London to Birmingham Routing

[wimbledonpete]

Hi, could I have some advice please? I'm planning to do a London to Birmingham trip in order to visit some branches of the retailer I work for. I'm planning on Birmingham, Leamington, possibly Banbury and Oxford. I know that a London to Birmingham return used to be fine to go direct Euston to Birmingham then back to Paddington via Oxford, but is that still the case? And would Oxford to Marylebone also be a valid route, if we get back to Oxford station and that's the first train out? I'm OK with checking break of journey rules as they come up on National Rail, just need to be sure of the actual routing validity.

Thanks for your help!

 

[alistairlees]

An "Any Permitted" ticket is valid via the route you suggest, except that, once you are in Oxford (I'm assumnig on the return journey) you can only go to Paddington, and not to Marylebone.

 

[wimbledonpete]

An "Any Permitted" ticket is valid via the route you suggest, except that, once you are in Oxford (I'm assumnig on the return journey) you can only go to Paddington, and not to Marylebone.

That's great, thank you!

 

[A0]

An "Any Permitted" ticket is valid via the route you suggest, except that, once you are in Oxford (I'm assumnig on the return journey) you can only go to Paddington, and not to Marylebone.

I'm surprised there isn't validity from Oxford to Marylebone given there is a direct service between them now and Oxford to Paddington is longer......

 

[Watershed]

I'm surprised there isn't validity from Oxford to Marylebone given there is a direct service between them now and Oxford to Paddington is longer......

It's long been one of those intractible 'missing links'. You even get diverted Chiltern services via Oxford when the line is shut between Aynho and Bicester South, so it's not as if it's a totally illogical route.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I'm surprised there isn't validity from Oxford to Marylebone given there is a direct service between them now and Oxford to Paddington is longer......

Are you saying Oxford to Paddington via Reading is longer than Oxford to Marylebone via Bicester? Are you definitely sure about that?

 

[A0]

Are you saying Oxford to Paddington via Reading is longer than Oxford to Marylebone via Bicester? Are you definitely sure about that?

OK - it's 3 miles longer. I suspect if Risborough - Thame - Oxford were ever to be reopened it would be shorter.

 

[Watershed]

OK - it's 3 miles longer. I suspect if Risborough - Thame - Oxford were ever to be reopened it would be shorter.

Yes and pigs might fly

 

[AlbertBeale]

Yes and pigs might fly

But if they did, it would be shorter.

 

[A0]

Yes and pigs might fly

Maybe so - but the reality is the journey length difference on the 2 Oxford - London routes which now exist is negligible.

 

[kieron]

An "Any Permitted" ticket is valid via the route you suggest, except that, once you are in Oxford (I'm assumnig on the return journey) you can only go to Paddington, and not to Marylebone.

wimbledonpete wouldn't have a right to travel that way, but there's no harm in asking the guard on the Chiltern train if you can catch it.

 

[CyrusWuff]

wimbledonpete wouldn't have a right to travel that way, but there's no harm in asking the guard on the Chiltern train if you can catch it.

Chiltern are DOO South of Banbury, apart from the loco-hauled services, so it's unlikely you'd encounter a Guard. You may encounter Revenue Protection staff, however.

 

[wimbledonpete]

Thanks for all the advice! I'm going to be with a small group so I'm going to stick to the Paddington option - not interested in "discussions" with revenue protection!

 

[Jan Mayen]

Is Paddington-West Ealing-High Wycombe allowed? Had a quick look on the Routeing guide, but there seems to be a gap between Greenford and points north.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Is Paddington-West Ealing-High Wycombe allowed? Had a quick look on the Routeing guide, but there seems to be a gap between Greenford and points north.

Is there even the once-a-day parliamentary train still doing the old Greenford to South Ruislip run? I suspect that W Ealing to H Wycombe entails the Central Line between Greenford and South Ruislip. And presumably a London-Brum ticket might not cover that stretch on the Underground?

 

[Haywain]

Is there even the once-a-day parliamentary train still doing the old Greenford to South Ruislip run? I suspect that W Ealing to H Wycombe entails the Central Line between Greenford and South Ruislip. And presumably a London-Brum ticket might not cover that stretch on the Underground?

I believe it was suspended some time ago as part of Covid service reductions. As drivers’ route knowledge may now have lapsed it would be quite surprising if the service was resurrected.

 

[swt_passenger]

I believe it was suspended some time ago as part of Covid service reductions. As drivers’ route knowledge may now have lapsed it would be quite surprising if the service was resurrected.

It’s back in the WTT from December, but only as an ECS. IIRC from previous discussions there’s never been a formal requirement in Chiltern’s service specification for it to run in passenger service.

 

[MikeWh]

It’s back in the WTT from December, but only as an ECS. IIRC from previous discussions there’s never been a formal requirement in Chiltern’s service specification for it to run in passenger service.

Although they did make use of the driver route knowledge during engineering works in the last two years.

 

[swt_passenger]

Although they did make use of the driver route knowledge during engineering works in the last two years.

I think that’s what’s usually been the consensus in previous discussions about it, that its primarily for diversions.

 

[centraluser]

It’s back in the WTT from December, but only as an ECS. IIRC from previous discussions there’s never been a formal requirement in Chiltern’s service specification for it to run in passenger service.

The ECS move is inbound to West Ealing. From 13 Dec there is a weekday service showing as 2M27 in passenger service 1117 WEA (West Ealing) - WRU (West Ruislip) 1140.

 

[swt_passenger]

The ECS move is inbound to West Ealing. From 13 Dec there is a weekday service showing as 2M27 in passenger service 1117 WEA (West Ealing) - WRU (West Ruislip) 1140.

That 1117 is still showing as 5M32 on RTT which is what I was going by. I guess you must have a different source?

 

[Haywain]

That 1117 is still showing as 5M32 on RTT which is what I was going by. I guess you must have a different source?

You should try specifying a date after 13 December.

 

[Watershed]

You should try specifying a date after 13 December.

Looks like it's only scheduled to run in passenger service on Wednesdays.

 

[swt_passenger]

Looks like it's only scheduled to run in passenger service on Wednesdays.

Ah, got there in the end, I just looked at a few different Mondays…

 

[Haywain]

Looks like it's only scheduled to run in passenger service on Wednesdays.

I looked at a Tuesday.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Looks like it's only scheduled to run in passenger service on Wednesdays.

So I imagine Wednesday mornings at West Ealing will function as a kind of Forum Meet-up...

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So just to clarify, you can do Birmingham Stns -> London Marylebone (or vice-versa) via Leamington Spa / Banbury / Bicester North, but not via Leamington Spa / Banbury / Oxford / Bicester Village.

 

[alistairlees]

So just to clarify, you can do Birmingham Stns -> London Marylebone (or vice-versa) via Leamington Spa / Banbury / Bicester North, but not via Leamington Spa / Banbury / Oxford / Bicester Village.

Correct

 

[centraluser]

That 1117 is still showing as 5M32 on RTT which is what I was going by. I guess you must have a different source?

I randomly picked the Wednesday of the first week of the new timetable and didn’t check any other day, making an erroneous assumption without checking. Apologies.

 

[swt_passenger]

I randomly picked the Wednesday of the first week of the new timetable and didn’t check any other day, making an erroneous assumption without checking. Apologies.

No problem, I think they must do this sort of trick just to catch us out…