Merrymaker Fares 1970's ?

[david1212]

I have searched but can not find an existing thread that answers this query.

Typically how much were the Merrymaker fares? Has anyone got any leaflets tucked away?
I want to relate this to current prices.

I was taken on numerous Merrymakers picking up on the Cotswold Line ( Oxford - Worcester ). Some may also have picked up through to Hereford. Those to the north west also picked up Droitwich and Bromsgrove.

Destinations I recall are Southend-on-Sea, Eastbourne, Brighton, Portsmouth Harbour then ferry to Ryde, Bournemouth, Tenby, Llandudno, Southport and in autumn Blackpool for the illuminations. Ones we did not do included Barry Island and Spalding? for daffodiles and/or tulips.
Bournemouth at least was a Mystery Trip and unfortunate because my grandmother was staying with us and she lived in Southampton.

Stock was MK1's both compartment and open and early MK2's. Traction as I recall was mostly 47's. As I posted in the long distance DMU thread one Blackpool trip was DMU's and terminated at South.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Think I've seen this photo on a greetings card previously.

Hope it helps (a little!)



(Pic showing a couple of less-than-merry elderly folk sat in front of a 'Merry-Maker' Excursions advertising hoarding).

 

[62484GlenLyon]

I was on three of those trips! Great value for money for a young enthusiast who was not very well paid at that time.

The mystery trip of 3rd April went to Southport, hauled by 1949, later 47707. The mystery trip of 16th July went to Skegness hauled by 1532, later 47009.

15th April to Leeds, York and Harrogate was 68, later 45046, at least to Leeds where I got off. The return was 68, again, from Harrogate to Leeds via York and 50, later 45040, from Leeds to London.

 

[david1212]

@Mcr Warrior - Thanks.

The Bank of England Inflation Calculator gives £1 in 1972 as £14.04 in 2021 so £22.50 - £25 per ticket and child fare presumably half price. Even if not £75 max for three. I had always presumed much less than typical current prices for walk - on ( day ) return or railtours because I just could not see how Dad would have afforded them.

I note April - June & October ran on a Saturday then July & August Sunday which is logical as then extra peak summer Saturday trains or at least the regular DMU replaced with locos and a rake of coaches.

BR of course made a profit !!! - see my comment here.

 

[62484GlenLyon]

It wasn't just to York, Southport or Skegness these Merrymakers went. On Friday 24th September 1971 there was one to Paris. It ran from either Northampton or Bletchley - I got on at Watford Jn. at 21.40 - to Folkestone Harbour. E3144 (86260) to Mitre Bridge Jn., 6562+6569 (33044+33051) to Folkestone East, for 6590 (33205) front, 6562+6569 (33044+33051) rear, down the hill to Folkestone Harbour.

From here on I had a brain fade as I have no record of the ferry to Boulogne, nor the locos that worked the special train to or from Paris. All I seem to have recorded is that the return left Paris, Gare du Nord at 00.30 Sunday 26th and ran to Calais for a ferry to Folkestone. The connecting train departed Folkestone Harbour at 09.05 with 6571 (33053) front and 6552+6554 (33034+33036) rear. At Folkestone East, 6552+6554 (33034+33036) took the train forward to Mitre Bridge Jn., where E3093 (85038) took over. I left the train at Watford Jn. at 11.35.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Fantastic value and rarely more than 2 to 3 quid absolute tops.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Might be worth checking out any old copies of the Railway Magazine. Many tours were advertised in there, which is where (I believe) me and my mates in our youth found out about such trips. Did one from Marylebone to Chester and back on 16th September '78, with 47496 but didn't make a note of the ticket price afraid. I had PRIV by then, but my mates did'nt so that's likely why we did that one.
A couple of weeks later I was out and about and did make a note of fares I paid - these would have been PRIV rate I guess, which for a single was a quarter of the public rate I think. Euston to Kidsgrove single £2-32, Lincoln to Kings Cross single £1-84. By way of a comparison with other items purchased on same day, my lunch cost me 19p for a can of Pepsi (or similar) and 29p for a pie, hot or cold my notes don't recall

 

[High Dyke]

Apologies for dragging this into the next decade. However, I travelled on a Merrymaker to Oban, departing from Grantham 20/08/1982. I think the trip originated at Peterborough or Huntingdon - perhaps further south.

Motive power was a Class 47 to Eastfield, Glasgow. From there 37192 took over to our destination. The trip also included an excursion to the Isle of Mull. On the return trip 37253 was added to the formation, to pilot 37192 back to Glasgow. I don't recall the loco from there south, but we did return via the Durham coast route. Price £19.75

 

[The Conductor]

The first one I did was Sheffield to Edinburgh for (I think) £2- multiply by about 12 for 2022 values, so very cheap. They ran form Sheffield Division until 1981. The division also offered very cheap round tris bys ervice trains- the last one I di in Autumn 1981 was Sheffield-Exeter-Waterloo- St Pancras-Sheffield. Enough time in Exeter for a pint and a cathedral visit, but these were really aimed at a basher market rather than the general public. Can't remeber the price but they were similarly reasonable. All ended when the accountants did away with spare stock sets, and the Divisional mamgement structure was abolished too.

Sorry, meant to say the first one was in Spring 1973.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Here are a couple of marketing leaflets for early 1970s BR Manchester Division trips, several of which I was fortunate to travel on back then

 

[Ypres]

On 31/03/84 I organised a trip on a Merrymaker excursion to Hereford and Church Stretton for my rambling club. Knowing that each station was only issued with 50 tickets I made sure I was waiting on the doorstep of the Travel Centre at Coventry when it opened on the day tickets first went on sale ( 2 weeks prior). I still remember the look of consternation when I requested 27 of her precious tickets - luckily common sense prevailed and I handed over £81. Despite the train (a 3-car DMU IIRC) picking up at most stations to Wellington it was far from full and probably made a loss despite my heroic attempt! It came as no surprise when these fares came to an end relatively shortly after.

 

[Alfie1014]

A sample from my not very extensive ticket collection. The mystery excursion on a Bank Holiday was interesting; the destination(s) were Cardiff and Barry Island, the latter was fascinating to me and my dad as we wandered around the scrap yard! On the way back the Stratford 47 failed on Brent Curve and even though we could pretty much see spare locos sitting on Crickelwood depot we had to wait for a replacement ER 47 to come and rescue us a good couple of hours later! The whole issue was complecated by a dispute at maintenance depots at the time which probably didn't help!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Another promotional flyer, this one from July 1977, for journeys originating mostly from Sheffield/Chesterfield.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I like the "special offer" for the trip to Melton Mowbray on 24th July ... "Every passenger gets a free pork pie!".

 

[Western 52]

I remember a Cardiff to Paddington Christmas shopping Merrymaker in autumn 1976. Great value as we paid about £12 return for a family of 5!

 

[mrcheek]

Would be interesting if we also had the open return fares from the same era so we could do a comparison!

Anyway, heres a couple more examples from 1977-78, from leaflets which I picked up cheap on eBay

 

[david1212]

Thanks for all the replies.

I requested 1970's since that is when I was taken but all dates interesting. I did not know there also were weekend trips e.g. Oban and boat to Mull.

I have a few card tickets but they don't have the fare paid.

The core fact is that three of us travelled for, at current prices, less than the price of one adult ticket on any 2022 railtour. The cheapest I am aware of is Vintage Trains running Tyseley to Llandudno with two class 20's for £79. They have the advantage of course of no ECS running.

 

[rogercov]

Thanks for all the replies.

I requested 1970's since that is when I was taken but all dates interesting. I did not know there also were weekend trips e.g. Oban and boat to Mull.

I have a few card tickets but they don't have the fare paid.

The core fact is that three of us travelled for, at current prices, less than the price of one adult ticket on any 2022 railtour. The cheapest I am aware of is Vintage Trains running Tyseley to Llandudno with two class 20's for £79. They have the advantage of course of no ECS running.

Sorry I came onto this thread a bit late. I found this from 1979. I also have one for 1982.

 

[xotGD]

Sorry I came onto this thread a bit late. I found this from 1979. I also have one for 1982.
View attachment 113194View attachment 113195

That Dublin trip sounds like a bit of a riot. Two overnights, a day on the lash, and a case of booze for the train home!