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What would Woking to London have cost in the 1980s?
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StephenHunter
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Depends which end of the 1980s; inflation was pretty high and BR's ticket increases more so. Also, you would have had various discount tickets available depending on the time of year.
You'd be on easier jobs with the trains themselves though.
You'd be on easier jobs with the trains themselves though.
From January 1983 the Day Return (after 9.30am Mon to Fri) was £2.80, half for children under 16(?).
The Family Railcard at that stage gave 50% off the adult day return fare with children £1 each; it cost £10 a year.
Can't help you with Tube and Bus fares, but there were no such things as Travelcards.
The Family Railcard at that stage gave 50% off the adult day return fare with children £1 each; it cost £10 a year.
Can't help you with Tube and Bus fares, but there were no such things as Travelcards.
DelW
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There certainly were Travelcards in the 1980s, the earliest I have is dated 13th May 1984.
1984, off peak, adult, all zones, price £2.
1987, off peak, adult, zones 1, 2, 3ab, price £1.70.
1988, off peak, adult, zones 1, 2, 3abc, price £2.
I think they were first introduced in 1984, the one mentioned above has serial number 00019 from Borough station (they were pre-printed then).
I remember the 'Capital Card' The advert had a plug and the prongs were a Bus, Tube, and a Train
*edit* found one
6th Jan 1985
StephenHunter
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Thanks. Earlier than I remembered, then - so 1986 for the one-day Capitalcard (when did the version from out-boundary stations start?
Jamesrob637
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£2 is admittedly very cheap even for the mid-1980s but God some of the LU stock was shocking! Also many of the trains to and from Surrey weren't much better back then The only consolation was they were relatively frequent and 12-car working was already common in the peaks. This was at a time that non-London cities were receiving new Sprinters and Pacers, so they had short but brand new stock.
StephenHunter
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What was operating back then? REPs and VEPs? With the 508s then 455s?
DelW
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From memory, on the Direct, I think VEPs on the stoppers, CIGs and BIGs on the fasts, unless BEPs had already replaced the BIGs by then.
As others have said, it depends on the year. Ticket prices were increased by some significant sums each year in the 80s, partly because of high inflation, but also because in the late 80s BR was using price to limit demand, somewhat unsuccessfully. 10-12% increase per year was not unusual.
WesternLancer
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Interesting project - let us know the results!
For transport in London worth being aware of the GLC Fare's Fair policy (and the subsequent controversy) - quite well covered on wikipedia but this link has a poster with some example fares illustrated. I certainly recall benefiting from this on day trips to London during the period.
GLC Fares Fair
FARES FAIR The newly elected Labour controlled Greater London Council (GLC) of 1981 under leader Ken Livingstone, and his transport chair D...
ourhistory-hayes.blogspot.com
Fares Fair - Wikipedia
randyrippley
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also the 33/50/47 diesels on the Salisbury and Exeter services, they stopped at Woking then ran non-stop to Waterloo
Probably HAPs as well, depending on the year.
Ah those were the days...
BEPs started to appear on Portsmouth services from around 1983. And the Salisbury/Exeter services were largely formed of early Mk 2 coaches from the mid 1980s.
Hassocks5489
Member
The only 1980s London<>Woking ticket I have in my collection is a 1989 single from London Waterloo, which was £1.95 for a Child (so £3.90 Adult and roughly £2.60 with a Railcard).
I think that’s about right. I don’t have any old tickets, but in my hazy memory a day return from Brookwood to London (SR) wasin the region of £1.50 / £1.70 in around 1986. Ticket prices went up around 8-10% a year back then, so that is pretty consistent.
I have several tickets from that era and earlier.
These three are NCR / Edmondson design and the price was printed on at the time of issue.
In January 1974 the Cheap Off Peak Return fare was 73p
My January 1975 example cost 76p
I have a 1978 example headed "Off Peak Return" at £1.43
Unfortunately most of the 1980s examples are Ultimatic two piece or one piece. There is a space where the year is normally printed headed price. Most of these actually show the year (83) so I can't say what the fare was.
These three are NCR / Edmondson design and the price was printed on at the time of issue.
In January 1974 the Cheap Off Peak Return fare was 73p
My January 1975 example cost 76p
I have a 1978 example headed "Off Peak Return" at £1.43
Unfortunately most of the 1980s examples are Ultimatic two piece or one piece. There is a space where the year is normally printed headed price. Most of these actually show the year (83) so I can't say what the fare was.
Busaholic
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Slightly off topic, but my first job in 1967 involved a weekly season from Bromley South to Victoria, cost thirty shillings (£1.50.) On the basis of that extortionate price I negotiated an extra 50p on my weekly wages!
price I negotiated an extra 50p on my weekly wages!
ForTheLoveOf
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'Luckily' that's only risen by 66% in real terms since 1967; rather modest by the standard of most other fares!Slightly off topic, but my first job in 1967 involved a weekly season from Bromley South to Victoria, cost thirty shillings (£1.50.) On the basis of that extortionate
ChiefPlanner
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Sometimes got 4-HaP working all day semi-fasts to Basingstoke , and they were certainly used on peak strenghtening - say 8-VEP , 2 HaP (up to the mid 1880's from memory) - they felt ancient even then.
Ancient in the 1880s - that’s really old!
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
I am often accused of living in the past. HAP sets had a half-corridor arrangement for lavatory access - very 19thC. Comfy , soft seats , plenty of dust. Nice.
£47 now - I make that roughly x30 or 3000%. Think you've confused shillings and pounds there?
£47 now - I make that roughly x30 or 3000%. Think you've confused shillings and pounds there?
I think you’ve confused the phrase ‘real terms’.
Using RPI, prices today are 18.25 times higher than in 1967, ie something that cost £1.50 back then would now be £27.38 now. £47 is 72% higher, in real terms.
Pedantically yours...
Oh dear, I missed it altogether. Apologies to both of you.
No worries! I miss stuff like that all the time.
As an aside, it is so nice to have someone on the forum say ‘hands up, I was wrong’. Tip of the hat, sir.
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