Permitted Route during strike action

[bleeder4]

My mother is travelling from Torquay to Worcester tomorrow. She bought a ticket from GWR weeks ago, with the intention of changing trains at Bristol Temple Meads. The ticket is stamped "Not valid for travel via Birmingham".

Tomorrow is a strike day and the only trains into Worcester all day are the WMR ones from Birmingham. Torquay tomorrow only has 2 trains all day - both are XC ones going to Birmingham New Street.

So as that is the only route she can take to get to Worcester, am I correct in believing that her ticket will be valid for travel? Going via Birmingham is literally her only way of getting to Worcester.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Seems to be two main ticket routings on Torquay -> Worcester tickets, "via Bristol" and the cheaper "not via Birmingham". So, should the OP's mother consider still travelling via Birmingham and maybe paying for a one way change of route excess if so required? Thoughts everyone?

P.S. Reckon that the journey from Torquay to Worcester should also be possible tomorrow (Thursday) by travelling the long way round from Bristol via Newport and Hereford. But is that a valid alternative route?

 

[bleeder4]

Many thanks for your reply. I rang National Rail Enquiries this morning and they said the ticket would be accepted for travel via Birmingham, so she should be fine.

As it happens, she just messaged me to say she's on the train from Torquay (1M41) and it's that packed that there's no way any ticket inspector could ever make their way down the carriage to check tickets! So I don't think she'll be checked anyway.