Manchester to Exeter - route experiences

[Class800]

I've now done this 2 of the 3 obvious routes and probably the 2 most common ones actually. Cross country route. And now via Hereford (change Newport and Bristol TM). This Welsh Marshes route is a bit slower but a lot cheaper and I personally found it a better experience less crowded more scenery. Though I couldn't find a toilet at Newport!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Class800. What's the Manchester to Exeter route you've not yet done? Via London? Quite expensive compared with "via Hereford".

 

[Woolos 22]

I've now done this 2 of the 3 obvious routes and probably the 2 most common ones actually. Cross country route. And now via Hereford (change Newport and Bristol TM). This Welsh Marshes route is a bit slower but a lot cheaper and I personally found it a better experience less crowded more scenery. Though I couldn't find a toilet at Newport!

Newport station toilets are at west end of platform 2

 

[StarCrossing]

Newport station toilets are at west end of platform 2

Also on platform 4. And aren't they the east (i.e. London/Bristol) end of platform 2, or have they moved?

 

[Snow1964]

@Class800. What's the Manchester to Exeter route you've not yet done? Via London? Quite expensive compared with "via Hereford".

One of the most interesting (if time consuming) routes is from Gloucester via Golden valley, Swindon and Melksham to Westbury, then onto Exeter.

And if time is no object, there is even via Salisbury. There are couple of trains per day that do Gloucester-Salisbury direct so in theory can minimise changes. Probably slowest option is changing at Westbury and going via both Yeovil stations, but with 2 hourly services, going to be lot of waiting.

 

[voyagerdude220]

@Class800. What's the Manchester to Exeter route you've not yet done? Via London? Quite expensive compared with "via Hereford".

I was wondering if the OP was possibly going via Reading.
Manchester Piccadilly-Reading-Exeter St David's.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I was wondering if the OP was possibly going via Reading.
Manchester Piccadilly-Reading-Exeter St David's.

Didn't they say in post #1 that they'd already done the "Cross Country" route? So, the bit between Manchester and Reading.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Didn't they say in post #1 that they'd already done the "Cross Country" route? So, the bit between Manchester and Reading.

Manchester-Exeter via Cheltenham would be considered the "normal" XC route, with a couple of through trains (to Paignton).

 

[Class800]

@Class800. What's the Manchester to Exeter route you've not yet done? Via London? Quite expensive compared with "via Hereford".

Done via Birmingham and Bristol. Done via Hereford and Newport. Not done via London or via Reading.

 

[Class800]

Newport station toilets are at west end of platform 2

Thanks

 

[Topological]

What is the ticket validity situation? Presumably, via London is not included.

Is via Hereford a valid route? (Of course you would do splits that make Hereford cheaper in reality)

When travelling from Swansea, avoiding Reading makes things cheaper. So the via Oxford would mean changing at Didcot and then going towards Bristol Temple Meads.

What are the rules for routes too? For Newport to Exeter is that valid because of the GWR Cardiff trains that dont fully copy the CrossCountry route between Temple Meads and Exeter (via Weston-super-Mare) or is no requirement not to duplicate included?

 

[jfollows]

Manchester to Exeter is valid via both Shrewsbury/Hereford and Birmingham/Cheltenham, yes, plus via Warrington.

Not via London. Nor via Reading.

Personally I would always go via London, maybe stop off there en route, trains are faster and stop less, but I might have to pay more.

 

[Topological]

At some point the via Old Oak Common option becomes available (though still a long wait) and that definitely wont be included in the ticket price*

* - Unless there are low HS2 usage figures and there is a push to encourage more connections at OOC on GWR routes.

If the direct Exeter to Manchester CrossCountry is not convenient, then changing at Bristol Temple Meads from/to the Bristol - Manchester is not that bad. Adds half an hour versus the fastest direct time, but because the Paigntons go via Weston, there is no option to save the full half hour. Southbound, the Manchester to Paignton train arrives about 10 minutes ahead of the train you would catch by changing at Temple Meads. I would go with CrossCountry, but maybe I am mad. London would be my second choice and Hereford 3rd.

All that said, if the timing worked, I would drive Exeter to Pontypool and take TfW from there.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Manchester to Exeter is valid via both Shrewsbury/Hereford and Birmingham/Cheltenham, yes, plus via Warrington.

Not via London. Nor via Reading.

There are "route✠VIA LONDON" through fares for Manchester Stns to Exeter, so these particular tickets must surely be valid.

 

[jfollows]

There are "route✠VIA LONDON" through fares for Manchester Stns to Exeter, so these particular tickets must surely be valid.

For sure, yes, I wasn’t clear that my analysis was for “any permitted” Manchester-Exeter tickets, for which London isn’t a valid route.

And no such ticket exists anyway, as you observe, there’s only “via London” priced by Avanti West Coast and “not via London” priced by Cross Country. The latter allows Shrewsbury or Cheltenham but not Reading.

There’s also a cheaper “via Hereford” Anytime ticket to add to the mix.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

For sure, yes, I wasn’t clear that my analysis was for “any permitted” Manchester-Exeter tickets, for which London isn’t a valid route.

There isn't any "Any Permitted" ticket from Manchester Stns to / from Exeter, is there? Via London, NOT via London & via Hereford.

 

[jfollows]

There isn't any "Any Permitted" ticket from Manchester Stns to / from Exeter, is there? Via London, NOT via London & via Hereford.

I said as much.

But it’s annoying how often this seems to be the case. Train companies playing around to benefit themselves I guess.

 

[jfollows]

You can also use the “via London” ticket on the other routes if you want, because it’s more expensive, or you can excess the “not via London” in one direction to go via London.

 

[Snow1964]

You can also use the “via London” ticket on the other routes if you want, because it’s more expensive, or you can excess the “not via London” in one direction to go via London.

Does via London just mean via the termini and tube

eg if you did Manchester to Watford Junction, change for train to Clapham junction, then take direct Exeter service. Does that count as via London or not.

Although not yet open this is nearer London than Old Oak Common, so intrigued how it is classified

 

[jfollows]

Does via London just mean via the termini and tube

eg if you did Manchester to Watford Junction, change for train to Clapham junction, then take direct Exeter service. Does that count as via London or not.

Although not yet open this is nearer London than Old Oak Common, so intrigued how it is classified

@Watershed said in https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/excessing-not-via-london-to-via-london.293074/#post-7498079

Yes - there are 28 map combinations for Brockenhurst to Chester in the Yellow Pages of the Routing Guide. These include SW+EJ, which include the route via Kensington Olympia. You're not travelling via London Terminals so it's a permitted route on the "not via London" ticket.

which I take as authoritative, so Watford-Clapham is fine.

Kensington Olympia was once a London Terminal or the previous definition, but isn’t any more.

Kensington Olympia was once my local station and I’d be hard put to say that it wasn’t in London, but that’s not the point. At the time (summer 1983) it had a few services a day to Clapham Junction.

Today you’d likely have to change at Milton Keynes as well; I used the morning non-stop Wilmslow-Watford service in pre-Pendolino days but nowadays virtually nothing long distance stops at Watford Junction.

 

[cjw714]

At some point the via Old Oak Common option becomes available (though still a long wait) and that definitely wont be included in the ticket price*

* - Unless there are low HS2 usage figures and there is a push to encourage more connections at OOC on GWR routes.

If the direct Exeter to Manchester CrossCountry is not convenient, then changing at Bristol Temple Meads from/to the Bristol - Manchester is not that bad. Adds half an hour versus the fastest direct time, but because the Paigntons go via Weston, there is no option to save the full half hour. Southbound, the Manchester to Paignton train arrives about 10 minutes ahead of the train you would catch by changing at Temple Meads. I would go with CrossCountry, but maybe I am mad. London would be my second choice and Hereford 3rd.

All that said, if the timing worked, I would drive Exeter to Pontypool and take TfW from there.

Cheltenham is also a good place to change as you're guaranteed same platform interchange and there is a cafe and supermarket just outside the station.

 

[Topological]

Cheltenham is also a good place to change as you're guaranteed same platform interchange and there is a cafe and supermarket just outside the station.

Very fine place to change.

However, if it is a 4-car voyager then I would favour Bristol Temple Meads on the northbound as the Manchester starts there (when not coming from Paignton via Exeter).

Southbound I can see sense in Cheltenham. Depends who is sharing your space on the Manchester to Bristol in that case. The single platform interchange does have a lot to be said for it and is a more pleasant experience than the single platform (worst case single island) interchange at Bristol Parkway.

 

[Class800]

From my suburb station in exeter options include via Bristol and Tfw priced via Hereford much cheaper

 

[Watershed]

@Watershed said in https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/excessing-not-via-london-to-via-london.293074/#post-7498079

which I take as authoritative, so Watford-Clapham is fine.

Kensington Olympia was once a London Terminal or the previous definition, but isn’t any more.

Kensington Olympia was once my local station and I’d be hard put to say that it wasn’t in London, but that’s not the point. At the time (summer 1983) it had a few services a day to Clapham Junction.

Today you’d likely have to change at Milton Keynes as well; I used the morning non-stop Wilmslow-Watford service in pre-Pendolino days but nowadays virtually nothing long distance stops at Watford Junction.

For clarity, I was saying that travel via Kensington Olympia was permitted for Chester <-> Brockenhurst. It might not be a mapped route for Manchester to Exeter, I haven't checked.

But yes, "not via London" is shorthand for "not via London Terminals" (words to that effect are printed on most tickets nowadays). There are many "not via London" fares where it's envisaged you'll head towards London and change just short of London Terminals. Indeed there are even some such fares for journeys between two London area stations, like Surbiton to Croydon.

 

[Class800]

I just checked and my recent journey was an advance single Manchester to Crewe then a Crewe to Exeter Central via Hereford anytime single