London Euston to Chester

[hybrid.pigeon]

Hi I am travelling London Euston to Chester today.

I hold the following tickets:

Super Off-Peak Single London Euston to Shrewsbury valid Arriva trains Wales & West Midlands Trains only.

Restriction code LG.

Anytime Day Single Shrewsburyto Chester doesn’t mention a specific TOC or restriction code.

Question, can I go via and break my journey at Birmingham New Street ?

What next do so have to go via Shrewsbury?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[AlterEgo]

You cannot break your journey at Birmingham New Street.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/lg

Break of journey is not permitted on the outward journey on any day except to change trains at an intermediate station or to access station facilities.

 

[northwichcat]

You have to get to Shrewsbury using only WM and ATW services and have to leave London before 16:29 or after 19:31. I would think the only sensible way of doing that is catching the slow service to Birmingham New Street from Euston and then catching a train to North Wales via Shrewsbury (the latter calls at Chester.) As mentioned you can't break your journey at Birmingham except to change trains.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

You have to get to Shrewsbury using only WM and ATW services and have to leave London before 16:29 or after 19:31. I would think the only sensible way of doing that is catching the slow service to Birmingham New Street from Euston and then catching a train to North Wales via Shrewsbury (the latter calls at Chester.) As mentioned you can't break your journey at Birmingham except to change trains.

Or to access station facilities. That could be extended to mean the many shops at Grand Central at New Street.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

But you can change trains and wander round the station, eg at any of Birmingham International, Birmingham New St and Shrewsbury.
From Shrewsbury you can go via Wrexham or Crewe to get to Chester, even using Virgin from Crewe to Chester if you want.
Note that the hourly ATW Birmingham International-Shrewsbury connects to Chester in the hours it goes on to Aberystwyth, picking up the Cardiff-Holyhead.

 

[hybrid.pigeon]

Or to access station facilities. That could be extended to mean the many shops at Grand Central at New Street.

Do you have to go through the barriers for that ? Might so encounter problems getting through ?

 

[AlterEgo]

Or to access station facilities. That could be extended to mean the many shops at Grand Central at New Street.

I'd define facilities as anything NRE lists on their official page of station facilities. Here's Birmingham New Street. Some of the facilities are outside the barrier line, as we can see: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/BHM.aspx

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Do you have to go through the barriers for that ? Might so encounter problems getting through ?

Yes, even to change platforms at the A end. I wouldn't expect them to make any problems with it - most barrier staff are VTWC staff, and they don't tend to check the tickets very carefully.

 

[AlterEgo]

In my experience the barriers at BHM are not very intelligent anyway. I have re-used the same ticket several times before - not to make repeat journeys, but to cross from paid to unpaid sides multiple times during extended disruption.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

In my experience the barriers at BHM are not very intelligent anyway. I have re-used the same ticket several times before - not to make repeat journeys, but to cross from paid to unpaid sides multiple times during extended disruption.

My experience likewise. I remember many years ago, before it was redeveloped, I once flashed them a seat reservation - or was it a collection receipt - which they actually looked at and still let me through!

 

[Bletchleyite]

In my experience the barriers at BHM are not very intelligent anyway. I have re-used the same ticket several times before - not to make repeat journeys, but to cross from paid to unpaid sides multiple times during extended disruption.

I strongly suspect they are set to accept and unconditionally return any train ticket valid on the day of use. New St is just too complex to do otherwise.

 

[FQ]

I strongly suspect they are set to accept and unconditionally return any train ticket valid on the day of use. New St is just too complex to do otherwise.

I don't think that's the case. Well over half the times I use New Street barriers my ticket is rejected with an error code 126. I admittedly can't remember what 126 is but it really does get annoying, particularly when the guy there gives you a Spanish inquisition regarding the validity of your Solihull-Derby day return...

 

[OwlMan]

London uston to Shrewsbury is also valid via Crewe, you can travel on the LNW crewe service and either travel all the way (via Stoke) or change at Stafford for a quicker journey. You can then use your Shrewsbury to Chester ticket to travel to Chester direct from Crewe

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't think that's the case. Well over half the times I use New Street barriers my ticket is rejected with an error code 126. I admittedly can't remember what 126 is but it really does get annoying, particularly when the guy there gives you a Spanish inquisition regarding the validity of your Solihull-Derby day return...

125/126 Origin/Destination not listed as valid for entry/exit here

I stand corrected. Certainly nothing I've ever fed in has been rejected there. I've been tempted to try some sillier ones to see

 

[Ianno87]

But you can change trains and wander round the station, eg at any of Birmingham International, Birmingham New St and Shrewsbury.
From Shrewsbury you can go via Wrexham or Crewe to get to Chester, even using Virgin from Crewe to Chester if you want.
Note that the hourly ATW Birmingham International-Shrewsbury connects to Chester in the hours it goes on to Aberystwyth, picking up the Cardiff-Holyhead.

You won't be able to use Virgin from Crewe to Chester on a Route ATW+West Midlands Trains ticket surely? You can of course use the ATW Crewe-Chester shuttle, though.

 

[northwichcat]

You won't be able to use Virgin from Crewe to Chester on a Route ATW+West Midlands Trains ticket surely? You can of course use the ATW Crewe-Chester shuttle, though.

The Shrewsbury to Chester ticket is for any permitted route or operator.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The "via Crewe" option is interesting for Euston-Shrewsbury on ATW/WMT, but I can't get journey planners to offer it.
I do know that the "ATW+CH" routeing from Chester to London (meaning via High Wycombe), does come up with WMT legs from Crewe to Birmingham.
It's yet another problem with a system where the routeing code is being mis-used as an operator restriction.
What it really should be is "Not VT or XC" as an operator restriction, couple with Any Permitted for a routeing.

 

[Ianno87]

The Shrewsbury to Chester ticket is for any permitted route or operator.

D'oh! Yes I'm with it now - thanks!

 

[waynemorrell]

My experience likewise. I remember many years ago, before it was redeveloped, I once flashed them a seat reservation - or was it a collection receipt - which they actually looked at and still let me through!

Indeed, only recently I was stood at the barriers (it wasn't busy) trying to fish out my ticket, It was in my wallet where I keep my Highlabd Railcard. I had my bag on wheels with me and I walk with a stick, anyway the virgin trains chap cane over (I assume he was Virgin Trains as he he was in a red uniform). Anyway he took one look at my Highland Railcard and opened the barrier

 

[hybrid.pigeon]

Thanks too all who contributed and for the advice.

I did indeed get through OK at Birmingham New Street, I had heavy luggage and the gentleman on the barriers simply waved me through. On my return he recognised me and the barrier was open before I even got to it.

I then boarded a Liverpool bound 350.

I was challenged by the guard just after Coseley, he said to alight at Wolverhampton and change there for Shrewsbury, but then I brandished my Chester ticket and said I had planned to change at Crewe and he seemed quite happy with that.

On alighting at Crewe there was a bit of confusion on what platform to use, I normally use 9 but that was occupied with a 175 which was going nowhere for at least an hour according to the information LED.

Then it came over the stations loud speakers to use platform 12, but the lift was busted. Great. Then a dispatcher informed me it was actually P11. So in the end I caught the delayed 2055 to Chester/Holyhead run by Virgin trains.

Checking it’s progress on RTT I was a bit confused as it shows two trains on 11.

1Z93 Euston to Chester (Crewe 2055) On time

1D93 Euston to Holyhead. (Crewe 2055) 4L by Crewe.

There was also a VT 390 which turned up on Platform 6 which seemed to be confusing people, it was announced several times as “Set down only” but it left with passengers aboard ?

I checked the journey planners in Birmingham and apparently my connection from Crewe was due Chesterat 2108 but I cannot find it listed so maybe I was mistaken

Thanks again.

 

[martinsh]

You can then use your Shrewsbury to Chester ticket to travel to Chester direct from Crewe

[CANOFWORMS]Off peak return Shrewsbury to Chester actually Cheaper than Crewe to Chester[/CANOFWORMS]

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

[CANOFWORMS]Off peak return Shrewsbury to Chester actually Cheaper than Crewe to Chester[/CANOFWORMS]

And cheaper than Shrewsbury-Crewe!

Looking at RTT, the 2048 Crewe-Chester (ex Llanelli) was put on P12 and was on time.
There are 2 bridges over to P12 as well as the lift, but not so easy with luggage.

The "two trains" thing on RTT is for when a double Voyager set is reduced to a single set and works just to Chester using the Z headcode.
On the day, it will be one train or the other, but not both.
It's one of the tactics VT uses during disruption.

 

[Puffing Devil]

There was also a VT 390 which turned up on Platform 6 which seemed to be confusing people, it was announced several times as “Set down only” but it left with passengers aboard ?

Most likely the 18h57 Euston-Crewe-Manchester Thursday/Friday relief train. Set-down only at Crewe, no idea why, as more people get off than could possibly ever want to get on and both Crewe and Manchester are now barriered for that service.

 

[Phil from Mon]

Given that if you use the A end at New Street to change you need to exit and re-enter through the barriers I’d suggest there is nothing to stop you wandering out of the station for a while. There is a great pub just down the road from the entrance with the long flight of steps.

 

[30907]

Most likely the 18h57 Euston-Crewe-Manchester Thursday/Friday relief train. Set-down only at Crewe, no idea why, as more people get off than could possibly ever want to get on and both Crewe and Manchester are now barriered for that service.

Set down only so it doesnt have to wait time?