Splitting at... Sugar Loaf?

[Farigiraf]

Was looking at fares for the Heart of Wales line the other day (for research purposes only sadly, although I hope I can ride it some time), and peculiarly, for an end to end journey on the line, Trainsplit recommends splitting at Sugar Loaf halt of all places? Could this be a reason for usage inflation here (and possibly other small usage stations)?

 

[Lurcheroo]

Was looking at fares for the Heart of Wales line the other day (for research purposes only sadly, although I hope I can ride it some time), and peculiarly, for an end to end journey on the line, Trainsplit recommends splitting at Sugar Loaf halt of all places? Could this be a reason for usage inflation here (and possibly other small usage stations)? View attachment 158250

Quite possibly,
Dovey junction is the same on the Cambrian.

 

[DelW]

If you were travelling with tickets split at Sugar Loaf, would you have to notify the conductor to stop the train there, to comply with the rules?

I think the last usage figure I saw for the halt was about 70, so there can't have been much inflation of the numbers.

 

[Snow1964]

If you were travelling with tickets split at Sugar Loaf, would you have to notify the conductor to stop the train there, to comply with the rules?

Aren't the rules timetabled to call at the station

Therefore can't split at pick up, set down, or request stops as not guaranteed to enable you to theoretically hop off and hop back on when finishing a ticket and starting new ticket

 

[Deafdoggie]

Aren't the rules timetabled to call at the station

Therefore can't split at pick up, set down, or request stops as not guaranteed to enable you to theoretically hop off and hop back on when finishing a ticket and starting new ticket

If it's a request stop then it is timetabled to stop. If a guard really wanted to be awkward and say the train has to stop, you'd just show the ticket to Sugar Loaf and say you need it to stop.
But as you'd have an itinerary with that ticket combination, it's valid anyway.

Could this be a reason for usage inflation here (and possibly other small usage stations)?

I think the last usage figure I saw for the halt was about 70, so there can't have been much inflation of the numbers.

There probably aren't that many people who only travel end to end on the line.

 

[_toommm_]

The few times I've attempted to do the Heart of Wales line (with no success), Trainsplit has always offered me a split at Sugar Loaf. I imagine with the rise of split ticketing it's probably pretty common for the guards on the line to see. It's just a personal shame that I've not been able to do the line fully since the one time 2018 or 2019, as the train has always either been cancelled halfway, or not ran due to infrastructure problems.

 

[SteveM70]

If you were travelling with tickets split at Sugar Loaf, would you have to notify the conductor to stop the train there, to comply with the rules?

Assuming tickets were checked pre-split, surely you’d have to tell the conductor NOT to stop the train at Sugar Loaf for you, as from the ticket he’s assume that’s where you were going

 

[Essan]

Assuming tickets were checked pre-split, surely you’d have to tell the conductor NOT to stop the train at Sugar Loaf for you, as from the ticket he’s assume that’s where you were going

Good point - and as probably the only passenger with a ticket to there, they'd be looking out for you to disembark.

 

[RJ]

Good point - and as probably the only passenger with a ticket to there, they'd be looking out for you to disembark.

I did the line last week and the guards asked everybody where they were going, noting the stations down in a notepad.

 

[Wyrleybart]

There probably aren't that many people who only travel end to end on the line.

I think that depends on your interpretation of the line. My sister lived in Ammanford in the early 1980s and a couple of times I caught the DMU from Shrewsbury to Ty'r Dail which was the nearest station to her. Undoubtedly not end to end. Years later I took my father in law for a ride over the route. I drove us to Church Stretton then we caught the train from there through to Swansea and back.

Would you regard the line as starting at Craven Arms then ending at
Llandeilo Jn
Llanelli
Swansea

 

[Deafdoggie]

I think that depends on your interpretation of the line. My sister lived in Ammanford in the early 1980s and a couple of times I caught the DMU from Shrewsbury to Ty'r Dail which was the nearest station to her. Undoubtedly not end to end. Years later I took my father in law for a ride over the route. I drove us to Church Stretton then we caught the train from there through to Swansea and back.

Would you regard the line as starting at Craven Arms then ending at
Llandeilo Jn
Llanelli
Swansea

In this context, I'd regard it as being when it's cheaper to split at Sugar Loaf.

 

[Mainliner]

I’ve also wanted to do this line for a while, but in rather more comfort than on the normal service trains, so I was very pleased to see the Intercity tour on 7 September, using their Push-Pull set with 2 Class 37s. so I’m booked to go on that!

 

[DelW]

I did the line last week and the guards asked everybody where they were going, noting the stations down in a notepad.

I think that's standard practice, because of the large number of request stops, and the fact that train crews swap over at Llandrindod or Llanwrtyd. The list is passed between conductors at changeover.

I’ve also wanted to do this line for a while, but in rather more comfort than on the normal service trains, so I was very pleased to see the Intercity tour on 7 September, using their Push-Pull set with 2 Class 37s. so I’m booked to go on that!

Ah, but is it the authentic experience unless you're crammed into a single 153 packed with pensioners using their bus passes for a day out on the line .
(Disclaimer: I'm a pensioner with a bus pass too, though not a Welsh one).

 

[Mainliner]

Ah, but is it the authentic experience unless you're crammed into a single 153 packed with pensioners using their bus passes for a day out on the line .
(Disclaimer: I'm a pensioner with a bus pass too, though not a Welsh one).

I’m even more glad not to be having that authentic experience - and I too am recently retired! (However, it was mainly the better ride, seating and onboard refreshments that I want.)

 

[The exile]

I’m even more glad not to be having that authentic experience - and I too am recently retired! (However, it was mainly the better ride, seating and onboard refreshments that I want.)

Despite only having traversed the line on service trains, there are still a few sections I haven’t done in a unit (or indeed in second/ standard class!).