How/Why is Preston a routeing point for Southport?

[CheapAndNerdy]

According to the Routeing Guide, Southport has three routeing points: Liverpool group, Wigan group and Preston Lancs. Southport hasn't had a line to Preston since 1964 (you need to change at Wigan), so why is Preston considered a routeing point? :-?

 

[MikeWh]

You can change at Burscough Bridge and walk to Burscough Junction. Looks like about 1km by road so 10-15 minutes. I'd say that was a recognised interchange point. Plus, isn't there talk of reinstating the chord to allow direct trains, or is that somewhere else? Also, the NR map/timetable shows a table 65E detailing a bus link. Is there through ticketing?

 

[b0b]

According to the Routeing Guide, Southport has three routeing points: Liverpool group, Wigan group and Preston Lancs. Southport hasn't had a line to Preston since 1964 (you need to change at Wigan), so why is Preston considered a routeing point? :-?

The NRG Examples document says to ignore routeing points without a direct service...

 

[CheapAndNerdy]

You can change at Burscough Bridge and walk to Burscough Junction. Looks like about 1km by road so 10-15 minutes. I'd say that was a recognised interchange point. Plus, isn't there talk of reinstating the chord to allow direct trains, or is that somewhere else? Also, the NR map/timetable shows a table 65E detailing a bus link. Is there through ticketing?

I don't think I've come across that bus route before. That alone would be enough to make Preston a valid routeing point. Also, doing some random ticket checks, I find there are indeed through tickets to Preston, changing at Burscough, and for the same price as via Wigan.

Well that's another item ticked off my "life's anomalies" list.
Cheers Mike.

 

[John @ home]

The NRG Examples document says to ignore routeing points without a direct service...

No. It says to ignore RPs without a scheduled passenger service.

Sometimes a station has no scheduled passenger service to one of the routeing points to which it is related. These routeing points should be ignored.

http://www.atoc.org/clientfiles/File/RSPDocuments/nrg_detail.pdf

For example, Furze Platt does not have a direct service to Reading. But we accept that Reading is an appropriate RP for Furze Platt.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Speaking of the Routing Guide in general, I'm finally getting my head around it.

Am I right in thinking that Liverpool to Plymouth is valid via Reading?

 

[b0b]

Am I right in thinking that Liverpool to Plymouth is valid via Reading?

post your calculation

edit: looks valid from MW+WE, via Westbury

 

[hairyhandedfool]

There are many places with routeing points that seem weird. A few are...

Mill Hill (Lancs) - Blackburn, Bolton, Preston
Northholt Park - Banbury, Greenford Und, London Group, Oxford
Patricroft - Bolton, Earlestown, Manchester Group, Wigan

Alledgedly this is to account for future services.