Guide Bridge -> Bare Lane, is peak, really peak?

[wijit]

Gentlemen/Ladies. I need to go to Bare Lane tomorrow, on checking tickets (following the Northern Rail introduction of peak times) on both the Trainline and Northern web sites it shows 08:48 departure and return from Bare at 17:47 having off peak returns valid. Is this correct, or do I need to buy peak fares?
Have I misunderstood this, as I think I have? That as not all of the journey is within Greater Manchester, therefore off peak day returns are still valid even though I set off during peak period?
Sorry if this sounds a bit daft, but it's puzzled me a tad.

 

[Mojo]

The Outward portion of the £16.90 Off Peak Day Return from Guide Bridge to Bare Lane is valid on any train from 08.45 onwards. The Off Peak Return is valid at any time.

 

[wijit]

Thank you for confirming this, your help is much appreciated. Is this likely to be questioned by a guard, would you know?

 

[185143]

If it is, then the guard is basically saying he doesn't know where Bare Lane is! Which to be fair, is forgiveable when I was on a York to Blackpool and the Guard forgot to announce Preston. I questioned this and he said he was bailing out at Leeds so only said the stops it definitely stopped at!

 

[thebigcheese]

The restriction code on this ticket is I4 and can be seen here www.nationalrail.co.uk/I4 so if you were worried you could take a print out of the page but the guard should be aware of this anyway (in theory!).

 

[yorkie]

Thank you for confirming this, your help is much appreciated. Is this likely to be questioned by a guard, would you know?

A guard is welcome to question their Avantix machine if they are not sure if a ticket is valid. If they check their machine, they will see something like this:
http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=GUI&dest=BAR&tkt=CDR

Restriction Code: I4
OUTWARD TRAVEL
By any train except those timed to depart Mondays to Fridays before 0845

RETURN TRAVEL
By any train

In practice, Guards rarely check the restrictions of all tickets, because if they did, they would be unlikely to be able to get through the train. But if they check yours, there's nothing to worry about, as it's valid, and the Guard will see that.

 

[wijit]

Just a brief update, none of the guards on either outbound or return journeys queried my tickets. However, the chap in the booking office didn't realise Bare Lane is outside of the area.
So, firstly, thank you all for your help. However, I have to wonder how many people have had to pay peak fares when they didn't need to, due to either them or staff not fully understanding this?

 

[yorkie]

However, I have to wonder how many people have had to pay peak fares when they didn't need to, due to either them or staff not fully understanding this?

Quite a few I know of. To all those affected: please make sure a complaint is sent to Northern and Passenger Focus. It's also worth informing Barry Doe, as this is clearly a huge issue, exactly as I predicted.

Northern are raking in money that they're not entitled to.

Even though you were not charged on this occasion, if you feel you would have been charged had you not made a correction, I still think that's worthy of informing Northern. Ask them what safeguards they have in place to prevent overcharging (answer: none - but will they admit it?) and whether or not they are ensuring staff are fully aware of how to find restrictions? (answer: they're not - but will they admit it?)

 

[wijit]

Thank you Yorkie. I shall do that, as it was clear I would have been charged had I not mentioned the location of Bare Lane, and therefore did not require a peak fare (which is thanks only to this forum).
With your suggestion in mind, I will write to both, and post back here with both my letter and reply.