Dorchester routing

[jonb]

I am travelling to Dorchester tomorrow for work. I will be starting my journey at Shenfield and intend to use SWT's 08:35 service arriving into Dorchester South at 11:05.

My main question is regarding the return journey. Would I be able to use an anytime day return via Castle Cary? I'd like to use the 13:23 FGW service to Westbury, then catch the 15:01 to Salisbury. I could then get the 15:47 back to Waterloo via Basingstoke.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[LexyBoy]

Could you please clarify the exact ticket you will be using? It's quite important as tickets between London and Dorchester are routed Via Southampton whilst tickets between Shenfield and Dorchester are routed Any Permitted.

For a Shenfield - Dorchester Stns SDS (£65.70), routed Any Permitted, mapped routes are defined:
- Shenfield is a Routeing Point;
- Dorchester stations are members of Weymouth Group;
Permitted routes between Weymouth Group and Shenfield are LONDON; thus we look up Weymouth-London routes. These are mapped as follows:
CE+WR
CW+PD
CW+PD+SC
MW+WX
WE
WE+WC
WX
WX+CS

Your proposed route is permitted by maps WE+WC.

Additionally you could travel via Castle Cary direct into Paddington, or from Dorchester to Bath then into Paddington (CE+WR). I've not looked through all the maps but I expect these are the most useful routes.

As an aside, it seems a bit unfair to me that the Via Southampton routeing on London-Dorchester tickets precludes so many of these useful - and not unreasonable - routes. But there we go. Also, the Shenfield-Dorchester flow is priced by NXEA - bit wierd!

 

[wintonian]

Could you please clarify the exact ticket you will be using? It's quite important as tickets between London and Dorchester are routed Via Southampton whilst tickets between Shenfield and Dorchester are routed Any Permitted.

For a Shenfield - Dorchester Stns SDS (£65.70), routed Any Permitted, mapped routes are defined:
- Shenfield is a Routeing Point;
- Dorchester stations are members of Weymouth Group;
Permitted routes between Weymouth Group and Shenfield are LONDON; thus we look up Weymouth-London routes. These are mapped as follows:
CE+WR
CW+PD
CW+PD+SC
MW+WX
WE
WE+WC
WX
WX+CS

Your proposed route is permitted by maps WE+WC.

Additionally you could travel via Castle Cary direct into Paddington, or from Dorchester to Bath then into Paddington (CE+WR). I've not looked through all the maps but I expect these are the most useful routes.

As an aside, it seems a bit unfair to me that the Via Southampton routeing on London-Dorchester tickets precludes so many of these useful - and not unreasonable - routes. But there we go. Also, the Shenfield-Dorchester flow is priced by NXEA - bit wierd!

Was just looking at this and got as far as WE+WC so I certainly agree that Dorchester - Castle Cary - Westbury - Salisbury - Basingstoke - Woking - Waterloo is valid.

Didn't get to the rest and there's no point in me doing so now you have covered it.

 

[jonb]

Thanks for the replies both, hopefully my meeting will finish in time to get the 13:23 tomorrow!