Chiltern/London Midland this weekend

[island]

So I'm going from London to Acocks Green (don't ask why) on Saturday morning returning on Sunday, with a super off-peak return ticket routed HIGH WYCOMBE.

The normal way of doing this would be getting Chiltern from Marylebone to Dorridge and changing there onto a London Midland stopper to Acocks Green. But of course I have to do this on a weekend where there are engineering works, works-to-rule, and what-not!

My understanding is that I may have to get a train from Marylebone to Aylesbury Vale Parkway, a bus from there to Banbury, and onwards by train as booked. Will this be allowed even though it doesn't go through High Wycombe?

Sunday is even more complex. There appears to be no service whatsoever at Acocks Green. I can get dropped to Birmingham by a friend, but will Virgin Trains pass the ticket on the WCML to Euston (due to the disruption) or will I need to go on the reverse of the first journey?

 

[TomJ93]

On Saturday use FGW as far as Oxford, join an XC service and then change at Leamington onwards.

 

[island]

Will FGW pass that ticket, given that Chiltern is organizing rail replacement buses and the journey does not appear to go anywhere near High Wycombe?

 

[swt_passenger]

On Saturday use FGW as far as Oxford, join an XC service and then change at Leamington onwards.

XC will have replacement buses anyway, as they are affected by the same closure as Chiltern this weekend; as on most weekends recently the line's blocked at Aynho Jn.

 

[phil35]

Will FGW pass that ticket, given that Chiltern is organizing rail replacement buses and the journey does not appear to go anywhere near High Wycombe?

I would guess not. When I had to travel Banbury - Marylebone and back, I didn't risk it and used the replacement bus to and from Aylesbury Vale Parkway. My interpretation would be that the via High Wycombe route has been diverted via Aylesbury, and not via Oxford, and so the ticket wouldn't be valid via XC/FGW.

But that's just my own interpretation.

 

[oversteer]

Chiltern usually say on their webpage when tickets are accepted via FGW or Virgin, and this time they don't, so I guess the Aylesbury - Banbury coach will be your train tomorrow

 

[island]

Bah. I wonder if I might be able to swing a Virgin train on the way back due to the LM segment of the journey being impossible.

 

[yorkie]

If the ticket isn't accepted by Virgin, the fare due on the train is half the difference in fares between the ticket you hold, and the appropriate ticket routed Any Permitted. For travel on a weekend, the appropriate ticket would be the Off Peak Return. Railcard discounts are allowed (if the original ticket is discounted). The excess fare payable is the same price on board the train or from the ticket office.

 

[barrykas]

I would guess not. When I had to travel Banbury - Marylebone and back, I didn't risk it and used the replacement bus to and from Aylesbury Vale Parkway. My interpretation would be that the via High Wycombe route has been diverted via Aylesbury, and not via Oxford, and so the ticket wouldn't be valid via XC/FGW.

A Banbury ticket (or a longer distance ticket routed via Banbury rather than High Wycombe) would be perfectly valid on FGW/XC via Oxford...Not that it's a lot of use for this current set of works, given Aynho's closed as well, so XC are bustituted Oxford - Banbury.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[embers25]

This is the first weekend I can remember where Chiltern haven't stated that tickets are valid via Oxford on XC//fGW. They certainly are next weekend for a similar blockade. High Wycombe tickets are however defintiely valid on the bus to Aylesbury Vale and on to London.

For Sunday London Midland say their tickets are valid on Chiltern between Stratford Upon Avon and Leamington and between Moor Street and Leamington so that covers the Acocks Green bit. Their website also mentions extra stops on Chiltern between Acocks Green and Dorridge although their temporary timetable don't show such stops.

 

[Clip]

Bah. I wonder if I might be able to swing a Virgin train on the way back due to the LM segment of the journey being impossible.

No.

your ticket is valid high Wycombe. if you take any other route then you wil be liable to pay the fare for the route you take.

 

[OwlMan]

This is the first weekend I can remember where Chiltern haven't stated that tickets are valid via Oxford on XC//fGW. They certainly are next weekend for a similar blockade. High Wycombe tickets are however defintiely valid on the bus to Aylesbury Vale and on to London.

Probably because this weekend there are no trains from Banbury to Oxford either - the line is blocked at Ayhno junction so both routs are affected

Peter

 

[swt_passenger]

Probably because this weekend there are no trains from Banbury to Oxford either - the line is blocked at Ayhno junction so both routs are affected

Peter

That's three of us mentioned that the line's closed at Aynho Jn now. I think it has been for at least the last four weekends, so this isn't the first recently (as suggested by embers25's post).

Also this weekend and next the XC weekly summary of engineering work shows full closures, despite their March monthly summary only having partial closures late Sat - early Sun. Obviously some last minute changes of plan.

I noticed earlier there are ghost services in the system, with arrivals and departures at Southampton showing both the normal service and those cut back to/from Oxford

 

[yorkie]

No.

Surely you can't "no" as in, there is no chance. As some guards may well be lenient, or there may be instructions to staff to honour tickets that are not visible to customers. There is always a chance, though it may be a small one.

your ticket is valid high Wycombe. if you take any other route then you wil be liable to pay the fare for the route you take.

If the ticket isn't accepted by Virgin, the fare due on the train is half the difference in fares between the ticket you hold, and the appropriate ticket routed Any Permitted. For travel on a weekend, the appropriate ticket would be the Off Peak Return. Railcard discounts are allowed (if the original ticket is discounted). The excess fare payable is the same price on board the train or from the ticket office.

Ticket held:
London - Acocks Green
Super Off Peak R (OPR)
Rte High Wycombe
£19.50 (undiscounted) or £12.85 (with railcard)


Appropriate ticket:
London - Acocks Green
Off Peak R (SVR)
Rte Any Permitted
£44.30 (undiscounted) or £29.25 (with railcard)

Excess is therefore £12.40 (no railcard) or £8.20 (with railcard)

 

[Ferret]

This is the first weekend I can remember where Chiltern haven't stated that tickets are valid via Oxford on XC//fGW. They certainly are next weekend for a similar blockade. High Wycombe tickets are however defintiely valid on the bus to Aylesbury Vale and on to London.

For Sunday London Midland say their tickets are valid on Chiltern between Stratford Upon Avon and Leamington and between Moor Street and Leamington so that covers the Acocks Green bit. Their website also mentions extra stops on Chiltern between Acocks Green and Dorridge although their temporary timetable don't show such stops.

I can confirm XC are accepting route High Wycombe tickets via Reading this weekend. This would imply that FGW are too.....

 

[embers25]

Thanks for the confirmation Ferret. Previous weekend closures where there is a bus from Banbury to Oxford or Oxford to Didcot have still allowed High Wycombe tickets and so it looks like just an oversight on the Chiltern website...albeit a major one!

 

[Ferret]

I've an idea that the High Wycombe route was supposed to be open this weekend, and a last-minute block was arranged by NR. Certainly we were briefed very late this week about the ticket acceptance agreement!

 

[island]

I ended up getting a lift with a mate and so I'll have to write in to SET for a refund on the ticket (as it was bought at Cannon Street).

 

[Clip]

Surely you can't "no" as in, there is no chance. As some guards may well be lenient, or there may be instructions to staff to honour tickets that are not visible to customers. There is always a chance, though it may be a small one.

If the ticket isn't accepted by Virgin, the fare due on the train is half the difference in fares between the ticket you hold, and the appropriate ticket routed Any Permitted. For travel on a weekend, the appropriate ticket would be the Off Peak Return. Railcard discounts are allowed (if the original ticket is discounted). The excess fare payable is the same price on board the train or from the ticket office.

Ticket held:
London - Acocks Green
Super Off Peak R (OPR)
Rte High Wycombe
£19.50 (undiscounted) or £12.85 (with railcard)


Appropriate ticket:
London - Acocks Green
Off Peak R (SVR)
Rte Any Permitted
£44.30 (undiscounted) or £29.25 (with railcard)

Excess is therefore £12.40 (no railcard) or £8.20 (with railcard)

Exactly.. i missed out the excess up bit but still wouldve been payable