Hamilton West to Bridgeton via Argyle Street

[GregorExplorer]

Let's say I have a season ticket between Hamilton West and Bridgeton.

Occasionally, I notice (via my National Rail Enquiries app) a quicker journey via Argyle Street. This necessitates a U-turn at Argyle Street, but is slightly quicker due to the timetabling of expresses and stoppers.

Is this journey valid on the aforementioned season ticket?

 

[insidetrack77]

Yes this is valid. I presume you are referring to travel on the Larkhall to Dalmuir limited stop services? This is a valid route for your season ticket and you can ask for a print - out of your journey at any station in case you get any grief from the ticket examiners on - train.

 

[GregorExplorer]

Interesting... purely out of interest, what would happen then if I tried to get off (or on) at Argyle Street with such a ticket? It must be an unusual situation where you can legally travel via a station, but not board or alight at it. (Or perhaps not, given that there must be lots of lines up and down the country where the pattern of expresses and stoppers gives rise to similar anomalies.)

 

[bb21]

I am not convinced that it is a permitted route, at least not according to the Routeing Guide.

However NRE will give me an itinerary via Argyle Street using one single ticket between Hamilton West and Bridgeton. I suspect this is because Bridgeton is not a timing point on services which do not call there, hence NRE are unable to detect the double-back, and including the double-back the route is no more than 3 miles longer than the shortest route.

I would say bring a copy of the itinerary with you if you wish to break your journey at Argyle Street.

To be honest, since the difference is only about £1 a week, if you regularly wish to break your journey at Argyle Street, it may be worth buying a season to Argyle Street.