Festiniog events 2025

[Russel]

Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland are expensive unless you are a member of one or both. Its excellent value for members at 10 free return tickets per year for £41 for an adult and 50% off the Welsh Highland Railway or £50 for the other way around.

Membership looks to be very good value, I assume you're provided with some kind of photo ID for the 10 free returns, otherwise it sounds like it could be open to abuse.

 

[Krokodil]

Membership looks to be very good value, I assume you're provided with some kind of photo ID for the 10 free returns, otherwise it sounds like it could be open to abuse.

There wasn't a photo ID when I had one, I think that you had to use your own driving licence (or whatever) to match the name on the membership card

 

[LittleRedTrain]

The membership cards are now ones that you have to stick your own passport sized photo to and then put a self adhesive plastic cover over.

I agree that it is good value though if you're going to a special event or plan to be in the area more than once a year.

 

[John Luxton]

The membership cards are now ones that you have to stick your own passport sized photo to and then put a self adhesive plastic cover over.

I agree that it is good value though if you're going to a special event or plan to be in the area more than once a year.

For some strange reason WHRS membership cards don't require a photo which is odd as the value of the concession is even greater. Something I don't quite understand. As a life member of both I have found the FR card with my photo on is more durable than the WHRS card onto which I have had to rewrite my membership number twice as it has rubbed off having only been written on with a pen.

 

[jamess]

Membership looks to be very good value, I assume you're provided with some kind of photo ID for the 10 free returns, otherwise it sounds like it could be open to abuse.

You can also take three friends in the year for half fare. You get boxes for this.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jan 2025 ==

Membership looks to be very good value, I assume you're provided with some kind of photo ID for the 10 free returns, otherwise it sounds like it could be open to abuse.

Regarding the free travel, I heard that a B and B were loaning cards out to guests and advertising a free trip ticket n the train as part of the deal if you booked to stay there. Then photos were introduced.

i had a chance encounter with the FRS chair recently and he said only around 5% of members used their travel privileges in an recent year

 

[Gwr12345]

You can also take three friends in the year for half fare. You get boxes for this.

Not anymore, full fare only

 

[Harpo]

They seem to be annoying a lot of people with their post covid pricing structure but they are keeping a complex heritage network in the black while facing rapidly spiralling costs.

To keep going they need volunteers, members and other contributing stakeholders on-side. I guess it’s the non-contributing who are providing the sniper fire?

 

[Belperpete]

For some strange reason WHRS membership cards don't require a photo which is odd as the value of the concession is even greater. Something I don't quite understand. As a life member of both I have found the FR card with my photo on is more durable than the WHRS card onto which I have had to rewrite my membership number twice as it has rubbed off having only been written on with a pen.

When you book a ticket, a record is now taken of your membership number, and I understand the system keeps a record of the number of tickets you have been issued. That way they can spot anyone who is abusing the system, such as the guest house owner loaning their card out to guests.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jan 2025 ==

i had a chance encounter with the FRS chair recently and he said only around 5% of members used their travel privileges in an recent year

Part of the reason could be that active volunteers get issued with a staff pass, so don't need to use their Society card(s). Even so, 5% seems really low.

 

[John Luxton]

When you book a ticket, a record is now taken of your membership number, and I understand the system keeps a record of the number of tickets you have been issued. That way they can spot anyone who is abusing the system, such as the guest house owner loaning their card out to guests.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jan 2025 ==


Part of the reason could be that active volunteers get issued with a staff pass, so don't need to use their Society card(s). Even so, 5% seems really low.

Yes I have noticed that - I recall the scandal uncovered shortly before Covid when it was discovered that gues houses had been loaning out cards. - But I am just a bit puzzled as to why the WHRS cards don't need photos.

I wonder if misuse by accommodation providers has happened at other heritage lines given that many are in holiday destination areas?

 

[jamess]

Not anymore, full fare only

Ahh, I didn’t know that had been dropped.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jan 2025 ==

When you book a ticket, a record is now taken of your membership number, and I understand the system keeps a record of the number of tickets you have been issued. That way they can spot anyone who is abusing the system, such as the guest house owner loaning their card out to guests.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jan 2025 ==


Part of the reason could be that active volunteers get issued with a staff pass, so don't need to use their Society card(s). Even so, 5% seems really low.

Yes, I was surprised at how this figure was. I asked if that included members using their cards for discounted gala weekends, e.g. By Gones, bank holiday galas etc and was told that it did and wasn’t just less than 5% using it for return tickets. That surprised me further.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jan 2025 ==

Yes I have noticed that - I recall the scandal uncovered shortly before Covid when it was discovered that gues houses had been loaning out cards. - But I am just a bit puzzled as to why the WHRS cards don't need photos.

I wonder if misuse by accommodation providers has happened at other heritage lines given that many are in holiday destination areas?

I remember speaking to the guard on the WHR about this issue with a B and B. He said he had worked the same train twice in week and noticed Passengers boarding at an intermediate station requesting free travel from him. He immediately realised that he had seen those membership cards from that station already that week and they were in other peoples hands!

 

[WAB]

Yes I have noticed that - I recall the scandal uncovered shortly before Covid when it was discovered that gues houses had been loaning out cards. - But I am just a bit puzzled as to why the WHRS cards don't need photos.

I wonder if misuse by accommodation providers has happened at other heritage lines given that many are in holiday destination areas?

Well, the FRS and WHRS are two completely different societies and there may be ideological differences at board level about photo ID.

 

[John Luxton]

Well, the FRS and WHRS are two completely different societies and there may be ideological differences at board level about photo ID.

True but given that it is the company that grants the concession I though the request for photo ID had been a company initiative and not the FR Society.