Train station range covered by London Thameslink?

[AlbertBeale]

Well, you know who to blame!

Indeed - and although some of the exclusions (eg Victoria, Charing X) are intuitive and (I'd always assumed) not allowed anyway, the route Clapham Junction - Waterloo -Waterloo E - London Bridge seemed to me to be in the spirit of the traditional flexibility of routes in and out of southern London terminals, and therefore not really a "fiddle" at all ... hence the frustration that this has been waved under people's noses so blatantly that it's been explicitly disallowed. It was a routing I used frequently. But at least it's only a couple of quid more for a West Hampstead - Brighton ticket (giving even more flexibility)...

 

[Hadders]

The recent easement related to London blocks travelling via Charing Cross or Cannon Street. It doesn't block the use of Waterloo East.

I rely on this ticket every weekend to travel between Clapham Junction and Brighton!

Indeed - and although some of the exclusions (eg Victoria, Charing X) are intuitive and (I'd always assumed) not allowed anyway, the route Clapham Junction - Waterloo -Waterloo E - London Bridge seemed to me to be in the spirit of the traditional flexibility of routes in and out of southern London terminals, and therefore not really a "fiddle" at all ... hence the frustration that this has been waved under people's noses so blatantly that it's been explicitly disallowed. It was a routing I used frequently. But at least it's only a couple of quid more for a West Hampstead - Brighton ticket (giving even more flexibility)...

This thread is proof, once again, that if good value or dubiously routed fares are bought to the attention of train companies they will get fixed - and not in favour of passengers.

While in this case the train company was contacted by telephone we do know that Pricing Managers read this forum and it is highly likely that the restriction came as a result of what was posted on here. This forum has a large reach across the industry and anyone who is involved in almost any aspect of setting/maintaining/supporting rail fares will be reading this forum, whether or not they have an account.

 

[Haywain]

While in this case the train company was contacted by telephone we do know that Pricing Managers read this forum and it is highly likely that the restriction came as a result of what was posted on here. This forum has a large reach across the industry and anyone who is involved in almost any aspect of setting/maintaining/supporting rail fares will be reading this forum, whether or not they have an account.

I am pretty sure that the validity through Waterloo or Victoria has been discussed quite a few times in the past without any change being made.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

This thread is proof, once again, that if good value or dubiously routed fares are bought to the attention of train companies they will get fixed - and not in favour of passengers.

...we do know that Pricing Managers read this forum and it is highly likely that the restriction came as a result of what was posted on here.

Maybe, just maybe, the pricing managers, one fine day, might possibly consider removing egregious negative easements with similar swiftness and alacrity.

Shan't be holding my breath waiting for that, however!

 

[Surreytraveller]

Its ridiculous. The whole point of easements when the Routeing Guide was first invented was to allow flexibility for passengers, such as doubling back when trains on certain routes didn't call at stations they passed through.
Now they're being used to make lives more difficult for passengers, even when the money's not even going to the private shareholders anyway. Its as if some managers in some companies are doing it just to be horrible

 

[JonathanH]

Now they're being used to make lives more difficult for passengers, even when the money's not even going to the private shareholders anyway.

In what way is restricting a ticket to its intended route making 'lives more difficult for passengers'? While it may be making some journeys more expensive, which isn't desirable, it is also simplifying the matter.

 

[AlbertBeale]

I am pretty sure that the validity through Waterloo or Victoria has been discussed quite a few times in the past without any change being made.

Certainly the validity via Waterloo has been mentioned many times, without causing what's now happened. It does seem that someone going as far as making a phone call and flaunting it has had this effect now.

In what way is restricting a ticket to its intended route making 'lives more difficult for passengers'? While it may be making some journeys more expensive, which isn't desirable, it is also simplifying the matter.

I'd say that making it more expensive does make life more difficult! Also, I don't think that reducing flexibility is "simplifying" anything.