Norwich to Cardiff Advance tickets

[RuddA]

Hi, I think I've read a few posts on here now to hopefully understand the rules regarding the tickets I have purchased, but just to be sure.
I've purchased advance tickets from Norwich to Cardiff, leaving this Friday and returning the following Wednesday. Norwich to London direct were not on advance sale at the time so going via Cambridge, not a problem as looking forward to a Flirt on diesel. No reservation from Norwich to Cambridge, train reservation from Cambridge to St Pancras TL, and seat reserved from Paddington to Cardiff. So I believe we have to be on those particular services from Cambridge to Cardiff, but could possibly leave Norwich earlier but no point. Had never heard of train reserved but not seats until reading about them here.
Coming back is more interesting. Cardiff to Paddington at 11:50 has been canx so trainsplit said to use next train which is about 30 mins later. GWR really good and reserved me new seats at 6am, 6 hours after asking them on messenger. Do I use H&C or Circle platforms to go from Pad to Liv St, or makes no difference? Liv St to Norwich is via Stansted Airport, no particular trains reserved so could I just use any train (as long has reasonable connection at Stansted) even before the original train was canx? If so it will give us a few extra mins to have something to eat & drink.
My daughters are very excited about their first long distance train journey.

 

[miklcct]

Norwich to Cambridge is unreservable, so the booked train rule is unenforceable but you should still follow your itinerary to make the connection valid such that you are protected from delays.
Cambridge to St Pancras and Paddington to Cardiff are both reservable so you must travel on the trains printed.

For the return, after you take the GWR train, the H&C and Circle lines share the same track between Paddington and Liverpool Street so they are in effect the same line.
Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport to Norwich are both unreservable, so you can just take the first train to complete your journey disregarding the itinerary at that point.

 

[30907]

All trains to Liverpool St go from the H and C platforms at Paddington, accessed via the footbridge mid-platform.

If you have Advance tickets with no specific train listed on the Anglia leg, and your train from Cardiff has been retimed anyway, I doubt you would have a problem in practice with travelling an hour later from Liverpool St.

Break of Journey is of course not permitted, but provided you don't take the proverbial... (I presume you have a through ticket BTW?)

 

[RuddA]

Thanks for the advice re H&C.
Yes, it is a through ticket.

 

[AlbertBeale]

All trains to Liverpool St go from the H and C platforms at Paddington, accessed via the footbridge mid-platform.

That bit is important. Two of the three Underground stations at Paddington have Circle Line trains. The one by the high-number platforms (which is the one accessed via those stairs, and which has H&C as well as Circle) will get you directly to Liverpool Street on any eastbound train (H&C or Circle). The one "in front of you" if you come out of the barriers continuing in the direction of the train you arrived on will be shown as for the District and Circle Lines - but neither of those (including the Circle) will get you to L St without either a change of train (and possibly platform) en route, or a half-hour-longer journey the long way round on the Circle.

 

[RuddA]

Thank you.
With price and lack of diesel at the moment I'm glad I booked the train.

 

[Envoy]

Thank you.
With price and lack of diesel at the moment I'm glad I booked the train.

If you are just going to central Cardiff, you will be pleased you booked the train as the Council have taken measures to reduce traffic.