Halton Curve upgrade is on

[craigybagel]

I hesitate to contradict because having an aged person's pass I never need to buy a Saveaway. But I could swear I have seen notices at stations saying that Saveaway tickets are only now available on a Walrus card. You are right that they used to be printed on normal orange tickets.

I bought one only 2 months ago from the ticket office at Chester.

 

[driver_m]

Merseytravel website will explain about saveaways bought from stations. There have been some recent walrus additions but I think you can still buy a normal train ticket style one.

 

[Matt_pool]

I've never liked the Walrus card. You need to make sure you keep the receipt in a safe place as proof of validity, because the card can't be read by the guards ticket machine on EMT, Northern, TPE or London Northwestern.

I'm assuming they can be read on Arriva and Stagecoach bus ticket machines, because OAP bus passes and contactless bank cards can, but I've never tried.

The Walrus card is years behind London's Oyster card!

 

[driver_m]

I've never liked the Walrus card. You need to make sure you keep the receipt in a safe place as proof of validity, because the card can't be read by the guards ticket machine on EMT, Northern, TPE or London Northwestern.

I'm assuming they can be read on Arriva and Stagecoach bus ticket machines, because OAP bus passes and contactless bank cards can, but I've never tried.

The Walrus card is years behind London's Oyster card!

It’s all supposed to be getting replaced by some TfN card eventually. But god knows if and when that’ll ever be. Would be good if you could use one card across the North of England for any public transport.

 

[geoffk]

I had to get one on Walrus at Hooton recently.

I've bought the Saveaway ticket at Wigan Wallgate. I also needed a Bryn - Garswood ticket to go with my TfGM pass but then I could use the fast train, first stop St. Helens. So does that mean I will have to get off at Garswood to buy the Saveaway, then wait half an hour for the next (slow) train? And that's assuming I can buy a Walrus card at Garswood station! Is this progress? Sorry, this should be on a ticketing thread.

 

[LPJOHN]

Does anyone know if the Cheshire Day Ranger will be valid on the services from Chester to Liverpool via the Halton curve? I assume they will be, but I thought I would ask the question.

 

[mcnw35282]

Walrus Saveaways are issued from all Merseyrail stations inside the main MPTE area. Northern stations inside MPTE area still issue paper tickets. Not sure about Chester, Bache, Capenhurst, Ellesmere Port, Little Sutton, Overpool, Ormskirk, Aughton Park and Town Green. Conductors can check your walrus card with an app on their phones, though it seems to be a case of who can be bothered downloading it! Nearly all Merseyrail conductors have the app, and a few Northern conductors have it too.

 

[Matt_pool]

I've just had a thought - people having a trip over to Chester, maybe for the races, will probably have bought a Merseyrail Day Saver or a Merseytravel All Zone Saveaway to get from Liverpool to Chester.

After having a few too many shandy's they are going to turn up at Chester station, look on the departure board for the first train to Liverpool, and possibly end up on the TfW service. Most people can't tell the difference between a Merseyrail 508 and a TfW 150 (or whatever they end up using) so will board the TfW train with an invalid ticket and will be non the wiser, until the guard comes around to check tickets!

 

[craigybagel]

I've just had a thought - people having a trip over to Chester, maybe for the races, will probably have bought a Merseyrail Day Saver or a Merseytravel All Zone Saveaway to get from Liverpool to Chester.

After having a few too many shandy's they are going to turn up at Chester station, look on the departure board for the first train to Liverpool, and possibly end up on the TfW service. Most people can't tell the difference between a Merseyrail 508 and a TfW 150 (or whatever they end up using) so will board the TfW train with an invalid ticket and will be non the wiser, until the guard comes around to check tickets!

I wouldn't worry - on most trains on a Chester races day it's not physically possible for a ticket check to take place!

 

[_toommm_]

Does anyone know if the Cheshire Day Ranger will be valid on the services from Chester to Liverpool via the Halton curve? I assume they will be, but I thought I would ask the question.

I can imagine it will be - National Rail Enquiries aren't quick about updating maps and prices so it may not be on there straight away though...

 

[Birkonian]

it is worth pointing out that if you ask for a Saveaway at a Merseyrail station they will often give you the Merseyrail Day Saver. The price is similar but it doesn't allow bus travel which a Saveaway does. If you intend to use buses make this clear.

 

[fowler9]

I hesitate to contradict because having an aged person's pass I never need to buy a Saveaway. But I could swear I have seen notices at stations saying that Saveaway tickets are only now available on a Walrus card. You are right that they used to be printed on normal orange tickets.

At West Allerton you can still got one without a Walrus because they can't sell you one with a Walrus.

 

[frodshamfella]

Helsby Station festival today and tomorrow, food drink and beer tasting today 1PM to 9PM tomorrow 12 to 7PM. Crafts music cakes etc. Celebrating opening of Halton Curve

 

[Luke McDonnell]

When does the new service start I thought it was Monday but the timetables and RTT say tomorrow?

Luke

 

[Starmill]

You need to make sure you keep the receipt in a safe place as proof of validity, because the card can't be read by the guards ticket machine on EMT, Northern, TPE or London Northwestern.

Really? I've never kept the receipt, and never been told to. I've used a Saveaway on a Walrus many times, and yet never heard this until I read your post.

If my ticket has ever been inspected on a train, the guard or ticket examiner has just looked at the card without scanning it and said thank you.

 

[PHILIPE]

When does the new service start I thought it was Monday but the timetables and RTT say tomorrow?

Luke

The new Timetables always start on a Sunday.

 

[Laurencew]

Coming back to historical services on this line.
My memory is of very poorly patronised local services, almost always Derby DMUs from Allerton Depot (the ones with the 4 character headcodes). In fact one of my only two journeys as the only passenger on a train was between Runcorn and Chester ( the other was Penrith - Keswick). Hence my scepticism about the need for this new service; I would love to be proved wrong.
More interesting was the summer Saturday services, in my day Lime Street to Caernarfon, previously Lime Street to Afonwen/Pwllheli/Porthmadog. One year a Black 5, the next year a class 40. And the fleet of very superannuated Crosville buses waiting at Caernarfon to take the punters to Butlin's.
Best of luck to the new services, but I think it will take better and dedicated bus links at South Parkway to tempt airport fliers.

 

[urbophile]

Best of luck to the new services, but I think it will take better and dedicated bus links at South Parkway to tempt airport fliers.

They've had a dedicated bus link at S Parkway before, but it was abandoned presumably because of lack of patronage. A couple of routes (80a, 86a?) link it with the airport and they are frequent enough. I doubt though if publicity – especially for new arrivals at the airport unfamiliar with the city, or British transport systems generally - is clear enough. What is needed is a kiosk in the arrivals area which sells through bus-train tickets via Parkway. People are going to opt for a direct bus or a taxi rather than anything more complicated. Even if it is a seamless transfer and quicker, if they don't know how to use it they won't.

 

[frodshamfella]

When does the new service start I thought it was Monday but the timetables and RTT say tomorrow?

Luke

I thought Monday too, but I've seen tomorrow mentioned.

 

[frodshamfella]

They've had a dedicated bus link at S Parkway before, but it was abandoned presumably because of lack of patronage. A couple of routes (80a, 86a?) link it with the airport and they are frequent enough. I doubt though if publicity – especially for new arrivals at the airport unfamiliar with the city, or British transport systems generally - is clear enough. What is needed is a kiosk in the arrivals area which sells through bus-train tickets via Parkway. People are going to opt for a direct bus or a taxi rather than anything more complicated. Even if it is a seamless transfer and quicker, if they don't know how to use it they won't.

I used the bus the bus from south parkway to the airport a week ago, its pretty easy and they are frequent, think it was a number 80 that I got on. Plenty of other airport passengers with bags travelling with me.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

First train on its way from Chester.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P76109/2019/05/19/advanced

Buses from Parkway (stop 4) to Speke Airport are at least every 20 minutes (80, 80A).
There are other buses plying the airport route via Parkway including the 500 from Murdishaw (Runcorn) every 30 minutes.
They all take different routes and it is surprisingly indirect with multiple stops, but you get there.
All the buses are Arriva.
Many of them are to/from the centre of Liverpool.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

First train on its way from Chester.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P76109/2019/05/19/advanced

And here she is (sorry for the rubbish photos but best I could manage at this time in the morning).

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

So a posh 158 on the inaugural service.
I wonder how long that will last?

 

[PHILIPE]

So a posh 158 on the inaugural service.
I wonder how long that will last?

158822

 

[Urban-Savage]

Nice trip on a shiny refurbed 158 from
South Parkway to Frodsham and back
Fair few people on service too

Amused to hear automated announcement at Frodsham refer to
South Parkway as ‘Allerton’ tho

Any ideas why?

Also why is there a gap in services between 1700-1900 mon to fri?

 

[Urban-Savage]

Pic at Frodsham

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Also why is there a gap in services between 1700-1900 mon to fri?

Because that's the hour that the service extends from Chester to Wrexham.
Thus there is no Liverpool train until the Wrexham unit gets back to Chester an hour later.
The morning Wrexham service starts with an ECS from Chester, so no gap then.

 

[Matt_pool]

So a posh 158 on the inaugural service.
I wonder how long that will last?

Not long. It will be back to the 150's that they used on most of the route knowledge training services!

 

[fowler9]

I got a 158 from Lime Street to Parkway at 13:57. Very nice it was too. Hung around to get a photo of the next service in to Lime Street from Chester and a 150 rocked up. The 158's were nice while they lasted.

 

[Cambrian359]

Because that's the hour that the service extends from Chester to Wrexham.
Thus there is no Liverpool train until the Wrexham unit gets back to Chester an hour later.
The morning Wrexham service starts with an ECS from Chester, so no gap then.

given the hammering the Wrexham portion seems to have had in social media and the press perhaps it would be best to just keep it chester - Liverpool and give that a proper hourly service until the new trains and timetables come in a couple of years