Goodbye Season Paper Tickets Journey

[STB]

Hi all,

With the impending removal of daily, off peak daily, weekly, monthly and yearly paper tickets, I decided that I'd would do one final big journey with a zone 1-23 daily paper ticket to give it a nice send off.  After much thinking (and mucking around with the timetables) I decided the best bet to maximise the use of this ticket which will be long gone after 17th January is to head to the 'extremes' of the TL network.  That is: Up to Noosa Heads, then west to Gatton, then south to Tweed Heads, have dinner, perhaps at Twin Towns, then home via route 700, 745 and train.  It'd be a long day of course, so if people would like to come along then they can come along for as little or as most of the trip as they like.  Anybody from the Sunshine Coast could easily get a run down to Gatton and back to the Sunshine Coast.

I'll be attempting to do the entire trip, even if I end up by myself at the end of the day!  FYI, there's a possiblity of an article in a transport magazine of this trip and the reasons behind it (to be confirmed but it's interest has been indicated).

Here's a draft timetable (although I haven't been able to move it anymore than what it is, simply because of the lack of frequency in these regional areas).

This is for a Friday timetable, I'll attempt to do a Saturday timetable knowing that people may have work on a weekday.  Can't do Monday to Thursday or Sunday of course as services finish early.

0550 Central - 0756 Nambour
0815 Nambour (Rte 630) - 0900 Noosa Heads (Rte 630) - should be done by the same bus
0905 Noosa Heads (Rte 630) - 0950 Nambour (Rte 630) - should be done by the same bus
1004 Nambour - 1148 Central
POSSIBLE LUNCH WINDOW
1205 Central - 1258 Ipswich
1308 Ipswich - 1326 Rosewood
1336 Rosewood (Rte 539) - 1430 Gatton (Rte 539)
POSSIBLE LATE LUNCH WINDOW
1456 Gatton (Rte 539) - 1600 (Rte 539) Rosewood
1612 Rosewood - 1630 Ipswich
1651 Ipswich - 1743 Roma St
1758 Roma St - 1915 Varsity Lakes
1926 Varsity Lakes (Rte 761) - 2009 Tweed Heads (Rte 761)
DINNER (2015 - 2130 - Twin Towns (??))
HOME - 2135 (Rte 700) Tweed Heads - 2212 Pacifc Fair (Hwy) (Rte 700) - 2228 (Rte 745) Pac Fair (Rte
745) - 2251 Nerang (Rte 745) - 2259 Nerang - 0006 Roma St

Cleveland Pax - 0015
Ipswich Pax - 0038
Beenleigh Pax (Transfer at Beenleigh Stn)
Ferny Grove Pax - 0031
Caboolture Pax - 0033
Shorncliffe Pax - 0019

Because of the tightness of the timetable, one would need to get lunch on the run unfortunately.  And, sadly I haven't been able to find a window to get a ferry.

Anyway, let me know what you think.  Personally, I think this sort of thing might be a nice send off to season paper tickets and you'd have a memento of a zone 1-23 daily paper ticket to frame if one so wishes to.  I'll be more than likely be doing this on Friday the 14th January 2011, or depending on a Saturday timetable which I'll see to and post later, Saturday 15th January 2011.  And just repeating, even though I'll be attempting to do the entire journey, people are more than welcome to tag along for as little or as most of the journey as they like.

Cheers
STB

PS: I'll post this in the ATDB forum as well and see if anyone over there gains interest in doing this.

[Derwan]

Whoa!  That's a HUGE day!

It would be good to get someone to do the trip with you using a Go Card, to compare the total cost of both.

I might be interested.  :-)

[Cam]

It would be good to get someone to do the trip with you using a Go Card, to compare the total cost of both.

I might be interested.  :-)

You'd want to have deep pockets to use a Go Card for that day's travel.

The trip from Gatton back to Brisbane takes just under 3 hours  There wouldn't be many people using Translink for that trip when it takes just over an hour in the car at that time of day. The Greyhound service takes 85-90 minutes but costs $25 compared to Translink's $8.30 with a Go Card.

[somebody]

As far as the tickets are concerned, I say good riddance.  No offense.  Although perhaps a day to celebrate moves to reduce paper ticket use.

[Gazza]

And, sadly I haven't been able to find a window to get a ferry.

Would you be able to Jump off at Toowong, take a city cat, and get a GC service at South Bank? At Worst it's half an hour lost...Might have to shorten dinner.

[STB]

As far as the tickets are concerned, I say good riddance.  No offense.  Although perhaps a day to celebrate moves to reduce paper ticket use.

Lol, you can celebrate it however you want!  I don't mind.  I see it as a last chance to do unlimited travel across the TL network, unless they bring that on the Go Card however in the future.

[STB]

A member on ATDB has come up with this option:

Here's my proposal ...
XL01 Brisbane Central 05:50 Nambour 07:53
1972 Nambour 10:04 Brisbane Central 11:48
TG36 Brisbane Central 12:24 Robina 13:40
TP53 Robina 13:53 Helensvale 14:04
TP65 Helensvale 15:34 Brisbane Central 16:38
1654 Brisbane Central 16:55 Rosewood 18:11
11B1 Rosewood 18:19 Brisbane Central 19:31

There's the ability to:
- Bus from Nambour to Noosa Heads and return;
- Keep to the schedule if there is late running;
- Have a reasonable amount of time for lunch at Westfield Helensvale.

It's a shorter day, so might be more attractive.  The downside is that you don't get to the 'extremes' of the TransLink network.

[Fares_Fair]

My annual ticket expires on 30 December, 2010. 
RIP

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[STB]

Okay, here's a Saturday option.  Apologies for a different layout to the original.

0625 Roma Street
0828 Nambour
ROUTE 630
0835 Nambour
0920 Noosa Heads
ROUTE 630
0930 Noosa Heads
1015 Nambour
TRAIN
1025 Nambour
1209 Central
LUNCH 1210 - 1250
1254 Central
1415 Varsity Lakes
ROUTE 761
1426 Varsity Lakes
1509 Tweed Heads
AFTERNOON TEA/COMFORT BREAK
ROUTE 761
1555 Tweed Heads
1647 Robina
TRAIN
1653 Robina
1806 Roma Street
COMFORT BREAK
1839 Roma Street
1931 Ipswich
DINNER 1935 - 2005
2008 Ipswich
2026 Rosewood
2042 Rosewood
2100 Ipswich
2202 Roma Street

The downsides is that we won't be able to get to the 'extremes' of the TL Network due to the really really ordinary connections (to say the least).  But it's an earlier finish and longer breaks in between to recharge and get food and drink to keep going.

Perhaps a poll could be done on this and the dates Ozbob? Most votes wins?  If no votes ie: no one is interested, then I'll be doing the 14th January 2011 option.  But will be happy to do any of them if people are interested and the most votes on which option wins.  Options include:

6th January 2011 (Friday either option A - longer day, or option B - shorter day)

7th January 2011 (Saturday option)

14th January 2011 (Friday Options A - longer day or B - shorter day)

15th January 2011 (Saturday Option)

[STB]

The Options by the way just to clarify further.

Option A (Friday)
0550 Central - 0756 Nambour
0815 Nambour (Rte 630) - 0900 Noosa Heads (Rte 630) - should be done by the same bus
0905 Noosa Heads (Rte 630) - 0950 Nambour (Rte 630) - should be done by the same bus
1004 Nambour - 1148 Central
POSSIBLE LUNCH WINDOW
1205 Central - 1258 Ipswich
1308 Ipswich - 1326 Rosewood
1336 Rosewood (Rte 539) - 1430 Gatton (Rte 539)
POSSIBLE LATE LUNCH WINDOW
1456 Gatton (Rte 539) - 1600 (Rte 539) Rosewood
1612 Rosewood - 1630 Ipswich
1651 Ipswich - 1743 Roma St
1758 Roma St - 1915 Varsity Lakes
1926 Varsity Lakes (Rte 761) - 2009 Tweed Heads (Rte 761)
DINNER (2015 - 2130 - Twin Towns (??))
HOME - 2135 (Rte 700) Tweed Heads - 2212 Pacifc Fair (Hwy) (Rte 700) - 2228 (Rte 745) Pac Fair (Rte
745) - 2251 Nerang (Rte 745) - 2259 Nerang - 0006 Roma St

Cleveland Pax - 0015
Ipswich Pax - 0038
Beenleigh Pax (Transfer at Beenleigh Stn)
Ferny Grove Pax - 0031
Caboolture Pax - 0033
Shorncliffe Pax - 0019

Option B (Friday)
XL01 Brisbane Central 05:50 Nambour 07:53
1972 Nambour 10:04 Brisbane Central 11:48
TG36 Brisbane Central 12:24 Robina 13:40
TP53 Robina 13:53 Helensvale 14:04
TP65 Helensvale 15:34 Brisbane Central 16:38
1654 Brisbane Central 16:55 Rosewood 18:11
11B1 Rosewood 18:19 Brisbane Central 19:31

Saturday options as posted above.

[STB]

Also lets hope of no strikes by Sunbus on either of those days, or trackwork on either Saturday (forgot to check that). 

[Fridge]

Don't forget about the free buses on the Sunshine Coast up to the 9th

[STB]

After much deliberation with these options and attempting other possible options of timetables for the day, between myself and a key person who's looking to involve outside persons of RBOT and ATDB (hopefully).  It's been decided it'd be best to keep the trip as concise as possible and not drag the day out for too long, and to not put people off from joining me and others for the day.  Basically to keep the day attractive for all.

So, the timetable chosen is:

Friday Option B.

XL01 Brisbane Central 05:50 Nambour 07:53 (includes a round Route 630 trip to Noosa Heads and back - pending no strikes)
1972 Nambour 10:04 Brisbane Central 11:48
TG36 Brisbane Central 12:24 Robina 13:40 (Depending on on-time running there is a chance that we could continue through to Varsity Lakes, but it's vital that the train will arrive on time at Varsity Lakes to make the connection.  If we're running late then we'll detrain at Robina and change to the citybound service there, those needing a toilet break can do so at Robina if we get an SMU to Robina).
TP53 Robina 13:53 Helensvale 14:04 (Lunch at Helensvale)
TP65 Helensvale 15:34 Brisbane Central 16:38
1654 Brisbane Central 16:55 Rosewood 18:11
11B1 Rosewood 18:19 Brisbane Central 19:31 (Dinner in Brisbane City - To be decided.)

Note that this will also include an additional trip at the end of the day if any person/s would like to come along.  The details of that is:

Route 250 departing Central station (Ann St) at 8:14pm
Arriving Cleveland station at 9:12pm
Transfer to City bound train at Cleveland departing at 9:22pm.

If anyone wishes to come along for part or most or all of the journey for the day then you are most welcome to.  I'll stick to the first carriage of each trip.  The journey will take place on Friday 14th January 2011. I'll be keeping notes on the types and numbers of trains used eg: EMU01 to Ipswich and of course, buying probably the last or one of the last Daily Zone 1-23 paper tickets to be sold before they are removed from sale on the 17th January 2011.  FYI, there has been interest into writing a report up into a railway magazine although this is yet to be confirmed.

If anyone wishes to ask any questions about this journey, then please PM me.  Hopefully it should be a good day out and about on the network !

Cheers
STB

EDIT: If anyone wants to come along and use their Go Card, by all means do so.  It'd make an interesting pricing comparasion between a Go Card and a Zone 1-23 Daily paper ticket for an all day outing like this.

[somebody]

I'll stick to the first carriage of each trip.  

Wouldn't that be the quiet car?

[ozbob]

Thanks for all the work and sharing this STB.  I hope to make at least the first half day on the 14th, and possibly up to Rosewood.

[ozbob]

Wouldn't that be the quiet car?

Only on a six car set ...      

[STB]

FYI regarding this trip, due to the extreme flooding occuring and will continue to occur that is causing disruptions to the public transport network.  I'll be keeping a close eye on things leading up to the date of the trip, but if it turns out to be the case that due to the flooding the public transport network suffers significant disruption, then I will cancel the event.

I will make my decision on this by Thursday evening.

[STB]

I've recieved word from my contacts within the weather area (meteorologists) that the forecasted height of the Brisbane River on Friday will mean that it's highly unlikely (the peak will probably be around for a few days after tomorrow) that I'll be able to access the city from where I am to start the journey from Roma St Station.  Plus the police will probably keep people away.  So I think it's best that this trip is cancelled.  Sorry about that .

Other factors include that the timetable will probably be completely different and limited and there's likely track damage that will stop trains from accessing parts of the network.

Oh well .

[ozbob]

That's the breaks STB.  Was a great idea, circumstances cannot be controlled.  Who knows, the fare increases could be delayed??  LOL  Doubt it, though, I expect the software is triggered to fire off next Monday, floods or no floods!