Freedom of Solent & Severn Rover

[baza585]

New to the forum so apologies if this has been asked before.

I'm planning to use the 8 in 15 day ticket for various journeys. A couple of questions please.

Do I have to specify the days of use in advance before I buy the ticket? Can I buy it from a TVM or just a manned station?

IF I want to use Plusbus on one of the journeys (say to Gloucester) can I buy a Gloucester Plusbus ticket when I get there showing the Rover as proof of travel?

Sorry to be a pain but the NR website hides these tickets away, and doesn't give that much information!

MTIA

 

[sonic2009]

Terms and Conditions

1. Dates of travel on Rover tickets need to be marked in the appropriate box on the ticket before travelling on that day.
2. The maps show the lines which are valid for travel with each of these ticket types.
3. Rover tickets are not valid on bus or ferry links or any other rail routes not shown on the map.
4. Seat reservations on mainline trains are recommended at busy times, such as holidays and Friday evenings.
5. Bike reservations on mainline trains are recommended at all times – some trains only have space to take two bikes.

i think you can buy from a manned station only,not many ranger tickets are on tvms. not sure about plus bus.

 

[wintonian]

You can buy it from any staffed ticket office and you can just write the dates in the boxes each day when you get to the station (or in my case on the train as I tend to forget to do it before I get on.)

I don't think plus bus is available due this clause in the T&C's:

3. Rover tickets are not valid on bus or ferry links or any other rail routes not shown on the map.

First Great Western's site my help: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=2069

 

[transportphoto]

Yes - the rover ticket alone may not be, but a add-on PlusBus ticket with purchased the rover the ticket will be. But, the question is - can you buy PlusBus with rovers?

 

[Mojo]

You can buy it from ticket offices or on train staff if there is no ticket office at your local station. Most Plusbus locations have a bus only component; this is for holders of discounted tickets where the discount does not apply to Plusbus (eg. Priv). These tickets are issued in the form of ANYTOWN to ANYTOWN+BUS. They are only supposed to be issued where existing ticket(s) are held; I don't know if this includes Rovers or not.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

You can buy it from ticket offices or on train staff if there is no ticket office at your local station. Most Plusbus locations have a bus only component; this is for holders of discounted tickets where the discount does not apply to Plusbus (eg. Priv). These tickets are issued in the form of ANYTOWN to ANYTOWN+BUS. They are only supposed to be issued where existing ticket(s) are held; I don't know if this includes Rovers or not.

I can see no reason why the plusbus could not be issued in conjunction with a rover ticket, as long as it is valid for the station concerned.

If buying on the train the Guard needs to go to the Rover Enquiry section then type in FOSS into the "Rover" field. This then gives the option for the 3 in 7 or 8 in 15 versions. I'm sure the Guard may like the £60 transaction. On an Avantix you always need to issue the plusbus fare as a separate ticket. In this case you can issue From "Gloucester" (4760) To "Gloucester+bus" (H940), which is £2.90.

 

[Bill Badger]

IF I want to use Plusbus on one of the journeys (say to Gloucester) can I buy a Gloucester Plusbus ticket when I get there showing the Rover as proof of travel?

I expect the answer is no. I have an annual season ticket and enquired from Plusbus a while back whether I could use it from an intermediate station where my season ticket was valid and this is the response I received.

You can only have PLUSBUS for a station that your rail journey starts or ends at. So you could have PLUSBUS for Winchester or Farnborough, but sadly not for Basingstoke (as you don't have a ticket that is to or from Basingstoke).

Therefore as you don't have a ticket to Gloucester you probably can't officially get a Plusbus there, but I don't see any harm in asking at the station if you can buy one, showing your valid Rover Ticket

 

[MikeWh]

I'm sure I've seen it mentioned on other threads that you can add plus bus to a rover. The difference between a rover and a point to point season is that a rover doesn't have a set start and end point.

 

[reb0118]

No problem in purchasing a +Bus ticket with a Rover. My pass does not specify origin or destination and I often get +Bus tickets with no questions asked.

 

[baza585]

Many thanks to all those who gave me advice. Much appreciated. Aplogoies but could I ask a couple more questions now I have actually purchased said Rover.

I'm planning to use the ticket on the M-F 2123 PMH-SOU (which is an FGW service). Seems fine but I happen to know it sometimes seems to run via Eastleigh, though it doesn't pick up or set down there. The leg Fareham-Eastleigh is off the validity map. Seems a bit harsh if i can't use the FOSS Rover on that train just because FGW happen to operate it via Eastleigh presumably for route knowledge!! Thoughts anyone!

Another journey I am planning involves a journey from WOF to SOU which involves a bus replacement from Yate to Filton Abbey Wood, onto the last through train from Filton Abbey Wood to SOU. What happens if the bus is delayed (or say the FGW train from WOF to Yate is cancelled). Are my rights exactly the same as if I had a "normal" return ticket in terms of transport etc. if connections are missed? And where would I find out exactly what they are please?

Thanks again for any help.

 

[Greenback]

As to the first question, that will be fine. You won;t have any problems.

For the second scenario, I am not 100% sure, but I would expect that, subject to the usual provisos about the itnerary being permissible udner conenctional allowance rules, that FGW will have to deal with the situation by either making arrangements to get you home, or by putting you up for the night!

 

[yorkie]

Seems fine but I happen to know it sometimes seems to run via Eastleigh, though it doesn't pick up or set down there. The leg Fareham-Eastleigh is off the validity map. Seems a bit harsh if i can't use the FOSS Rover on that train just because FGW happen to operate it via Eastleigh presumably for route knowledge!! Thoughts anyone!

If I happen to know there's roadworks I wouldn't worry about whether I will be chucked off the bus. So I wouldn't worry. A "regular" passenger would have no way of knowing this.

Another journey I am planning involves a journey from WOF to SOU which involves a bus replacement from Yate to Filton Abbey Wood, onto the last through train from Filton Abbey Wood to SOU. What happens if the bus is delayed (or say the FGW train from WOF to Yate is cancelled). Are my rights exactly the same as if I had a "normal" return ticket in terms of transport etc. if connections are missed? And where would I find out exactly what they are please?

Thanks again for any help.

Yes, as long as the rail replacement bus has a a valid connection to the train (ie, meets the minimum connectional allowance at the interchange station). The rules are documented in the Conditions of Carriage. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/system/galleries/download/misc/NRCOC.pdf See section H.

In theory, if someone threw themselves in front of the rail replacement coach, or similar, they could refuse to hold the connection, refuse taxis and make everyone be stranded on the basis that it is not "within their control" (see list of exclusions) however in practice, unless something really major happens (e.g. the channel tunnel closure) they will get you to your destination.

 

[John @ home]

I'm planning to use the ticket on the M-F 2123 PMH-SOU (which is an FGW service). Seems fine but I happen to know it sometimes seems to run via Eastleigh, though it doesn't pick up or set down there.

That's OK. The train is shown in the public timetable as running non-stop 2147 Fareham - Southampton Cen 2212. Your ticket is valid by the direct Fareham - Southampton Cen route. Your right to travel on this train is set out in the National Routeing Guide

On occasions due to short notice engineering work and disruption, services may be diverted from their normal routes or customers asked to use alternative routes. In these circumstances operators will make special provision to allow extra permitted routes. .... This provision will also apply to connecting services which are not directly affected. Any through train diverted from its usual route will count as a permitted route between the stations it is normally scheduled to call at.

Another journey I am planning involves a journey from WOF to SOU which involves a bus replacement from Yate to Filton Abbey Wood, onto the last through train from Filton Abbey Wood to SOU. What happens if the bus is delayed (or say the FGW train from WOF to Yate is cancelled). Are my rights exactly the same as if I had a "normal" return ticket in terms of transport etc. if connections are missed?

Yes. See the quotation above.

And where would I find out exactly what they are please?

In the relevant train company's Passenger Charter. The FGW Passenger Charter is here. What we will do if things go wrong is on pages 21-25.

 

[faddy]

By the same logic, should PlusBus tickets be available with London Midland Great Escape tickets?

 

[b0b]

If I happen to know there's roadworks I wouldn't worry about whether I will be chucked off the bus. So I wouldn't worry. A "regular" passenger would have no way of knowing this.

As I keep repeating myself, the route taken by trains is not published, so you have no way of knowing unless you take an ATOC RJIS feed. Frustrating.