Preston to Carlisle Any Permitted

[55018ballymoss]

I am looking to make a day return journey on Sunday from Preston to Carlisle, and have found a curious fare and was hoping to get some advice as to the validity of this fare.

My reason for asking is that I remember that holders of Anytime Returns can upgrade to Weekend First for free on Virgin at weekends.
The fare in question is the SOR Rte: Any Permitted at £39.00 (set by Northern), which is cheaper than buying a CDR Rte: Via Penrith at £21.80 (set by Virgin) and two Weekend First upgrades (£15 each, I think?).

So, forgive my cautiousness, is the Rte: Any Permitted valid on all trains, or just Northern?

Thanks in advance for the replies!

 

[cuccir]

Yes, the Anytime Return is valid on all operators.

 

[kieron]

The fare in question is the SOR Rte: Any Permitted at £39.00 (set by Northern), which is cheaper than buying a CDR Rte: Via Penrith at £21.80 (set by Virgin) and two Weekend First upgrades (£15 each, I think?).

So, forgive my cautiousness, is the Rte: Any Permitted valid on all trains, or just Northern?

Yes. Weekend First is a flat fee, so it may not be such good value if you're only on the train for an hour or so.

The "Any Permitted" ticket is valid via Penrith or on the Cumbrian coast, but not on the Settle-Carlisle route. Virgin's anytime return is dearer, but their off-peak return is valid all of the time anyway.

Incidentally, the "free upgrade" offer isn't promoted on the Virgin site now, but it is on National Rail Enquiries.

 

[mm333]

However, this Sunday, the WCML is closed until 1455. The first northbound through train is the 1105 via the Settle-Carlisle. Your Preston-Carlisle ticket will be valid that way as it's a through train and, unless someone tells me otherwise, tickets with a Rte limitation are Ok to go a different way during engineering works if the train would have normally gone via the Rte location.

 

[55018ballymoss]

Thanks for the replies.
I had spotted the 1105 departure, and was suspicious of the journey time, so that explains it. A nice bonus for the day to go out that way. I will take the Any Permitted SOR, and report back if it gets challenged on the day by one of Virgin's fine on train staff.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Thanks for the replies.
I had spotted the 1105 departure, and was suspicious of the journey time, so that explains it. A nice bonus for the day to go out that way. I will take the Any Permitted SOR, and report back if it gets challenged on the day by one of Virgin's fine on train staff.

I'd be very surprised if you got challenged by the TM. It's perfectly valid and I've used the same ticket myself many times before over the S&C. I used the 11:06 last week and it was very quiet. Formed of a double Super Voyager, I imagine its return 1557 from Glasgow would warrant a double set.

 

[MKD]

Incidentally, the "free upgrade" offer isn't promoted on the Virgin site now, but it is on National Rail Enquiries.

That NRE information re Virgin looks incredibly dated though, ie its final paragraph includes "... between Saturday 24th July through to Sunday 5th September...

eg 24th July most recently tallies with Saturday in 2010 !!!

MKD

 

[Dewedin]

It's a direct train, of course it's valid!

 

[voyagerdude220]

It's a direct train, of course it's valid!

It's the question whether VT are still letting holders of Standard Anytime tickets a free First Class upgrade on weekends which is being asked, not the validity of the ticket for the journey.

 

[Deerfold]

It's the question whether VT are still letting holders of Standard Anytime tickets a free First Class upgrade on weekends which is being asked, not the validity of the ticket for the journey.

I got free First Class upgrades on VT between Carlisle and Glasgow on Keighley - Glasgow in March 2013 (ticket priced by Northern).

I asked the guard first in both directions and both were happy to confirm we could sit in 1st class (as did the guard on a later return train that my wife caught). That got me in the good books with the wife.

The first guard apologised for the lack of a trolley but told us to go to the shop and we could get drinks if we showed our tickets. On the return we got inclusive snacks and drinks served at seat.

 

[John @ home]

It's the question whether VT are still letting holders of Standard Anytime tickets a free First Class upgrade on weekends which is being asked

On Sunday 24 March 2013, the Train Manager told me that Anytime tickets are still accepted in First Class on Virgin Trains at weekends. I went Preston - Carlisle in First Class as part of a Leeds - Carlisle journey using an SOR. The routes via Appleby and via Wennington were both closed that Sunday.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Many thanks Deerfold and John @ home for your confirmation. I had a quick glance at the VT website, but couldn't find anything regarding the free upgrade.

 

[Deerfold]

Many thanks Deerfold and John @ home for your confirmation. I had a quick glance at the VT website, but couldn't find anything regarding the free upgrade.

Nor could I - it was mentioned when I was asking about my fares. The link to NRE that was helpfully supplied then now redirects to a page about Weekend First upgrades which does not mention this availability.

 

[55018ballymoss]

Well, the trip was pretty much as advertised.
Quiet double SuperVoyager on the way out, nice trip over the Settle and Carlisle.
The way back, much busier, and unfortunately caught up in an engineering overrun, so with the delay of more than 60 minutes I will hopefully get half of my money back?

 

[John @ home]

If the delayed journey was on a Virgin train on or after 1 April 2013, then then their Passenger's Charter entitles you to "100% of the cost of the relevant portion of your return ticket." for a delay of 60-119 minutes, or "100% of the cost of your return ticket (i.e. both portions not just one way)" for a delay of 120 minutes or longer. See page 9 of the Charter.