It is, operated by them!
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7-day UK ALR Bash (Image Heavy)
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It is, operated by them!
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W14Fishbourne
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Try here, where it clearly says:
The all lines rover is NOT valid for travel on Eurostar, Heathrow Express, TfL underground, Docklands Light Railway and Croydon Tramlink, private railways (except Ffestiniog Railway) or on any shipping service. Additionally it is also not available for travel on Heathrow Connect services between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow.
(My emphasis)
The Dartmoor Railway is a private railway (just as the Heathrow line beyond Hayes & Harlington is). Anyway, the problem may well be solved by next year because the Dartmoor Railway is looking to build an interchange station at Yeoford, so presumably anyone wanting to travel to Okehampton will have to use a Barnstaple train from Exeter to Yeoford and change there.
T
Tom
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Yes - it says private railways. However surely it could be made clearer that ALRs are not valid on the Okehampton route especially as it does have a through train which states "operated by First Great Western" - it doesn't even make any mention of it in the NRT...
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: how are we (the public) supposed to know?
I assumed, like Gizmogle and LittleRedTrain, and probably just about any random member of the public not "in the know", that the Dartmoor Railway runs west of Okehampton and it's FGW from Exeter to Okehampton. I think that, given the information available to joe public (ie: not your in-depth knowledge or sectional appendices), that is a very reasonable assumption
Unfortunately this debate goes round in circles, as the people "in the know" just won't accept that: a) their info isn't publicised or obvious and b) that the "rules" are not enforceable by law, bearing in mind consumers are protected against hidden clauses.
Anyway I won't be travelling on the 'special charter service just like EWS providing the stock for a railtour in disguise as a service train' again, and when I did I had one of these Dartmoor rovers anyway so it doesn't affect me, but I will defend anyone in Gizmogle/LRT's position for the reasons stated above regardless of whatever internal railway documents (which are NOT relevant to joe public) say!!!! :-P
W14Fishbourne
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In this case Gizmogle should surely have had her alarm bells rung when she saw that her Privs were not valid on the Okehampton trains. (She was aware of that, wasn't she? If not, why not?)
To be fair, the publicity about the ticketing arrangements hasn't been as good this year as in the past, when I'm sure the situation has been made explicitly clear. However, it is only ALRs that are affected. If you ask for a day ticket to Okehampton at a ticket office you'll be told to book on the train. If you've got a regional rover/ranger Okehampton is not on the map of services on which they're available. Priv users know that their passes aren't valid. So the only people who could be caught out are ALR users.
I wouldn't complain too much though. The TOCs are just looking for any excuse to abolish the ALR.
Gizmogle said:
As for the price, it's 20 miles each way from Crediton to Meldon Quarry, for which the total fare is £11. That compares with 19½ miles each way on the West Somerset line for £13 or just 6½ miles each way on the Paignton & Dartmouth line for £7.40. If you're not bothered about the steam trip to Meldon the cost is only £6 for 18 miles, and you get Exeter-Crediton and Plymouth-Gunnislake as well as many of Devon's buses thrown in for free too.
Tom said:
It doesn't mention in the NRT that you have to pay extra on the buses from Exeter to Bude or for the steam services from Grosmont to Whitby or for a berth on the Penzance and Scottish sleepers.
I had (just) the money to pay for the ticket. So I wasn't too worried.
But how were we supposed to know that the line changed from Crediton?
We just assumed it was all FGW to Okehampton.
Nowhere is it mentioned on the departure board that we have to pay from Crediton. Nor does it mention on the Dartmoor Railway timetables. Nor do FGW warn anyone about it.
How is the average person meant to know about and expect this?
Ascot
Established Member
Cos the average person doesn't buy ALRs so no real worries.
True.
So, if I went to a FGW ticket office and asked for a ticket to Okehampton, would I be told that it changes at Crediton?
W14Fishbourne
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Anyone travelling on a priv should be aware of the restrictions on their use: see under First Great Western.
No, they'll simply tell you to buy a ticket on the train, since it costs the same from Exeter to Okehampton as from Crediton to Okehampton. Just make sure they don't sell you a bus ticket, though!
How are people meant to know about it then?
If you just buy your ticket on then train, then surely you're expecting that ticket to be valid all the way?
Not if the train goes into a Private railway.
W14Fishbourne
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From the internet, from a Dartmoor Railway leaflet? How do you know about services on any other heritage line?
If you buy a Dartmoor Sunday Rover on the train it will be valid all the way from Exeter to Okehampton. It is also valid from Plymouth to Gunnislake. And on lots of buses.
http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/transport/public_transport/buses/services-4/sunday-rover.htm
It's only the ALR and your priv pass that's not valid beyond Crediton. You can't buy any other tickets that might suggest any possibility of being valid between Crediton and Okehampton.
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