Good. As
krus_aragon says, you have correctly interpreted the Routeing Guide for that journey.
Thanks for confirming, although I hadn't picked up on the Worcester to Birm routing issue.
Neither had I. Well done to
krus_aragon for spotting it! But in this particular case it doesn't create a problem. The reason is that Cardiff - Hereford - Bromsgrove - Derby is not more than 3 miles longer than the shortest route between Cardiff and Derby. I explained recently:
The routeing guide says that you can travel on:
1. the shortest route, or
2. a route not more than 3 miles longer than the shortest route, or
3. a through train, or
4. a mapped route, or
5. a route permitted by an easement.
But this does raise the issue of how you find out whether a route is the shortest, or within 3 miles of the shortest. The Routeing Guide contains the definition.
National Routeing Guide said:
The shortest route is calculated by reference to the National Rail Timetable.
http://www.atoc.org/clientfiles/File/RSPDocuments/instructions.pdf
The National Rail Timetable is
here (58.8Mb). Note that the distances in the NRT must be used even though this is not a particularly user-friendly method and the distances are not the most accurate available. I start by using one of the on-line railway distance calculators, and then by checking the figures given there against the NRT. In this instance, I used
Clive's on-line Routeing Engine (CoRE), which Clive Feather wrote about ten years ago.
CoRE states that the shortest route is Cardiff Central - Newport (Gwent) - Severn Tunnel Junction - Gloucester - Cheltenham Spa - Ashchurch - Bromsgrove - Barnt Green - Kings Norton - University - Birmingham New Street - Water Orton - Tamworth - Burton-on-Trent - Peartree - Derby and gives a distance of 149 miles 43 chains. CoRE indicated the route via Hereford and Bromsgrove is longer by just under 2 miles, so I confirmed this with NRT:
National Rail Timetable: Cardiff Central - Derby said:
Shortest route
Cardiff Central - Newport (South Wales) - Gloucester - Cheltenham Spa - Ashchurch - (avoiding Worcester Shrub Hill) - Birmingham New Street - Water Orton - Wilnecote - Tamworth - Burton-on-Trent - Willington - Derby
Table 57
Cardiff Central = 0 miles. Ashchurch = 70.25 miles. Distance = 70.25 miles.
Ashchurch = 53.5 miles. Birmingham New Street (avoiding Worcester Shrub Hill) = 92.75 miles. Distance = 39.25 miles.
Birmingham New Street = 112 miles. Derby = 152.75 miles. Distance = 40.75 miles.
Total distance = 150.25 miles.
Route via Hereford and Bromsgrove
Cardiff Central - Newport (South Wales) - Cwmbran - Pontypool - Abergavenny - Hereford - Worcester Shrub Hill - Bromsgrove - Birmingham New Street - Water Orton - Wilnecote - Tamworth - Burton-on-Trent - Willington - Derby
Table 131
Cardiff Central = 0 miles. Hereford = 55.25 miles. Distance = 55.25 miles.
Table 71
Hereford = 0 miles. Birmingham New Street via Bromsgrove = 54.5 miles. Distance = 54.5 miles.
Table 57
Birmingham New Street = 112 miles. Derby = 152.75 miles. Distance = 40.75 miles.
Total distance = 150.5 miles.
Therefore Cardiff - Derby via Hereford and Bromsgrove is a permitted route.
Unfortunately, a great many of the rules relating to railway fares, tickets and routeing in Great Britain are illogical.
on NR Enquiry website the 2130 from Hereford to Birmingham (via Bromsgrove) is shown as a recommended route to carry out the journey at that time. Is it the case that if NRE lists a route in its timetables it will always be regarded as valid over and above what the routing process might show?
In a case such as this, we advise people to print out the itinerary from National Rail or the ticket selling site and carry it on their journey, showing it if challenged. We have not yet heard of a case where this has not been accepted as evidence that the itinerary is valid.
