Preston - Feltham this coming Monday

[Lampshade]

Afternoon all

Myself and my mum are travelling from Preston to Feltham for a funeral this coming Monday. This will involve travelling in the peak from Preston, now this is is more than fine for me as I have a Y-P railcard and can therefore travel at off peak prices, it looks as if it's going to be costing my mum a frankly extortionate £309 SOR.

Is there any way round this at all? We'd rather not mess around going via Banbury either

We'd be returning the same day.

Cheers

 

[W-on-Sea]

By when do need to arrive at Feltham? And when will you start the return journey? I can't immediately find anything that will significantly reduce the cost (at least, if sticking to the WCML but with split tickets), - which is indeed extortionate.

 

[Lampshade]

Need to arrive at Feltham around 1pm at the latest. The 0958 may be possible from Preston as the Underground times NRE gives are much longer than needed, but it'll be touch and go. Problem then is Virgin's insane afternoon peak restrictions which again is fine for me but not for my mum

I suppose going from Marylebone and changing at Birmingham is an option but it'll take much longer.

 

[AlterEgo]

Sorry to hear about the unfortunate circumstances.

You can start from Lancaster to take advantage of the more generous off-peak restrictions Virgin offer from here.

Lancaster - Feltham SVR x2 = £133.15. That's for both of you, Railcard accounted for.

If you do choose this ticket, you MUST start your journey from Lancaster. Don't be tempted to get on at Preston - the ticket restriction code does not allow this. Virgin RPIs are very hot on this at the moment.

Restriction Code 3A:


No Break of Journey allowed on outward travel, except to change trains
Valid on all ScotRail (FSR) Caledonian Sleeper services (with supplement)
Off-peak restrictions will not apply on Virgin Trains services from 22nd April 2011 to 25th April 2011 inclusive.

Please, please don't be tempted to start from Preston - you are likely to be caught. Hope this helps you out though.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

All I can suggest is:

0717 Preston to Wolverhampton arr 0831
0841 Wolverhampton to Reading arr 1039
1112 Reading to Feltham arr 1205

For one way you might have:

Preston to Warrington Bank Quay Anytime Single £10.40 (without Railcard)
Worcester Stns to Wolverhampton Anytime Day Return £13.90 (without Railcard)
Reading to Feltham Anytime Single £10.80 (without Railcard)

I have used a Worcester-Wolverhampton Return to travel from Warrington to Didcot on a few occasions now with no fuss (admittedly with a staff discount) but I'm pretty sure it covers you to Reading too. Might be wise to buy it ahead of time though.

Anyway If you are confident enough to do it that's just £35.10 to go there, I haven't checked if you can get open returns for the parts marked as single, but you will need both parts of the Worcester-Wolverhampton return for a one way trip.

 

[MikeWh]

You could always buy an Anytime Return from Preston to Lancaster for £7.50 each. It only takes 15-20 minutes.

 

[AlterEgo]

Confused - what about the ticket between WBQ and WVH? That's a £25.50 SOS, no railcard...

 

[Lampshade]

Sorry to hear about the unfortunate circumstances.

You can start from Lancaster to take advantage of the more generous off-peak restrictions Virgin offer from here.

Lancaster - Feltham SVR x2 = £133.15. That's for both of you, Railcard accounted for.

If you do choose this ticket, you MUST start your journey from Lancaster. Don't be tempted to get on at Preston - the ticket restriction code does not allow this. Virgin RPIs are very hot on this at the moment.

Restriction Code 3A:


No Break of Journey allowed on outward travel, except to change trains
Valid on all ScotRail (FSR) Caledonian Sleeper services (with supplement)
Off-peak restrictions will not apply on Virgin Trains services from 22nd April 2011 to 25th April 2011 inclusive.

Please, please don't be tempted to start from Preston - you are likely to be caught. Hope this helps you out though.

My mum just then: "But that's a nonsense, it's the same bloody train!" hock:

I've always wondered about this, they can't check a 390 in the 17 minutes between Lancaster and Preston surely? Neither station is barriered either :?

At least there's the 0808 TPE to Lancaster which should get us there.

 

[AlterEgo]

My mum just then: "But that's a nonsense, it's the same bloody train!" hock:
I've always wondered about this, they can't check a 390 in the 17 minutes between Lancaster and Preston surely?

Not a whole train. But I assure you there are checks made at Preston, randomly, and fairly often, in the morning peak. The station isn't barriered but there is a strong RPI presence. Don't risk it.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Confused - what about the ticket between WBQ and WVH? That's a £25.50 SOS, no railcard...

The routeing guide shows routes between Worcester and Wolverhampton which are far longer than you would expect, but they are there.

 

[AlterEgo]

The routeing guide shows routes between Worcester and Wolverhampton which are far longer than you would expect, but they are there.

Just checked....woah.

 

[dzug2]

Just a wild thought - is your mum eligible for a Senior railcard? I suspect not, or you'd have thought of it already

Going on Sunday and paying for a hotel might be cheaper as well.

 

[AlterEgo]

I would still advise going with my suggestion from Lancaster....there are fewer connections to miss - you must consider this when you're travelling for an important event such as a funeral.

 

[Lampshade]

Just a wild thought - is your mum eligible for a Senior railcard? I suspect not, or you'd have thought of it already

Going on Sunday and paying for a hotel might be cheaper as well.

Nope, she had a Family and Friends railcard until a year ago which would have made things a lot easier though.

I would still advise going with my suggestion from Lancaster....there are fewer connections to miss - you must consider this when you're travelling for an important event such as a funeral.

That is looking like the favoured option, cheers!

 

[WestCoast]

Not a whole train. But I assure you there are checks made at Preston, randomly, and fairly often, in the morning peak. The station isn't barriered but there is a strong RPI presence. Don't risk it.

I don't use the station in the morning peak, but how do Virgin RPIs barrier platforms 3/4, which are frequently used for Virgin services? Access to station facilities is needed around there.

Platforms 1/2 are done by G4S/Northern but they aren't interested in Virgin ticket restrictions (I very much doubt they will know about them!).

What about buying a Carnforth to Feltham ticket (£141.95 for 2 with one YP, Off-peak return code 3A), Virgin RPIs would then not be able to question you? I'm not condoning this at all but I would not feel guilty considering their puerile restrictions.

 

[Lampshade]

I don't use the station in the morning peak, but how do Virgin RPIs barrier platforms 3/4, which are frequently used for Virgin services? Access to station facilities is needed around there.

Platforms 1/2 are done by G4S/Northern but they aren't interested in Virgin ticket restrictions (I very much doubt they will know about them!).

Thats what I was thinking, short of doing random spot checks on the platform.

What about buying a Carnforth to Feltham ticket (£141.95 for 2 with one YP, Off-peak return code 3A), Virgin RPIs would then not be able to question you? I'm not condoning this at all but I would not feel guilty considering their puerile restrictions.

That may just work, "changing" at Preston as opposed to Lancaster.

 

[WestCoast]

Thats what I was thinking, short of doing random spot checks on the platform.

That may just work, "changing" at Preston as opposed to Lancaster.

Virgin do occasionally put RPIs on the train on the Lancaster - Warrington stretch (strictly in the peak in my experience, I've yet to see one on a Saturday!), however if you were to "alight from a Northern/TPE from Carnforth" and "change at Preston" onto VT - that seems a certain valid option for the ticket and the journey planners suggest you do this. The TPE from Carnforth arrives at 7.41, 8.45 or 9.45. However, you do so at your own peril.

 

[sonic2009]

The routeing guide shows routes between Worcester and Wolverhampton which are far longer than you would expect, but they are there.

send us a pm for them then please?