Northern complementary single use

[gray1404]

Would Meols Cop to Liverpool be permissable using a Northern free single? I'd also want to take a break of journey at Deansgate. Am I likely to have any problems?

As an alternative I could list Meols Cop to Newton le Willows as the journey (as I get free travel in Merseyside) but then I am liming myself to one route through to Liverpool.

 

[Merseysider]

Well, yes, but it would be a ridiculous waste of a free journey given that Meols Cop to Southport is £1.95 after railcard discount. Still a waste even if you go via Manchester as that would still only come to a tenner or so.

 

[gray1404]

I'm fine using the free ticket this way. So it's permitted, great. And I won't have any issues breaking my journey at Deansgate?

 

[RAPC]

Having used them in the past, the only time I've had issues is when I've made use of them for more exotic trips. (Leyland to Grimsby as an example). Have been told a couple of times that I would have to follow normal routing validity. So as long as you could do Meols Cop to Liverpool via Manchester, you'll be fine.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Having used them in the past, the only time I've had issues is when I've made use of them for more exotic trips. (Leyland to Grimsby as an example). Have been told a couple of times that I would have to follow normal routing validity. So as long as you could do Meols Cop to Liverpool via Manchester, you'll be fine.

If that's the case, wouldn't you normally be expected/required to travel from Meols Cop to Liverpool Lime Street (other than by travelling via Southport, which can't be done solely with Northern) by changing at Wigan Wallgate/NW? Travelling across towards Manchester seems circuitous, even on a complimentary ticket.

 

[Starmill]

Have been told a couple of times that I would have to follow normal routing validity.

I wonder how they'd expect someone to travel from York to Hartlepool?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jan 2025 ==

So as long as you could do Meols Cop to Liverpool via Manchester, you'll be fine.

Not with a Meols Cop to Liverpool ticket.

 

[tram21]

I was wondering, if to travel from Nottingham to Newcastle, for example, are you allowed to travel via Carlisle? It's a long way off the 'direct route' but the only way you can do it with Northern.

 

[gray1404]

In that case I think a Meols Cop to Newton le Willows would be better as it takes away any suggestion that I should have changed at Wigan as Newton le Willows is nearer to Manchester.

 

[zero]

I was wondering, if to travel from Nottingham to Newcastle, for example, are you allowed to travel via Carlisle? It's a long way off the 'direct route' but the only way you can do it with Northern.

I've not had a problem going via Carlisle many times. I always wrote Saltburn or Whitby to give myself extra validity even if intending to end the journey around Newcastle. Once I was allowed to have an overnight BOJ when cancellations/delays made it impossible to get to Whitby on the written date of travel

 

[185143]

I wonder how they'd expect someone to travel from York to Hartlepool?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jan 2025 ==


Not with a Meols Cop to Liverpool ticket.

I had a guard years ago insist I write the date of my return journey... thing is it was an all day pass!

I've used them up to the North East in the past too, and paid for the TPE leg between York and Thornaby. I did Warrington-Chathill on one once, started on a Virgin service up to Preston as there was an issue in Manchester, then a 37 over to Barrow, another to Carlisle, a ScotRail 156 over to Newcastle then a 142 up to Chathill. Had no issues and good fun.

 

[RAPC]

I wonder how they'd expect someone to travel from York to Hartlepool?

Just to clarify, normal routing validity but in the context of Northern services only where you can't do anything direct. In some cases that will require rather circuitous routings based on Northern limitations. (Leyland to Newcastle is a fun one I've done before). As one guard said to me last year when I was returning from Cleethorpes and heading home via Sheffield, Huddersfield, Copy Pit to Preston "we don't care as much on these tickets, but just don't take the p***". I think that covers the attitude to them pretty well.

 

[Starmill]

Just to clarify, normal routing validity but in the context of Northern services only where you can't do anything direct. In some cases that will require rather circuitous routings based on Northern limitations. (Leyland to Newcastle is a fun one I've done before). As one guard said to me last year when I was returning from Cleethorpes and heading home via Sheffield, Huddersfield, Copy Pit to Preston "we don't care as much on these tickets, but just don't take the p***". I think that covers the attitude to them pretty well.

I agree with this. And I agree with the suggestion to enter Southport or Meols Cop to Newton-le-Willows onto the ticket. Clearly it's then sensible to travel via Deansgate.

 

[JBuchananGB]

I believe @gray1404 is the holder of a MerseyTravel RailPass, which is valid for travel from his home location to Meols Cop, and of course to complete the circular tour from Liverpool after the trip to Deansgate and back to Liverpool. Sounds like a nice excursion. I wonder what tickets I would need to do it - not having either Merseytravel RailPass or a Northern complimentary ticket!

 

[gray1404]

Thanks for all your help guys. I did Newton le Willows to Meols Cop on the ticket and used my existing pass which covered the retaining bits. No problems being let back in after a break in Manchester.

 

[Tram203]

Apologies for gatecrashing this thread, however I also have a query which would necessitate a thread with a very similar or even identical title;

Can Northern complimentary tickets be used in conjunction with another paper / e-Ticket for a middle portion of the journey?

E.g say I want to travel Leeds to Middlesbrough using a complimentary Northern ticket. Can I write "origin Leeds, destination Middlesbrough" on the complimentary ticket and use it to travel Leeds to York on Northern, then use XC / TPE / LNER York to Darlington with an appropriate paper / e-Ticket, then re-join Northern for Darlington to Middlesbrough using the same complimentary ticket?

Any advice or feedback welcome.

 

[Starmill]

Apologies for gatecrashing this thread, however I also have a query which would necessitate a thread with a very similar or even identical title;

Can Northern complimentary tickets be used in conjunction with another paper / e-Ticket for a middle portion of the journey?

E.g say I want to travel Leeds to Middlesbrough using a complimentary Northern ticket. Can I write "origin Leeds, destination Middlesbrough" on the complimentary ticket and use it to travel Leeds to York on Northern, then use XC / TPE / LNER York to Darlington with an appropriate paper / e-Ticket, then re-join Northern for Darlington to Middlesbrough using the same complimentary ticket?

Any advice or feedback welcome.

I don't see why not. The restriction is the complimentary ticket can't be used on a service that isn't operated by Northern, not that you can only take a route Northern run end to end. Alternatively, if it were the case that the complimentary ticket can't be used in conjunction with another ticket, that would be what the conditions on the back say.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I've certainly used a Northern complimentary for a one-way journey from Carlisle to Manchester via Whitehaven/Barrow-in-Furness. Had to buy an additional single between Lancaster and Preston as there was a long gap until the next Northern service.

 

[Iskra]

My experience is that most guards barely look at these tickets properly and if they do the priority seems to be ensuring the boxes are all filled and the date is correct. I’ve only ever had one guard comment on the actual journey being undertaken, and mine are definitely at the more interesting end of the spectrum. Sheffield to Ashington will be coming soon…

 

[TheSel]

I believe @gray1404 is the holder of a MerseyTravel RailPass, which is valid for travel from his home location to Meols Cop, and of course to complete the circular tour from Liverpool after the trip to Deansgate and back to Liverpool. Sounds like a nice excursion. I wonder what tickets I would need to do it - not having either Merseytravel RailPass or a Northern complimentary ticket!

A Lancashire Day Ranger would cover all of this (and more). Link here.

Depending on whether you have a railcard, you may find it cheaper to use a Merseyside SaveAway ticket (link here), plus a Greater Manchester 'Wayfarer' ticket (link here), and pay a single fare between Parbold and Southport.

 

[xotGD]

My experience is that most guards barely look at these tickets properly and if they do the priority seems to be ensuring the boxes are all filled and the date is correct. I’ve only ever had one guard comment on the actual journey being undertaken, and mine are definitely at the more interesting end of the spectrum. Sheffield to Ashington will be coming soon…

You're not the only one who'll be using one to get to Ashington.

If Northern and Trans Pennine had a joint system for these tickets it would be much easier to get from Yorkshire to the North East.

And we could also reach Scotland!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I believe @gray1404 is the holder of a MerseyTravel RailPass, which is valid for travel from his home location to Meols Cop, and of course to complete the circular tour from Liverpool after the trip to Deansgate and back to Liverpool. Sounds like a nice excursion. I wonder what tickets I would need to do it - not having either Merseytravel RailPass or a Northern complimentary ticket!

Would a Meols Cop->Manchester Stns route "Any Permitted" return ticket not be valid out via Wigan to Manchester and back via Liverpool (and then Southport if also required)?

 

[_toommm_]

Apologies for gatecrashing this thread, however I also have a query which would necessitate a thread with a very similar or even identical title;

Can Northern complimentary tickets be used in conjunction with another paper / e-Ticket for a middle portion of the journey?

E.g say I want to travel Leeds to Middlesbrough using a complimentary Northern ticket. Can I write "origin Leeds, destination Middlesbrough" on the complimentary ticket and use it to travel Leeds to York on Northern, then use XC / TPE / LNER York to Darlington with an appropriate paper / e-Ticket, then re-join Northern for Darlington to Middlesbrough using the same complimentary ticket?

Any advice or feedback welcome.

Yes, I've done this lots of times before from Whitby to Leeds after hiking the Cleveland Way. I'll buy a cheap advance for the TPE from Middlesbrough to York to cover the gap.

 

[rocrat]

With Northern so reliably cancelling trains, and the Northern/Southeastern/LNER/TPE ticket acceptance now being a thing, could these not be used on LNER/TPE nearly at one's convenience? Of course, one would need to generate a Northern-only itinerary first *and* for there to be cancellations, but, as it is a valid ticket *and* there is automatic ticket acceptance, presumably this would work without any issues?

 

[Starmill]

With Northern so reliably cancelling trains, and the Northern/Southeastern/LNER/TPE ticket acceptance now being a thing, could these not be used on LNER/TPE nearly at one's convenience? Of course, one would need to generate a Northern-only itinerary first *and* for there to be cancellations, but, as it is a valid ticket *and* there is automatic ticket acceptance, presumably this would work without any issues?

I don't think it's quite that straightforward at all. For example pick a random Leeds to Carlisle service, the chances of that one that you need being cancelled aren't actually that high.

 

[RAPC]

With Northern so reliably cancelling trains, and the Northern/Southeastern/LNER/TPE ticket acceptance now being a thing, could these not be used on LNER/TPE nearly at one's convenience? Of course, one would need to generate a Northern-only itinerary first *and* for there to be cancellations, but, as it is a valid ticket *and* there is automatic ticket acceptance, presumably this would work without any issues?

When the Northern services from Manchester to Blackpool had an even worse than normal Sunday meltdown back in September, Northern put ticket acceptance in place with TPE to cover journeys. I was travelling from Piccadilly to Leyland on one of these tickets and was advised to get the TPE service to Preston, which was potentially going to connect to a rare Northern service back from Preston to Manchester.

I was on board and the TPE conductor agreed that ticket acceptance was in place, but that it didn't include these tickets. I was told to pay up, or get off at Bolton. I got off at Bolton and ended up catching a bus up to Chorley and then on to Leyland. I complained to TPE customer service who said that the conductor was correct. I also went via Northern CS to raise the issue. They were great to be fair, offering to repay my bus fares (which I declined), sorted a couple of replacement free tickets for the delay, as well as picking up with TPE about their refusal to accept the ticket. After a couple of weeks of Northern updates saying they were chasing, I received an apology from TPE about the issues on the day, as well as an incorrect CS response. Also had the usual bits about following up with staff training so that it is clear as to the policy in ticket acceptance during disruption.

Hopefully it will be much easier for others to get these used at times of disruption when LNER/TPE have acceptance in place.

 

[rocrat]

When the Northern services from Manchester to Blackpool had an even worse than normal Sunday meltdown back in September, Northern put ticket acceptance in place with TPE to cover journeys. I was travelling from Piccadilly to Leyland on one of these tickets and was advised to get the TPE service to Preston, which was potentially going to connect to a rare Northern service back from Preston to Manchester.

I was on board and the TPE conductor agreed that ticket acceptance was in place, but that it didn't include these tickets. I was told to pay up, or get off at Bolton. I got off at Bolton and ended up catching a bus up to Chorley and then on to Leyland. I complained to TPE customer service who said that the conductor was correct. I also went via Northern CS to raise the issue. They were great to be fair, offering to repay my bus fares (which I declined), sorted a couple of replacement free tickets for the delay, as well as picking up with TPE about their refusal to accept the ticket. After a couple of weeks of Northern updates saying they were chasing, I received an apology from TPE about the issues on the day, as well as an incorrect CS response. Also had the usual bits about following up with staff training so that it is clear as to the policy in ticket acceptance during disruption.

Hopefully it will be much easier for others to get these used at times of disruption when LNER/TPE have acceptance in place.

I'm glad Northern were so helpful, and I'm glad that TPE eventually apologised... it sounds like you had an awful experience!

As with anything, I always ponder what the average passenger who knows zilch about their rights and is too reserved to complain would do/get...

 

[Starmill]

When the Northern services from Manchester to Blackpool had an even worse than normal Sunday meltdown back in September, Northern put ticket acceptance in place with TPE to cover journeys. I was travelling from Piccadilly to Leyland on one of these tickets and was advised to get the TPE service to Preston, which was potentially going to connect to a rare Northern service back from Preston to Manchester.

I was on board and the TPE conductor agreed that ticket acceptance was in place, but that it didn't include these tickets. I was told to pay up, or get off at Bolton. I got off at Bolton and ended up catching a bus up to Chorley and then on to Leyland. I complained to TPE customer service who said that the conductor was correct. I also went via Northern CS to raise the issue. They were great to be fair, offering to repay my bus fares (which I declined), sorted a couple of replacement free tickets for the delay, as well as picking up with TPE about their refusal to accept the ticket. After a couple of weeks of Northern updates saying they were chasing, I received an apology from TPE about the issues on the day, as well as an incorrect CS response. Also had the usual bits about following up with staff training so that it is clear as to the policy in ticket acceptance during disruption.

Hopefully it will be much easier for others to get these used at times of disruption when LNER/TPE have acceptance in place.

Thank you for pressing the customer service departments. I'm very pleased to hear that they acknowledged their earlier mistakes, and put you back on the right track.

 

[RAPC]

Thanks both. It is always hard to know whether it is a single member of staff, a breakdown in process or a bit of both. Either way, glad to get it resolved. To credit Northern CS, although it can take a few messages, they normally are pretty good from recent experiences when you get hold of one of their better team members.

 

[Ben Rhydding]

The Northern "delay repay" travel pass is issued subject to the National Rail Conditions of Travel. And that includes ticket acceptance.

 

[Spaceflower]

I wonder how they'd expect someone to travel from York to Hartlepool?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jan 2025 ==


Not with a Meols Cop to Liverpool ticket.

via Victoria and Barrow ofcourse

Seriously though, it would be a HPL-Whitby, then a £3 bus ticket.