Horsham-Newquay Permitted Route via Paddington?

[E759]

Dear Routing experts,

I've purchased a Horsham to Newquay Super Off-Peak Return for £120.90 with the outward journey 28-Jly-18 and the return 28-Jly-18 to 27-Aug-18. Both tickets are "Valid via any permitted route" and have a "Maltese Cross" (actually a dagger).

Can I catch the 07.03 from Paddington (28-Jly-18) changing at Exeter please? I.e. is that a permitted route?

I've tried the get various Journey Planners to confirm that route without success. Indeed very difficult to get them to show anything other than Horsham-Redhill-Reading-Exeter-Newquay apart from, once, a double-back from Penzance(!) and on the return leg via Westbury-Romsey etc. (7 changes I think).

The suggested itinerary is Horsham-Redhill-Reading-Exeter-Newquay but I feel uncomfortable with all those changes as I really do want to arrive in Newquay at 12.38. I'll stay in London and not use the Horsham-Paddington portion of the outbound ticket. Returning 29-Jly-18 I have more flexibility and will BOJ at Bodmin for the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. I'm guessing there are quite a few permitted routes but most of them will be impossible on those dates and with my imposed time restrictions.

Many thanks in anticipation.

 

[sonic2009]

The reason that the journey planners will not show a route via London is due to the fact that the first TL service does not arrive into London Bridge until 0629, and therefore will not offer any connection into the 0703 from Paddington, as it has to allow a certain amount of transfer time between London Terminals.

But everyone knows that you can do the journey in under 25 mins between London Bridge and Paddington with a change at Baker Street, so it's up to you whether you want to risk it and leave Horsham on the 0525 TL service.

 

[E759]

thanks for your reply sonic from which I assume the route via PAD is indeed valid.

I'll not be risking a TL operated train on this occasion*, I'll be staying at the easyHotel Paddington. Such are the new travel advantages offered by Thameslink 2000 and the price we have to pay for them...

* AFC Newquay v Horsham FC pre-season friendly

 

[island]

You’re entitled to get a ticket dated 27-JLY-18 and use the outbound leg partly on the 27th and partly on the 28th, breaking your journey overnight at Paddington. Whether you will want to do this or not depends on how much palaver you are willing to put up with from the gateline staff at Paddington (though the gates probably will be left open that early) and the GWR guard.

 

[E759]

thanks for the suggestion island, which I'd not thought of. But no, no palaver please! If I'm going to change tickets I'd be looking for Advances and would probably just get PAD-NQY.

 

[Jimini]

* AFC Newquay v Horsham FC pre-season friendly

That’s dedication!