How many preserved railways still issue Edmondson tickets?

[duffield]

As far as I'm aware it is yellow for KR issued day rovers. Blue for Bewdley issued (KR-BY returns are also blue) and green for Bridgnorth issued ones. Different colours for other journeys. KR-AY returns are pink for instance while KR-HY return are orange/brown.

I definitely got a yellow day rover from KR a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Belperpete]

From my youth I was used to plastic wristbands being clipped to your wrist with a special tool, but my first heritage railway paper wristband totally baffled me and I ended up destroying it. The next time, I didn't even get that far since it fell out of my pocket running for the train, not having had time to attach it (on both occasions I just paid again at the other end of the line).

I think that one of the reasons I detest them is they remind me of all the hospital stays I had during my cancer treatment, at which I became quite accustomed to applying them.

 

[NER1621]

I think that one of the reasons I detest them is they remind me of all the hospital stays I had during my cancer treatment, at which I became quite accustomed to applying them.

OT, but I’m sorry to hear that. I hope things are better for you now.

 

[Krokodil]

But I agree: so far of the 10+ UK preserved railways on which I've been, the majority issue flimsy thermal paper 'tickets' that look nothing like a card ticket.

Most of the ones I've seen lately are of the thin card/thick glossy paper sort that you'd get at a theatre box office.

The previous version of the annual pass on NYMR was issued on standard till receipt and thus was separate from the day ticket. You would have to show the receipt each time you used subsequently.

That sounds unlikely to survive the year.

I think some non-enthusiasts might actually prefer the more colourful pictorial souvenir tickets to the Edmondsons.

Here's a good one from the Chemin de fer du Viverais. So good that I've kept it. The intermediate station booking office used a velorail image, which I can't find right now.

 

[xotGD]

The tickets issued at the KWVR have a selection of images from the railway on the back. If your luck is in, you get the Class 37, if your luck is out, you get the Pacer.

I've built up quite a collection.

Going back to Edmondson tickets, the only place I got issued with one of them on the big railway was Carlisle. A day return to Annan in the early 80s.

 

[kje7812]

That sounds unlikely to survive the year.

In a wallet, no. In a book/diary, doable.

The tickets issued at the KWVR have a selection of images from the railway on the back. If your luck is in, you get the Class 37, if your luck is out, you get the Pacer.

I've built up quite a collection.

The KWVR ones are quite nice and importantly not too big. Some railways printed tickets are far too big for card/ticket holders and just up bend and crumpled (Mainly thinking of the NYMR ones).

 

[cj_1985]

Bo'ness & Kineill still do... I think I still have the one I was issued at the May diesel gala, in my wallet.

 

[duffield]

The tickets issued at the KWVR have a selection of images from the railway on the back. If your luck is in, you get the Class 37, if your luck is out, you get the Pacer.

I've built up quite a collection.

Going back to Edmondson tickets, the only place I got issued with one of them on the big railway was Carlisle. A day return to Annan in the early 80s.

That reminds me, when I was in the process of joining BR as an IT specialist in 1982, they sent me an "interview pack" which included an Emondson ticket to get to and from the interview location, and on the train the guard glared at it and told me "They're not supposed to use these anymore!", but he didn't seem to blame me and still accepted it!

 

[Tester]

That reminds me, when I was in the process of joining BR as an IT specialist in 1982, they sent me an "interview pack" which included an Emondson ticket to get to and from the interview location, and on the train the guard glared at it and told me "They're not supposed to use these anymore!", but he didn't seem to blame me and still accepted it!

I presume that the ticket was blue.

 

[duffield]

I presume that the ticket was blue.

It was 43 years ago, but as I remember it, yes.

 

[Tester]

It was 43 years ago, but as I remember it, yes.

The blue tickets were introduced when photocards became required for active staff free travel, before the 'boxes' came in. A number of return journeys of your choice per year, based on grade/service. Wick to All Channel Ports was a favourite

A variation had a red X on it, denoting photocard not required, for retired staff and situations such as yours.

 

[Tim M]

Taking a different course, the Ffestiniog Railway introduced a computerised booking office at Harbour station about 50 years ago using a system designed by Brian Bushell. The system lasted for about forty years but has since been replaced by commercially available software, essential for on-line booking. The RH&DR adopted the same system. Note this was before the first computerised booking office on British Rail.

Edmonton card tickets probably lasted a few years longer for cheap day returns to Porthmadog from Penrhyn and Minffordd stations. These were sold primarily to residents as the train could be much quicker than the bus on summer Saturdays.

Guards also sell tickets for intermediate stations and halts, but that’s another story.

Brian Bushell - Festipedia

www.festipedia.org.uk

 

[david_g]

Issued to me on Saturday at the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway. I'm a member and active volunteer (usually at the front end of the train) but the booking clerk, who I know well, still insisted on seeing my membership card

 

[xotGD]

I was disappointed at the Churnet Valley that my ticket took the form of a till receipt.

 

[Belperpete]

That reminds me, when I was in the process of joining BR as an IT specialist in 1982, they sent me an "interview pack" which included an Emondson ticket to get to and from the interview location, and on the train the guard glared at it and told me "They're not supposed to use these anymore!", but he didn't seem to blame me and still accepted it!

Was he getting confused with the staff free tickets mentioned by another poster?

As I recall, the blue Edmondson tickets remained in use for some time after the staff free travel went over to boxes, for things like duty travel that wasn't covered by a duty pass. I can recall a colleague was issued a blue ticket for a journey from York to Reading and back to go to a meeting. It was endorsed "valid via London". On the way back, he went via Birmingham, and was reported by a TTI for a travel irregularity, who claimed that because it was valid via London meant it wasn't valid via other routes! In those days, a staff travel irregularity was treated quite seriously (as you were effectively defrauding your own company), so my colleague got quite worried. However, when the report duly worked its way through the disciplinary process, our manager promptly binned it, with a few choice words about the TTI.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Sep 2025 ==

Issued to me on Saturday at the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway. I'm a member and active volunteer (usually at the front end of the train) but the booking clerk, who I know well, still insisted on seeing my membership cardView attachment 188169

Interesting that it doesn't say what type of ticket it is, single or return for example.

I got given a wrist band on my recent visit, and a till receipt, but that was the gala.

 

[duffield]

Was he getting confused with the staff free tickets mentioned by another poster?

As I recall, the blue Edmondson tickets remained in use for some time after the staff free travel went over to boxes, for things like duty travel that wasn't covered by a duty pass.
...

It's quite possible, it's also possible that my ticket was the wrong sort - the earlier post said that as a not-yet employee I should have had a red cross endorsement on the ticket to show I didn't need an id card, and I'm pretty sure there was no red cross. But as it was 43 years ago, my memories could well be faulty!

 

[Rescars]

It's quite possible, it's also possible that my ticket was the wrong sort - the earlier post said that as a not-yet employee I should have had a red cross endorsement on the ticket to show I didn't need an id card, and I'm pretty sure there was no red cross. But as it was 43 years ago, my memories could well be faulty!

Just for the sake of completeness, there were first class equivalents with and without the cross, printed in red on white card.

 

[DarloRich]

Some passengers have made disapproving remarks over the use of wristbands at galas and complain about them being difficult to put on.

Yet they manage to put a watch on! I was laughing at the amount of huffing about wristbands at the last gala I went to. Silly old puffers buffers! ( and I will have it at the history festival I am at this weekend with my step father!)

It is a much more sensible arrangement for high visitor numbers than a bit of cardboard!

The previous version of the annual pass on NYMR was issued on standard till receipt and thus was separate from the day ticket. You would have to show the receipt each time you used subsequently.

Booking on line I just entered the code number from the original ticket which I took a picture of to make sure I kept it!

If you aren't interested in the heritage, why visit preserved railways?

I didn't realise my interest in preserved railways was governed by whether or not I like a silly little bit of card. I will stop going and cancel my monthly contributions.

That sounds unlikely to survive the year.

take a picture of it and book on line. Easy.

The KWVR ones are quite nice and importantly not too big. Some railways printed tickets are far too big for card/ticket holders and just up bend and crumpled (Mainly thinking of the NYMR ones).

Just put it in your wallet and then bin it when you get home. You don't need a ticket holder. They are of no real value. The only ones i have are from some events that have particular/personal attachment. I am not a sentimentalist but understand others will have different views.

 

[duffield]

Yet they manage to put a watch on! I was laughing at the amount of huffing about wristbands at the last gala I went to. Silly old puffers buffers! ( and I will have it at the history festival I am at this weekend with my step father!)
...

I can put a watch on just fine, but the first time I encountered one of the paper wristbands, after staring at it for a few minutes it was still not at all clear how to expose the sticky surface without destroying the anti-tamper section, and I managed to accidentally ruin it. But maybe I'm just particularly dense.

I managed fine on the second occasion, but FWIW they are still a bit more awkward to put on than a watch.

 

[timj]

I wish railways would issue NCR 51 style tickets, the tall red ones issued by BR ticket offices in the early 1980's

 

[DarloRich]

I wish railways would issue NCR 51 style tickets, the tall red ones issued by BR ticket offices in the early 1980's

they are the first ones i can recall getting.

 

[Belperpete]

I didn't realise my interest in preserved railways was governed by whether or not I like a silly little bit of card. I will stop going and cancel my monthly contributions.

I was asking a genuine question: if you aren't interested in the heritage, why do you visit heritage railways?

 

[RPM]

I get slightly irritated when it is suggested that Edmondsons are the only heritage tickets. It would be nice to see Amex, Setright, Omniprinter, Bell Punch etc sometimes. Even better, imagine some of the early till-based and computerised ticket systems represented at diesel galas (INTIS, Hugin, NCR51, hell, even APTIS!). For practical reasons they'd probably have to be mocked up though.

 

[Belperpete]

I wish railways would issue NCR 51 style tickets, the tall red ones issued by BR ticket offices in the early 1980's

They would be appropriate for a railway replicating the 1980s, but not one aiming to replicate the steam era.

There are people who collect tickets of all different types, but as for the equipment and processes around their control and issuing, that seems to be much more niche. I can remember doing the daily and weekly ledger balances and cross-balances for Edmundson tickets, but it is not something that would probably ever cross most people's minds. Likewise the expertise needed to rapidly issue tickets from large racks of Edmundsons.

In a similar vein, issuing NCR type tickets would need the relevant equipment to be provided and maintained, and people trained in it's use.

These are all important parts of railway heritage. Unfortunately many enthusiasts seem to fixate on the locos, and ignore everything else. To go to a railway that has lovingly recreated a heritage station adorned with enamel signs and staff dressed in period uniform, but get issued a computerised ticket, is just totally incongruous and debases the whole heritage experience.

 

[xotGD]

I was asking a genuine question: if you aren't interested in the heritage, why do you visit heritage railways?

Bashers who turn up to red-pen a required Class 70 aren't there for the heritage!