Preston to Cambridge Return - 15 July 2010

[Wiggaz]

I'm being told different things by the East Coast website, East Coast phone sales and a local Merseyrail station, so I thought I would ask on here for a definitive answer!

I am looking to travel from Preston to Cambridge (and back) this Thursday (15th), arriving in Cambridge approx 1200 and departing Cambridge approx 1615. I want to avoid London and have reasonable connection times (particularly on the outward leg).

My provisional itinerary was:-

Out

Depart Preston 07.17, arrive Birmingham New St 08.55
Depart Birmingham New St 09.22, arrive Cambridge 12.08

Return

Depart Cambridge 16.24, arrive Ely 16.40
Depart Ely 16.52, arrive Manchester Picc 20.36
Depart Manchester Picc 20.46, arrive Preston 21.33

I'm not too worried about splitting on this occasion (unless the difference in price is significant). East Coast phone sales tell me that the Anytime Return (not London) at £112 isn't valid on the above itinerary, but I cannot see why (and the East Coast website suggests it would be).

All views gratefully received, including whether there any better options/itineraries that I'm missing?

Thanks in advance.

 

[OwlMan]

Both routes (via Birmingham & Peterborough & via Peterborough & Sheffield are valid, along with very many others.

Peter

 

[tony_mac]

Maybe it's been fixed in NFM06, but in 05 there appears to be a huge loophole!

I think that the SVR + Any Permitted has no restrictions when travelling through Peterborough but not London (+ Stevenage / Bedford / Milton Keynes etc).

I doubt it would be accepted, though!

Also Lancaster to Cambridge + Any Permitted SVR appears to have no restrictions if you don't take a train going to London.

 

[John @ home]

My provisional itinerary was:-

Out

Depart Preston 07.17, arrive Birmingham New St 08.55
Depart Birmingham New St 09.22, arrive Cambridge 12.08

Return

Depart Cambridge 16.24, arrive Ely 16.40
Depart Ely 16.52, arrive Manchester Picc 20.36
Depart Manchester Picc 20.46, arrive Preston 21.33

... East Coast phone sales tell me that the Anytime Return (not London) at £112 isn't valid on the above itinerary, but I cannot see why (and the East Coast website suggests it would be).

East Coast phone sales are wrong. The detailed calculation using the National Routeing Guide is:

From the Routeing Point Identifier:
Preston Lancs is a Routeing Point.
Cambridge is also a Routeing Point.

From the Permitted Route Identifier:
Cambridge - Preston Lancs is permitted using any of map combinations:
LONDON BS+CN CN+ER+LY+NW CN+ER+LY+WG CN+ER+PS CN+ER+PS+WG CN+ER+SH+MS+NW CN+ER+SH+NL+WG CN+ER+TP CN+ER+TP+NW CN+ER+TP+WG CN+ER+WK+LY+NW CN+ER+WK+LY+WG CN+ER+WK+TP CN+ER+WK+TP+NW CN+ER+WK+TP+WG CN+MM+NL+NW CN+MM+NL+WG ER+TP+NC NL+NW NL+WG TP+ER+WA

From the maps, taking permitted combination BS+CN, map BS allows Preston (Lancs) - Wigan - Warrington - Crewe - Stafford - Wolverhampton - Smethwick - Birmingham. This is the route taken by the 07.17 Preston - Birmingham New St 08.55.

Then map CN allows Birmingham - Nuneaton - Leicester - Melton Mowbray - Oakham - Peterborough - Ely - Cambridge. This is the route taken by the 09:22 Birmingham New Street - Cambridge 12:08.

Now using maps for your proposed return leg, permitted combination NL+NW allows Cambridge - Ely on map NL, which you would use on 16.24 Cambridge - Ely 16.40. Still on map NL, it allows Ely - Peterborough - Grantham - Nottingham - Chesterfield - Sheffield - Chinley - Hazel Grove - Stockport - Manchester, which is the route taken by the 16:52 Ely - Manchester 20:36.

Finally, map NW allows Manchester - Bolton - Preston (Lancs), which is the route taken by the 20.46 Manchester - Preston 21.33.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I think that the SVR + Any Permitted has no restrictions when travelling through Peterborough but not London (+ Stevenage / Bedford / Milton Keynes etc).

That's a very interesting point, Tony. I'm still comparing different versions of the Fares Manual, but for now can I point out that the £88.40 Preston (Lancs) - Cambridge Off-Peak Return (SVR) route + Any Permitted has no time restrictions at all if you avoid both London and Birmingham.

So if Wiggaz is willing to leave home 14 minutes earlier, £23.60 can be saved with the same arrival time. There are two routes available for a 07:03 Preston - Cambridge 12:08 journey. Entering via Leeds into the journey planner gives:

07:03 Preston (Lancs) - Manchester Piccadilly 07:56
08:26 Manchester Piccadilly - Leeds 09:22
09:40 Leeds - Peterborough 11:03
11:18 Peterborough - Cambridge 12:08

Entering via Sheffield gives:

07:03 Preston (Lancs) - Manchester Piccadilly 07:56
08:20 Manchester Piccadilly - Doncaster 09:40
10:11 Doncaster - Peterborough 11:03
11:18 Peterborough - Cambridge 12:08

 

[Wiggaz]

Thanks to all - great advice (as usual!)