Fancied a day out at the ELR 1940's weekend in Bury. 
I decided to take the train from Sheffield as I haven't used a train since 1983 (apart from a few heritage lines).
Booking online was fairly straightforward, but by specifying the times I wanted to travel implied to me that I'd be committed to using those trains, although in small type it said "any off-peak train." I don't like ambiguities but ordered the tickets anyway.
I would have appreciated it if the booking fee was mentioned at the outset too! :mad:
Had to go into town so collected my tickets from Sheffield station, had to ask someone how to use the machine
- instructions on the website would have been useful to forewarn me. Also I didn't realise I would get two tickets, one outward and one inward so I nearly walked away leaving the 2nd one behind!:roll:
The tickets were printed with just the date so I reckoned I could use them on any train, which is just as well because I caught an earlier train out and a later one back.
They were subject to "The Permitted Route" and "Restrictions" although I couldn't find details of either anywhere.
The tickets were Sheffield-Bury and included the tram from Manchester Piccadilly to Bury, although nobody checked tickets on the tram.
Train information is a lot better than in the old days - the illuminated signs are great, I could never make out the old Tannoy announcements.
I like the online station maps too.
Coming home the train for Sheffield from Piccadilly on Platform 1 looked like a shed on wheels* and stopped at every station on the way. Luckily I studied the timetables more closely and found a posh* train on platform 13 which only stopped at 2 stations before mine. They could have laid a train on from the booking hall to platform 13 though! :roll:
So all in all a good day out with no arguments with ticket inspectors. I did take screen prints with me just in case.
*Please excuse the technical jargon, I wouldn't know an A4 from a piece of paper.
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As for the ELR event itself - Brilliant!
I planned an itinerary, which left me with an hour on Bury Bolton Street station to have a quick look round. I bought a Day Rover ticket (£16 with my bus-pass) which meant I could use any trains for the whole day, hopping on and off as I pleased (at the stations, obviously).
There were stalls, a couple of great singers, Paul & Natasha Harper, belted out 1930/40s songs, people milling around in army uniforms, including some German soldiers, I couldn't understand what they were saying, something about "when's the next train to Poland" I think. The ticket included admission to the Bury Transport Museum.
Then on to Ramsbottom. This is a smashing Lancashire cotton town, the place was buzzing. More soldiers on the platform. a Home Guard unit "marching" all over the place, some Yanks sitting on the platform getting in everybody's way, the lovely Katie Spitfire singing her heart out. Loads of WWII army vehicles and classic cars around the town. I missed the WWII battle enactment.
Left there to have my sandwiches on Irwell Vale station, a delightful quiet country halt. It was nice to relax in the shade of the shelter, as it was getting quite hot by that time.
Took the next train south to Summerseat, spent an hour walking round, back to Bury for a flypast by a Spitfire and Hurricane and then back home.
A great day out for less than £40. I'll put some pictures up on my Flickr page soon.
EDIT Forgot to mention - all the ELR trains were steam hauled.
I decided to take the train from Sheffield as I haven't used a train since 1983 (apart from a few heritage lines).Booking online was fairly straightforward, but by specifying the times I wanted to travel implied to me that I'd be committed to using those trains, although in small type it said "any off-peak train." I don't like ambiguities but ordered the tickets anyway.
I would have appreciated it if the booking fee was mentioned at the outset too! :mad:
Had to go into town so collected my tickets from Sheffield station, had to ask someone how to use the machine
- instructions on the website would have been useful to forewarn me. Also I didn't realise I would get two tickets, one outward and one inward so I nearly walked away leaving the 2nd one behind!:roll:The tickets were printed with just the date so I reckoned I could use them on any train, which is just as well because I caught an earlier train out and a later one back.
They were subject to "The Permitted Route" and "Restrictions" although I couldn't find details of either anywhere.
The tickets were Sheffield-Bury and included the tram from Manchester Piccadilly to Bury, although nobody checked tickets on the tram.
Train information is a lot better than in the old days - the illuminated signs are great, I could never make out the old Tannoy announcements.
I like the online station maps too.
Coming home the train for Sheffield from Piccadilly on Platform 1 looked like a shed on wheels* and stopped at every station on the way. Luckily I studied the timetables more closely and found a posh* train on platform 13 which only stopped at 2 stations before mine. They could have laid a train on from the booking hall to platform 13 though! :roll:
So all in all a good day out with no arguments with ticket inspectors. I did take screen prints with me just in case.
*Please excuse the technical jargon, I wouldn't know an A4 from a piece of paper.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
As for the ELR event itself - Brilliant!
I planned an itinerary, which left me with an hour on Bury Bolton Street station to have a quick look round. I bought a Day Rover ticket (£16 with my bus-pass) which meant I could use any trains for the whole day, hopping on and off as I pleased (at the stations, obviously).
There were stalls, a couple of great singers, Paul & Natasha Harper, belted out 1930/40s songs, people milling around in army uniforms, including some German soldiers, I couldn't understand what they were saying, something about "when's the next train to Poland" I think. The ticket included admission to the Bury Transport Museum.
Then on to Ramsbottom. This is a smashing Lancashire cotton town, the place was buzzing. More soldiers on the platform. a Home Guard unit "marching" all over the place, some Yanks sitting on the platform getting in everybody's way, the lovely Katie Spitfire singing her heart out. Loads of WWII army vehicles and classic cars around the town. I missed the WWII battle enactment.
Left there to have my sandwiches on Irwell Vale station, a delightful quiet country halt. It was nice to relax in the shade of the shelter, as it was getting quite hot by that time.
Took the next train south to Summerseat, spent an hour walking round, back to Bury for a flypast by a Spitfire and Hurricane and then back home.
A great day out for less than £40. I'll put some pictures up on my Flickr page soon.
EDIT Forgot to mention - all the ELR trains were steam hauled.
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