The Madness of TPE

[Max]

From the start of new Scotland services, TPE will be offering advance purchase tickets between Manchester and Glasgow/Edinburgh. However, for some stupid reason, they are leaving AP fares on their other routes as returns. This is such an old fashioned policy, and I really can't understand why they don't reform their whole fare structure.

 

[Spaceflower]

I dont know, but (sorry for hijacking your thread)...does anyone know what happened to the proposed Leeds - Carlisle - SW Scotland TPE'S many moons ago? Nothing come of it I take it?:???:

 

[clagmonster]

William, nothing did come of this proposal, apart from their are a couple of daily Leeds-Carlisle semi-fast services, operated by Northern. The Leeds-Glasgow through service, which was reinstated a few years ago, has also been withdrawn.
As for AP fares, I also find it strange that no singles exist, especially when the returns which are sold are generally cheaper than any walk up single ticket. When I need to make a single journey with TPE, I know normally buy a return AP ticket, which due to this system both reduces available seats on the unused return service, and possibly deprives someone else of a cheap ticket unneccesarily. To minimise the effect of this, I always try to book the wasted return portion on a service that I believe will be relatively quiet. So on the Anglo Scottish routes, are AP single tickets being sold?

 

[Spaceflower]

What a thoughtful chap you are, but then again, how many single journeys do people take? ....well normal people, not us train/coverage nuts

 

[rail-britain]

I dont know, but (sorry for hijacking your thread)...does anyone know what happened to the proposed Leeds - Carlisle - SW Scotland TPE'S many moons ago?

Too many objections and conflicts
In the event of a delay this would affect a great many trains, on the GSW and Carisle - Leeds
The Scottish Executive weren't too happy at paying another operator for an established route and in effect having to pay for more rolling stock
There was a Leeds - Carlisle - Glasgow service, but it was short-lived and was routed via Carstairs

Not soon after this withdrawal there was speculation that the Stranraer / Girvan - Carlisle - Newcastle service would be revised with the route returned back to its original format prior to Class 156s!
However, the Scottish Executive didn't agree to the format and that proposal was also withdrawn

 

[voyagerdude220]

However, for some stupid reason, they are leaving AP fares on their other routes as returns. This is such an old fashioned policy, and I really can't understand why they don't reform their whole fare structure.

I completely agree with that, and is exactly one of my problems with trying to do Manchester-Sheffield-St Pancras-Hull-Manchetser on AP singles-

HT is already expensive, but a single at half the price of the return on TPE, would really help me.

Hull-Manchester is cheaper to buy an AP return, than get a FDS...

 

[clagmonster]

I quite often make single journies with TPE for non railway purposes, York-Leeds on a Tuesday night being a common one (a lift from Hull to York then train from there is the only way I can get back late on a Tuesday night). I'm sure that there are quite a few other people who make single journies, many without knowing this particular trick.

 

[Spaceflower]

Cheers for the info. m8

Clagmonster, that is a bad example to give to me. It is a very specific journey type and youre forgetting you are a train fan so this will subconciously or otherwise dictate what mode to use for a particular journey. Anyone else may not a) use the train at all or b) purchase a walk on single fare (most probable). If you are not such a species as a train nut you will be faced with a maze of price/fare options, the few that do want singles will probs pay for a single ticket, not going for a cheaper AP option.

Im not totally 'clued up' by the way, just an opinion, but am not one to pass up an argument oppurtunity

keep it civilised