Double back on Wessex Main Line Avon Valley?

[htwestern]

Good afternoon,
On Sunday I'm travelling from Cardiff to Freshford, aiming to arrive at 2pm. The National Rail journey planner shows 2 journeys that arrive around then: one tells me to change at Bristol TM for the Westbury service; the other says to stay on the Cardiff-Salisbury train and double back at Bradford-on-Avon.

I'd prefer to double back via BoA as the section between Bath and there is very scenic, it means I'd have a seat for longer, and a shorter wait for a connection.

However, the National Rail planner also says that the route via BoA doesn't have a valid fare:


I've already bought my ticket in advance, it's an Off-Peak day return valid via Bristol.

I had a look at the Routeing Guide and the only relevant things I could find were Easement 700370:

Positive Easement - 700370
Customers travelling via Bristol Temple Meads to Freshford, Avoncliff or Bradford On Avon may travel via Bath Spa. This easement applies in both directions.

And the routeing point calculator (with route 00817 via Bristol selected) shows this ticket as valid via Trowbridge but not via Westbury (disallowing the circuitous route via Taunton I guess)


So can anyone please advise me if I would be able to change and double back at Bradford-on-Avon (in both directions) using this ticket? I did try GWR help on Twitter but they kept saying I needed to change at Bristol (which doesn't seem right, I'm almost certain I could change at Bath instead on a through train)

Thanks

 

[Watershed]

Unfortunately it is rare you'll get an accurate answer about fare or routeing-related queries from a TOC's customer services. Most of their staff simply haven't been given the training to understand the rules fully.

As to your particular question, yes, you can double back via Bradford-on-Avon. Journey planners will in fact give you an itinerary on a Cardiff to Freshford ticket that doubles back between Freshford and Trowbridge (Trowbridge passes the fares check and is thus a valid destination Routeing Point, as per your screenshot).

However, since you hold a walk-up ticket which permits break of journey, there is no compulsion to complete the double back between Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge. You can change "short" of Trowbridge at Bradford-on-Avon.