Blackpool North/South ticket question

[pooliemag]

Hi peeps, am currently in Blackpool and due to return to Wolverhampton tomorrow and i`d like to know if i can use my Wolverhampton- Blackpool South return ticket for the return journey from Blackpool North instead of Blackpool South? It appears that travelling from The "North" station will cut my journey time down by over 45mins so would be the preferable option. Do i just go to the ticket office at Blackpool North and ask for an excess or permit to travel?? ( ticket price is the same from both stations).

Many thanks

 

[sonic2009]

I'm sure if you went to the ticket office and explained what you would like to do, i can see no reason why their should be a problem, as it's the same price..

 

[WestCoast]

This question appears every so often. Officially, tickets to Blackpool North or Blackpool South are not valid to the other station.

However, in reality the guards always use their discretion and allow passengers to travel to the other station. I've never had a ticket refused - and I am a fairly regular user on the line.

The only slight issue is Blackpool North now has ticket barriers, your ticket will not be accepted by these barriers (many forms of valid ticket are rejected). The barrier staff can be a little pedantic at this station, just explain what you are going to do and they should let you through. They will be used to the situation - it's a fairly regular occurrence.

No permit to travel or zero-excess is required.

 

[pooliemag]

yeah that`s what i thought...that it should be ok to travel from Blackpool North..thanks for the sonicspin reply

 

[bnm]

Fares are the same to/from Blackpool North or South to/from Wolverhampton so shouldn't be an issue. Technically you require a 'zero excess' for the alternative route. Fairly sure neither the gateline at Blackpool North or on train staff will bat an eyelid.

That said, if your ticket is an Advance Purchase then you must travel to/from the stations printed on it. But your OP says 'Wolverhampton to Blackpool South return ticket', so I'm assuming you have a 'walk-up' ticket as opposed to Advance Purchase.

 

[WestCoast]

That said, if your ticket is an Advance Purchase then you must travel to/from the stations printed on it. But your OP says 'Wolverhampton to Blackpool South return ticket', so I'm assuming you have a 'walk-up' ticket as opposed to Advance Purchase.

I have used an advance to Blackpool North to travel on a Blackpool South run. Because Northern Rail connecting services don't reserve you on a certain train (due to a lack of reservations) the guards don't tend to mind. However, if you are booked on a TPE Preston - Blackpool North, things may be different.

 

[pooliemag]

This question appears every so often. Officially, tickets to Blackpool North or Blackpool South are not valid to the other station.

However, in reality the guards always use their discretion and allow passengers to travel to the other station. I've never had a ticket refused - and I am a fairly regular user on the line.

The only slight issue is Blackpool North now has ticket barriers, your ticket will not be accepted by these barriers (many forms of valid ticket are rejected). The barrier staff can be a little pedantic at this station, just explain what you are going to do and they should let you through. They will be used to the situation - it's a fairly regular occurrence.

No permit to travel or zero-excess is required.

Thanks for the reply It was the barriers i was worried may scupper the plans and i have been there when there were no visible barrier staff. I must admit I’ve always thought the staff at this station were a jolly assortment of people and quite approachable. To be honest i only got my ticket to Blackpool South because i hadnt travelled on that line lol.....I didn’t give my connections back a second thought
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Fares are the same to/from Blackpool North or South to/from Wolverhampton so shouldn't be an issue. Technically you require a 'zero excess' for the alternative route. Fairly sure neither the gateline at Blackpool North or on train staff will bat an eyelid.

That said, if your ticket is an Advance Purchase then you must travel to/from the stations printed on it. But your OP says 'Wolverhampton to Blackpool South return ticket', so I'm assuming you have a 'walk-up' ticket as opposed to Advance Purchase.

Yes i have an off peak return, it seemed a more practical ticket after weighing up costs for advance and off peak fares against freedom to choose when to travel at my convenience....and to be honest there wasn't that much difference in price.

 

[WestCoast]

Thanks for the reply It was the barriers i was worried may scubber the plans and i have been there when there were no visible barrier staff. I must admit i've always thought the staff at this station were a jolly assortment of people and quite approachable. To be honest i only got my ticket to Blackpool South because i hadnt travelled on that line lol.....i didnt give my connections back a second thought

You'll be fine at the barriers, but buy the Blackpool North ticket next time as it's less hassle for the barriers! The Blackpool South trains are slower, but it's a more interesting route. The pacers may be a novelty for some, but they aren't for me :cry:

The staff are generally fine at the Blackpool North barriers but they are sometimes overstaffed in comparison to other stations and therefore, if your ticket doesn't work they insist on trying it again and so on. A few people have had bad experiences.

The ticket office staff are very friendly and helpful though!

 

[Solent&Wessex]

Fares are the same to/from Blackpool North or South to/from Wolverhampton so shouldn't be an issue. Technically you require a 'zero excess' for the alternative route.

Technically you need a new ticket from Blackpool North to either Kirkham or Preston depending on where the train stops. A zero fare "Alternative Route" excess is only applicable when you are travelling to the SAME destination station via a different route. In this case Blackpool North and South are entirely different stations on completely separate routes. The ticket to Blackpool South ceases to be valid at Kirkham and as such after Kirkham you are diverging from your booked route to an alternative destination. At that point you need a whole new ticket for the portion of the journey not covered by the original ticket, but that must comply with NCOC as regards split tickets. Having said that I am aware that a reasonable amount of flexibility is shown along that route so you should be ok, but always ask the Guard first just in case.

 

[WestCoast]

Having said that I am aware that a reasonable amount of flexibility is shown along that route so you should be ok, but always ask the Guard first just in case.

I think some guards remember the "Blackpool stations" tickets that used to exist many years ago on the route - I suspect the only thing preventing this being reinstated is the fact that TPE run to Blackpool North. Northern don't want to lose a share of revenue on the Blackpool South route.

 

[premier01]

Thanks for the reply It was the barriers i was worried may scubber the plans and i have been there when there were no visible barrier staff. I must admit i`ve always thought the staff at this station were a jolly assortment of people and quite approachable. To be honest i only got my ticket to Blackpool South because i hadnt travelled on that line lol.....i didnt give my connections back a second thought
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Yes i have an off peak return, it seemed a more practical ticket after weighing up costs for advance and off peak fares against freedom to choose when to travel at my convenience....and to be honest there wasn`t that much difference in price.

I wouldn't describe them as jolly-they can be very annoying-but the gateline staff should let u through there.

 

[142094]

I wouldn't describe them as jolly-they can be very annoying-but the gateline staff should let u through there.

Last time I was there, 3 were doing the job one person could have done. Also were complaining about passengers wanting to keep their tickets for a refund (train from York was one and a half hours late). Although they would fit in nicely if they were transferred to Man Pic or Leeds...

 

[WestCoast]

Last time I was there, 3 were doing the job one person could have done. Also were complaining about passengers wanting to keep their tickets for a refund (train from York was one and a half hours late).

They are definitely overstaffed. I needed to keep my ticket for a late Virgin claim form and was told that the train I'd just come in on wasn't late so "why did I need to do that?". After a bit of moaning, they reluctantly let me keep my ticket! :roll:

 

[pooliemag]

Just left blackpool north, had no problems with gateline staff,in fact they were happy to chat and help people. My blackpool south ticket went through the barrier with no problem which surprised me.

 

[WestCoast]

Just left blackpool north, had no problems with gateline staff,in fact they were happy to chat and help people. My blackpool south ticket went through the barrier with no problem which surprised me.

They do seem to have become more friendly of late, I believe the barriers have has a software update meaning that they accept more tickets, it appears this has included Blackpool South tickets

 

[LexyBoy]

They do seem to have become more friendly of late, I believe the barriers have has a software update meaning that they accept more tickets, it appears this has included Blackpool South tickets

Which is a bit odd if the tickets are not actually valid (Guards' discretion notwithstanding) is it not?