Round Robin v ranger

[bennorthyork]

Does a round robin restrict you to one circuit with no doubling back, unlike a ranger? Thanks.

 

[ModernRailways]

Does a round robin restrict you to one circuit with no doubling back, unlike a ranger? Thanks.

A round robin can be used in either direction. As an example, on a North East Round Robin you could go Newcastle-York, York-Darlington, Darlington-Leeds, Leeds-Newcastle.

 

[Rover]

Barry Doe in his annual Rail Rover article in Rail, the last of which was in 2019, always stated:
"Despite the title, Round Robin tickets offer unlimited travel as with any other Day Ranger"

 

[Joey Beauchamp]

From railrover.org:

Note that "Round Robin" tickets have the same validity as rangers, they offer unlimited travel in the area defined, you do not have to travel in a circle.

I believe the only exception is the Ffestiniog Round Robin, which only includes a single journey on the Ffestiniog Railway.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I believe the only exception is the Ffestiniog Round Robin, which only includes a single journey on the Ffestiniog Railway.

Could you pay the extra to also return via the Ffestiniog Railway, to allow a day journey such as Chester to Pwllheli via Llandudno Junction?

 

[Belperpete]

Could you pay the extra to also return via the Ffestiniog Railway, to allow a day journey such as Chester to Pwllheli via Llandudno Junction?

As far as I can see, there is nothing stopping you buying a single on the Ffestiniog Railway, plus a Porthmadog or Minffordd return to Pwllheli, in addition to your Round Robin ticket.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

As far as I can see, there is nothing stopping you buying a single on the Ffestiniog Railway, plus a Porthmadog or Minffordd return to Pwllheli, in addition to your Round Robin ticket.

Isn't the Ffestiniog Round Robin already valid between Minffordd and Porthmadog to/from Pwllheli? Why the extra return ticket?

 

[Belperpete]

If you buy a Round Robin ticket that includes say Liverpool, that allows you to start from Liverpool to get to the circuit, and to get back to Liverpool after completing the circuit. It does not allow someone starting from say Shrewsbury to break the circuit to have a trip to Liverpool and back. Similarly the ticket allows you to start from say Pwllheli or Holyhead to get to the circuit, and to get back there after completing the circuit, but is not intended for someone to break the circuit to have a side trip to those places.

You may get away with it, but I wouldn't be surprised if a guard checking the ticket on the way to somewhere like Pwllheli or Holyhead didn't query how you had managed to already complete the circuit, or the guard on the way back querying why your ticket was already "clipped" as you should only be starting the circuit.