AP ticket - leaving station during long connection time

[ashworth]

Next Sunday I am travelling from Nottingham to London Kings Cross with an AP Ticket. My train from Nottinham arrives in Grantham at 1531 and my connection to London is not until 1632.

I'm fully aware about break of journey not being allowed with AP tickets but wondered if the staff at Grantham might allow me to have a walk out into the town rather than have to wait on the station for 1 hour. I'm quite happy to sit and read a book in the waiting room if necessary, but wondered whether there was any point asking. Are the staff at Grantham kind and understanding!!!

The reason I'm travelling this route with such an inconveneient connection is that I managed to get a £10.25 ticket for this journey which was very low for a Bank Holiday weekend.

 

[yorkie]

It's certainly worth asking. I'm not sure what the staffing/barrier situation at Grantham is. I can't recall ever leaving the station.

 

[A60K]

It's certainly worth asking. I'm not sure what the staffing/barrier situation at Grantham is. I can't recall ever leaving the station.

There are automatic barriers on the London-bound platform, put in fairly recently I think.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Do you have a booked seat on the 1632?

If your first train arrives a little early, you might be able to catch the 1532 instead and arrive an hour earlier!

 

[ashworth]

Do you have a booked seat on the 1632?

If your first train arrives a little early, you might be able to catch the 1532 instead and arrive an hour earlier!

Yes it's an Advance Purchase Ticket where I have a reserved seat on the 1632 and I cannot use any other train.
As I said above I know that the rules are that you cannot break your journey with this type of ticket, but I might try asking, as its not really a break of journey just a long wait for a connection to be stuck on a station.

 

[royaloak]

It is NOT a break of journey so you should be allowed off the PLATFORM (not station) to use the station facilities.

 

[mickey]

It is NOT a break of journey so you should be allowed off the PLATFORM (not station) to use the station facilities.

Officially you're not supposed to leave the station but I'm sure staff there will let you, especially if you explain that you're going to return in time for the train your ticket is valid for. You're unlikely to have any hassle but if they try to stop you tell them you want to stretch your legs or have a smoke or something. I've never been prevented from leaving a station, even with an advance ticket - few people are mean or pedantic enough to keep you trapped on site.

 

[Welshman]

Certainly my experience of the barrier staff at Grantham is that they have been very understanding and co-operative, letting me through without any ticket to see someone off, and on occasions allowing me on to the platform with no ticket, to eat my lunch and watch trains for an hour or so! So ask them politely, and I wouldn't have thought you'd have a problem.