU from Bodmin Road (now Bodmin Parkway). It was the summer of 1966 because I remember watching England win the World Cup on an old black and white tv whilst staying in a flat overlooking the River Camel Estuary. Padstow was not the quiet, unspoilt fishing village that I remembered from my childhood, but crowded, busy with traffic, very touristy and in my opinion spoilt by all of the buildings belonging to Rick Stein! I did a good long walk to Harbour Cove Beach outside Padstow which was still beautiful and deserted as I had remembered it.
I then moved on from Padstow by First Kernow bus to Newquay. Really enjoyed the bus ride and viewing some of the coast between Padstow and Newquay. Enjoyed a walk along Fistral Beach and around Towan Head but wasn’t impressed with the area of Newquay towards the railway station. With all the tacky shops and drunken people, it reminded me too much of a bad weekend in Blackpool! I then got the train to Par (refurbished 150) and following a 50 minute wait for a connection, HST back to Plymouth.
DAY 7
0921 train again this time to Hayle. This time a rather uncomfortable 150 that had not been refurbished. Hayle was another destination that I hadn’t visited since I was a child, but this time I must have only been about aged 5 and so I couldn’t really remember anything about it. Walked over to the fantastic beach and spend a couple of hours there. No train departures due when I got back to Hayle Station and so got a First Kernow T1 bus to Truro which was a bit of a long uninteresting ride. Visited Truro Cathedral and had a walk around the interesting streets before travelling back to Plymouth by HST.
DAY 8
Decided to explore some of South Devon on my last day in Plymouth. I got the Stagecoach Number 3 bus from Plymouth as far as Kingsbridge. For my ticket I purchased a multi-operator Devon Day Ticket which I thought was quite good value covering all buses in Devon. At Kingsbridge I quickly changed to the Tally Ho bus service to Salcombe. I was really impressed with Salcombe and it was a beautiful sunny morning to walk around n the town and down the side of the estuary to one of the beaches.
It was then back to Kingsbridge by Tally Ho and back onto the Stagecoach number 3 towards Dartmouth. I stopped off for an hour at the lovely Blackpool Sands before continuing on the next bus to Dartmouth. I then got the passenger ferry across to Kingswear to board the Stagecoach number 120 up to Paignton. Then after getting a bite to eat it was back to Plymouth via Totness on the Stagecoach Gold.
DAY 9
Back home to Nottingham from Plymouth with just one change at Derby, although again with the diversion into Wales via Newport. I don’t like to admit this, but I actually enjoyed my journey from Plymouth to Derby on a XC Voyager. I did get a good reserved seat with a good window view and as the 0925 started from Plymouth, I was able to get my case in a good position in full view before the luggage racks got too full and the train too crowded.
Therefore during the past 4 years, since I was fortunate enough to be able to retire a few years early, I have taken a number of week long breaks in various parts of the UK each year. I usually find myself a reasonable hotel, within easy walking distance of a railway station, and explore a an area of the country slowly at my leisure. My stays usually being 6 or 7 nights, I try to find a comfortable hotel at as reasonable price as possible, rather than a cheap hostel or B&B which I agree are great for one night stays. Premier Inn is probably my minimum standard for this length of trip although I have found upgrading to a Super room in some of the newer Travelodges reasonably acceptable
Below is a report from my latest trip a few weeks ago based in Plymouth. I am able to comment upon where I travelled and the type of train but I'm afraid I don't collect numbers or types of buses!
Devon and Cornwall
For this trip I booked a room for 8 nights at the Copthorne Hotel just 5 minutes walk from Plymouth Station. I paid a little more than usual for the location close to the station. It was a nice hotel with friendly staff and excellent breakfast. Room was very comfortable but a bit dated.
For tickets I was originally intending getting an Off Peak Return from Nottingham to Cheltenham and then an 8 Days in 15 South West Rover, to cover the rest of my journey and allow 6 days travel whilst there. The other alternative was Off Peak Return travel to Tiverton Parkway (splitting at Cheltenham Spa) and then an 8 Days in 15 Devon and Cornwall Rover. There was very little difference in the price between the two options.
Although I have now reached 60 and have a Senior Railcard, I will not get my bus pass for another 6 years and as I wanted to travel to areas not served by train it would cost me an additional £60+ for bus tickets. First Kernow Weekly @£26 and Plymouth City Bus Weekly @£30 and any additional fares if I wanted to travel by bus in Devon (Devon Day @ £9.20).
It soon became clear that a far cheaper option was to travel from Nottingham to Plymouth with Off Peak Returns (splitting at Cheltenham). I know I could have saved a small amount extra by also splitting at Bristol and Tiverton Parkway.
For my days out in Cornwall I used a Ride Cornwall Ticket @ only £10.75 with my railcard and covered all First Kernow and Plymouth City Buses in Cornwall in addition to all rail travel in Cornwall. A First Kernow bus day ticket alone would have cost me £13!
DAY 1
I travelled down from Nottingham to Plymouth changing at Derby and Tiverton Parkway.
It was during the Bristol Parkway blockade and so XC were diverted via Newport and the HST's were only running as far as Exeter St. David's. I travelled down on the 11.29 HST from Derby intending to change at Exeter for a local GWR service to Plymouth. By Taunton the train was running approx. 5 minutes late and I knew that I had quite a tight connection at Exeter. Looking at the National Rail App to check platform numbers at Exeter I discovered that my connection had been cancelled. I quickly decided to get off at Tiverton Parkway for a 40 minute refreshment break, and then caught a GWR HST from there to Plymouth only arriving about 25 minutes later than planned.
DAY 2
The weather forecast was for heavy rain and gale force winds. I had therefore planned a day around some of the Plymouth museums and shops. However, the morning was very overcast and dry and so I decided to be slightly more adventurous and travel a short distance into Cornwall.
I got the 1020 Plymouth City Bus service 72 to Polperro and enjoyed a couple of hours wandering around a place that I hadn't visited for nearly 30 years! It still hadn't started raining when I got the 1355 return service and so I got off at Looe and had another couple of hours wandering around there before getting the next bus back to Plymouth. By then it was beginning to rain in Looe nd the sea was extremely rough. I had travelled on the Liskeard to Looe branch line a couple of years ago, so I was quite happy using the bus which gave me a different view of the bridges over the Tamar at Saltash.
DAY 3
Fantastic weather. Still windy but warm with clear blue skies.
Today I got the 0921 (refurbished 150) train from Plymouth as far as Redruth. From there I quickly exited the station with just 5 minutes to spare to get the First Kernow L1 service to The Lizard. Lovely walk down to the lighthouse and coffee shop followed by a walk along some of the cliff top paths.
Back up the to The Lizard Village a couple of hours later to get the L1 back as far as Helston. Here I had decided to make my way across to Falmouth for my first trip on the Falmouth branch line. I didn't have to wait long for First Kernow U4 to Penryn University Campus. I then quickly walked down the hill to Penryn station to travel down to Falmouth Docks and then straight back up to Truro. There I got a very busy GWR nicely refurbished 158 back to Plymouth.
DAY 4
Absolute washout. Torrential rain and gale force winds all day.
Got soaked just visiting a few shops and going out in the afternoon to get something to eat.
I used my Plymouth City Bus Ticket for a ride out around Plymouth but a waste of time as the rain was so heavy, bus windows misted up and I couldn't see anything of Plymouth Spent most of the day in my comfortable hotel room reading!
DAY 5
Woke up the next morning to still more heavy rain but by morning the sun was shining.
A good day to explore Plymouth visiting the Barbican area and walking along Plymouth Hoe.
Later in the afternoon I took a bus out to Saltash and looked at the bridges from yet another angle. Then took an other bus to visit Plymouth Prince William Yard which was quite interesting.
DAY 6
0921 train to Bodmin Parkway (2x153) today, from where I caught the Plymouth City Bus 11A to Padstow. It is just over 50 years since I last visited Padstow as a small child aged about 8. I remembered travelling down there by train from Nottingham with my parents and grandparents and arriving at Padstow Station on an old DMU from Bodmin Road (now Bodmin Parkway). It was the summer of 1966 because I remember watching England win the World Cup on an old black and white tv whilst staying in a flat overlooking the River Camel Estuary. Padstow was not the quiet, unspoilt fishing village that I remembered from my childhood, but crowded, busy with traffic, very touristy and in my opinion spoilt by all of the buildings belonging to Rick Stein! I did a good long walk to Harbour Cove Beach outside Padstow which was still beautiful and deserted as I had remembered it.
I then moved on from Padstow by First Kernow bus to Newquay. Really enjoyed the bus ride and viewing some of the coast between Padstow and Newquay. Enjoyed a walk along Fistral Beach and around Towan Head but wasn’t impressed with the area of Newquay towards the railway station. With all the tacky shops and drunken people, it reminded me too much of a bad weekend in Blackpool! I then got the train to Par (refurbished 150) and following a 50 minute wait for a connection, HST back to Plymouth.
DAY 7
0921 train again this time to Hayle. This time a rather uncomfortable 150 that had not been refurbished. Hayle was another destination that I hadn’t visited since I was a child, but this time I must have only been about aged 5 and so I couldn’t really remember anything about it. Walked over to the fantastic beach and spend a couple of hours there. No train departures due when I got back to Hayle Station and so got a First Kernow T1 bus to Truro which was a bit of a long uninteresting ride. Visited Truro Cathedral and had a walk around the interesting streets before travelling back to Plymouth by HST.
DAY 8
Decided to explore some of South Devon on my last day in Plymouth. I got the Stagecoach Number 3 bus from Plymouth as far as Kingsbridge. For my ticket I purchased a multi-operator Devon Day Ticket which I thought was quite good value covering all buses in Devon. At Kingsbridge I quickly changed to the Tally Ho bus service to Salcombe. I was really impressed with Salcombe and it was a beautiful sunny morning to walk around n the town and down the side of the estuary to one of the beaches.
It was then back to Kingsbridge by Tally Ho and back onto the Stagecoach number 3 towards Dartmouth. I stopped off for an hour at the lovely Blackpool Sands before continuing on the next bus to Dartmouth. I then got the passenger ferry across to Kingswear to board the Stagecoach number 120 up to Paignton. Then after getting a bite to eat it was back to Plymouth via Totness on the Stagecoach Gold.
DAY 9
Back home to Nottingham from Plymouth with just one change at Derby, although again with the diversion into Wales via Newport. I don’t like to admit this, but I actually enjoyed my journey from Plymouth to Derby on a XC Voyager. I did get a good reserved seat with a good window view and as the 0925 started from Plymouth, I was able to get my case in a good position in full view before the luggage racks got too full and the train too crowded.
