Least sold product?

[alistairlees]

The heliport is now a Tescos supermarket. It closed not so longer after we did the return trip. Our trip back was wholly during the day rather than by sleeper.

Sainsbury's in fact. The Tesco's is in a different location (nearer the town).

 

[al78]

Rovers for sure.

While they're great, we should just get rid of them. 8/10 people don't even know they exist anyway and while they can be useful, it's just another level of ticketing that isn't worth having in the system. Same with the all-line-rover. A few restrictions - too many to make it worth bothering with?

Same with the Network Railcard.
Should just get rid of it. Why do people in that area (which is rather large!) get special discounted rates? Because they supposedly work in London? Well, hey, that's why you get paid more.

Digressing a little, but I wonder whether all railcards should have their terms of use merged. Different ones may provide some sort of statistics but no wonder our system is so complicated - different rules for this and that, and this ticket and that ticket.
But then that also relates to why we should get rid of returns and just have singles instead (at a lower cost).

Nothing to do with working in London. I've used a network railcard when going nowhere near London. I don't think peak time passengers such as commuters are allowed to use it anyway.

It is an interesting question as to why it exists in the first place. Is it to encourage more off-peak rail use in a region where the rail network is bursting at the seams during peak hours?

 

[Clip]

Nothing to do with working in London. I've used a network railcard when going nowhere near London. I don't think peak time passengers such as commuters are allowed to use it anyway.

It is an interesting question as to why it exists in the first place. Is it to encourage more off-peak rail use in a region where the rail network is bursting at the seams during peak hours?

Its a relic from the old NSE days and yes it was brought in to encourage more off peak travel including weekends and theyre still very very popular

 

[tsr]

Whilst I have heard that acronymical expansion before it is by no means unique (or official). One booking clerk I knew was adamant that it was "Stupid Idiot Lost Kash". The Telegraphic Code book had the rather ponderous definition of "....... here without funds. Can you call at undermentioned address and collect fare, plus expenses as follows. Wire result at once."
Many telegraphic codes were completely un-acronymical, sometimes being grouped in 'families' to give an immediate clue to context.

Sprinter153 is correct. It stands for “Stranded Individual, Location Known”. It’s explained in internal Fares Briefs from time to time.

 

[RJ21]

Plenty, I’d imagine. I buy several in this manner each month

You're probably right, I was pondering it based on the response I get when I ask for one, more often than not it turns into a lesson on how to issue one.

 

[Gareth Marston]

Rovers shouldn't be abolished. They should be given more publicity but perhaps the range simplified.

They are perfect as an off-peak version of a regional season ticket.

Agree poorly advertised I sell hardly any of them as people just dont know about them.

 

[mrcheek]

Rovers for sure.

While they're great, we should just get rid of them. 8/10 people don't even know they exist anyway and while they can be useful, it's just another level of ticketing that isn't worth having in the system. Same with the all-line-rover. A few restrictions - too many to make it worth bothering with?

ridiculous. Many people make use of rovers

I do a 2 week All Line Rover (First Class) every year, and also a regional rover at some point.

 

[EM2]

How about the Gravesend to London Season Ticket Route EARLYBIRD NOT HS1 ?

http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=GRV&dest=1072&rte=295&tkt=7DS

Only valid on weekday trains departing before 7am.

The “Unpublished Restrictions” for Journey Planners looks odd. Not valid to depart from any station, any TOC at any time.

When there are disruptions, and non-High Speed tickets are accepted on HS1, I do see a fair number of those.

 

[whhistle]

Many people make use of rovers

How many people is "many"?

I estimate that out of between 750-1000 tickets sold, only one rover will be sold - perhaps even more.
As I said, they are great, but so obscure that knowledge gets forgotten about by Train Managers and Ticket Office clerks, so causes a conflict situation. It's great being knowledgable if you're a passenger but coming across like you know more than a Train Manager is never a recipe for a smooth journey.
Of course, I would expect everyone who is registered here to know about them, but joe anyone barely understands the difference between Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime tickets, let alone rangers and rovers.
I mean, I still come across people who say "super-saver" and other such nonsence that doesn't exist. The best is people who say "cheap super-saver off-peak anytime single return".

 

[swaldman]

Re Network Card,

It is an interesting question as to why it exists in the first place. Is it to encourage more off-peak rail use in a region where the rail network is bursting at the seams during peak hours?

I always assumed it was a pre-privatisation marketing thing by Network Southeast, which has then carried on for historical reasons. Would be glad to be corrected though!

 

[Clip]

How many people is "many"?

I estimate that out of between 750-1000 tickets sold, only one rover will be sold

That's still a lot of rovers being sold then.

There are areas which promote their products a lot better than others and that's what keeps rover numbers looking good and not just enthusiasts as you claim.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Re Network Card,


I always assumed it was a pre-privatisation marketing thing by Network Southeast, which has then carried on for historical reasons. Would be glad to be corrected though!

You are indeed correct. It was introduced in 1986 upon the creation of Network SouthEast I believe, to encourage leisure travel during then relatively quiet times outside of peak hours. I suppose it still exists because it remains popular with passengers, it'd be a PR disaster to remove, and in the event of Network SouthEast ever being reformed, you wouldn't need to rename it.

 

[Gareth Marston]

ridiculous. Many people make use of rovers

I do a 2 week All Line Rover (First Class) every year, and also a regional rover at some point.

Good for you sir glad you have the time and £ to do it. However you'll wait a long time here waiting on someone asking for Rover at the counter........

 

[Harbouring]

I think it probably depends on the rover or ranger, cheaper one day ones I’m sure will do better than 3 in 7 etc. The recent (last year anway) price increase of the FOSS 3in7 put it outside the area that I thought was good vfm so i don’t use them much anymore but I guess a one day FOSS would undercut so many day return fares.

 

[swaldman]

You are indeed correct. It was introduced in 1986 upon the creation of Network SouthEast I believe, to encourage leisure travel during then relatively quiet times outside of peak hours. I suppose it still exists because it remains popular with passengers, it'd be a PR disaster to remove, and in the event of Network SouthEast ever being reformed, you wouldn't need to rename it.

*grin*
With the profusion of railcards these days, I can't help thinking it would be better to scrap the lot of them and just lower off-peak fares by 30%. I say this as the only member of my family in the rather specific group that still pays full fares: Able-bodied people between the ages of 30 and 55, not in full-time education, traveling alone, who don't live in the South-east of England....

 

[DarloRich]

ridiculous. Many people make use of rovers

I do a 2 week All Line Rover (First Class) every year, and also a regional rover at some point.

No - many spotters and saddos like me use rovers - I bet few real people even know they exist.

 

[WelshBluebird]

*grin*
With the profusion of railcards these days, I can't help thinking it would be better to scrap the lot of them and just lower off-peak fares by 30%. I say this as the only member of my family in the rather specific group that still pays full fares: Able-bodied people between the ages of 30 and 55, not in full-time education, traveling alone, who don't live in the South-east of England....

Why would you only lower off peak fares? If the fare is more than £12, then most railcards can still be used before 10am. And that is before you get to flows that do not have an off peak ticket available.

 

[skyhigh]

I think SILks are on the rise again, word seems to be getting round over Twitter and they crop up more and more.

Round my area staff seem very reluctant to issue tickets in this way - if the passenger has ID they issue an unpaid fare notice and get payment that way. I don't get involved in the retail side though so not sure what policies actually exist!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Round my area staff seem very reluctant to issue tickets in this way - if the passenger has ID they issue an unpaid fare notice and get payment that way. I don't get involved in the retail side though so not sure what policies actually exist!

I assume said UFNs are endorsed to ensure they don't turn into a threat of prosecution and an £80 Penalty Fake?

 

[skyhigh]

I assume said UFNs are endorsed to ensure they don't turn into a threat of prosecution and an £80 Penalty Fake?

Yes, though I assume that if you don't pay up there will be other consequences. (The station I work at isn't managed by the TOC, so I've never actually looked too closely at what they do as I don't work for them, but I'm aware that UFNs are issued in these circumstances)

 

[Nean]

Is someone able to explain AAA routings? I couldn't find it in the ticketing guide and a cursory google didn't return anything useful...

 

[JaJaWa]

Is someone able to explain AAA routings? I couldn't find it in the ticketing guide and a cursory google didn't return anything useful...

Also Available At

A season ticket which allows you to travel between 3 destinations.

 

[theageofthetra]

New Beckenham to Beckenham Jct season must be v.rare though there were rumours years ago that a member of staff at one of the bank sports and socials nearby had one as part of his pay.

 

[Bookd]

New Beckenham to Beckenham Jct season must be v.rare though there were rumours years ago that a member of staff at one of the bank sports and socials nearby had one as part of his pay.

I doubt if it was part of his pay, but outside New Beckenham is a gate directly in to the HSBC Sports Club ( one of few remaining company sports clubs). If he wanted to go there every day after work it might have made sense.

 

[swaldman]

Why would you only lower off peak fares? If the fare is more than £12, then most railcards can still be used before 10am. And that is before you get to flows that do not have an off peak ticket available.

Huh, I never knew that. Yay for different T&Cs between different railcards, eh?

 

[greyman42]

£72.86 per day-I suppose there must be a lot of restrictions? Why are few sold?

When did they put restrictions on All Line Rovers and why? When I used to do an All Line Rover you could arrive in London any time you wanted.

 

[CyrusWuff]

When did they put restrictions on All Line Rovers and why? When I used to do an All Line Rover you could arrive in London any time you wanted.

Shortly after Lord Adonis (then SoS for Transport) spent a week or two travelling the length and breadth of the country on one and saying how good it was that such a product existed! (Or words to that effect anyway)

As for why, I believe they may have been making a dent in the revenue of certain long distance operators who essentially had commuters who normally bought "a quantity" of Anytime Returns each week until they discovered they could save money by buying ALRs instead (with the revenue being divvied up in a different manner).

 

[greyman42]

Shortly after Lord Adonis (then SoS for Transport) spent a week or two travelling the length and breadth of the country on one and saying how good it was that such a product existed! (Or words to that effect anyway)

As for why, I believe they may have been making a dent in the revenue of certain long distance operators who essentially had commuters who normally bought "a quantity" of Anytime Returns each week until they discovered they could save money by buying ALRs instead (with the revenue being divvied up in a different manner).

Great answer. Thanks.

 

[jfollows]

I believe they may have been making a dent in the revenue of certain long distance operators

Not only did a week's All Line Rover cost less than 2x open return Manchester-London, as well as saving money I was cheered in the knowledge that Virgin only got a percentage of the lower amount.
The calculation remains the same today. The difference, as said, is that more people know about the ticket. However it used to be impossible to buy the ticket from some stations, such as Manchester Oxford Road, who both didn't know about the ticket and weren't capable of selling it when asked. Even Manchester Piccadilly took patience until someone who had a clue could be found.

 

[86246]

When I purchased my ALR the bloke at the ticket office turned the screen round so I could confirm which rover product I required. A few conductors didn't know what it was. Some of those that did looked surprised.