West Yorkshire Day Rover

[colpepper]

A cheeky first post but here goes: can anyone suggest a suitable route for a day roving from Huddersfield, starting as soon after 9:30 am as possible? Also, how do dogs fit into the Day Rover (sic) picture, is there a separate ticket available?

Much obliged for any help.

 

[ainsworth74]

This page has both information on conveying dogs and a link to a map of the rover validity. I would suggest picking somewhere from the map and finding out what trains to use to get there either that or gives us an idea of what you want to see/do and I'm sure someone will be able to suggest something.

 

[colpepper]

This page has both information on conveying dogs and a link to a map of the rover validity. I would suggest picking somewhere from the map and finding out what trains to use to get there either that or gives us an idea of what you want to see/do and I'm sure someone will be able to suggest something.

Thanks for the info. I have no particular aim, just a chance to maximise travel hours and do some sketching and photography along the way. Picturesque or urban, I don't mind.
I was hoping some Huddersfield regulars might have a cunning plan to explore the local network as thoroughly as possible in Roving hours.

 

[Deerfold]

It's changed recently so that dogs may be taken - you used to have to get a concessionary (or family) ticket for them.

Are you taking anyone else with you? If so it's cheaper to get a family ticket at £9.50 than two adult tickets - and you can get the bus too (you can't buy this one on the train).

The bus can come in handy if you pop along a line like the Penistone and find you've a long wait - buses to Huddersfield or Wakefield can get you back on your way again or bridge the gap between Keighley/Steeton and Ilkley without backtracking.

http://www.wymetro.com/TicketsAndPasses/moresavings/WestYorkshireDayRover

Note the national rail site prices are out of date!

 

[142094]

Have a travel up to somewhere like Bingley and a walk along the canal to Saltaire and Shipley. The route between Marsden and Slaithwaite along the canal is also quite nice, and both are in the Rover area.

 

[colpepper]

Are you taking anyone else with you?

I won't be taking the family, they'd be bored very quickly with my enthusiasm for topographic details and knackered bits of line side infrastructure. The point about the bus is a good one, I confess I've pondered the WY Metro system but no obvious day's gawping out of windows by rail alone presents itself and the bus-train interface is beyond my meagre powers of timetable analysis. Which is kind of why I'm hoping for a train-hopping tyke's expertise in this matter.

 

[142094]

In theory you could cover the whole rover area in one day but you'd be on trains a lot and not have time for much else.

 

[colpepper]

In theory you could cover the whole rover area in one day but you'd be on trains a lot and not have time for much else.

Don't mind the train travel, I rarely get to use the network for conventional reasons so the endurance aspect is part of the fun. That and the opportunity to recce places I'd never bother to look out in the car and take a few photos, eat confectionery, drink pop, spy into people's back windows and reminisce about loco hauled stock and first gen DMUs.

 

[ashworth]

Using the bus is very useful for getting from one line to another without continually having to go into Leeds and out again.

Hebden Bridge - Keighley is a very useful bus route.
Also Halifax to Huddersfield is useful if you just miss the hourly train service.

Also the buses do reach some nice scenic locations and smaller towns and villages that are not reached by train.

 

[trickyvegas]

Using the bus is very useful for getting from one line to another without continually having to go into Leeds and out again.

Hebden Bridge - Keighley is a very useful bus route.
Also Halifax to Huddersfield is useful if you just miss the hourly train service.

Also the buses do reach some nice scenic locations and smaller towns and villages that are not reached by train.

I'd agree with that - the Hebden Bridge - Haworth route is great and you could get the train back to Keighley on the Hope Valley railway for a reasonably modest additional fare.

 

[colpepper]

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to include Hebden Bridge-Keighley into a working plan.

 

[wellhouse]

I'd suggest you include Huddersfield - Marsden, Huddersfield-Denby Dale, The Caldervale line to Todmorden (from Huddersfield change at Brighouse Dewsbury, or Halifax) Aire Valley line to Keighley, Wharfedale line to Ilkley (both via Leeds or Bradford). There are many stops where even a short walk (if only to the station bar) is rewarding.

If you do want to check on the possibility of using the bus (useful on some lines with only an hourly service) there's a really helpful journey planner on the Metro website http://www.metrojourneyplanner.info...essionid=63ED513088F4E11579E1AE0AB4A2B56D.yo1 which gives door to door routes including walking/bus/train and even maps showing the location of bus stops. One spectacular route (with plenty of photogenic landscape) is the 901 which runs from Huddersfield to Hebden Bridge, stopping at both Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge rail stations.

If you need to take a bus into Huddersfield to start your expedition, (or just to avoid a queue at the booking office) you can buy a Day Rover in advance from any West Yorkshire Post Office, and just scratch off the date on the day you choose to use it.

 

[142094]

If you need to take a bus into Huddersfield to start your expedition, (or just to avoid a queue at the booking office) you can buy a Day Rover in advance from any West Yorkshire Post Office, and just scratch off the date on the day you choose to use it.

Be aware that the POs sometimes run out, as happened last Friday to 4SKRT.

 

[Sapphire Blue]

Couple of points.

West Yorks Day Rover (should be called a Day Ranger but isn't) is unbelievable good value. £9.50 is an absolute steal.

Getting a family rover allows for the dogs' half fare on the buses, I have been using these for over 8 years now, and don't know of a recent change.

You cannot "do" the whole network on a normal weekday, the 9.30 start prevents that. Saturdays and Bank Holidays it is possible. (but hard work)

 

[4SRKT]

Couple of points.

West Yorks Day Rover (should be called a Day Ranger but isn't) is unbelievable good value. £9.50 is an absolute steal.

Getting a family rover allows for the dogs' half fare on the buses, I have been using these for over 8 years now, and don't know of a recent change.

You cannot "do" the whole network on a normal weekday, the 9.30 start prevents that. Saturdays and Bank Holidays it is possible. (but hard work)

I think the only time you can do the whole thing is on Bank Holiday Mondays, when a M-F service operates and the 09:30 restriction doesn't apply. The few extra peak trains make all the difference, but even then it's on a knife edge and one cock up will scupper the whole thing.

 

[Deerfold]

Be aware that the POs sometimes run out, as happened last Friday to 4SKRT.

And if you get a scratch off one make sure it has 2011 as an option - only happened to me twice over many years that it hasn't and I noticed both times but one to check before you leave the PO if that's where you get it (tends to be at small POs that don't sell many)

 

[Sapphire Blue]

I think the only time you can do the whole thing is on Bank Holiday Mondays, when a M-F service operates and the 09:30 restriction doesn't apply. The few extra peak trains make all the difference, but even then it's on a knife edge and one cock up will scupper the whole thing.

Trust me, it CAN be done on a Saturday as shown below, but it does involve the "cheat" of staying on train from Denby Dale (19.41) to Barnsley(20.06) to pick up the Barnsley (20.33) to Darton (20.38) to continue to Leeds. Extra cost £3.10.

This stage can also be done by "reasonably active" travellers by cycling the 8 miles Denby to Darton in 57 minutes. But we knew we would be 6 pints of real ale in by this point and decided the cheat was worth it!!!!


Metro Day Rover – Saturday Special

05.56 Steeton > Shipley 06.13
9 mins
06.22 Shipley > Ilkey 06.46
36 mins
07.22 Ilkley > Brad FS 07.56 (Airdale/Whafedale)
3 mins
07.59 Brad FS > Leeds 08.24
36 mins (breakfast)
09.00 Leeds > Knottingley 09.37
16 mins
09.53 Knottingley > W. Kirkgate 10.20 (Pontefract)
11 mins
10.31 W. Kirkgate > P. Monkhill 10.49
Walk to P. Baghill 48 mins (beer 1)
11.37 P. Baghill > Moorthorpe 11.49 (Dearne Valley)
Bus to Sth. Elmsall 38 mins (beer 2)
12.27 Sth. Elmsall > Leeds 13.02 (Wakefield)
13 mins
13.15 Leeds > Micklefield 13.33 (York & Selby)
25 mins (beer 3/lunch)
13.58 Micklefield > Leeds 14.19
10 mins
14.29 Leeds > Horsforth 14.41 (Harrogate)
24 mins (beer 4)
15.05 Horsforth > Leeds 15.22
15 mins
15.37 Leeds > Walsden 16.39
9 mins
16.48 Walsden > Halifax 17.16 (Leeds/Bradford)
44 mins (beer 5)
18.00 Halifax > Huddersfld 18.30 (Caldervale)
48 mins (beer 6/tea)
19.18 Huddersfld > Denby Dale 19.41 (Penistone)
(Denby Dale to Darton stay on train and change at Barnsley
19.41 Denby Dale > Barnsley 20.06
27 mins (beer 7)
20.33 Barnsley > Darton 20.38
20.38 Darton > Leeds 21.26 (Hallam)
51 mins (beer 8)
22.17 Leeds > Huddersfld 22.53
12 mins
23.05 Huddersfld > Marsden 23.18 (Huddersfield)
ALL WEST YORKSHIRE DONE, AND TIME FOR A GALLON AS WELL?

(23.32 Marsden > Huddersfield 23.44 for home)

 

[Deerfold]

I'd suggest you include Huddersfield - Marsden, Huddersfield-Denby Dale, The Caldervale line to Todmorden (from Huddersfield change at Brighouse Dewsbury, or Halifax) Aire Valley line to Keighley, Wharfedale line to Ilkley (both via Leeds or Bradford). There are many stops where even a short walk (if only to the station bar) is rewarding.

If you do want to check on the possibility of using the bus (useful on some lines with only an hourly service) there's a really helpful journey planner on the Metro website http://www.metrojourneyplanner.info...essionid=63ED513088F4E11579E1AE0AB4A2B56D.yo1 which gives door to door routes including walking/bus/train and even maps showing the location of bus stops. One spectacular route (with plenty of photogenic landscape) is the 901 which runs from Huddersfield to Hebden Bridge, stopping at both Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge rail stations.

If you need to take a bus into Huddersfield to start your expedition, (or just to avoid a queue at the booking office) you can buy a Day Rover in advance from any West Yorkshire Post Office, and just scratch off the date on the day you choose to use it.

Both the 900/901 and 500 are lovely runs (not quite so good if it's foggy). You do need to be carful with your timing on the 900/901 as there are 7 a day. The 500 is hourly.

There's also the 915/916 (every 75 minutes between them) which do some pretty tours of the Bronte countryside in a circle from Keighley - I probably wouldn't do that as well as the Hebden Bridge-Keighley though and it can get a bit bumpy as they don't have the new buses the 900/901 do.

Details for these are below:

http://www.wymetro.com/NR/rdonlyres/3395EBFA-8F06-4445-946E-29BD2E9E0C4F/0/500_kei_bustimetable.pdf

http://www.wymetro.com/NR/rdonlyres/E886BCCC-8E90-4EE5-9105-46D20497E1F7/0/900bustimetable.pdf

http://www.wymetro.com/NR/rdonlyres/DC3D9B46-862A-437D-8134-903BE07E40DE/0/915bustimetable.pdf

http://www.wymetro.com/NR/rdonlyres/1A67E551-8C8D-42F2-9DFD-736471E7E520/0/916bustimetable.pdf

 

[colpepper]

Brilliant work SB and some fine drinking time by the sound of things. Inspirational stuff! And thanks for the gen Deerfold.

 

[Deerfold]

Trust me, it CAN be done on a Saturday as shown below, but it does involve the "cheat" of staying on train from Denby Dale (19.41) to Barnsley(20.06) to pick up the Barnsley (20.33) to Darton (20.38) to continue to Leeds. Extra cost £3.10.


Metro Day Rover – Saturday Special

05.56 Steeton > Shipley 06.13
9 mins
<...>
23.05 Huddersfld > Marsden 23.18 (Huddersfield)
ALL WEST YORKSHIRE DONE, AND TIME FOR A GALLON AS WELL?

(23.32 Marsden > Huddersfield 23.44 for home)

It also involves the slight problem of finishing at the opposite end of the county from where you started!

 

[Sapphire Blue]

It also involves the slight problem of finsihing at the opposite end of the county from where you started!

And after a day like that we were precisely how bothered?

Seriously though it involved a son (with the promise of my car for the day) dropping us off at Steeton very early. We both live in Hudds within reasonable walking (staggering) distance of the station after the finish.
We did the cycle ride Denby to Darton the next day as punishment for the cheat too!

 

[colpepper]

Now if they'd just reopen the Holmfirth, Meltham and Clayton West branches the drinking opportunities would increase enormously in the southern reaches.

 

[Deerfold]

And after a day like that we were precisely how bothered?

Seriously though it involved a son (with the promise of my car for the day) dropping us off at Steeton very early. We both live in Hudds within reasonable walking (staggering) distance of the station after the finish.
We did the cycle ride Denby to Darton the next day as punishment for the cheat too!

I did only say *slight* problem

Sounds even more extreme than the trips a few friends and I used to get up to about 10 years ago - unfortunately I'm the only one (back) in West Yorkshire now.