Through fares to heritage railways

[David Goddard]

Moderator note: Posts #1 - #9 originally in this thread:

Putting Kingswear back onto the national rail network

https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/how-kingswear-could-soon-be-back-on-the-national-rail-map/?fbclid=IwAR157bR6VizmRy5SabJdr8EH9X8MktXIg5kehKsYXKgnhKg62jxaM5BhS1Q Talks have been held with a view to putting Kingswear railway station back on the national mainline timetables, bringing travellers...

www.railforums.co.uk

I'd be all in favour of through ticketing to heritage lines which are connected to the National network. Mutually beneficial for both parties and a good incentive to the customer.
There are a good number of potential routes which with little effort could be easily integrated into the system.
Here's ten to get started with
Alresford
Bodmin General
Bridgnorth
Chinnor
Holt
Kingswear
Oxenhope
Pickering
Sheffield Park
Wallingford

 

[Bedpan]

It is a very good idea as far as promoting the Torbay Steam Railway and a encouraging people to travel there by train is concerned. Mid Hants tickets used to be sold at the main ticket office at Alton station before the MHR opened one of their own. I don't think that through tickets to Alresford were sold from owther National Rail stations although I could be wrong.

 

[30907]

I'd be all in favour of through ticketing to heritage lines which are connected to the National network. Mutually beneficial for both parties and a good incentive to the customer.
Oxenhope

...already exists as Keighley & WVRly - can't speak for the others but the Bluebell did back when you had to go by bus!
Admittedly, only for day trips.

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

I'd be all in favour of through ticketing to heritage lines which are connected to the National network. Mutually beneficial for both parties and a good incentive to the customer.
There are a good number of potential routes which with little effort could be easily integrated into the system.
Here's ten to get started with
Alton
Bodmin General
Bridgnorth
Chinnor
Holt
Kingswear
Oxenhope
Pickering
Sheffield Park
Wallingford

Alton is served by waterloo trains already.
Pat

 

[Halifaxlad]

I'd be all in favour of through ticketing to heritage lines which are connected to the National network. Mutually beneficial for both parties and a good incentive to the customer.
There are a good number of potential routes which with little effort could be easily integrated into the system.
Here's ten to get started with
Alton
Bodmin General
Bridgnorth
Chinnor
Holt
Kingswear
Oxenhope
Pickering
Sheffield Park
Wallingford

Are you suggesting through ticketing from Middlesbrough via the Esk Valley line ?

As much as I would love through ticketing to Pickering via Malton sadly between Malton & Pickering they're is a long walk ahead and a lot of disused intacted trackbed.

 

[JonathanH]

I don't think that through tickets to Alresford were sold from owther National Rail stations although I could be wrong.

Through tickets were sold through to Mid-Hants Railway at one point (perhaps until 2003) but not now. One of the problems of through tickets is the split of revenue and what to do when there is a special event on - much better to take the money from potential travellers directly than wait for it to come from the big railway.

I'd be all in favour of through ticketing to heritage lines which are connected to the National network. Mutually beneficial for both parties and a good incentive to the customer.
There are a good number of potential routes which with little effort could be easily integrated into the system.
Here's ten to get started with
Alton
Bodmin General
Bridgnorth
Chinnor
Holt
Kingswear
Oxenhope
Pickering
Sheffield Park
Wallingford

Through ticketing exists to five of those:
* Bodmin General from stations in the South West http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=EXD&dest=L100
* Bridgnorth from stations in the West Midlands http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=SBJ&dest=L830
* Chinnor from certain stations http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=AYS&dest=CCK
* Oxenhope from certain stations http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=LDS&dest=G053
* Buckfastleigh from stations in the South West http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=PLY&dest=J643

Bizarrely this is also in the fares database http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=PGN&dest=XMT&rte=1000&tkt=CDR, a child off-peak day return from Paignton to Dartmouth (L053)

However, some others have been withdrawn over time. I've got the 2003 Raillinks part of NFM83 - through fares were available at that time to various leisure attractions, not just railways. In terms of railways:
Bodmin & Wenford Railway (L100) - see above
Bluebell Railway (K151) - no longer available
Ffestiniog Railway (H074/H075/H076) - no longer available
Isle of Wight Steam Railway (K048) - no longer available
Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (G053) - see above
Llangollen Railway via Ruabon - this was a specific add on to Ruabon fares rather than having a code
North Yorkshire Moors Railway via Grosmont (G048) - no longer available
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway (H045) - no longer available
Severn Valley Railway (L830) - see above
South Devon Railway (J643) - see above
Watercress Line - this is in the index but no details so must have been withdrawn in 2003 - I purchased one in 2002

No through fares to Kingswear.

 

[Steam Man]

Oh ok I didn’t realise that

Through tickets were sold through to Mid-Hants Railway at one point (perhaps until 2003) but not now. One of the problems of through tickets is the split of revenue and what to do when there is a special event on - much better to take the money from potential travellers directly than wait for it to come from the big railway.


Through ticketing exists to five of those:
* Bodmin General from stations in the South West http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=EXD&dest=L100
* Bridgnorth from stations in the West Midlands http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=SBJ&dest=L830
* Chinnor from certain stations http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=AYS&dest=CCK
* Oxenhope from certain stations http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=LDS&dest=G053
* Buckfastleigh from stations in the South West http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=PLY&dest=J643

Bizarrely this is also in the fares database http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=PGN&dest=XMT&rte=1000&tkt=CDR, a child off-peak day return from Paignton to Dartmouth (L053)

However, some others have been withdrawn over time. I've got the 2003 Raillinks part of NFM83 - through fares were available at that time to various leisure attractions, not just railways. In terms of railways:
Bodmin & Wenford Railway (L100) - see above
Bluebell Railway (K151) - no longer available
Ffestiniog Railway (H074/H075/H076) - no longer available
Isle of Wight Steam Railway (K048) - no longer available
Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (G053) - see above
Llangollen Railway via Ruabon - this was a specific add on to Ruabon fares rather than having a code
North Yorkshire Moors Railway via Grosmont (G048) - no longer available
Raven glass and Eskdale Railway (H045) - no longer available
Severn Valley Railway (L830) - see above
South Devon Railway (J643) - see above
Watercress Line - this is in the index but no details so must have been withdrawn in 2003 - I purchased one in 2002

No through fares to Kingswear.

I work on the South Devon Railway and most of these tickets I can’t scan because they’re on peoples phones or iPads I don’t carry the scanners and I don’t carry a debit card machine we’re not required to carry them.

 

[SouthStand]

Oh ok I didn’t realise that


I work on the South Devon Railway and most of these tickets I can’t scan because they’re on peoples phones or iPads I don’t carry the scanners and I don’t carry a debit card machine we’re not required to carry them.

Any business that doesn't facilitate contactless payment won't be in business for much longer. Haven't used cash on a regular basis for several years.

 

[Lemmy99uk]

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway (H045) - no longer available

Through fares to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway are still available from Cumbrian Coast stations.

 

[STINT47]

Through fares to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway are available from any national rail station if we are running on the day in question.

Tickets can also be purchased online through EMR and other websites and you can even buy a ticket to the intermediate stations.

Although we don't get many through tickets we did once have a passenger using an Ely to Idridghay single, who was traveling to buy a car in Derbyshire and then drove back.

 

[the sniper]

Oh ok I didn’t realise that


I work on the South Devon Railway and most of these tickets I can’t scan because they’re on peoples phones or iPads I don’t carry the scanners and I don’t carry a debit card machine we’re not required to carry them.

Working for a TOC I didn't have anything to scan tickets on phones, we just looked at them!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Through fares to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway are still available from Cumbrian Coast stations.

Good to hear. How do you look them up on BR Fares, or similar ticketing platforms?

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway | Northern

Save money when you buy a combined Northern / Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway ticket. Travel the Cumbrian Coast Line with Northern, then steam to the hills on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway! …

www.northernrailway.co.uk

 

[janb]

Good to hear. How do you look them up on BR Fares, or similar ticketing platforms?

Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway | Northern

Save money when you buy a combined Northern / Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway ticket. Travel the Cumbrian Coast Line with Northern, then steam to the hills on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway! …

www.northernrailway.co.uk

Through fares are available from lots of places during the normal times. However they have been suspended due to Covid, this is because when R+E were operating they required advance booking with a more limited capacity (not compatible with a walk up through fare issued at NR stations).

 

[steamybrian]

Through fares are available from Southern Stations to Tunbridge Wells West on the Spa Valley Railway via Eridge

 

[James Wake]

Through fares to the Bluebell are available too, what we do is take the outward portion off the passenger as they’ve used it. Then we replace it with a no fare value Edmondson day rover ticket I think so we can collect how many are used. The passenger keeps return portion of their National Rail issued ticket for their return journey to London etc

Although at the moment I think they aren’t available but I’ve certainly seen them before

 

[father_jack]

There are fares from GWR stations to the West Somerset Railway via Taunton and the 29 bus from Taunton to Bishops Lydiard. The pricing people who implemented it were of an "enthusiastic" persuasion and made it as staff and customer friendly as they could but it still didn't seem to really work.

The issue always seemed to be when you break up the parts- passenger might want to use a senior railcard (only the national rail section is discounted) and has a ENCTS bus pass etc- how is a bloke in a ticket office meant to know what to advise or whether like already said is there a special event on and it's not vaild. Or a passenger buys something as an add on and find out they could have done it cheaper and then on the way back wants part of there money back !!!

And that's before the bus times changed and the last bus through the railway yard was before the train got back..........

All idealistic and I wish it could work but it doesn't really.

There was a discussion here https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...plorer-with-disabled-persons-railcard.189534/

 

[philthetube]

Going back 20 years of so I travelled from Colne to llanbedr and was routed via the ffestiniog by journey planner, went that way staff scratched head but accepted it.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

When I did the SWR summer special to Corfe Castle, an lovely old chap showed me his ticket, proudly proclaiming Salisbury to Corfe Castle and vice versa!

 

[JonathanH]

Through fares are available from Southern Stations to Tunbridge Wells West on the Spa Valley Railway via Eridge

Spa Valley Railway appears to be this http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=ERI&dest=K569 - however I can't see fares from other stations in BRFares - do you buy a ticket to Eridge and then ask for this separately?

Through fares to the Bluebell are available too, what we do is take the outward portion off the passenger as they’ve used it. Then we replace it with a no fare value Edmondson day rover ticket I think so we can collect how many are used. The passenger keeps return portion of their National Rail issued ticket for their return journey to London etc

Although at the moment I think they aren’t available but I’ve certainly seen them before

Yes, I see these are issued from East Grinstead http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=EGR&dest=K151 - again, I can't see fares from other stations in BRFares.

Is it still possible to 'make' a fare by adding these fares onto the fare to Eridge or East Grinstead?

 

[35B]

Going back 20 years of so I travelled from Colne to llanbedr and was routed via the ffestiniog by journey planner, went that way staff scratched head but accepted it.

I can trump that - with a Freedom of the North West Rover in hand, I managed to make my journey from Earlsfield to Skipton via the Cambrian and Ffestiniog, taking in a pair of 31s on the way.

 

[Roverebbw]

Tfw Ffestiniog Round Robin will give you a fare for the Ffestiniog railway.for around trip from Birmingham, Liverpool and manchrster

 

[steamybrian]

Spa Valley Railway appears to be this http://www.brfares.com/#!fares?orig=ERI&dest=K569 - however I can't see fares from other stations in BRFares - do you buy a ticket to Eridge and then ask for this separately?



Just ask at the ticket office for a through ticket to Tunbridge Wells West via Spa Valley Railway. Through fares also available via Eridge to Groombridge ( ticket issuing code K570) and High Rocks (ticket issuing code K571)

 

[Haywain]

Through fares are available from Southern Stations to Tunbridge Wells West on the Spa Valley Railway via Eridge

Allegedly!

do you buy a ticket to Eridge and then ask for this separately?

In the internal Knowledgebase it is shown as being an add-on fare, and in the ticketing system appears to only exist as a stand-alone ticket. The advantage of selling separately is that it removes problems with railcard discounts being applied where they shouldn't be.

 

[Paul Kelly]

The advantage of selling separately is that it removes problems with railcard discounts being applied where they shouldn't be.

Shouldn't be an issue if appropriate non-standard discount records are correctly set in the fares database, but I think that is quite a dark art.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Do any heritage railways sell tickets through to other destinations? For example Sheffield Park to London Bridge? Or even Sheffield Park to Tunbridge Wells West via Eridge?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Do any heritage railways sell tickets through to other destinations?

Having the heritage railway as the origin? Don't think this is possible.

The advantage of selling separately is that it removes problems with railcard discounts being applied where they shouldn't be.

The flipside of course is having to rebook on arrival at the heritage railway, which can be an issue if connection times are tight.

 

[philthetube]

Most heritage railways would wait if you were buying tickets.

 

[James Wake]

Most heritage railways would wait if you were buying tickets.

That happens at East Grinstead on the Bluebell, we check the buffet, toilets, the path from the mainline station and the forecourt is clear before closing the barrier and signalling up to the platform that they can send the train out, not sure about other Bluebell stations though

 

[steamybrian]

At Eridge someone once went to the National Rail self-service ticket machine and purchased a return to Tunbridge Wells and promptly paid the approx £25 fare which was routed via Oxted, East Croydon, Redhill, Tonbridge to Tunbridge Wells.
He was rather upset that the Spa Valley Railway staff refused the ticket and refused to give him a refund...!!

 

[Wallsendmag]

Having the heritage railway as the origin? Don't think this is possible.


The flipside of course is having to rebook on arrival at the heritage railway, which can be an issue if connection times are tight.

I'm sure you can buy a Pickering to Whitby ticket