Off-peak return ticket validity

[Bungle]

Evening all. Question re ability to use the return portion of an off-peak ticket where the journey starts just before 09:30.

I hold an off-peak return Boston-Sutton Coldfield (route via Nottingham) ticket, £68.80. I now need to make the return trip to Boston.

The ticket is not valid on any train before 09:30.

National Rail website gives me itineraries that all start at xx:29. Logically, the first available connection is 10:29, 2 changes, arriving in Boston at 14:18.

The question is, is the validity tied to a published itinerary based on the origin of the ticket?

For example, could I start short and board what was the 09:29 from Sutton in Wylde Green at 09:32 (therefore not using the ticket before 09:30) or is that likely to cause trouble? I couldn’t prove to an RPI or barrier staff that I started short and I’m guessing I will run into problems.

Similarly, if I ran and made earlier (unofficial) connections in (say) Derby, which put me on a train I otherwise wouldn’t have been able or allowed to get, if I got checked further down the journey en-route to Boston, would that cause trouble? Or is the fact I’m using it after 09:30 enough?

I’d like to arrive in Boston an hour earlier preferably but I don’t want to break rules or get into arguments with staff, so if the earliest arrival permitted is 14:18 then so be it.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That's an XC 2V one.

I don't know the answer for certain but one thing interesting and relevant about 2V is this:

Overnight Break of Journey is permitted under this restriction code.

Outward (on day 2): Outward restrictions as above apply. Return: Return restrictions as above apply Monday-Friday.

What that implies is that if you break your journey overnight you can restart the following day as long as you do so after 0930. Logic would say a same day break or start short should also be allowed on that basis.

Of course proving that you did start short is awkward. As I mentioned on another thread asking something similar, you could buy the ticket at the station you board, or buy it for collection and collect it there, as a reasonable piece of evidence. However staff still might be awkward about it particularly if the station is gated (I don't know if it is or not).

As Cross City services all call at Wylde Green, though, the easiest way to avoid any friction may simply be to split there. It'll cost you 6 quid more, but compared to the full price of the ticket that's fairly minimal. I think that's what I would probably do.

 

[tumbledown]

We really must start standing up for ourselves. A ticket valid at the time and place of inspection is a valid ticket.

 

[speedy1]

@Bletchleyite they already have a ticket

You can legitimately board at Wylde Green to catch the 0932. You're entitled to start there with your ticket and that will be the beginning of your journey, at a permissible time.

 

[Bletchleyite]

We really must start standing up for ourselves. A ticket valid at the time and place of inspection is a valid ticket.

There are battles worth fighting, and £6 on an £80-odd ticket is just not worth the time and stress for me.

If it is for you, fine, but don't expect to get inspected with this ticket without at least some hassle, even if it is technically valid for the intended journey. Certainly don't do it without some sort of evidence of where you boarded.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Yesterday at 23:35 ==

@Bletchleyite they already have a ticket

You can legitimately board at Wylde Green at 0932. You're entitled to start short with your ticket and that will be the beginning of your journey, at a permissible time.

Yes, but what do you think an RPI is going to think they did?

I would absolutely not do this without uncontrovertible evidence of having boarded at Wylde Green, such as having actually purchased it there (or collected it there) immediately before travel. The chance of hassle is very high.

Can't remember where else I used this quote recently, but Daniel Barnett on LBC often says "having a legal right and enforcing it are two different things" and I think this probably applies here.

 

[speedy1]

What evidence will an RPI have? They're entitled to suspicions that's all. OP will be on CCTV at Wylde Green and not at Sutton.

If OP is risk averse they could take a video of them boarding and clearly show their at face at a cctv camera. Or ask the ticket office to print the cheapest ticket they can find?