14 Day ALR 2014

[dcd]

What are the chances of this working out?
See Attachment.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

No reason for it not to, although lots of 5 minute changes so you might well be on edge the whole time. Given the number of late night returns to Southampton, a decent delay could completely throw the plans.

What's your goal on this trip, routes or haulage? Certainly no time for photography.

I guess you are trying to avoid hotels with the heavy use of sleeper trains and returns (home?) to Southampton, but the sleeper is not the most comfortable ride and you can probably have a much more enjoyable schedule by using hotels. I'm sure folk can recommend some station adjacent places to stay.

 

[Kite159]

11 & 12 on the Wednesday seems to have a negative connection (arriving at :08 but departing on the :06)

Busy plan going all over the place.
Certainly puts my Freedom of Scotland adventure to shame

 

[Flying Snail]

It really depends on what you want out of it, mileage; routes you haven't been on before; new traction, Loco haulage (probably not based on that itinerary) or something else?

There is an awful lot of Voyager mileage there, if you don't hate them now you will by the end of the 2 weeks!

I agree with what Tim said, look at spending a few nights in hotels if possible, you won't have to spend half the day shuttling to/from SOU so can get to more spots and trains you wouldn't normally be near.

Are you planning to book sleepers for any of those overnight runs or are you going to use the seats? If the latter then expect to be getting **** all sleep and 2 of them in a row may leave you rather worse than you think, you may find you don't enjoy the daytime trips much due to nodding off. You may also find yourself having to sleep in on one of the later days short to catch up on sleep when you do get back to your own bed. It may be that you will have no problem sleeping on the seats but you would be in the minority.

I am sure that you are avoiding hotel stays for cost and I can appreciate that, I did the same when I was younger but TBH spending numerous nights not sleeping on overnight seated trains was not at all fun and I would have enjoyed my days much better had I not been knackered for long periods.

Other small things like instead of going to/from the same station look at walking to near stations to get a different line in, Bradford FS - Interchange for example. Instead of going back and forth on the Barton branch look at going to or from Hull by bus over the Humber bridge perhaps.

They are just my thoughts, not a criticism of your plans in any way.

 

[dcd]

11 & 12 on the Wednesday seems to have a negative connection (arriving at :08 but departing on the :06)

Busy plan going all over the place.
Certainly puts my Freedom of Scotland adventure to shame

Thanks for the spot it was a typo should be :28 for the depart.

It is a first class ticket and I have first class sleeper cabins. I have done 6 nights on the trot on the sleeper in previous years using a 7 day rover. As 14 seems better value I decided to do that and split the sleepers so as not to carry too much luggage. I am doing it for lines I haven't done and possible spots and mileage for the competition.

Thanks all for comments I'll let you know if I it works out or not.

 

[185143]

With apologies to the OP for hijacking the thread,

What are the most scenic lines/recommended routes for an ALR? Im not too fussed about haulages, as im doing 1V60, Aberdeen-Penzance! I would like to travel on loco hauled services though, although I wouldn't hang around for a long time to catch one.

I have done the S&C and Cumbrian Coast, so would be looking to avoid these unless I just 'happen' to be in Leeds/Carlisle at the right time needing to get to the other!(Even then, id probably go via Newcastle and EC) I will have done the HoW as well.

It has been suggested to me to go over to Ryde and do the island Line, which I am planning to do!

 

[Searle]

On the first Thursday, Journeys 10 and 11 will require you to be pretty quick off the mark at St Pancras, especially if you're late and you don't know where you're going, the EMT and Thameslink lines are quite far away from each other (easily do-able in 6 minutes, a bit dodgy anywhere under that). You could probably get the train after and still make the connection at Waterloo, but might require a bit of rushing!

 

[Crossover]

I would also concur that you are going to get very familiar with Cross Country services!

Also bear in mind that the sleepers can, and do, get significantly delayed so you may not hit the destination at the time you expect

 

[30907]

I would also concur that you are going to get very familiar with Cross Country services!

Also bear in mind that the sleepers can, and do, get significantly delayed so you may not hit the destination at the time you expect

The one most likely to cause you problems is the connection at GLC off the sleeper onto the Girvan - I would consider shifting the whole Stranraer part to the second Thursday, later in the day (check 1138 off GLC, and not doing Ayr-Girvan x4), which has the bonus IMO of splitting your exploration of Glasgow suburbia into two (I can only take so much plain suburban double track at a time...).

Another thing for the Glasgow area is to check and see if any pairs of stations are within easy walking distance, Paisley and Canal come to mind, to avoid too much doubling back.

BTW -have you thought of fitting in the bubble car on Risboro-Aylesbury?

 

[dcd]

The one most likely to cause you problems is the connection at GLC off the sleeper onto the Girvan - I would consider shifting the whole Stranraer part to the second Thursday, later in the day (check 1138 off GLC, and not doing Ayr-Girvan x4), which has the bonus IMO of splitting your exploration of Glasgow suburbia into two (I can only take so much plain suburban double track at a time...).

Another thing for the Glasgow area is to check and see if any pairs of stations are within easy walking distance, Paisley and Canal come to mind, to avoid too much doubling back.

BTW -have you thought of fitting in the bubble car on Risboro-Aylesbury?

I'll give it some thought. the Ayr-Girvan x 4 is mainly just filling in time rather than sitting at Ayr for the connection - might as well add some miles.

Hoping that First Thursday journey 3 is the bubble.

 

[DarloRich]

I had a similarly intricate plan for my up coming 7 day rover but it just felt very dodgy in that the first missed connection or late train buggers up your whole day.

I have therefore gone for building a trip around the loco hauled trains that exist with the rest of the day empty for me to travel around and between those services.

 

[30907]

I'll give it some thought. the Ayr-Girvan x 4 is mainly just filling in time rather than sitting at Ayr for the connection - might as well add some miles.

Hoping that First Thursday journey 3 is the bubble.

No it isnt which is why I asked - 1000 Risboro is the diagrammed working, though, so all you need to do is go OUT via Wycombe and back via Amersham....

 

[Kite159]

I had a similarly intricate plan for my up coming 7 day rover but it just felt very dodgy in that the first missed connection or late train buggers up your whole day.

I have therefore gone for building a trip around the loco hauled trains that exist with the rest of the day empty for me to travel around and between those services.

It puts you on edge, knowing a single delay causing a missed connection can bugger up the plan if that said connection was a 1 train per hour jobbie.

Always have some sort of backup plan, and if that fails, then go off-plan

 

[dcd]

No it isnt which is why I asked - 1000 Risboro is the diagrammed working, though, so all you need to do is go OUT via Wycombe and back via Amersham....

Thanks for this. I have amended the plan to as suggested.

 

[crispy1978]

That looks an epic journey. Have you calculated the mileage on it? As people have said, you may have some running to do to make connections for some of those!

When I do a plan, I like to get a feel for how trains generally run by doing the RealTimeTrains through the journey to get an idea which trains are traditionally late (and early) - I remember having to rejig a plan when I did one, and it was a good job I did as I had problems exactly where RTT was saying they historically crop up.

Obviously - you can't account for delays due to trains breaking down, trespassing, etc...

Good luck if and when you plan to do it!

 

[dcd]

That looks an epic journey. Have you calculated the mileage on it?

7835m 50ch

 

[collysbubble]

i am getting a 14day 1st class alr next year i plan to do the sleeper trains i want to do wick to penzance and aberdean to penzance just not sure how to book the sleeper berths if i allread hold a ticket. i have a lot of planning to do and a lof of saving up as well i get a good discount with my disabled railcard saves me about 300 quid so cant grumble really.

 

[DarloRich]

i am getting a 14day 1st class alr next year i plan to do the sleeper trains i want to do wick to penzance and aberdean to penzance just not sure how to book the sleeper berths if i allread hold a ticket. i have a lot of planning to do and a lof of saving up as well i get a good discount with my disabled railcard saves me about 300 quid so cant grumble really.

Use the telesales line - very easy.

 

[dcd]

No reason for it not to, although lots of 5 minute changes so you might well be on edge the whole time. Given the number of late night returns to Southampton, a decent delay could completely throw the plans.

What's your goal on this trip, routes or haulage? Certainly no time for photography.

I guess you are trying to avoid hotels with the heavy use of sleeper trains and returns (home?) to Southampton, but the sleeper is not the most comfortable ride and you can probably have a much more enjoyable schedule by using hotels. I'm sure folk can recommend some station adjacent places to stay.

Didn't quite work out as you can see in the attachment.

 

[PHILIPE]

Didn't quite work out as you can see in the attachment.

Really great detail but we look forward to see what was working them.

 

[Crossover]

You managed to stay on an ECS service?

 

[D841 Roebuck]

You managed to stay on an ECS service?

If that's at Neilston, I did the same many years ago - with the permission of a friendly guard.

 

[dcd]

You managed to stay on an ECS service?

If that's at Neilston, I did the same many years ago - with the permission of a friendly guard.

It was indeed, the guard was fine but asked the driver who was fine too.