Theale to Bristol - valid from Reading?

[otter11]

Hoping for some help please.

I'm planning to travel from Reading to Bristol Temple Meads, via Westbury.

I'm thinking of using a Theale to Bristol Temple Meads ticket, as this has a cheaper 'via Westbury' fare, which isn't available from Reading.

My understanding is that if I travelled from Theale, this ticket would be valid to travel Theale -> Reading -> Westbury -> Bristol.

However, is it valid to start my journey from Reading (ie is break of journey allowed on the double back?)

 

[Watershed]

It is valid via the Reading Routeing Point Group as you say. That is by virtue of easement 300391:

Customers travelling from Theale, Aldermaston, Midgham, Thatcham and Newbury Racecourse via Newbury may travel via Reading West. This easement applies in both directions.

Doubling back is permitted between members of a Routeing Point Group (e.g. Reading West and Reading) for 'interchange purposes' - for example because Reading-Westbury services don't stop at Reading West. This leaves some ambiguity as to whether you can still be considered to be performing the double-back for 'interchange purposes' if you choose to break your journey during your double-back.

I wouldn't recommend trying to break your journey at Reading in these circumstances. Whilst you might be fine on occasion, if it's a journey you do regularly, eventually you will come across a member of staff who doesn't like it. They might claim the ticket isn't valid and force you to buy another one - meaning you'd have to go through the complaints process to try and get your money back - or who will report it so that the easement or ticket routing gets changed.