Purchasing an All Line Rover

[alchemy]

Hi I live in the Orkney islands and want to purchase an ALR staring on Thursday 30th May, first class for two weeks. Scotrail web help referred me to their telesales department to buy the ticket and make reservations. On doing this, i was told by the customer sevices operator that I needed to take a passport sized photograph to a ticket office. Geographically, that is impossible for me. Is the customer service operator correct.
I am now unsure of how to progress. Getting seats on the sleepers might be getting difficult if I don't book soon. Any advice welcome and thanks in advance.

 

[323235]

I've never heard anything like this before. I'd try calling again or call an alternative telesales line. Theres certainly no requirement for this normally.

 

[transportphoto]

You do not need a photocard for a ALR, they've got it confused with 7 day seasons.

TP

 

[Track Basher]

If you get stuck try my local station in Wales I am sure she would be happy to post one out 01554 830188 open 0730 - 2.

 

[transportphoto]

If you get stuck try my local station in Wales I am sure she would be happy to post one out 01554 830188 open 0730 - 2.

That being Pembrey.. http://www.pembreystation.co.uk/Book Tickets.htm

TP

 

[Be3G]

Alternatively, there's a possibility that there's a rail-appointed travel agent on the islands, who could issue an all-line rover if they know how to!

 

[alex17595]

first great western do online ones

 

[alchemy]

Hi,
According to the FGW they only issue three days in advance of the start date. I have emailed scotrail about their telesales answer and will see what they say. I may have to take a trip to the mainland to get to Wick or Thurso stations during their opening hours. I can't get a telephone number for either station and the person who replied to my initial email would not give me the direct number when I asked for it. Progress? and signs of the times, I guess

 

[alex17595]

did you try to buy one? or just phone them?

 

[bb21]

I could only echo the advice to ring them back again and see what happens with a different operator. In my experience, ScotRail telesales are pretty good at handling different ticketing requests so it could simply be that you ran into someone new or perhaps there was a bit of misunderstanding.

 

[alchemy]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll try again tomorrow. It looks as though I am going to Wick on Saturday so can get to the station there during its opening time. Whether they can make reservations there for East Coast, Virgin and Great Western remains to be seen

 

[swadbus]

Hi,
According to the FGW they only issue three days in advance of the start date. I have emailed scotrail about their telesales answer and will see what they say. I may have to take a trip to the mainland to get to Wick or Thurso stations during their opening hours. I can't get a telephone number for either station and the person who replied to my initial email would not give me the direct number when I asked for it. Progress? and signs of the times, I guess

Wick: 01955 602131
Thurso: 01847 892073

 

[Be3G]

Whether they can make reservations there for East Coast, Virgin and Great Western remains to be seen

You're in luck!

 

[reb0118]

I do not see why you should have to make an extra journey to the Mainland just to purchase rail tickets (however if you are making the journey for other reasons then that is ok). As the rover can be purchased on demand at Thurso even on the day of issue (I am assuming that you will be travelling via Stromness - Scrabster - Thurso to start your journey?), then if Telesales can not issue the rover ask them to just make the reservations and state you will pick up the rover enroute. It is strictly true that you must be in possession of tickets, or be purchasing at the same time, to be issued with reservations but I think exceptions could be made to those folk who live offshore.

If you need help PM me as I have a contact at Thurso.

 

[alchemy]

Hi. I tried telesales again and did not get transferred to national rail enquiries but remained with scotrail. This time I got a very helpful person who sold me the required ticket and made the reservations for the first few days of my trip. I have Thursday to Tueday of the first week planned. I have a few goals to achieve. I want to cover 10000 miles, travel on all or most of the main lines and try to travel on every class, if not subclass, of passenger train in regular use. Whether I can do this remains to be seen but that is the aim to keep the mileage high I will be using the seated sleepers quite a lot .
Thanks for all the help. I'll try to post a trip report as I go. This is my retirement present to myself.

 

[bb21]

10000 miles should be easily doable in two weeks especially if you use the sleepers a couple of times. Travelling every class would be a great achievement, especially considering the awkwardness of getting the 121s, 139s, etc. Good luck on your endeavours. You might wish to write some trip reports for our Trip Reports section.

Not being transferred to NRE explains what happened last times then. Let's just say that their Indian call centre staff are hopeless, especially considering that I had to spell the word "Paddington" for them once.

 

[island]

121 and 139 are easy to get in that they each go back and forth between a certain pair of stations all day

An Italian friend of mine found the Cardiff Bay trip extremely quaint

 

[transportphoto]

An Italian friend of mine found the Cardiff Bay trip extremely quaint

Except you won't be getting a 121 on Cardiff Bay runs anymore!

TP