My first ALR (sometime in September/October)

[James Wake]

Hi everyone
I am planning to do a 7 day Standard Class ALR sometime around September or October. I want to definitely do:
Night Riviera sleeper to/from Cornwall
Return trip from London to Scotland in one day eg Euston-Glasgow-Edinburgh-Kings Cross (despite the fact my Mum was born in Scotland, I haven't been there)
Would quite like to go to Hull, to see EYMS (buses from the Channel 5 series)
Go to Wales, never been there either
Will mostly be returning home to Three Bridges each night, unless anyone has any ideas that they have done before of reasonably cheap places to stay near railway stations.
Any suggestions for excellent journeys welcome
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also, what is the cost for the sleeper berth supplement and how can I get it?

 

[telstarbox]

The Settle-Carlisle would be worth fitting in, you could do:

Three Bridges - London - Scotland (early morning or sleeper)
Glasgow - Carlisle
Carlisle - Leeds via Settle
Leeds - Hull
Hull - London on Hull Trains

Premier Inn and Travelodge seem to be popular for overnight stops, especially midweek for around £30 outside London.

 

[higthomas]

What are you looking for , e.g. beautiful lines, nice places to get to, interesting traction, route coverage?

 

[FQ]

Hull - London on Hull Trains

Or even better, Hull to Doncaster on Hull trains for an EC 91/HST while you still can.

 

[Tracked]

Did the Night Riveria a few years ago, didn't need booking to try and sleep in the seated carriage, but didn't get much sleep (don't know if I would've done in the berth though).

If you're going to Hull then travelling up to Scraborough & on to York's a good run

The heart of Wales line's quite scenic, but the full Shrewsbury-Cardiff journey was 5 hours of 153, you don't mention whether you have long or short legs ...

Crewe-Holyhead is a good run, and a stop off at Llandudno Junction for Blaenau Ffesttiniog is too

Kyle of Lochalsh is a decent station to try & sleep on, I'm not sure if otters in the area would be hungrier in Sept/Oct than in July though ... the run up from Glasgow is good too, as are the lines to Oban & Mallaig

 

[IanXC]

The view of the Humber estury from the train is another good reason to go to Hull

Talking of London-Scotland journies, I'm going to retrace the route of the Thames-Clyde express on my next ALR - Glasgow-Dumfries-Carlise-Leeds-Barnsley-Sheffield-St Pancras.

 

[James Wake]

Was thinking it may be difficult to do everything. Want to visit the Severn Valley Railway, perhaps on the Chiltern Mainline Class 67s if there are no early restrictions on that, Ffestiniog will probably wait until next time and I can stop somewhere overnight when I do it again. Planning on Cornish Branches and sleeper still, only £50 for a single cabin supplement I believe, will certainly look at Hull and maybe try and go to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. Also want to try a XC HST, so could try something like this:
Day 1. South West Trains then sleeper to Cornwall
Day 2. Cornish Branches then over to Plymouth
Day 3. HST to Leeds then local lines before an overnight stop
Day 4. Keighley and Worth Valley/Settle and Carlisle/WCML to Euston
etc

 

[FQ]

Perhaps on the Chiltern Mainline Class 67s if there are no early restrictions on that.

There are no restrictions but I would say for the 67s, your best bet is to get the 06:09 from Kidderminster to London Marylebone, to get more time somewhere else.

 

[30907]

Was thinking it may be difficult to do everything. Want to visit the Severn Valley Railway, ...and maybe try and go to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

Day 1. South West Trains then sleeper to Cornwall
Day 2. Cornish Branches then over to Plymouth
Day 3. HST to Leeds then local lines before an overnight stop
Day 4. Keighley and Worth Valley/Settle and Carlisle/WCML to Euston
etc

Couple of thoughts:
is it worth doing preserved lines on an ALR given that you have to pay? KWVR will be weekends-only by then, not sure about SVR
As well as the usual chains in Leeds, theres an Ibis in Shipley within a couple
of minutes of the station.
Bear in mind that you'll have less than twelve hours of daylight - I used to find evening trips solo rather tedious

 

[Kite159]

Remember the days are slowly getting shorter, getting dark around 8:30 now here, come a few weeks time it will be 7:00-7:30, probably earlier heading north.

Solo trips when it's dark outside (hence limited viewing) are like 30907 says tedious.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

If you're looking at covering lines, it might be worth thinking about those that aren't included in the boundaries of regional ranger or rover tickets.

Maybe something like Three Bridges - London - Kings Lynn - Ely - Ipswich - Harwich/Walton/Clacton/Braintree/Sudbury/Southminster branches - Wickford - SouthendV/C - Fenchurch St and home (or on to a sleeper.

 

[Temple Meads]

Solo trips when it's dark outside (hence limited viewing) are like 30907 says tedious.

Better on suburban stopping services though, with more to observe both inside and outside.

 

[James Wake]

I have now planned the first three days pretty much, doing the SWML from Waterloo to Weymouth, then Castle Cary, then Plymouth, then Gunnislake and back before an overnight stop.
Then on the next day, doing all Cornish Branches, then catching the Night Riviera.
On the Wednesday, doing something Telstarbox suggested, but doing 1030 EUS to Carlisle, then Leeds, Hull and Kings Cross. 4 days left to play with, any more ideas?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
If anyone wants to know, I'm 6"2, and found the legroom on a 153 to Great Yarmouth a couple of years back really harsh, was relieved when a class 156 arrived to take us back to Norwich.

 

[Kite159]

You would want to avoid the lovely Pacers in Devon area, the seats are better than the pacers of the north, but are uncomfortable for long periods if you don't get the bay seats (normally 2 or 3 per car)

 

[Hadders]

How about the Skye circular? Train to Kyle of Lochalsh, bus to Armadale on Skye, ferry to Mallaig then train to Fort William and beyond! A most spectacular journey.

 

[James Wake]

Doing a round trip to Scotland in a day and Grand Central/Cumbrian Coast now, want to do East Anglia, any loco-hauled on Friday or Sunday on branch lines?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I have noticed on Sunday 21st September, services from Cardiff to London are routed via Gloucester, does that mean they reverse at Gloucester, or does 1st class remain at the front until London Paddington?

 

[Kite159]

Doing a round trip to Scotland in a day and Grand Central/Cumbrian Coast now, want to do East Anglia, any loco-hauled on Friday or Sunday on branch lines?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I have noticed on Sunday 21st September, services from Cardiff to London are routed via Gloucester, does that mean they reverse at Gloucester, or does 1st class remain at the front until London Paddington?

They won't reverse at Gloucester from Cardiff to London, so First will remain at the front (unless the train is in reverse formation)

 

[James Wake]

Now prepared my plan fully:
Day 1: To Plymouth via Weymouth and the Gunnislake branch
Day 2: All Cornish Branches then Night Riviera to Paddington
Day 3: Carlisle then Settle and Carlisle to Leeds, Hull, Kings Cross, Thameslink home
Day 4: Ipswich, Lowestoft, Norwich, Cambridge, Liverpool St, Southend
Day 5: Chiltern Parliamentary train, HS1, South Eastern, 458/5 to Windsor, Reading
Day 6: Scotland round trip, TL to St Pancras, EC to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Virgin home
Day 7: Hereford, Cardiff, Barry Island, Reading, Gatwick and home

 

[David Goddard]

Great planning, a good mixture there, taking in HS1, Long Distance Express, branches and Sleepers. Keep us posted how you get on.

 

[Kite159]

Bet you will be the only passenger on the Chiltern Parliamentary, with the guard double checking you want South/West Rusilip

 

[James Wake]

I'm doing South Ruislip to London Paddington, then getting tube (with my Oyster) to St Pancras for a Javelin to Dover.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I have just pulled off a fantastic change to the plan, I had originally planned on the Wednesday to get off the sleeper at 7am, and make a leisurely way to Euston for the 1030 to Carlisle arr 1346 for the Leeds train at 1404, but if I get the 0749 London Midland train to Coventry, arr 0930, I can pick up the 0843 ex Euston to Glasgow via Birmingham at 0942 to get to Carlisle at 1259, and give more time to change for the Settle Carlisle train

 

[FQ]

I have just pulled off a fantastic change to the plan, I had originally planned on the Wednesday to get off the sleeper at 7am, and make a leisurely way to Euston for the 1030 to Carlisle arr 1346 for the Leeds train at 1404, but if I get the 0749 London Midland train to Coventry, arr 0930, I can pick up the 0843 ex Euston to Glasgow via Birmingham at 0942 to get to Carlisle at 1259, and give more time to change for the Settle Carlisle train

I would go for the EUS-GLC train from Euston, not Coventry as 2 hours on a 350 is pretty rubbish compared to an hour (if that) on a 390.

 

[James Wake]

I would go for the EUS-GLC train from Euston, not Coventry as 2 hours on a 350 is pretty rubbish compared to an hour (if that) on a 390.

Thank you for your input fishquinn, I think I will decide on the day, I would rather tick off London Midland on my operators (plus its a 110 mph run) and I would rather have the peace of mind of more time at Carlisle. Does anyone know how busy the 0843 from Euston normally is?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And also I'm doing GLC-EUS in 1st on the Saturday afternoon.

 

[FQ]

Thank you for your input fishquinn, I think I will decide on the day, I would rather tick off London Midland on my operators (plus its a 110 mph run) and I would rather have the peace of mind of more time at Carlisle. Does anyone know how busy the 0843 from Euston normally is?

The 350s on the New Street trains are timed for 100 not 110 but it is your choice.

The 08:43 from Euston is the 09:42 at Coventry, which isn't too busy, if you get the front coach. (It usually empties out at New Street).

 

[James Wake]

That's an error on RTT then, anyway I would take the seats in the front coach immediately behind the driver's cab, also as it is the quiet coach on the Pendolino, doesn't matter about the 350s being 100mph.