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Destinations from London that you can't back from on the same day.

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notadriver

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Years ago I was given an ALR on its last day of validity. I was 14. I decided to go to Glasgow not not knowing I was unable to return to London as the last service was pulling out as we arrived in Glasgow.

So what direct destinations from London are one way only in 2016?

Inverness has got to be one of them.
 
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westcoaster

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Neil Williams said:
I know you can't day-trip Penzance from MK, I considered it once.
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that should be an ok one looking in journey planners you can have between 2 1/2 and 5 hour break and still get back.
 

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me123

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Would you count the Sleeper?

The Chieftain arrives from Inverness at 20:06 and the Caledonian Sleeper leaves at 20:44. In terms of the last day of your ALR, this would have been a valid option until recent changes to Caledonian Sleeper ticket acceptance policy (now you have to have a ticket valid for both days of your journey). Basically, all stations served by the Chieftain North of Stirling would fall into this category (i.e. Gleneagles, Perth, Pitlochry, Kingussie, Aviemore).

Aberdeen is another one where you can't get a direct day return, although you can head North and catch the sleeper back. This also holds true for Stonehaven, Montrose and Arbroath, although you can go to Dundee and head back south from there on the same day.

Interestingly, although Glasgow is clearly possible in a day now, it currently has no direct services from London that provide a same-day return due to the WCML closure (although you can head South and back for the day on the once-daily VTEC service via the ECML).

Out of curiosity, how did you get back from Glasgow?
 
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greatkingrat

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If you do a day trip to Fishguard Harbour, you will arrive at 1327 and leave at 1329. Just about enough time to have a legal cigarette on the platform before heading back!

If you go to Stranraer, you get a whole 6 minutes to enjoy the sights.
 
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Deepgreen

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greatkingrat said:
If you do a day trip to Fishguard Harbour, you will arrive at 1327 and leave at 1329. Just about enough time to have a legal cigarette on the platform before heading back!

If you go to Stranraer, you get a whole 6 minutes to enjoy the sights.
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Out of interest, what makes it legal to smoke on the platform at Fishguard Harbour? I've never been there, but I had understood that smoking was banned on all station premises (inc. platforms) in the UK.
 
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notlob.divad

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Do you have to go both ways direct or just one?
If you do Aberdeen. However if you allow a change in one direction, you can get the 7:30 on the out of Kings Cross, with a change at Waverley. You have 2 minutes to change trains at Aberdeen before returning direct to Kings Cross.
 
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A further development of the question might be: what is the closest station to London which it is not possible to travel to and back direct on the same day? Trivia heaped on trivia!
 
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notadriver

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me123 said:
Would you count the Sleeper?

The Chieftain arrives from Inverness at 20:06 and the Caledonian Sleeper leaves at 20:44. In terms of the last day of your ALR, this would have been a valid option until recent changes to Caledonian Sleeper ticket acceptance policy (now you have to have a ticket valid for both days of your journey). Basically, all stations served by the Chieftain North of Stirling would fall into this category (i.e. Gleneagles, Perth, Pitlochry, Kingussie, Aviemore).

Aberdeen is another one where you can't get a direct day return, although you can head North and catch the sleeper back. This also holds true for Stonehaven, Montrose and Arbroath, although you can go to Dundee and head back south from there on the same day.

Interestingly, although Glasgow is clearly possible in a day now, it currently has no direct services from London that provide a same-day return due to the WCML closure (although you can head South and back for the day on the once-daily VTEC service via the ECML).

Out of curiosity, how did you get back from Glasgow?
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Trying not to count sleepers for this one - just the usual 'day' time services.

As for we got back - we got on a service that terminated at York where we had to of course get off. We didn't have enough money for a hotel (we were under 16!). I think I recall arriving into York just after 2300. There was a nat express coach to London at about 0200. So we waited. It turned up and we were turned away as it was full. Sleeping rough until 7am (the next coach to London was the only option) so we found a car park and sought shelter there. Needless to say I got no sleep and the coach was a welcome sight in the morning. It did stop at two other places enroute to London and before I crashed asleep on it I recall the lovely sound of the turbo on 10 litre Volvo spooling up and down as we made use of the outside lane of the motorway at 70 mph.
 
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greatkingrat

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Deepgreen said:
A further development of the question might be: what is the closest station to London which it is not possible to travel to and back direct on the same day? Trivia heaped on trivia!
Click to expand...

It is not possible to get from London to Teesside Airport on Sundays unless you make a 1 minute connection at Eaglescliffe off a Grand Central!
 
Kite159

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Deepgreen said:
A further development of the question might be: what is the closest station to London which it is not possible to travel to and back direct on the same day? Trivia heaped on trivia!
Click to expand...

Does Sudbury & Harrow Road count?

(Only has peak time services in the direction of peak, 4 in the morning towards Marylebone, 4 in the evening away from Marylebone)
 
Peter Mugridge

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notadriver said:
Years ago I was given an ALR on its last day of validity. I was 14. I decided to go to Glasgow not not knowing I was unable to return to London as the last service was pulling out as we arrived in Glasgow.

So what direct destinations from London are one way only in 2016?

Inverness has got to be one of them.
Click to expand...


I have done day trips from Epsom on ALRs in pre- time restrictions years to:

Edinburgh
Glasgow
Penzance
Holyhead
Fishguard
Milford Haven

One place I have found on three occasions cannot be done in a day trip, although in theory it can be, is Pembroke Dock. There is only one tight connection at Swansea that will allow it, but on each of the three occasions the HST was slightly late at Swansea; not much - but just late enough to miss the only Pembroke departure that would let me get home again.

The Pembroke branch remains a thorn in my side and will probably require a night or two in Swansea to be sure of marking it off in my atlas!
 
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