Is an all line rover really worth it at £478 for 7 days. With the popularity of split ticketing and advance tickets increasing and the imposed restrictions on certain stations on certain operators, can with careful planning (which most users do anyway) it be far cheaper to buy tickets. I understand that if your roughing it and going wherever whenever with you backpack full of clothes and supplies the rover gives you ultimate freedom or them that have a semi plan but in between arriving and departing location X go where they want or shuttle between 2 stations for maximum loco/unit rides. Obviously with tickets there has to be a certain amount of padding for delays etc but surely it's the same if you have a rover and have to be home each night or have a hotel in X location.
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Is an All Line Rover really worth it?
- Thread starter Adam0984
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Techniquest
Veteran Member
My short answer is depends what you want to do.
The long answer is more like:
For massive track bashing sessions a long way from home, and spread across the UK, then yes absolutely!
For a lot of long-haul journeys on East Coast, Virgin, FGW etc then yes absolutely!
For a tour of the UK, with a set-in-stone plan and no rush to get there or change plans at the drop of a hat, less so, but would depend on the journeys being made.
That's my basic reply, I could go into detail but I'm on my phone on the way home. As I suggest above, an ALR is well worth it depending what you want to do.
I've done both a 7 and 14 day ALR in 2011 and 2012 respectively, and loved each minute of it, not wanting the trips to end and they went by so fast it was unreal. These days, as my track requirements in the UK are almost exclusively PSUL moves, preserved and non-passenger lines, an ALR represents less value. However, I almost did one recently (see my "I've got a dilemma" thread) again for the long distance stuff. If I hadn't already committed money to some Advances and cashed in my East Coast Rewards ticket, I would have done one. Of course, I didn't (see "Techniquest's Sticky Digits Chasing (Trip Reports)" thread for what I did do) but I still wonder what I would have done, where I would have gone and if it would have been better.
I'm still hoping to do another ALR in a couple of years time, but that'll be enjoying the last of HSTs on the Western Region/ECML and so on. Still very much TBC of course...
Whether I've helped make a decision or not I don't know, but if you're not sure about doing one you don't want to do it!
The long answer is more like:
For massive track bashing sessions a long way from home, and spread across the UK, then yes absolutely!
For a lot of long-haul journeys on East Coast, Virgin, FGW etc then yes absolutely!
For a tour of the UK, with a set-in-stone plan and no rush to get there or change plans at the drop of a hat, less so, but would depend on the journeys being made.
That's my basic reply, I could go into detail but I'm on my phone on the way home. As I suggest above, an ALR is well worth it depending what you want to do.
I've done both a 7 and 14 day ALR in 2011 and 2012 respectively, and loved each minute of it, not wanting the trips to end and they went by so fast it was unreal. These days, as my track requirements in the UK are almost exclusively PSUL moves, preserved and non-passenger lines, an ALR represents less value. However, I almost did one recently (see my "I've got a dilemma" thread) again for the long distance stuff. If I hadn't already committed money to some Advances and cashed in my East Coast Rewards ticket, I would have done one. Of course, I didn't (see "Techniquest's Sticky Digits Chasing (Trip Reports)" thread for what I did do) but I still wonder what I would have done, where I would have gone and if it would have been better.
I'm still hoping to do another ALR in a couple of years time, but that'll be enjoying the last of HSTs on the Western Region/ECML and so on. Still very much TBC of course...
Whether I've helped make a decision or not I don't know, but if you're not sure about doing one you don't want to do it!
I'm not looking at doing one I was just thinking is it cost effective still. I suppose at £68 a day for potentially 24 hours of travelling it's very cost effective. I was just wondering from a see the country POV as opposed to a track/train bashing POV. I'd certainly do one if was 7 days in 30 or something I just can't commit a whole week to it
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Fair enough, I'd still say it's worth it for a 7 day ALR. Much better value if you're on a Two Together railcard and doing it, obviously, with someone else.
It would be interesting to see if other people would also find a flexi-dates ALR would work better. An 8 in 15 (like the All Wales Flexipass, for example) could work better for some people, indeed I'm sure I could make it work well for me too.
It would be interesting to see if other people would also find a flexi-dates ALR would work better. An 8 in 15 (like the All Wales Flexipass, for example) could work better for some people, indeed I'm sure I could make it work well for me too.
I did an ALR in 2012 and absolutely loved it. Highly recommended.
One of the beauties of an ALR is the opportunity to make things up as you go along. I had a well planned itinerary but on a couple of days things went pear shared (one my fault, the other was the West Highland closure due to the derailed freight train). No problem at all - I simply went somewhere else.
It is an expensive up front cost but it is decent value if you max it out across the 7 (or 14 days).
One of the beauties of an ALR is the opportunity to make things up as you go along. I had a well planned itinerary but on a couple of days things went pear shared (one my fault, the other was the West Highland closure due to the derailed freight train). No problem at all - I simply went somewhere else.
It is an expensive up front cost but it is decent value if you max it out across the 7 (or 14 days).
Bevan Price
Established Member
- Joined
- 22 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 7,810
Not done an ALR since the 1990s. Apart from a few recent reopenings, I have done most of the track accessible on regular passenger trains and there is little chance of scoring "rare" loco haulage. Consider the "local" rovers & day rangers adequate for much of my travel - and better value for money.
In the past, I might have been interested in an annual "weekend only" ALR, but unfortunately they never did such a ticket.
In the past, I might have been interested in an annual "weekend only" ALR, but unfortunately they never did such a ticket.
StripeyNick
Member
I've always fancied doing an ALR but I'd be useless at planning it. I would be able to make my mind up where to go.
I wonder how popular they are...........
I wonder how popular they are...........
Searle
Established Member
If I were to spend that much money on a rail ticket, I'd just go to Europe and do a Global Interrail Pass quite frankly.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Searle:2080973 said:
I seem to recall there's a long outstanding trip report from an Interrail you did that's awaiting finishing...
I would agree - a 4 in 8 ALR would be much better for me than 7 consecutive days.
If I am travelling to some areas I would want to visit a few places whilst there. Also there are some family in useful locations around the country who I could stay with but would probably want to spend a non-train day with them during the stay.
I used a 4 in 8 Highland Rover for West highland Line &
Aberdeen-Inverness-Wick in 2013 (staying 2 nights in Oban, 2 in Inverness & 1 in Wick) combined with Sleeper euston-Glasgow, Advance single glasgow-Aberdeen and used a free EC rewards 1st ticket Inverness-Stevenage coming home (on which the chieftain was diverted via Lincoln due to OHLE problems at retford).
I'll probably do another trip this summer but will look at using a couple of rover tickets for the relevant areas combined with an advance ticket.
Last edited:
Drsatan
Established Member
I did a 7-day ALR in May 2013 largely as a way of visiting parts of the UK I'd never been to before. I spent a night on the Caledonian Sleeper from Euston to Aberdeen (and despite spending extra on a berth, barely slept) and stayed in Travelodges to keep costs down.
Although you'll enjoy the freedom of choice an ALR brings, by the end of those seven days you will be exhausted. Certainly I felt knackered as I was often awake by 6am or earlier to make the most of the day, although as a result of such early starts, I did achieve journeys like Wakefield Westgate - Leeds - Scarborough - Hull - Doncaster - Manchester Piccadilly - Manchester Vic - Leeds via the Calder Valley - York via Harrogate - York - KGX - then Euston to Aberdeen on the sleeper.
Bear in mind a few guards will look at an ALR with suspicion because they're not that common - one FGW guard was adamant it wasn't valid until 0900 and when he couldn't prove it, he "let me off." :roll: . A SE HS1 train manager was also adamant the ticket wasn't valid on HS1, although as the train in question was a Ramsgate - St Pancras service and my itinerary required a change of train at Ashford, I didn't stay around to argue my case. I emailed a complaint to SE customer services the following day and received reassurance all HS1 TMs would receive a memo confirming ALR validity on HS1.
Although you'll enjoy the freedom of choice an ALR brings, by the end of those seven days you will be exhausted. Certainly I felt knackered as I was often awake by 6am or earlier to make the most of the day, although as a result of such early starts, I did achieve journeys like Wakefield Westgate - Leeds - Scarborough - Hull - Doncaster - Manchester Piccadilly - Manchester Vic - Leeds via the Calder Valley - York via Harrogate - York - KGX - then Euston to Aberdeen on the sleeper.
Bear in mind a few guards will look at an ALR with suspicion because they're not that common - one FGW guard was adamant it wasn't valid until 0900 and when he couldn't prove it, he "let me off." :roll: . A SE HS1 train manager was also adamant the ticket wasn't valid on HS1, although as the train in question was a Ramsgate - St Pancras service and my itinerary required a change of train at Ashford, I didn't stay around to argue my case. I emailed a complaint to SE customer services the following day and received reassurance all HS1 TMs would receive a memo confirming ALR validity on HS1.
Flamingo
Established Member
- Joined
- 26 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 6,806
I've only ever seen one ALR as far as I can remember (well, a couple) - they were in First Class, and the chap who had them ended up in front of the Judge for £20k worth of fraud... (He has featured in these pages)...
1 Do you really want to try to go everywhere in a week?
Do you really want to be travelling almost non-stop and not take a look around the places you go or stop for a couple of hours taking photos?
2 Or would you rather spend a week travelling around one area, taking your time, spending time taking phots at different locations. Then next time go to a different area and do the same.
When I was younger I did several all lines (much better value back then, by the way), Option 1 was much more attractive back then, when there were plenty of overnight trains and no time restrictions at all. ( I used to pretty much do the entire week without sleep)
But nowadays I wouldn't even contemplate it. The second option of advances to/from an area and a week local rover (or sometimes 2 adjacent area rovers) plus accommodation is my current preference. It's cheaper (tickets + rovers + accom is usually less than £400) and you don't feel as pressured to keep moving if your rover is costing £10 - £20 per day.
Some rover areas are huge, NE, NW and South West rovers all offer enough places to visit for a week. East Mids and HOE are pretty big too. The South West 8 in 15 has to be one of the best in the summer, a fortnight with days off in between at the seaside resorts of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall all for just £109.
Do you really want to be travelling almost non-stop and not take a look around the places you go or stop for a couple of hours taking photos?
2 Or would you rather spend a week travelling around one area, taking your time, spending time taking phots at different locations. Then next time go to a different area and do the same.
When I was younger I did several all lines (much better value back then, by the way), Option 1 was much more attractive back then, when there were plenty of overnight trains and no time restrictions at all. ( I used to pretty much do the entire week without sleep)
But nowadays I wouldn't even contemplate it. The second option of advances to/from an area and a week local rover (or sometimes 2 adjacent area rovers) plus accommodation is my current preference. It's cheaper (tickets + rovers + accom is usually less than £400) and you don't feel as pressured to keep moving if your rover is costing £10 - £20 per day.
Some rover areas are huge, NE, NW and South West rovers all offer enough places to visit for a week. East Mids and HOE are pretty big too. The South West 8 in 15 has to be one of the best in the summer, a fortnight with days off in between at the seaside resorts of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall all for just £109.
Last edited:
Kite159
Veteran Member
I will probably do an ALR later in the year, to sample weekday FC on the intercity TOCs
Plus the sleeper again.
Plus the sleeper again.
Bishopstone
Established Member
That's pretty much what I do now: cheap First Class Advance up to Scotland; a few nights in a decent centrally-located hotel, then I generally just buy Day Returns to somewhere interesting/scenic, which are rather cheaper than the south-east prices I'm used to. Glasgow to Stranraer or Oban and back, in a day, is enough for me now. Wimpish, I know!
I did All Line Rovers every year bar one between 1995 and 2006, but I think it's more of a young mans game and, combined with the recent restrictions, I wouldn't be tempted back unless they introduced a 7 in 14 product: which they won't because they'd like to demise the All-Liner entirely.
I did an ALR in 1980, 1981, 1989, 1991 and 2001 obviously the was much more Loco Hauled stuff around then which was the main reason I did the last two before it disappeared the 2001 being mainly to get loco hauled XC
I very much enjoyed it but apart from more Loco Hauled stuff, I was younger then there were more overnight trains to choose from to get your moneys worth and no restrictions.
The first ones were the best highlights being a 26 up to Thurso, a pair of 27's from Edinburgh on an overnight train to Aberdeen, I can still remember listening to them in the cool night air, and Deltics still running.
Low point was the 1991 trip, 4 days in I went home to Leeds one night and the 91 I was on managed to pull the wires down, got home about 3 in the morning. Following day went back to London but as I was going through the ticket barrier on the underground I had a brand new camcorder on my shoulder, anyway somehow it got caught in the mechanism pulled the case strap off my shoulder and crashed to the floor smashing the camera, hence my dislike of Automated Ticket Barriers ever since.
There are still some lines I need to cover but I doubt I would get an ALR again more likely some regional ones.
I very much enjoyed it but apart from more Loco Hauled stuff, I was younger then there were more overnight trains to choose from to get your moneys worth and no restrictions.
The first ones were the best highlights being a 26 up to Thurso, a pair of 27's from Edinburgh on an overnight train to Aberdeen, I can still remember listening to them in the cool night air, and Deltics still running.
Low point was the 1991 trip, 4 days in I went home to Leeds one night and the 91 I was on managed to pull the wires down, got home about 3 in the morning. Following day went back to London but as I was going through the ticket barrier on the underground I had a brand new camcorder on my shoulder, anyway somehow it got caught in the mechanism pulled the case strap off my shoulder and crashed to the floor smashing the camera, hence my dislike of Automated Ticket Barriers ever since.
There are still some lines I need to cover but I doubt I would get an ALR again more likely some regional ones.
Last edited:
Springs Branch
Established Member
Couple of questions....
1) Has anyone come across any "normals" who would buy ALRs and spend their holiday touring up & down the country without any particular interest in the train journeys they're making?
Maybe there are some people who don't mind paying more than they strictly need for full flexibility for a week or two. Or is the ALR market pretty much all hard-core rail enthusiasts?
2) Back in the day, did BR once offer an Annual ALR?
I seem to remember a fare table (possibly early 1980s) which quoted these. IIRC there were two similar but not identical versions offered - "All Lines" and "All Routes" (or something like this) and both priced in the £17,000s (maybe for First Class). You wouldn't want this one captured by the gate by mistake!
1) Has anyone come across any "normals" who would buy ALRs and spend their holiday touring up & down the country without any particular interest in the train journeys they're making?
Maybe there are some people who don't mind paying more than they strictly need for full flexibility for a week or two. Or is the ALR market pretty much all hard-core rail enthusiasts?
2) Back in the day, did BR once offer an Annual ALR?
I seem to remember a fare table (possibly early 1980s) which quoted these. IIRC there were two similar but not identical versions offered - "All Lines" and "All Routes" (or something like this) and both priced in the £17,000s (maybe for First Class). You wouldn't want this one captured by the gate by mistake!
I have thought about it - the flexibility would be nice (in the past I have done the likes of a FoNW, starting out with one plan, missed a train and gone to Scotland instead 
) but in reality, I don't think I would get full value from it. The other thing is I think I would be bored on my own for so long and travelling with anyone else means more planning and trying to avoid getting on each others nerves for a few days!
Chances are I will do another FoNE in my last year with a 16-25 railcard, but an ALR looks fairly unlikely at this stage
) but in reality, I don't think I would get full value from it. The other thing is I think I would be bored on my own for so long and travelling with anyone else means more planning and trying to avoid getting on each others nerves for a few days!Chances are I will do another FoNE in my last year with a 16-25 railcard, but an ALR looks fairly unlikely at this stage
pne
Member
What about tourists? It also helps that BritRail passes come in less than 7-day increments.
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
Tourists will generally have a BritRail pass, which is both cheaper and more flexible. The only recent market for ALRs has been with business travellers, and that was quickly nipped in the bud after Lord Adonis' Pilgrimage of Grice brought attention to the ticket.
I wouldn't want to be travelling for seven consecutive days- I don't want to go all the way to Kyle of Lochalsh and then straight turn round again- and that really puts me off the ALR. It's why I normally go for the FlexiPass rovers when I'm travelling, I don't want to be on trains every day, it's nice to have a rest. I'm normally knackered after a 4-in-8 Freedom of the North West rover.
The equivalent of a BritRail pass for UK residents would be very useful and would encourage tourism. Alas it would also make the fat cats forgo their second yacht, so it'll never happen.
One of these days I might go travelling on my foreign passport...
Last edited:
Buttsy
Established Member
I did one in 2010 as well as one as a teenager in 1985.
The latest one was to cover track I hadn't done on PSUL or re-opened in recent years (Allingham chord Sleaford - Grantham, Doncaster - Pontefract, Durham - Newcastle via High Level bridge), Alloa branch [due to an incident on the line, I missed the connection to do the Rose Street curve in Inverness], Holytown - Wishaw, Warrington - Runcorn East via low level lines) and a few lines I needed to cover (Uckfield, East Grinstead, etc.). I also took the time to make sure I could have a wander around places such as Sleaford, Newcastle, Alloa, Inverness, Broadford on Skye, Glasgow, Uckfield and a few others. I felt it was good value because of the line bashing I did.
1985 was a trip up and around Scotland as I was a spotter at the time and a mate came with me. We came back on a Thursday and went to the IOW and then Canton open day on the final day. That one only cost £55 each.
Normally I'd use local rovers and spend time walking around places - recent NE rover saw me walking from Gargrave to Skipton and Howden to Eastrington or having a look around places such as Harrogate & Knaresborough.
The latest one was to cover track I hadn't done on PSUL or re-opened in recent years (Allingham chord Sleaford - Grantham, Doncaster - Pontefract, Durham - Newcastle via High Level bridge), Alloa branch [due to an incident on the line, I missed the connection to do the Rose Street curve in Inverness], Holytown - Wishaw, Warrington - Runcorn East via low level lines) and a few lines I needed to cover (Uckfield, East Grinstead, etc.). I also took the time to make sure I could have a wander around places such as Sleaford, Newcastle, Alloa, Inverness, Broadford on Skye, Glasgow, Uckfield and a few others. I felt it was good value because of the line bashing I did.
1985 was a trip up and around Scotland as I was a spotter at the time and a mate came with me. We came back on a Thursday and went to the IOW and then Canton open day on the final day. That one only cost £55 each.
Normally I'd use local rovers and spend time walking around places - recent NE rover saw me walking from Gargrave to Skipton and Howden to Eastrington or having a look around places such as Harrogate & Knaresborough.
Didn't they used to sell it as a season ticket? From a specified station to 'Any other BR station'.
EbbwJunction1
Established Member
- Joined
- 25 Mar 2010
- Messages
- 1,633
As you have hopefully seen, I did several seven and fourteen day ALRs in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
These were totally dedicated to spotting. There was some mileage involved, but not always to the extent of going along a route "because it was there". I mostly planned my route to take me where I needed to go to see the locos I was looking for.
Now, as I don't spot any more, I wouldn't use an ALR for this purpose. I've developed an interest in heritage and military matters and this involves visits to museums and historic sites. I suppose that I could draw up a plan to take in several of these places that I would want to go to (along with a couple of heritage railways along the way!), but whether this would be value for money, I really don't know. The exercise might be interesting, though!
These were totally dedicated to spotting. There was some mileage involved, but not always to the extent of going along a route "because it was there". I mostly planned my route to take me where I needed to go to see the locos I was looking for.
Now, as I don't spot any more, I wouldn't use an ALR for this purpose. I've developed an interest in heritage and military matters and this involves visits to museums and historic sites. I suppose that I could draw up a plan to take in several of these places that I would want to go to (along with a couple of heritage railways along the way!), but whether this would be value for money, I really don't know. The exercise might be interesting, though!
Surprised you found anything to look round in Broadford, usually only stop there for petrol before carrying on towards Sligachan!
Thanks
Buttsy
Established Member
Got my planning wrong - was meant to stay in Mallaig, but found that the Sunday I was there was the last Sunday before there was an afternoon bus to Armadale... First bus out to Armadale on the Monday to get the right train out of Mallaig was 08:10 (lucky school holidays started that Monday, otherwise it would have been 06:10)
- Status