National Rail Guide to Tickets

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I picked up a copy of "National Rail Guide to Tickets" dated June 2013 this evening; had a few minute to kill, and skim-read it.

"Time restrictions apply on the use of some Rover and Ranger tickets"

I - err - question the use of the word "some". All the ranger and rover tickets that I know of (i.e. including services in Wiltshire) have some sort of restrictions on them (may be only on certain days of the week).  Does that apply elsewhere too, or "some" a realistic word to use for the country in general,  with many / most rover and ranger products outside the South West carrying few if any time restrictions?

A full range of tickets is available from staffed ticket offices at National Rail stations throughout Great Britain

Now that's interesting, because I have (twice now, and it's not consistant) been refused service on the grounds that I am booking too many tickets at once.  What is the limit?  "Full range" doesn't imply rationing of tickets, save for quotas on Advanced where there is a limited supply in the first place.

[JayMac]

There are, as far as I'm aware, no Rovers or Rangers in Great Britain* that are totally without time restrictions. The All Line Rover (ALR^▸ (All Line Rover)) used to be unrestricted on weekdays, but canny long distance commuters realised that the ALR was cheaper and of more use than alternative walk-up or seasons tickets.

Now the ALR has morning restrictions boarding or alighting at many major stations in and around London, as well as Birmingham New Street. Commendably, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia) (now Greater Anglia) were the only long distance operators who didn't add an AM restriction on the ALR into their major London terminal.

Former SoS for Transport, Andrew Adonis, heavily promoted his use of ALRs during his time as cabinet minister. It was shortly after this publicity that the price was increased and the restrictions introduced. Any link between these events is, of course, purely coincidental. 

*Overseas visitors can purchase BritRail Rovers of various flavours (area covered, class of travel, adult/youth/senior, high/low season, length of validity) and these have no time restrictions.

[John R]

The restriction (can't alight or depart before 10am at the stations listed) must devalue the product for a lot of genuine users. I'm not sure how enforceable the "alight at New St" is with a bit of judicious planning, but the others appear pretty watertight, by the inclusion of stops such as Milton Keynes, Stevenage and Bedford as well as KX, Euston and St Pancras.

[JayMac]

Still ways to get round the 10am restriction though. National Rail Conditions of Carriage 19(c) can be useful...

As for the Birmingham New St restriction. You can still get into central Birmingham early doors on an ALR^▸ (All Line Rover) by alighting at places such as Wolverhampton and taking a local service.

[JayMac]

And back to the second part of grahame's query.

I don't think there's a ration on the number of tickets a clerk should sell. That's probably either obstinacy, or the possibility that there may have been a large queue at the time.

If the former, then no excuse. If the latter, then a simple apology with the reason stated should have been forthcoming.

[Brucey]

The Southern DaySave Peak (at ^35 per day) is the only ranger or rover that I can think of without a time restriction.

This isn't available to purchase at any ticket office though...

[JayMac]

Good shout Brucey.

Which has reminded me of the Freedom Travelpass available in the former Avon county area. Comes in both Peak and Off Peak flavours, with varying areas of validity, as well as varying periods of validity. Most of which are purchasable on the day.

[Lee]

When using the Freedom Travelpass, I would advise taking the relevant publicity leaflet with you, as there have been issues with bus drivers being reluctant to accept versions that are printed on rail tickets.

[JayMac]

I concur Lee.

I was once almost stranded at UWE Filton when a Wessex Connect bus driver refused to believe that my Freedom Travelpass on rail orange stock was valid. I sat down and told him to prove otherwise. Slightly belligerent on my part, and his call to 'control' merely got the response, "Let him travel, but I think its only valid on First buses."

Snotty email to Wessex got me confirmation my ticket was valid, a free day pass, and a promise that Wessex drivers would be reminded of the validity of the Freedom Travelpass. That were a couple of years ago. No problems since.

[bobm]

I had a Wiltshire Day Rover yesterday and on one bus I caught the driver said "I expect we take them, not sure" - and let me travel!

[Worcester_Passenger]

A few years ago I was going to visit a customer in ******. Went on the train, and bought a PlusBus so as to get out to their offices. The bus driver refused to accept it. But I did get reimbursed, in cash, immediately, by the customer. Understandable, given that I was visiting the Commercial Director of the bus company in question.

[JayMac]

That's the sort of post, W_P, that deserves a *like*.

I hope a rocket was fired up the bottom of the bus driver who refused to accept your PlusBus.

[Southern Stag]

Another ticket I can think of without peak restrictions is the North Wales Rover, which is actually a day ranger. It offers very good value bus and train travel for one day, with varying areas of validity available for varying prices.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/pr288e170a04000401a827150cf1c5f6.aspx

[bobm]

The Island Line Day Ranger on the Isle of Wight has no restrictions.

There is also the Island Liner Day Rover which has no restrictions but is only available on days when the steam railway is operating as it includes travel on that.

[JayMac]

Seems my, "as far as I'm aware" has been resoundingly shot out of the water. 

Brucey fired the first shot, I followed up, and now Southern Stag and bobm have all but sunk bignosemac's HMS Supposition.