Permitted Routes Burton on Trent - Worcester

[tom91]

From my interpretation of the NRG, Burton on Trent to Worcester via
Cheltenham Spa is a permitted route:
Under the fares rule, Tamworth is the only valid routeing point fro
Burton on Trent.
Tamworth to Worcester gives maps CE or WM. CE allows Tamworth -
Birmingham - Gloucester - Worcester or Tamworth - Birmingham -
Smethwick.- Worcester.

So I interpret that from the first route, it would be permitted to do
Tamworth - Birmingham - Cheltenham Spa- Worcester as you would double
through Cheltenham Spa on the Gloucester route, even though it doesn't
explicitly appear on the map.
The NRE engine seems to agree with me, not giving the multiple tickets
symbol on journeys via Cheltenham. The NXEC engine, OTOH, does not. It
gives a 'No fares found' error which I usually find only does this for
invalid routes.

Do others think it is a valid route?

 

[glynn80]

Definitely not valid, your doubling back from Cheltenham to Worcester and thus passing through Ashchurch for Tewkesbury twice.

 

[tom91]

Ashchurch for Tewkesbury and Cheltenham Spa are both in Gloucester group and it seems doubling back is permitted where the station is in a group that constitutes part of a permitted route:

GROUP STATIONS
The stations listed at the bottom of this page are grouped together to improve
interchange between trains by offering customers access to a wider choice of
train services and station facilities. A customer may travel via any station in a
group, including doubling back, provided that the group is on one of the permitted
routes between their origin and destination stations. This extended availability is
for interchange purposes only and does not apply where the origin or destination
stations are part of a group.

 

[Mojo]

Ashchurch for Tewkesbury and Cheltenham Spa are both in Gloucester group and it seems doubling back is permitted where the station is in a group that constitutes part of a permitted route:

There are different types of Groups. The Group Stations rule applies to the Groups listed here: http://www.atoc.org/rsp/_downloads/Routeing_Guide/instructions.htm#group stations, and the only stations in Gloucester Group are Gloucester & Cheltenham Spa.

Ashchurch is in the Gloucester Group for routeing points and not the Gloucester Group for Group Stations Rule.

glynn80 is right that it's prohibited as you will be doubling back outside of a group and where no easement exists.