Me and a few friends are going to be doing this mid November and I’m struggling to work out which train ticket we will need that let’s us hop off at each station.

We are going from Stalybridge and finishing at Batley.

Ive read all the reviews about large groups of lager drinkers but it’s my friends birthday and he really wants to do it.

Any advice on the train ticket needed, I’ve read South Pennines day ranger, would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Staleybridge – Batley. Respect – that’s a mature drinkers itinerary.

I did it with a large group and we all just bought return tickets Manchester to Huddersfield. I think I asked at the station if that was alright and was told it was – but I can’t remember if that was a ‘yes, that is perfectly allowable’, or ‘yeah, that’ll be alright, no one’s arsed’.
Best done in the week if you can – weekends are when you get the lager-drinking Teds doing it.

This sounds a great idea!

Yup, as above, a ticket with the correct end point will allow you to get on/off as you like. The ranger ticket would allow you to go an indirect route, but that’s not what you’re after.

Good luck… as above Batley will seem a long way away once to feel like settling in at the Riverhead or one of the many decent pubs in Huddersfield.

Cheers Garry, we aren’t returning from Batley so We don’t need a return ticket.

Has to be a weekend unfortunately, bet we end up staying in a pub we like.

I’ll have a look at the tickets again. Don’t want to get stung on the day.

We did it a few years back, but got a return ticket from Manchester to Batley.

It gets very busy, time your trains right and you’ll be fine. I think there’s been a bit of a clampdown lately because of complaints from some of the locals on the route, about the knob heads who have latched on to it.

we went from Stone to Manchester then got a single ranger ticket thing to Huddersfield. Had an early big breakfast in Wetherspoons and set of and had one at each on the way up to Battley then did the return to Staylbridge. Great day out, some great pubs, ended up at the Glebe in Stoke 😯

I think there’s been a bit of a clampdown lately because of complaints from some of the locals on the route, about the knob heads who have latched on to it.

Although I’ve not done the full ‘run’ of pubs for a while, I believe the above is correct. When it was getting a little too popular, the BTP had officers on and off the trains at the popular spots encouraging groups to behave themselves whilst on the train. I also recall seeing a sign in one pub which had stopped serving shots/lager on Saturdays – but I think this was just for a month in the summer.

Have fun.

RM.

We did it about 3 yrs ago & it was a good laugh, but even sensible middle aged blokes who aren’t w@nkered can still be annoying as **** to non-p1ssed people using the trains. Have the transport police cleaned it up now? I’ve been through Slaithwaite a few times on a saturday night over the summer & it seems like a bit of an ar@*hole-fest TBH. I had heard a rumour that the pubs were stopping selling lager on a sturday to discourage the neds on stag do’s.

Without proclaiming to be any sort of expert on the place, the only time I went into Slaithwaite whilst on the beer-train was in January and due to the snow it was a very quiet day on the train. When the group of us (about half a dozen?) walked into the pub everyone including ,I kid you not, one fella’s dog turned and gave us the ‘you’re not local’ look.

RM.

The people who got standard tickets, did the mind you getting on and off? On a single journey would they mind?

Technically you’re not allowed to break your journey on the outward portion of a return ticket (except to change trains), but you can on the return ticket.
Best speak to the local rail company and get their recommended ticket. A rover ticket is probably the best way of doing this.
If there have been loads of morons (not suggest you are BTW) doing the same jaunt, you may find a reduced tolerance from the ticket inspectors on the trains, hence the suggestion to get official advice.

Yeah, it does sound like a load of idiots have spoilt it for the genuine real ale lovers.

Think if we go day rover we shouldn’t have a problem.

Really wish we could go on a weekday.

I’m not sure if it’ll suit your plans, but we always get West Yorkshire day rover tickets, we’re coming from the opposite direction, though.
If you’re going during the winter, wrap up warm. With a train every hour, you never get the chance to thaw out.

HTH

About 15 years ago my mate (like his beer) took us all out on the train from Bradford to Manchester. We stopped at various very quiet nice pubs on the way.

Today this appears to have morphed in to a gimmicky real ale trail that every man and his chav friend does 🙁

That’s life Funky eh, 15 years ago I couldn’t even drink, now at 31 I’ve got a real taste for Ale. It’s all I drink now.

This is a birthday thing, if it was upto me we’d do the old pubs in York.

If there’s 4 of you buy a group ticket…it’ll work out cheaper.

Hi, I’ve not stumbled across the group ticket yet. I can’t even find the day rover purchase link.

Do you have to buy these on the day?

Pubs in York, lovely. Can’t remember any of them. 😳

I went to Uni in York so we’ve sampled the best of them.

You’re just best to ask about group tickets etc. when you buy them at the kiosk on the day:

Buts here’s a Duo ticket for that line (I think):
http://www.northernrail.org/tickets/Duo+tickets#slaithwaite_manchester

Yeah, it does sound like a load of idiots have spoilt it for the genuine real ale lovers.

As above, transport police, local police & several pubs really put the boot into the stupidity this summer. It seems to have helped – time will tell.
This time of year is always much quieter anyways. Barring your being utter idiots you’ll be fine asking for ale or lager 😉
Chris. Marsden resident. Riverhead (lager drinking) regular.

We are just a group of real ale lovers. Really looking forward to it.