Note that there are again add ons for selected routes off the ATW area. The Northern add-on has increased by 50p to £1.50 being valid from Knutsford and stations along our line towards Manchester. The London Midland add-on remains at £5 for our West Coast Main Line stations. There are some great value add-ons for First Great Western services to the South West.

Railcard discounts still apply with £2 off for holders of Senior or Disabled Person Railcards.

Happy travelling!

So’s everyone else!

In 2010 Merseyrail abolished their Off Peak (Cheap Day) tickets, introducing the Day Saver instead which is a Day Ranger/Rover valid from 0930. Thus, from Chester the Anytime Return to Liverpool is £6.45, but the Day Saver valid for all Wirral Line services as a “runabout” from 0930 is a great value £4.50 (£3.20 senior), not that you know this from the National Rail website as it doesn’t even show it as a fare option!

But the Day Saver has “Single” printed on it …. TWICE! This causes lots of confusion. I’ve seen passengers at James Street asking barrier staff why they were only given a single ticket when they paid for a return. The first time I used one, I waited until the end of the queue in case the barriers gobbled my ticket up – they didn’t.

If buying your ticket at Chester be careful of the ATMs (Automatic Ticket Machines). If you go to the machine and enter your destination as Liverpool, buying the Day Saver is not presented as an option, only the Anytime tickets via Birkenhead, or the more expensive “Any Reasonable Route” tickets which are also valid via Runcorn on the “Parliamentary” service and via Warrington. How many people are paying £2.05 more than they should be and also not getting the added value of the runabout? There are small notices sellotaped to each machine saying for Liverpool tickets after 0930 select destination “Northwirrallines”, but I bet many people don’t notice these. What are the “North Wirral Lines”?

If coming from the Mid Cheshire Line think about the option of buying a ticket to Chester, then a Merseyrail Day Saver from Chester, rather than a through ticket. This gives you the option of a run around the Wirral Lines as well as your trip to wherever you were going anyway. The only downside is if you miss the connection up the Mid Cheshire Line on the way back because Merseyrail is late (rare), you’ll not be entitled to any compensation, as you’ve two separate tickets. You can buy the tickets from our conductors, though many of them don’t know this! Ask them to look in their machine (AVantix) for a ticket from Chester to (all one word) Northwirrallines. No spaces, otherwise the machine won’t find it!

I asked Merseyrail at their big Corporate “bash” in January why they’ve done it this confusing way. They told me the ticket is selling very well, but agreed it was confusing and said they’d let me know. Despite a few prompts from me, I’ve still not heard the answer, only the suggestion that runabout tickets have to have a photocard, which I pointed out is not so for day tickets. I’ll give them another “prod” and let you know if I get a response.

Meanwhile, happy Day Saving. It’s great value!

Arriva Trains Wales Club 55 came back on 9 January and runs until 9 April – details here. As before there’s a £1 Northern add-on fare for Northern services from Knutsford and stations towards Manchester and a £5 London Midland add-on for the Crewe-Liverpool line.

First Scotrail Club 55 is also back, though with varying start dates and restrictions. See each train operators website for more details.

Worth remembering for those good spring days!

I didn’t know what these were, and it seems neither did our conductors.

On investigation, it turns out these tickets are only valid on services where Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) sets the fare; they provide a 25% discount for groups of between 3 and 9. As ATW set the fare between Manchester and Chester, it looks as thought these are valid on our services, even though we suspect ATW get most of the revenue. The tickets state “Any Reasonable Route” and also “See Restrictions”, though finding out what these restrictions are seems to involve asking at a ticket office (the ticket vending machines (TVMs) don’t provide this information).

So if you’re travelling from Manchester to Chester, or vice versa, and would like to use our route in one or both directions and/or ATW in one direction, this could be a good option.

Check ticket validity first, though!

The details are on ATW’s website.

The scheme now includes all First Group rail operators, as well as Arriva Trains Wales.

Here’s the details courtesy of TPE’s website.

I’ve just used it to go from Mobberley to Porthmadog, the long way round via Shrewsbury, Machynlleth and Barmouth. £16 from Mobberley, that’s £15 plus Arriva Trains Wales’ Manchester area Northern £1 add on. Normal price £53.50, so that’s a huge saving. All trains were on time.

Whilst there I travelled on the Welsh Highland Railway from Pont Croesor (4 miles north of Porthmadog), through the Aberglaslyn Pass and all the way to Caernarfon and return. Hauled by coal-fired South African Garrett no. 87, it was an amazing trip.

The offer runs until 30 November, so if you’re 55 or over, what’s stopping you!

If you travel by train to Delamere Railway Station, you can take them to Go Ape and get a 20% discount off their prices.

This offer is valid Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays.  You must quote Code CCR020 when booking and show your valid railway ticket when you arrive.

A reminder, also, if you are taking your tribe to Go Ape and it includes two adults, be sure to take advantage of the Northern Duo and enjoy further discounts on your day out.  The Duo rail ticket gives you one adult return plus a second one  for half price.

If you visit Go Ape – please let us know – and whether you enjoyed monkeying about in the forest on this high wire fun activity!

The service is free of charge for all Zoo visitors who have travelled by train to Chester and runs daily until 12 September.

Details on Chester Zoo’s rather colourful website!

More details are on their website.

If you’re out and about on our line and get some good pictures, why not send them to the North Wales Coast website?

So why not use the Mid Cheshire Line to visit it?

Northwich Heritage Week celebrates the unique heritage of Northwich.

On June 1^st Northwich Salt Museum is re-launched as the Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse with a new transport gallery.

Their website - www.northwichheritageweek.org.uk  gives you all the information you need – even the walking the directions to the main attractions from Northwich Railway Station.

During the week entry is FREE to the Weaver Hall Museum, the Anderton Boat Lift (from Tuesday), the Dock Road Pumping Station (open Monday and Sunday) and the Lion Salt Works – further details can be found at the Northwich Heritage Week website.

For the full timetable, click here.