Lympstone Commando to Milton Keynes

[100andthirty]

My son has a through ticket from Lympstone Commando to Milton Keynes on Friday routed "via Gloucester". The logical route is Lympstone to Exeter St Davids, Cross Country to Birmingham New Street and then Avanti to Milton Keynes. The Cross Country train goes though Gloucester but doesn't stop there. Is that OK or must his train stop at Gloucester. My initial thought is that it's OK as long as the train goes through Gloucester. Would someone more knowledgeable than me confirm one way or the other? Thanks

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Interesting question! Do Cross Country trains from Exeter St. Davids to Birmingham New Street pass through (or do they instead bypass) Gloucester station?

Can only see the one daily XC service that does seem to call at Gloucester (before then reversing out and continuing on its way Northbound).

 

[100andthirty]

Thanks. You're right, I'm misreading the map. But I still wonder if the ticket is valid as Gloucester is more or less on the same route. Trouble is the ticket was bought for him by people who don't seem to understand ticketing.

 

[gnolife]

I can't see anything that would allow avoiding Gloucester. This means that you'd have to change at Bristol for a GWR service to Gloucester, and change there for a Birmingham train - it's usually a 10-20 minute connection at Bristol and a 10 minute or so connection at Gloucester.

 

[AlterEgo]

Thanks. You're right, I'm misreading the map. But I still wonder if the ticket is valid as Gloucester is more or less on the same route. Trouble is the ticket was bought for him by people who don't seem to understand ticketing.

You actually have to go via Gloucester, not “more or less in that area”.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Trouble is the ticket was bought for him by people who don't seem to understand ticketing.

Or have just gone for what appears to be the cheapest option!

What ticket type is held, exactly? (Including the price).

 

[gnolife]

And also, what time would you be looking at travelling?

 

[StarCrossing]

My very first post on this forum was on the same subject, so the thread is potentially worth a look. The consensus seemed to be that avoiding Gloucester station was fine as long as you went through the Gloucester area towards Cheltenham. Warning: it's 7 years old.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/bristol-tm-to-leicester-off-peak-returns-query.118724/

 

[100andthirty]

Thanks gnolife and AlterEgo. Travel aiming for 14:27 (if permitted) from Exeter St David's to BHM. Mcr Warrior: ticket image is attached. The top coupon is the receipt

 

[Bletchleyite]

If I had an Any Permitted ticket I'd always go via London for GWR journeys, particularly at the moment while Avanti are unreliable.

But assuming you're stuck with this very odd routeing, it appears NRE will offer it on the obvious route using the Exeter-Birmingham CrossCountry service that doesn't go via Gloucester station but does skirt the edge of the city (and that train is the only logical reason for wanting to route a ticket that way, though I really don't get why they're not routed BIRMINGHAM instead). However I can't find an easement in the actual easements list. Odd.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What's the worst that could happen? Having to stump up for a change of route excess to route "Any Permitted"? (Extra £2.75 each way?)

 

[Bletchleyite]

What's the worst that could happen? Having to stump up for a change of route excess to route "Any Permitted"? (Extra £2.75 each way?)

What I'd be inclined to do is to purchase that excess (if that's all it is!) and travel via London, it's a much smoother journey at the moment!

Any booking office can issue it.

 

[gnolife]

What I'd suggest doing is going to a booking office (you could do it in the connection time at Exeter), and asking for that to be excessed to route +Any Permitted. That'll cost you an extra £5.50, but will allow you to take the direct train from Exeter to Birmingham.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What I'd suggest doing is going to a booking office (you could do it in the connection time at Exeter), and asking for that to be excessed to route +Any Permitted. That'll cost you an extra £5.50, but will allow you to take the direct train from Exeter to Birmingham.

It appears something somewhere in the Routeing Guide already allows it, as NRE shows those fares on the direct train. I cannot however for the life of me see what, though sometimes the implementation of easements isn't the same as the text of them.

The excess might be worth it to go via London instead though!

 

[100andthirty]

Wow. Thanks to everyone who's replied and so quickly. I will advise travelling via London, given the state Avanti's got itself into.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Wow. Thanks to everyone who's replied and so quickly. I will advise travelling via London, given the state Avanti's got itself into.

For under three quid I definitely would. Avoids the usual XC overcrowding, too.

 

[100andthirty]

Sent him the nessage! I think it'll be the first time he's asked to upgrade a route specific ticket to any permitted. He'll have about 20 minutes at Exeter which should be enough - or can the upgrade be done on the train? Perhaps upgrade with the guard on the Lympstone Commando to Exeter train?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Sent him the nessage! I think it'll be the first time he's asked to upgrade a route specific ticket to any permitted. He'll have about 20 minutes at Exeter which should be enough - or can the upgrade be done on the train? Perhaps upgrade with the guard on the Lympstone Commando to Exeter train?

20 minutes will be loads. The guard may be able to do it but may not know how.

The most common error is to charge the full difference rather than half of it - if he is charged that (£5.something), best thing is to pay it and pursue a refund afterwards, arguing rarely works.

Or he can change the whole ticket on payment of the full difference to go via London both ways if that's what he wants.

 

[Watershed]

In general, there is no requirement to stop at the 'via point' for your route to be valid. However you do have to pass through the via point.

However, in this specific instance, there is an easement which allows you to take the line avoiding Gloucester on a via Gloucester ticket. So 'via Gloucester' actually means 'via Gloucester, or not via Gloucester if you prefer'!

Really these sorts of flows are long overdue for being rerouted via Cheltenham.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In general, there is no requirement to stop at the 'via point' for your route to be valid. However you do have to pass through the via point.

However, in this specific instance, there is an easement which allows you to take the line avoiding Gloucester on a via Gloucester ticket. So 'via Gloucester' actually means 'via Gloucester, or not via Gloucester if you prefer'!

Really these sorts of flows are long overdue for being rerouted via Cheltenham.

Or "Not London", or "Birmingham". For MKC, the only two obvious routes are into Paddington then out of Euston or via New St.

 

[Haywain]

Or "Not London", or "Birmingham". For MKC, the only two obvious routes are into Paddington then out of Euston or via New St.

Until the part of East West Rail opens!

 

[Deafdoggie]

Any booking office can issue it.

I admire your optimism.

 

[zwk500]

Until the part of East West Rail opens!

But it isn't open yet. When it gets close would be the perfect time to review some of these routing points.

 

[100andthirty]

I imagine Exeter St David's is used to dealing with the fallout of odd tickets originating from Lympstone Commando.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I admire your optimism.

I've not generally had a huge issue getting change of route excesses over the years, but more often than not I have had issues getting them in one direction rather than changing the whole ticket (as that's how all other excesses work). But the OP probably wants to change the whole ticket anyway; XC and Avanti will be just as awful on the way back as they will be on the way there.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What ticket stock does the change of route excess ideally need to be issued on, in order to work the barriers for any LU (cross-London) transfer?

 

[Bletchleyite]

What ticket stock does the change of route excess ideally need to be issued on, in order to work the barriers for any LU (cross-London) transfer?

Standard orange CCST (not bog roll).

 

[Watershed]

What ticket stock does the change of route excess ideally need to be issued on, in order to work the barriers for any LU (cross-London) transfer?

It won't be issued at all if the only stock the member of staff has is 'loo roll'.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It won't be issued at all if the only stock the member of staff has is 'loo roll'.

If it's refused then the passenger is entitled to buy it on board (if GWR traincrew can do CCST), or at the first opportunity after that.

Wouldn't surprise me entirely if they just get away with it (but have to use contactless for the Tube) because nowhere along the way can actually do it! Avanti are now bog roll and there's no longer a LNR ticket office at Euston, while MKC gateline is unlikely to notice that they haven't come from the north.

 

[Haywain]

It won't be issued at all if the only stock the member of staff has is 'loo roll'.

That’s nonsense. It could still be issued but wouldn’t operate the Underground ticket barriers, which obviously is far from ideal.