Me and Me ALR

[transportphoto]

Hi All, I am currently gob-smacked that a tongue-in-cheek question if I could do a ALR with my Dad - has resulted that I am actually going to do one in October!

Can you tell me the price of the berth supplements for the Caledonian & Riveria sleepers for 1ST class ALR holders please?

It will be for 1A (with SNR) and 1C

TIA

TP

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EDIT: from post #5

Thread title Changed... "Me and Me ALR - and Portsmouth to IOW Ferries (was with the sleepers) !"

Right - do ALR's give you free travel on the ferries between Portsmouth and the IOW?

 

[garnon]

Hi All, I am currently gob-smacked that a tongue-in-cheek question if I could do a ALR with my Dad - has resulted that I am actually going to do one in October!

Can you tell me the price of the berth supplements for the Caledonian & Riveria sleepers for 1ST class ALR holders please?

It will be for 1A (with SNR) and 1C

TIA

TP

£43 on caledonian and £45 on Riviera. Beware, supplements are quota controlled so book early

 

[transportphoto]

Is that Per Person or Each?

 

[rail-britain]

That would be per person
Each person will have their own berth
Book berth numbered 09 to 15, as these are in the middle of the sleeper coach and are slightly quieter (reduced noise from the bogies)

I did a 14 day First Class ALR last year, so take a look at my review
I also have numerous photos, but they have not been uploaded yet (really should get round to it)

For the Inverness sleeper ask the Steward to reserve you a table
Order the Haggis, great value for money at about £6

 

[transportphoto]

Ok, Thanks - we may just go seated sleeper unless the booking clerk don't charge us for the berth as I have been told has happened!

Where can I find your review RB?


--------------------

EDIT - Thread title Changed... "Me and Me ALR - and Portsmouth to IOW Ferries (was with the sleepers) !"

Right - do ALR's give you free travel on the ferries between Portsmouth and the IOW?

 

[rail-britain]

Where can I find your review RB?

From my website, adding .co.uk or .com to the username

 

[yorkie]

Hi All, I am currently gob-smacked that a tongue-in-cheek question if I could do a ALR with my Dad - has resulted that I am actually going to do one in October!

From what I've heard, you'd save several hundred pounds by doing a 1st class ALR in somewhere like Czech Republic, where they still have decent locos (that sound like 37/9s), including the cost of getting there and back. It costs a fortune to do an ALR in this country and it's mostly plastic units!

H
Can you tell me the price of the berth supplements for the Caledonian & Riveria sleepers for 1ST class ALR holders please?

The same as for any 1st class ticket holder. You can get inter-connecting cabins. I believe there is a cheaper price for berth supplements for Under 16s, not sure if this applies in FC. I can't find any prices on FSRs website.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

From what I've heard, you'd save several hundred pounds by doing a 1st class ALR in somewhere like Czech Republic, where they still have decent locos (that sound like 37/9s), including the cost of getting there and back. It costs a fortune to do an ALR in this country and it's mostly plastic units!.

Many 749s/751s are silenced now, Yorkie. Be lucky to get a loud one on a service train.

Still, I am hoping to in the next few weeks!

 

[transportphoto]

Back on Subject Boys and Girls Please - I have quite a few questions to ask!

Right - do ALR's give you free travel on the ferries between Portsmouth and the IOW?

 

[rail-britain]

do ALR's give you free travel on the ferries between Portsmouth and the IOW?

No, the ALR is only valid on rail services :
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pr569241c35ce74100fb0de1b9798124/details.html

 

[transportphoto]

Ok - so will 2x (one out one back next day) Anytime Day Singles (1a 1c Fam & Friends RC) at £10 (PMH to RYD) be OK for the ferries?

If so which ones are they valid on - Wightlink Catamaran's?

 

[bnm]

Seeing as it's only Wightlink Catamarans that run from PMH, then that'd be a yes!

Alternative is the hovercraft with a free buslink to Southsea Hoverport from either PMS or PMH. Can't find the fares in NFM06 or OJPs for this route using PMH/PMS as origin though.

From Fratton to Ryde Hoverport the F&F fare for 1 Ad 1 Ch is £11.65 SDS

 

[transportphoto]

Silly me - I should do some research!

I should have known that the ticket is not valid on shipping services as it is placed in the most obvious of places!

The next question will follow!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Book berth numbered 09 to 15, as these are in the middle of the sleeper coach and are slightly quieter (reduced noise from the bogies)

Reduced noise, yes - but you get more lateral movement in exchange when you are on the curvey bits of the line!

 

[rail-britain]

I'd rather have (very small amount of) lateral movement than the bogies banging for several hours
The only times I was awoken was between Penrith and Lancaster, southbound, and when the train had stopped moving for about 15 minutes or more!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Not sure how much difference it makes overall - I've never had problems sleeping wherever my berth is located* in the carriage, but I do find the lateral movement slightly more uncomfortable at times ( although I love it when sitting upright in a daytime carriage at high speed ).

*Maybe I'm just so used to the Sleepers these days?

 

[garnon]

Don't know if there is a rationale reason for this but i found the FGW sleepers a much better ride to the Scotrail equivalent. Whether this is because they are on different bogies, or the average speed of the trip is lower, or better track, I don't know.

 

[Birdbrain]

Ok - so will 2x (one out one back next day) Anytime Day Singles (1a 1c Fam & Friends RC) at £10 (PMH to RYD) be OK for the ferries?

If so which ones are they valid on - Wightlink Catamaran's?

As mentioned, you will have to pay for the ferry sadly but once your over here your fine with your ALR on Island Line. Ryde St Johns is a good stop off point as you can look at the signal box and sometimes you can see the who fleet of units on shed. Have fun!

 

[transportphoto]

Where would you suggest going - I am trying to do a whistle stop tour of the UK!

 

[transportphoto]

Heres my (draft) plan for Day One and Two...

View attachment ALR October 2010!.xls

===========

I want to goto a busy station with only one or two ticket windows (when I get my reservations) so I can make the qu nice and long, doing all of them in one batch.

Any ideas - London Travelcard area preferably!

I'm not as polite as 'rail-britain' lol

 

[Shrub Hill]

would be very wary of only allowing 6 mins at inverness for your connection, only has to be slightly delayed or the train to aberdeen running late and you have missed your sleeper, why not have 3-4 hours at inverness instead, look at the depot have something to eat, see the sleeper stock shunted in, get on board early and relax,

 

[transportphoto]

would be very wary of only allowing 6 mins at inverness for your connection, only has to be slightly delayed or the train to aberdeen running late and you have missed your sleeper, why not have 3-4 hours at inverness instead, look at the depot have something to eat, see the sleeper stock shunted in, get on board early and relax,

Well - I have allowed the minimum connection times as said on this page ([stn]INV[/stn]) = 5 minutes - if I am delayed into Inverness then they will have to accommodate us on the Inverness sleeper - I am planning seated sleeper anyway!

 

[bnm]

2 minutes to change at Cardiff??? Far too risky and will upset the rest of your planned moves with even a slight delay. If your turnaround is that short then there's really little point in going to Cardiff, excepting the mileage. Suggest turnaround at Newport instead.

 

[142094]

Just wondering if you could post a new thread next time instead of changing the title as it's getting a bit confusing, and filling my inbox with emails.

 

[transportphoto]

Just wondering if you could post a new thread next time instead of changing the title as it's getting a bit confusing, and filling my inbox with emails.

What I will do is change the thread title now to "Me and Me ALR" and then leave it like that - this way it will save confusion in another way as there will only be one thread with the same(ish) names & let each question to be answered before asking another!

Nice to know you have subscribed - but it was your choice!

 

[142094]

Fair enough, however makes it easier when reading the different forums if you put a seperate thread, especially when on a mobile.

 

[Mojo]

I did my first (and so-far only) ALR in July 2005, a First class 7 day version.

I can't remember what exactly I did, but I'd definately do it differently next time.

First day was a South East one: Aylesbury - Marylebone; Paddington - Hayes/Harlington (Heathrow Connect); Hayes/Harlington - Reading; Reading - Guildford; Guildford - Portsmouth Harbour; Ferry to Isle of Wight plus Ryde Pier Head - Shanklin and return; Portsmouth Harbour - Brighton; Brighton - Hastings; Hastings - Ashford Intl; Ashford Intl - Charing +; Marylebone - Aylesbury

I'd also done Heart of Wales and quite a bit on Virgin WC.

 

[transportphoto]

Sorry I totally missed that post!

I have now edited my plans to:

LONDON PADDINGTON	0915	1104	NEWPORT S. WALES	GW	Y	Y	H13A	H13B
								
NEWPORT S. WALES	1139	1159	BRISTOL PARKWAY	GW	Y	Y

Although doing 1st Class - I want to scoop in some HS1 action!

Thanks for that Mojo!

 

[ainsworth74]

End of your second day your going EUS - KGX - YRK - LDS. Most of that you've already done on day one going from PBO - EDB, instead I would suggest going EUS - STP - SHF - LDS, you see the MML and don't double back over yourself.

 

[rail-britain]

The 6 minutes at Inverness shouldn't be an issue
Providing you have a reservation on the Aberdeen sleeper, then you should be able to swap to the Inverness sleeper if you miss the Aberdeen or ask FSR to get you to Aberdeen in order to meet the connection

You can walk from Euston to Kings Cross, don't bother with the underground
20 minutes is more than enough