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Ruth Elleson
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« Reply #4575 on: 22:37:11, 28-01-2008 » |
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I wish he had been, personally. His first post on the subject contained a lot of points I agreed with, as I posted over there at the time. His subsequent ones, however, caused me to avoid TOP for several days  |
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Oft hat ein Seufzer, deiner Harf' entflossen,
Ein süßer, heiliger Akkord von dir
Den Himmel beßrer Zeiten mir erschlossen,
Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir dafür!
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harmonyharmony
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« Reply #4576 on: 08:51:12, 29-01-2008 » |
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Just a quick rant then I'll be on my way.
With my railcard having recently expired, I was looking at the other discounts that are offered.
I see that there are railcards for young people, people with disabilities, and people over 60. I can see why these are all subsidised. Then there are the family railcards - which are basically set up for adults travelling with children (not necessarily the definition of family but nevermind...) and I see why these are subsidised, but it does seem a bit weird that the only way you can get a discount is if you're travelling with a child.
But then... There is a network railcard. I naively assumed that every network would offer one of these to reward frequent travellers. I use the CrossCountry service a lot and was hoping....
But it's something for the South-East. Just the South-East. Most of the South-East, but I Don't Live There Any More. I Live In The North Of The UK And I'm Sick Of Being Penalised For It!!!!!
Ahem. As you were.
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'is this all we can do?' anonymous student of the University of Berkeley, California quoted in H. Draper, 'The new student revolt' (New York: Grove Press, 1965) http://www.myspace.com/itensemble |
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #4577 on: 09:02:37, 29-01-2008 » |
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But within the South East, you can't buy cheaper Period returns or book many of the trips in advance at a far cheaper rate, hh: the Network Card down there was designed specifically to move as much passenger traffic as possible out of the peak period by offering extra incentives to regular travellers who are prepared to travel outwith the busiest hours.
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Ruth Elleson
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« Reply #4578 on: 09:38:24, 29-01-2008 » |
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But within the South East, you can't buy cheaper Period returns or book many of the trips in advance at a far cheaper rate. In fact - and perhaps this is what you mean - on most journeys in the South East network it's not possible to buy a return at all unless it's a Day Return. Day Returns tend to cost 10p more than a single - so a trip from Paddington to Reading off-peak costs £12.90 (or at least it did until last month - it's gone up now  ) and a Day Return costs £13.00. But if you want to spend the night and return the next day, it'll cost 2 x £12.90 = £25.80. |
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Oft hat ein Seufzer, deiner Harf' entflossen,
Ein süßer, heiliger Akkord von dir
Den Himmel beßrer Zeiten mir erschlossen,
Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir dafür!
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #4579 on: 09:59:08, 29-01-2008 » |
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That's exactly what I mean Ruth, even down to the particular example. I'm afraid that I can remember when a Day Return from Reading to Paddington cost 14/- (70p to you  ). |
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martle
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« Reply #4580 on: 10:45:38, 29-01-2008 » |
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For those of us wanting to do a day trip TO the Smoke (and I do this a lot), the network railcard represents pretty good value, even with the recent fare increases. A travelcard from Brighton - which of course includes unlimited tube and bus trips - costs about £15. Off-peak, of course.
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Green. Always green.
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Morticia
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« Reply #4581 on: 10:51:01, 29-01-2008 » |
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Blimey, that is a good deal, Mart! What`s the usual return fare? <anxiouslylookingatpiggybank emoticon> |
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...trj...
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« Reply #4582 on: 11:28:18, 29-01-2008 » |
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If you're doing any train journey involving the Smoke and you have a London Transport travelcard (as a one day thing or on your Oyster - although prepay doesn't count) be sure to mention this when buying a ticket - a ticket "from the boundary of zone 3", eg, can represent a significant saving (probably about a third of Ruth's Paddington to Reading trip).
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Ruth Elleson
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« Reply #4583 on: 11:43:50, 29-01-2008 » |
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I THINK that the Conditions of Carriage state that one-day travelcards are only valid in this context if the train is stopping at the station where the boundary falls. With a longer-period Travelcard, boundary tickets are valid regardless of where the train stops en route.
When I lived in North Kent (zone 4) I used to have a Zones 1-4 Annual Gold Travelcard, which includes and indeed is slightly better than a Network Railcard (it doesn't have a minimum fare as the Network Railcard does). Now I live in Zone 2 and travel almost exclusively by bus, I can't justify the additional cost of an Annual Gold Card (£968 a year, as opposed to £520 for a bus pass and about an additional £10 a month on my Oyster card for top-up) but when I do travel by train, the difference between discounted tickets from boundary zone 4 (as I used to be able to get) and non-discounted tickets from London terminals does hurt!
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Oft hat ein Seufzer, deiner Harf' entflossen,
Ein süßer, heiliger Akkord von dir
Den Himmel beßrer Zeiten mir erschlossen,
Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir dafür!
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...trj...
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« Reply #4584 on: 11:49:18, 29-01-2008 » |
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You may be right Ruth - I've been doing this for journeys between Victoria and Gatwick for a while now, and not necessarily on a slow train. (Although Gatwick Express is definitely out in this situation.) Mostly with a monthly card though, not a one-day.
Still worth asking though.
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time_is_now
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« Reply #4585 on: 13:14:07, 29-01-2008 » |
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Blimey, that is a good deal, Mart! What`s the usual return fare? <anxiouslylookingatpiggybank emoticon> I think it cost me £17.40 the other week (that was from Zone 3 though, as I already live between London Bridge and East Croydon). |
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The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
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harmonyharmony
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« Reply #4586 on: 18:35:41, 29-01-2008 » |
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But within the South East, you can't buy cheaper Period returns or book many of the trips in advance at a far cheaper rate, hh: the Network Card down there was designed specifically to move as much passenger traffic as possible out of the peak period by offering extra incentives to regular travellers who are prepared to travel outwith the busiest hours.
OK. Good point. But it never ceases to amaze me how wrong-headed the thinking(?) behind the management(?) of the trains in this country is. If the government is so keen to get us off the roads then they should intervene to stop us being charged the moon on a stick for inadequate railways! Time to stir my risotto. |
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'is this all we can do?' anonymous student of the University of Berkeley, California quoted in H. Draper, 'The new student revolt' (New York: Grove Press, 1965) http://www.myspace.com/itensemble |
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harmonyharmony
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« Reply #4587 on: 18:41:36, 29-01-2008 » |
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Oh yes, and at the training session that I attended this afternoon, on the first slide of the Powerpoint presentation we were treated to an incorrect use of "it's". This is to a room full of academics and secretaries... You've got to love HR. Someone has to.
Also, my new girlfriend is turning out to have just as good communication skills as the last one. There's been almost complete communications shut-down since Wednesday night.
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'is this all we can do?' anonymous student of the University of Berkeley, California quoted in H. Draper, 'The new student revolt' (New York: Grove Press, 1965) http://www.myspace.com/itensemble |
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #4588 on: 19:33:09, 29-01-2008 » |
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After thinking a few days I decided to extend youth period until 50. The middle age is starting at 50 and until 80 (or do people think it is too much for youth?).
What is the most difficult age? One of my friends used to say that every age is good. I think that the hardest age is from 20 to 30 (or 35). One has to find job and establish career, find a partner and may be start a family.
There are challenges in every age of course, but young age (until 50 now) has good points too.
It will work out at the end, hh, you will see.
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #4589 on: 20:03:15, 29-01-2008 » |
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I agree, t-p, that 20-30-ish is difficult, for the reasons you give. We are always told how wonderful it is to be young, and in some ways that's true, but it can be an insecure time. I think my 30s were my happiest years, when the children were young, and mid-50s weren't bad. In many ways I'm happy now, 10 years on - it's lovely to have so few responsibilities - but I'd like more energy, and the prospect of being really old is a bit frightening.
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