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41313 overhaul at East Somerset for IOWSR

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by gwalkeriow, Oct 26, 2014.

  1. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    Bus pass, assuming you have one! The first one after the 9.30am watershed (Service No. 9 via Staplers) will get you to Wootton by the time of the first train. However there is a steep descent from road level down to the platform if such things cause you problems.

    Paul H
     
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  2. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    But surely a brighton bus pass won't be valid outside of the brighton bus area, or do you mean an national OAP bus pass?
     
  3. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    Hovercraft ? :rolleyes:
     
  4. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    I was assuming an OAP card. Southern Vectis do all sorts of daily and weekly tickets as well.

    PH
     
  5. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    who owns Southern vectis? if its the same company that runs B& H rover tickets issued by one might be accepted on the other, Do B&H run as far as Portsmouth?
     
  6. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    They don't run to Portsmouth. No idea as to the rest.

    PH
     
  7. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    They (the weak and ancient variety I've been issued with) have nationwide validity (after 09:00, 09:30 or 10:00 depending on where you are), though not on National Express or certain special services (sightseeing etc.) or night buses (for those outside London or Brighton, these are services following on from those evening services which don't exist in many other places either).

    I could get the 700 from just around the corner, change at Nohampton and arrive at Pompey with just about enough time to get get to Wootton, take a few piccies of a train I'd have no time to travel on before heading back home, hopefully getting to Hove before the pubs chuck out ...... life's too short!
     
  8. nanstallon

    nanstallon Part of the furniture

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    I come from Cornwall, and to visit the IoW properly is a three day job, but I have a favourite hotel in Shanklin, by the sea so I can enjoy a dip before a nice meal in their restaurant. Trying to do it all in one day, inclusive of the ferry, may be just about possible, but not really worthwhile.

    John
     
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  9. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I've recently looked at booking a weeks holiday on the island, in April. Found a cottage to my liking at a reasonable price. Tried looking at ferry crossings and soon decided to holiday elsewhere. South Wales is now being looked at. ( I wonder if the Gwili will be operating? It wasn't last time I holidayed there.)
     
  10. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    If I had a pound for every time I've heard a similar tale in any given year, I could afford to take a camper van across!

    Seriously though, the ferry rates must be costing IoW tourism dearly. If just one in ten who checked crossing prices and decided against making the trip emailed Visit Isle of Wight, perhaps the message would eventually penetrate.

    In the absence of a specific comments contact, here (from their website) is their Press Officer's email sue@visitwight.org if you fancy a bash. When discussing ferries, just remember, to most of the Island's population the 'T' word is far less socially acceptable than the 'F' word!
     
  11. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

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    Sounds like the IoW needs is a subsidized ferry fare structure similar to that now operating in the Hebrides. RET (Road Equivalent Tarrif), introduced a couple of years ago, has seen fares fall dramatically and consequently there has been a huge rise in visitor numbers. Unfortunately the islands' infrastructures are unprepared for this increase and as a result the roads are unable to cope. In some cases visitors have found that all accommodation has sold out so there is nowhere to stay. There has also been a big increase in the number of motor homes visiting without suitable camp sites for them so they park where they can and leave their toilet contents at the roadside or on the beach. Easy to solve one problem and create several more.

    Peter James
     
  12. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

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    On a different tack, now the all three Ivatts are operational are there any plans to now tackle the restoration of the E1?

    Peter James
     
  13. Matt78

    Matt78 Well-Known Member

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    Yes we are open in April, 2018 timetable will be available shortly.

    Regards

    Matt
     
  14. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    How does the IoWSR deal with volunteers from outre mer? Are there concessions on the ferries?

    Tom
     
  15. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    Nothing that I am aware of Tom. There is an active campaign for a fixed link, opinion towards it is firmly polarised either totally for it or totally against. The greedy ferries are slowly strangling the Island, as I have previously said they are our life line. Just take as a for instance Cancer patients cannot be treated on the Island so at great expense and inconvenience have to trail over to either Portsmouth or Southampton for Chemotherapy.
     
  16. horace

    horace Member

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    I have found the cheapest option to get to the Island on Wightlink is to use Tesco clubcard vouchers. £2.50 in vouchers buys £7.50 in ferry vouchers.
    Past visits to the Island have only happened because we have paid for the ticket in vouchers.
     
  17. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Nope, deffo not the hovercraft. Can't abide the damn things! .... The quick(er) passenger only ferry. Is it a "Fastcat" or some such? It's been a while! :)
     
  18. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    It is the so called Fastcat, it is more commonly known as the Slowcat, a good 10knts slower than the boats that they replaced.
     
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  19. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Pity ... We probably come over about once per year and swallow the cost of the ferry, but I suspect if you were going over a couple of times per month to volunteer you might be a bit less sanguine!

    Would a fixed link be a bridge or a tunnel? I'm sure a tunnel was being discussed over a hundred years ago, so not much change.

    Tom
     
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  20. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    That's good; it will be a first trip on the line for me. The few times I've been to that part of South Wales you've not been running. The last time was a few years ago now, and was the Sunday after a Spring Bank holiday and I was surprised to find Bronwydd Arms totally deserted, not only of trains but, seemingly of volunteers. I eventually found one person who said that he thought he was the only person there as others had gone off on a jolly day out to another railway.
     

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