Gathurst - Horsley alternative routing

[Gathursty]

It's almost 10 years since I finished visiting all the stations so am planning on going from First to Last on 30 December.

Can't seem to do any better than the £112 return price but I'm more concerned (sadly) about Avanti reliability so want to ask about alternative routes from Gathurst to Horsley.

Thanks in advance.

Can I go via Birmingham/Reading or up the MML and across at Sheffield?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

£112.90 for an Off Peak Return (Route✠VIA LONDON) does seem to be the cheapest available semi-flexible walk-up through fare. Unless anyone can suggest any cheaper alternatives.

As regards journey options, does the above £112.90 fare necessarily exclude travel via Banbury, given that there is a higher priced £134.80 Off Peak Return fare specifically for travel via Banbury?

 

[plugwash]

Accoriding to the routing point calculator you can use either Liverpool Group or Wigan Group at the gathurst end and either Guildford or Effingham junction at the Horsley end.

Liverpool Group to Guilford allows

LONDON, CH+EJ+PD, CH+RJ EV+PD, ME+EB+PD, ME+RB, NO+LC+RD, NO+RM, NR+LC+PD, NR+RM, RV

Wigan group to Guilford allows

LONDON, EW+PD, RW

Liverpool Group to Effingham junction allows

LONDON
CH+EJ+DK, CH+EJ+EF, CH+EJ+HR, EV+DK, EV+EF, EV+HR, ME+EB+DK, ME+EB+EF, ME+EB+HR, ME+RB+DK, NO+LC+DK, NO+LC+EF, NO+LC+HR, NR+LC+DK, NR+LC+EF, NO+LC+EF, NO+LC+DK, NR+LC+DK, NR+LC+EF, NR+LC+HR, RV+DK

Wigan Group to Effingham junction allows

LONDON, EW+DK, EW+EF, EW+HR, RW+DK.

I'm going to focus on routes from Wigan, both because I belive it's the more practical start point (using Liverpool as your origin routing point would mean travelling via southport) and because the lists of routes for Liverpool are crazy long. Lets start with the routes via London.

Wigan Group to London group allows.
BS+GC,CL+EJ, EW, PR, RW+RG, XW+PR

So in terms of routes from Wigan to London you have quite a few options.
BS+GC is WCML routes (including via Manchester) to Birmingham and then Chiltern to London.
CL+EJ is via warrington, Chester, Crewe and then various WCML routes to London.
EW is WCML routes to London, including the possibility of going via Manchester and/or Birmingham.
PR allows travel via Manchester, Sheffield and the Midland main line.
RW+RG allows travel via Birmingham, Oxford, Reading and the GWML
XW+PR allows you to travel via Warrington, Manchester, Sheffield and the MML

In terms of (non-london) routes from Wigan to Guilford you have

EW+PD is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Guilford.
RW allows travel via Birmingham, Oxford, Reading and then direct to Guilford.

In terms of (non-london) routes from Wigan to Effingham junction you have.

EW+DK is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Effingham Junction via wimbledon and epsom
EW+EF is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Effingham Junction via surbiton
EW+HR is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Effingham Junction via micham junction and epsom
RW+DK allows travel via Birmingham, Oxford, Reading and then via Guilford to Effingham junction.

 

[Gathursty]

Accoriding to the routing point calculator you can use either Liverpool Group or Wigan Group at the gathurst end and either Guildford or Effingham junction at the Horsley end.

Liverpool Group to Guilford allows

LONDON, CH+EJ+PD, CH+RJ EV+PD, ME+EB+PD, ME+RB, NO+LC+RD, NO+RM, NR+LC+PD, NR+RM, RV

Wigan group to Guilford allows

LONDON, EW+PD, RW

Liverpool Group to Effingham junction allows

LONDON
CH+EJ+DK, CH+EJ+EF, CH+EJ+HR, EV+DK, EV+EF, EV+HR, ME+EB+DK, ME+EB+EF, ME+EB+HR, ME+RB+DK, NO+LC+DK, NO+LC+EF, NO+LC+HR, NR+LC+DK, NR+LC+EF, NO+LC+EF, NO+LC+DK, NR+LC+DK, NR+LC+EF, NR+LC+HR, RV+DK

Wigan Group to Effingham junction allows

LONDON, EW+DK, EW+EF, EW+HR, RW+DK.

I'm going to focus on routes from Wigan, both because I belive it's the more practical start point (using Liverpool as your origin routing point would mean travelling via southport) and because the lists of routes for Liverpool are crazy long. Lets start with the routes via London.

Wigan Group to London group allows.
BS+GC,CL+EJ, EW, PR, RW+RG, XW+PR

So in terms of routes from Wigan to London you have quite a few options.
BS+GC is WCML routes (including via Manchester) to Birmingham and then Chiltern to London.
CL+EJ is via warrington, Chester, Crewe and then various WCML routes to London.
EW is WCML routes to London, including the possibility of going via Manchester and/or Birmingham.
PR allows travel via Manchester, Sheffield and the Midland main line.
RW+RG allows travel via Birmingham, Oxford, Reading and the GWML
XW+PR allows you to travel via Warrington, Manchester, Sheffield and the MML

In terms of (non-london) routes from Wigan to Guilford you have

EW+PD is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Guilford.
RW allows travel via Birmingham, Oxford, Reading and then direct to Guilford.

In terms of (non-london) routes from Wigan to Effingham junction you have.

EW+DK is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Effingham Junction via wimbledon and epsom
EW+EF is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Effingham Junction via surbiton
EW+HR is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Effingham Junction via micham junction and epsom
RW+DK allows travel via Birmingham, Oxford, Reading and then via Guilford to Effingham junction.

That's brilliant! Will bookmark it just in case. Hopefully Avanti and South Western Railway will run smoothly on the day though.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So, can the £112.90 route✠via London fare be used for journeys via Banbury, obviating the need to buy the higher priced route "via Banbury" fare, if travelling that way? (This for the OP's journey on 30th December when presumably any peak restrictions will all have been lifted).

 

[Gathursty]

In terms of (non-london) routes from Wigan to Guilford you have

EW+PD is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Guilford.
RW allows travel via Birmingham, Oxford, Reading and then direct to Guilford.

In terms of (non-london) routes from Wigan to Effingham junction you have.

EW+DK is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Effingham Junction via wimbledon and epsom
EW+EF is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Effingham Junction via surbiton
EW+HR is WCML routes to willisden junction, then willisden junction to Clapham junction and onwards to Effingham Junction via micham junction and epsom
RW+DK allows travel via Birmingham, Oxford, Reading and then via Guilford to Effingham junction.

I'm glad MCR Warrior raised that question about the ticket.

Am I right to think that paying £112 will NOT allow me to ride on the Horsley - Guildford - Reading section but paying £134 will allow me all the combinations you have stated through OR avoiding London?

I think I will be going the normal way there and return via Blackwater/Reading and if time permits a look at Reading Green Park.

 

[yorkie]

So, can the £112.90 route✠via London fare be used for journeys via Banbury...

Yes; Gathurst to London is permitted via Banbury.

obviating the need to buy the higher priced route "via Banbury" fare, if travelling that way? (This for the OP's journey on 30th December when presumably any peak restrictions will all have been lifted).

The via Banbury fare is a silly price, but arguably it additionally allows routes which go via Banbury but do not go via London.

I would advise against purchasing the "via Banbury" fare; if you really want to avoid London in one direction, the excess would be £10.95.

 

[Gathursty]

Yes; Gathurst to London is permitted via Banbury.

The via Banbury fare is a silly price, but arguably it additionally allows routes which go via Banbury but do not go via London.

I would advise against purchasing the "via Banbury" fare; if you really want to avoid London in one direction, the excess would be £10.95.

Sadly it's an insurance if Avanti go awful on the day, not an aversion to London.

Thanks for the quick reply and Happy Christmas Yorkie!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Dec 2023 ==

Can I begin my journey on the 0546 Wigan NW to London even though nothing will have left Gathurst but Avanti have cancelled the first Gathurst connection tomorrow (according to NRE)?