Chichester/Barnham to West Hampstead

[Iggy12a]

I have noticed that the Off Peak Return from Barnham to West Hampstead (any permitted) let's me bring up an itinerary of Barnham - Victoria - Euston - Willesden Junction - West Hampstead.

But if I start my journey from Chichester, and ask for the same itinerary, journey planners say the routing is invalid on a single ticket; Trainsplit suggests splitting at Barnham.

I am just curious to know the reasoning, given that I thought Chichester and Barnham shared the same routing points of Ford and Havant.

 

[Watershed]

The reason is that in the NFM64 'fares round' (dating back to September 1996) the fare from Chichester to West Hampstead was cheaper than the fare from Chichester to Willesden Junction. Therefore Willesden Junction fails the 'fares check' which is conducted to determine if it is an 'appropriate' Routeing Point - only Gospel Oak passes.

The fare from Barnham to West Hampstead was the same as the fare from Barnham to Willesden Junction, therefore Willesden Junction passes the fares check when you're travelling from Barnham.

It doesn't make much sense in the context of today's fares, where the fare from Barnham is the same as the fare from Chichester. But that's the reason it works like that.

 

[Iggy12a]

Thanks for the explanation