Using an advance ticket to a different station but at the same price

[roadierway77]

I'm looking to travel from Berwick upon Tweed to Drumfrochar later this month. Trainsplit advises a 12.10 advance with a railcard, catching a XC service from Berwick to Edinburgh, and then working my way to Drumfrochar via Glasgow on ScotRail. But for some reason the CrossCountry app isn't showing an advance single available from Berwick to Drumfrochar at the time I have to travel, however it does for Berwick to Greenock West. Drumfrochar and Greenock West are very near to each other so I'm happy to use either station.

An advance from Berwick to Drumfrochar and Berwick to Greenock West are the same price - 12.10. If I was to purchase the Berwick to Greenock advance but use it to travel to Drumfrochar, would I face any trouble from the guard? I'm paying the same price as I would with Drumfrochar but I'm not going to the destination station listed on my ticket, and don't want to risk having to buy another ticket.

I would purchase the advance to Drumfrochar by other means but I would prefer to purchase directly through the XC app as it allows me to amend my ticket if needed.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

[danm14]

None of the Glasgow to Wemyss Bay (via Drumfrochar) or Gourock (via Greenock West) trains are reservable, so you won't be required to take a specific train, simply any suitable connecting service from Glasgow onwards.

With that in mind, it would be entirely legitimate for you to take a Wemyss Bay (via Drumfrochar) train, as long as you intend changing at Port Glasgow to a Gourock (via Greenock West) train.

If I were in that situation, I'd do the above, and politely ask the ticket inspector if you could possibly just stay on to Drumfrochar and walk, instead of waiting at Port Glasgow for another train.

Bearing in mind that the two stations are half a mile apart on parallel lines, I highly doubt the guard would care particularly much - provided you asked first.

The worst that could happen would be the guard saying no - then you'd just have to get off at Port Glasgow and wait for the Gourock (via Greenock West) train. As long as you are not still on the Wemyss Bay train when the doors close at Port Glasgow, without the ticket inspector having given permission, you have not done anything wrong.

In addition, Post 4 of this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/scottish-local-easements.116713/ shows that a local easement exists permitting Greenock West passengers to use services to Branchton (the station after Drumfrochar) and vice versa - and while this may not technically apply to Advances (as you must travel to the station on your ticket), I'd expect there to be little issue in practice

 

[yorkie]

None of the Glasgow to Wemyss Bay (via Drumfrochar) or Gourock (via Greenock West) trains are reservable, so you won't be required to take a specific train, simply any suitable connecting service from Glasgow onwards.

With that in mind, it would be entirely legitimate for you to take a Wemyss Bay (via Drumfrochar) train, as long as you intend changing at Port Glasgow to a Gourock (via Greenock West) train.

If I were in that situation, I'd do the above, and politely ask the ticket inspector if you could possibly just stay on to Drumfrochar and walk, instead of waiting at Port Glasgow for another train.

Bearing in mind that the two stations are half a mile apart on parallel lines, I highly doubt the guard would care particularly much - provided you asked first.

The worst that could happen would be the guard saying no - then you'd just have to get off at Port Glasgow and wait for the Gourock (via Greenock West) train. As long as you are not still on the Wemyss Bay train when the doors close at Port Glasgow, without the ticket inspector having given permission, you have not done anything wrong.

In addition, Post 4 of this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/scottish-local-easements.116713/ shows that a local easement exists permitting Greenock West passengers to use services to Branchton (the station after Drumfrochar) and vice versa - and while this may not technically apply to Advances (as you must travel to the station on your ticket), I'd expect there to be little issue in practice

Agreed.

The travelling ticket inspectors on this route are helpful and pragmatic in my experience. And among the most visible on board staff in the country. I would be surprised if they didn't allow this.

 

[roadierway77]

Many thanks for the advice, I've used an off-peak Greenock ticket to Drumfrochar before with no issue but never an advance, I'll just buy the Berwick to Greenock advance and fingers crossed the guard will accept it to Drumfrochar, if not I'll just change at Port Glasgow.

 

[yorkie]

They're travelling ticket inspectors, not Guards, but yes I suspect they will.