Guide Bridge/Ashton u Lyne to Dunfermline, any assistance please?

[wijit]

Good evening. Due to a bereavement I will need to do the above journey at fairly short notice. It will be for my son and I, he has an 18-25 card (but if the savings were good I could invest in a two together, saving in future also).
It would be off peak with a little uncertainty of the return date. There is a chance I might have a return date when it comes to purchase the ticket. I will probably only have four days notice of when we need to travel. I think the best I found so far is £168.
I put both Guide Bridge and Ashton as both are easily reached from my house, and it may give more options.
Thank you in advance for any help and time taken.

 

[Merseysider]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss.

The fares from Ashton/Stalybridge to Dunfermline are the same via Preston, so I'd recommend buying from Stalybridge to give you slightly more flexibility. Via Preston takes an extra hour but is substantially cheaper than travelling via York.

With his railcard discount, he'd pay £51 for a flexible ticket, available on the day (off-peak return valid any time after 4.15am, allowing a return journey within a month)
Without a discount, you'd pay £77.30 for the same.
Total: £128.30

A two together railcard is £30 and would mean you'd pay 2x £51 (total £132), but the discount can't be used before 9.30am Monday-Friday. If that's not a problem, it would probably be a worthwhile investment.

 

[wijit]

Thank you so much for both the kind words and advice. I think it will be wise for me to buy another railcard.
I'm sorry to sound so numb, but as I usually just buy online what exactly do I need to ask for at Stalybridge? I'm thinking we'd set off sometime around 11-11:30. Return would probably be a Saturday or Sunday, but will be off peak in any case.

 

[Merseysider]

Thank you so much for both the kind words and advice. I think it will be wise for me to buy another railcard.
I'm sorry to sound so numb, but as I usually just buy online what exactly do I need to ask for at Stalybridge? I'm thinking we'd set off sometime around 11-11:30. Return would probably be a Saturday or Sunday, but will be off peak in any case.

It's not a numb question at all! When you get to the station, ask for two Off-Peak Returns to Dunfermline via Preston, with railcard discount. Show the railcard(s) and double check it's 'via Preston' so the price is right

You shouldn't have any issues buying the 2 Together railcard on the morning itself; it should be fairly quick if you've printed off and filled out the form (clicky!) in advance.

However, it may be a good idea to buy it the day before, just in case the ticket office is unexpectedly closed when you arrive.

 

[30907]

Remember that travel via Preston involves a rail replacement bus from Lockerbie to Edinburgh. The journey planners allow for this.

 

[John @ home]

if the savings were good I could invest in a two together, saving in future also

I agree. The Two Together Railcard costs £30 if bought at a station or £27 if bought online at http://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/ using discount code POSTER3 or LEAFLET3. You will need a photo of each of the two Railcard holders.

Remember that travel via Preston involves a rail replacement bus from Lockerbie to Edinburgh. The journey planners allow for this.

Yes. The closure of the line between Carlisle and Edinburgh will last until 29 February at least, and is causing major delays for a journey from Stalybridge (or Guide Bridge or Ashton) to Dunfermline via Preston. Taking the first train after 11:00 on a weekday from Stalybridge, three options are:

Via Glasgow
1115 Stalybridge - Manchester Piccadilly 1132
1146 Manchester Piccadilly - Preston 1233
1241 Preston - Carlisle 1351
1359 Carlisle - Glasgow Central 1604
Walk Glasgow Central - Glasgow Queen St.
1645 Glasgow Queen St - Haymarket 1734
1756 Haymarket - Dunfermline Town 1825.
7 hours 10 minutes

Via Lockerbie, with bus Lockerbie - Edinburgh
1150 Stalybridge - Manchester Piccadilly 1205
1216 Manchester Piccadilly - Lockerbie 1431
Bus 1440 Lockerbie - Edinburgh 1650
1708 Edinburgh - Dunfermline Town 1739.
5 hours 49 minutes

Via York
1125 Stalybridge - York 1236
1253 York - Edinburgh 1520
1548 Edinburgh - Dunfermline Town 1620.
4 hours 55 minutes.

While the west coast main line remains closed, travel via York is the quickest option. Normally travel via York would cost more. But today National Rail Enquiries states that passengers with Off-Peak and Anytime tickets (but not those with Advance tickets) are able to travel via York.

Alternative travel options

First TransPennine Express passengers who can defer their travel are recommended to do so and a full refund will be available from the point of purchase.

Passengers with Off-Peak and Anytime tickets are able to travel via York and travel on the East Coast using CrossCountry or Virgin Trains East Coast services.

Advance ticket restrictions have been relaxed for passengers travelling through the affected area, but must be used on First TransPennine Express services only and will not be accepted via the East Coast.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/117252.aspx

But the rules on ticket acceptance of "Via Preston" tickets on the route via York have changed several times since the closure of the west coast main line on 31 December 2015, so we cannot guarantee that they will still be valid via York on the day you need to travel. For more up-to-date advice, return to this site once travel dates are known.

 

[wijit]

Gentlemen (assuming), thank you ever so much for this.
It's looking like my travel will be sometime during w/c Monday 15th, although the actual day I don't know it will definitely be off peak.
Would I be right in thinking that during that week, using the ticket mentioned we can travel via York after all? Travel via Preston isn't too big a deal in any case-I'm sure my son would see it as an adventure (not a bad thing, in the circumstances)

Edit:It now seems likely that We will need to travel on Thursday 11th, returning either Saturday 13th or Sunday 14th. I don't know if that affects the tickets?

 

[wijit]

Good evening gentlemen.
Further to this thread ( http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=126393), I bought the tickets suggested (2 off peak returns/two together railcard via Preston). In spite of information here, and from three staff on Piccadilly the woman serving me was adamant that I could not travel via East coast at all. I have got a good time to travel up WCML, obviously via York would be preferable but not essential. Returning on Sunday I would much rather be accompanying Mrs wijit (the reason for going is for her Mother's funeral, she went up last week to arrange things) and so would very much like to travel with her.
Because the woman at Picc was so insistent, I emailed cross country for confirmation one way or another. What I got was even too ambiguous to be any help ("you would have to ask station staff").
Clearly, via York would be better at least for the return journey, but not essential. All I need is a definite knowledge. I can try to post images of the tickets if that would help (if so, please let me know if anything needs "blanking off), as I don't want to land a fine/penalty fare. Nor do I want to have a "discussion" with a train manager about validity.
I apologise if I've missed anything off, or wittered on too much.

 

[221129]

If it is route Via Preston then you will have to travel via Preston and it is not valid on the East Coast in either direction via York.

There may be ticket acceptance in place at the time though so might be worth checking on the day.

 

[185143]

If you can get someone at Piccadilly, Edinburgh or Dunfermline to endorse the tickets (not the incompetent (on the whole) ticket office), then you shouldnt have a problem even if it isnt actually valid.

If a TM decides it isnt valid then only pay an excess fare.(half the difference between the via Preston and York?)

 

[sheff1]

As explained in the original thread, the latest info regarding alternative travel options should be shown here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/117252.aspx

Best bet is to access that on the day you are travelling.

 

[Merseysider]

At time of writing, limited ticket acceptance is currently in place. It appears you were given incorrect information.

From National Rail Enquiries (Changes to train times)

First TransPennine Express passengers who can defer their travel are recommended to do so and a full refund will be available from the point of purchase.

Passengers with Off-Peak and Anytime tickets are able to travel via York and travel on the East Coast using CrossCountry or Virgin Trains East Coast services.

Advance ticket restrictions have been relaxed for passengers travelling through the affected area, but must be used on First TransPennine Express services only and will not be accepted via the East Coast.

This may change nearer the time and you would be well advised to print off/screenshot the relevant section if you intend to travel via York.

In the (unlikely) event that ticket acceptance is fully withdrawn, the excess to pay on a railcard discounted ticket would be the difference in fares, or half of the difference for one direction only. £13.90 one way or £27.80 in both directions.

 

[yorkie]

Without going through every detail in this thread, what are the tickets?

Are they these?
http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=SYB&dest=DFE&rlc=2TR&rte=317&tkt=SVR

OFF-PEAK R [2U]
From STALYBRIDGE
To DUNFERMLINE TOWN
Route VIA PRESTON

If so...

... I don't want to land a fine/penalty fare. Nor do I want to have a "discussion" with a train manager about validity....

...and if your ticket is considered not valid due to the route restriction, and you are asked to pay a fare, it would be £13.90 each for a change of route excess in one direction. (Double that again if you had the same charge in both directions)