Any Permitted Route

[davews]

I know this has been asked many times before....
My off peak day return Martins Heron to Kingston yesterday, code US, said 'Any Permitted Route'. The obvious and offered by journey planners is via Twickenham, which is what I did. But would this allow me to go via Clapham Junction as with half hourly trains that may have been quicker, I had a full half hour wait at Twickenham on the way back. It doesn't even say Not London so does via Waterloo count?
Yes, the route tables would answer that but the average man in the street won't be looking at that.

 

[30907]

The simple way to find out is to use a journey planner. If the route is offered, you may use it as valid (even if it is an error!); if not, it (almost certainly) isn't.

Waterloo would involve a double-back so isn't valid; unfortunately, nor is CLJ - having checked, Raynes Park is as far as you can get that way and the fare is 15% higher. It is very much the long way round to Kingston - 15 miles vs 4.

 

[jfollows]

Valid routes are defined in the routeing guide as those between Ascot and Kingston, shown on map WX at https://data.atoc.org/routeing-maps.
Whilst doubling-back isn't per se forbidden, it's not allowed when using the routeing guide maps, so the attached map only really shows the obvious route via Twickenham plus an alternative of the Hounslow loop with a change at Barnes, which wouldn't really be practical unless you wanted to break your journey at Hounslow, say. Clapham would not be allowed.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Take it that an itinerary from Martins Heron to Kingston via (changing at) Virginia Water, Weybridge, Surbiton and New Malden, wouldn't ever be permitted, and would likely require split tickets?

 

[jfollows]

Take it that an itinerary from Martins Heron to Kingston via (changing at) Virginia Water, Weybridge, Surbiton and New Malden, wouldn't ever be permitted, and would likely require split tickets?

Not according to the routeing guide, no. I zoomed in on the map for the extract above, but there’s no link to Weybridge on the full map from Ascot/Martins Heron. Nor is there a link from New Malden to Kingston.

Your route would be allowed if it were the shortest route or within 3 miles of that, but it won’t be either. Or covered by an “easement”, for which I admit I have not looked.

 

[davews]

Thanks for all that. Presumably changing at Richmond instead of Twickenham wouldn't be allowed either as that would be doubling back.
Your map doesn't show Fulwell. Yesterday's plan, finishing my walk near Fulwell, was to do a contactless between there and Twickenham on the way back (with effective BOJ at Twickenham). But I found direct trains Fulwell/Twickenham are pretty rare so ended up going back to Kingston. My next leg of the walk will be starting at Fulwell and eventually, after a bus from Hatton Cross, ending at Feltham with a BOJ at Feltham. Is this allowed with a day return to Fulwell?

 

[jfollows]

Martins Heron to Fulwell via Kingston is a valid route. Kingston is a routeing point for Fulwell and passes the fares check for this journey.
Martins Heron to Fulwell, then returning from Feltham, is also fine.
Martins Heron to Kingston or Fulwell via Richmond isn’t allowed because you’d be doubling back on the map - unless you went to Richmond via Hounslow and Barnes which would be silly but probably allowed.

[The fares check is essentially saying that because Martins Heron to Kingston isn’t more expensive than to Fulwell, it’s allowed.]

 

[davews]

Thanks again.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

Thanks for all that. Presumably changing at Richmond instead of Twickenham wouldn't be allowed either as that would be doubling back.
Your map doesn't show Fulwell. Yesterday's plan, finishing my walk near Fulwell, was to do a contactless between there and Twickenham on the way back (with effective BOJ at Twickenham). But I found direct trains Fulwell/Twickenham are pretty rare so ended up going back to Kingston. My next leg of the walk will be starting at Fulwell and eventually, after a bus from Hatton Cross, ending at Feltham with a BOJ at Feltham. Is this allowed with a day return to Fulwell?

I see that you are doing the LOOP, I hope that you are enjoying it. I finished it 2 weeks ago.

 

[davews]

A re-walk of the LOOP, I first walked it in 2019. Just as good fun this time as then.