London to Loughborough permitted routes

[MontyP]

We're travelling to Loughborough this weekend for a university open day but due to engineering, EM are on rail replacement buses between Luton and Bedford.

Interestingly the planning websites are all showing routes via either Bletchley/Bedford or Nuneaton/Leicester and not via the RRBs.

A couple of questions:
- I assume both of those routes are valid with Super Off Peak tickets ("any permitted" routes)?
- are there likely to be problems getting onto a Bedford-Bletchley train?
- are there any other valid routes e.g. via Coventry/Nuneaton or Peterborough/Leicester?

Thanks

 

[Dirty_Mac]

From what I can tell, the only permitted route is via Luton, and there are no easements in place. All the other itineraries are split tickets, which I suggest you do anyway. A Bedford to Loughborough return is only £42.60, so you get a savings no matter how you get to Bedford (via Luton or Bletchley)

 

[jfollows]

Maps in the routing guide (https://data.atoc.org/routeing-maps):

• MI
• MI + EM

but it's not immediately obvious to me what the additional "+EM" brings. Only permitted route is Midland Main Line via Luton.

However there may be "easements" because of the engineering works.
EDIT But, no, there aren't any that I can see either.

 

[Dirty_Mac]

but it's not immediately obvious to me what the additional "+EM" brings.

It means you can go via Oakham and Melton Mowbray :P

However there may be "easements" because of the engineering works.

I checked and there aren't any

 

[jfollows]

It means you can go via Oakham and Melton Mowbray :P


I checked and there aren't any

Thank you, makes sense, and I also checked and found no easements, thank you.

 

[MontyP]

Thank you, makes sense, and I also checked and found no easements, thank you.

Are you sure that there are no easements? EMR sold me a ticket via Nuneaton for the outward leg, a Super Off Peak Return - see picture below:

 

[JB_B]

Are you sure that there are no easements? EMR sold me a ticket via Nuneaton for the outward leg, a Super Off Peak Return - see picture below:

View attachment 165844

If you're starting from Euston the route via Nuneaton is just under 3 miles longer than the shortest route which is via Marston Vale. ( According to the RG data.)

 

[Dirty_Mac]

That is super weird! I can't get the forum's site to sell me the super off-peak return for that exact itinerary.

 

[MontyP]

That is super weird! I can't get the forum's site to sell me the super off-peak return for that exact itinerary.

I think the 7.43 from Euston is now "fully booked" ...

 

[Dirty_Mac]

I think the 7.43 from Euston is now "fully booked" ...

Checked next Saturday. Can't book it on the forum's website but EMR will gladly sell me a super off-peak return with the itinerary via Nuneaton.

 

[MontyP]

So I travelled today, both ways via Nuneaton and Leicester. No issues - tickets were checked multiple times on both legs of the journey. It looked like there were a lot of other parent/teenager pairings taking the same route to Loughborough!