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All Line Rovers

You are here: Home > Forum > Miscellaneous > The real thing (anything else rail-oriented) > All Line Rovers

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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 15:33 #36833
guidomcc
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246 posts
I'm not planning such a trip myself, but it would be interesting to hear, and I'm sure others would find it interesting too - if you had a few days with an All Line Rover, what would you do/where would you go?

At the moment I'm thinking

  1. Blaenau Ffestiniog

  2. ELL

  3. Southeastern out of Pancras

  4. Sleeper to Fort William

  5. VT Glasgow - London (never been on a 390 :blink



What would you do?

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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 15:39 #36835
Sam Tugwell
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Paignton - Paignton via Wick?
"Signalman Exeter"
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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 16:21 #36836
guidomcc
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" said:
Paignton - Paignton via Wick? :P
Seeing the country by Voyager?

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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 16:31 #36837
mfcooper
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You could read IrishDave's blog about when he did the All Line Rover back in 2009

First Blog Entry:
Day 0 - Buying the Ticket

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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 16:53 #36840
guidomcc
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" said:
You could read IrishDave's blog about when he did the All Line Rover back in 2009

First Blog Entry:
Day 0 - Buying the Ticket
Saw that, good read Just wondering what other people's preferences would be (especially in a smaller time frame). What would you choose? I would also recommend Paul Bigland's articles in RAIL, they have the advantage of good pictures to go along with them

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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 17:17 #36841
mfcooper
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I'd recommend longer distance routes not available on a regional/etc ticket (eg: London Travelcard). The ELL can be done in a short time on a one-day travelcard so I think it would be a waste of an All Line Rover. However, I am a Londoner, so that may skew my opinion on this.
Last edited: 23/10/2012 at 17:17 by mfcooper
Reason: typos

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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 17:36 #36842
GeoffM
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For maximum unique mileage (as far as possible), a trip could start from London King's Cross, down to Edinburgh, maybe some local trains, then sleeper back to London Euston, then Great Western to Wales to pick up the Heart of Wales line, then wander across to catch Chiltern up to London Marylebone. Then maybe Waterloo to Exeter via Salisbury and back to Paddington via Taunton and Westbury (maybe sleeper). A quick jaunt around the coast of Kent, then maybe Liverpool Street out to East Anglia via Shenfield and back via Cambridge to Liverpool Street. How many days is that?
SimSig Boss
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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 17:51 #36844
Stephen Fulcher
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Loops to and from London such as those Geoff are probably good ways to get the most mileage in.
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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 18:32 #36846
headshot119
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I'd be tempted to redo my Wrexham - Wrexham via Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Birmingham and Shrewsbury. Though all in first class this time.

I'd also fancy Penzance - Aberdeen, or the reverse.

I'd also finally do the Midland Mainline one end to the other.

"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 18:42 #36847
jc92
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" said:
I'd also finally do the Midland Mainline one end to the other.
Pancras - Glasgow Central via S&C and Dumfries?

"We don't stop camborne wednesdays"
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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 19:32 #36850
Underwood
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" said:

I'd also fancy Penzance - Aberdeen, or the reverse.
I've always fancied doing that for my next ALR (which I believe would make it the 7th or 8th one I've done). The plan I had in mind is to do Euston to Aberdeen beds, a Scotrail return to Dyce to kill time and increase mileage for the day, Voyager from Aberdeen to Penzance, then GW beds from Penzance to Paddington*. Some amount of miles clocked up in one day!!

* = Depends on delays! I've seen the beds held once for the Voyager, however when I did it earlier this year, we crossed the Voyager somewhere between Penzance and St Erth.

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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 19:34 #36852
Stephen Fulcher
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It won't be a booked connection as 1A40 calls at quite a lot of stations in Cornwall on its way up.

As it sits on Long Rock all day, it is generally fairly punctual out of Penzance. I keep meaning to catch it one day.

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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 19:50 #36854
guidomcc
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Is the Whitby line and Pickering worth doing?
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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 22:07 #36863
Steamer
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" said:
Is the Whitby line and Pickering worth doing?
Whitby- Pickering and back is fantastic if you're in to preserved steam/diesels- lots of nice steep hills! I don't know about the Middlesborough- Whitby line though. Also, I doubt that the Rover will be valid on North Yorkshire Moors services. (If you didn't know, the line between Grosmont and Pickering is a heritage railway, which also operates services over Network Rail metals between Grosmont and Whitby.)

"Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q)
Last edited: 23/10/2012 at 22:09 by Steamer
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All Line Rovers 23/10/2012 at 22:34 #36864
pbinnersley
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431 posts
It comes down to Personal preference and what you want to achieve.

- Maximum mileage travelled.
- Maximise route milage.
- Scenic lines.
- Rarely used lines.
- Travelling to far away places and visiting them.
- Unusual haulage (if there is any left).
- Something else!

I've done rovers in the UK (not all line) and overseas with various objectives. Generally the best advice is to plan, plan and plan; but seriously:

- Check for engineering work.
- Know what your tight connections are and have an alternative plan if you miss one.
- Allow some slack incase you find something interesting is happening/ or your plans go pear shaped.
- Train seats aren't as big or as comfortable as they used to be so think hard before doing Penzance-Aberdeen without a change.
- Trains can get very full at times. Book a seat if you think you are at risk of standing for a long distance.
- Take a timetable.
- Travel light - its easier to make connections.

But most important of all, remember you are doing it for fun, and don't underestimate how tiring catching 10+ trains a day can be quite tiring.

Happy travelling,

Peter.

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All Line Rovers 24/10/2012 at 05:44 #36866
Peter Bennet
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5402 posts
Having done many weeks of RailRovering back in the 80s; mainly thrashing up and down the same bits of line. I'd quite like to wander around scratching off various branch lines I've never done.

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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