avoiding rail replacement bus service

[dvboy]

Hi all

I am travelling from Lincoln to Birmingham on 11th November and there is a rail replacement bus service between Newark Castle and Nottingham on the day which I want to avoid because I'll have luggage.

Can anyone tell me which of the following journeys will be valid for the return part of an off-peak return from Birmingham Stns - Lincoln?

Lincoln - Newark NG - Doncaster - Birmingham
Lincoln - Sheffield - Birmingham

...or is the only valid route via Newark Castle?

 

[Eagle]

Lincoln - Newark NG - Doncaster - Birmingham
Lincoln - Sheffield - Birmingham

The RG doesn't seem to permit either of those. Oddly, it does seem to permit (on combination DG+CE) Lincoln–Barnetby–Doncaster–Sheffield–Derby–Birmingham.

 

[dvboy]

One of the options thrown up for the outward journey (Friday) is Birmingham - Doncaster -(via Gainsborough)- Lincoln but this doesn't seem possible on the return on a Sunday as it requires a change at Retford, and similarly changing at Sheffield requires passing through Retford. Barnetby isn't possible on a Sunday either.

It seems Retford is the problem here.

 

[barrykas]

Working through the Routeing Guide:

Both Lincoln and Birmingham are routeing points, so a fares check is not necessary.

Permitted routes can be found on maps BG and DG + CE.

Map BG allows Lincoln - Nottingham - Leicester (optionally via Derby) - Birmingham.

DG + CE allows the obvious Lincoln - Nottingham - Derby - Birmingham via Tamworth and/or Lichfield.

It also allows Lincoln - Barnetby - Doncaster, then a multitude of routes to Sheffield (including the truly silly via Selby, York, Harrogate, Leeds, Wakefield, then either Barnsley or Swinton) then on through Derby and Lichfield and/or Tamworth.

Whether you'd have a problem convincing a Conductor that it was valid remains to be seen, mind you.

 

[dvboy]

It's Lincoln-Nottingham I am trying to avoid.

The problem seems to be the Lincoln - Doncaster leg on a Sunday not being valid via Retford, which isn't a problem on the Friday.

 

[John @ home]

The problem seems to be the Lincoln - Doncaster leg on a Sunday not being valid via Retford, which isn't a problem on the Friday.

I don't think this corresponds to the rules in the Routeing Guide. Could you please tell us the times of the trains offered via Retford on the Friday and not offered via Retford on the Sunday?

 

[TUC]

Hi all

I am travelling from Lincoln to Birmingham on 11th November and there is a rail replacement bus service between Newark Castle and Nottingham on the day which I want to avoid because I'll have luggage.

Can anyone tell me which of the following journeys will be valid for the return part of an off-peak return from Birmingham Stns - Lincoln?

Lincoln - Newark NG - Doncaster - Birmingham
Lincoln - Sheffield - Birmingham

...or is the only valid route via Newark Castle?

Won't using the coach involve less carrying around of your luggage than the options you suggest?

 

[dvboy]

I don't think this corresponds to the rules in the Routeing Guide. Could you please tell us the times of the trains offered via Retford on the Friday and not offered via Retford on the Sunday?

What I mean is the train from Doncaster-Lincoln doesn't go via Retford. On a Sunday there isn't such a train so a change at Retford is required.
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Won't using the coach involve less carrying around of your luggage than the options you suggest?

I'm thinking more in terms of space. It's EMT so you never know what kind of coach/bus to expect.