via Waterloo to Fleet...

[Peter Mugridge]

Interesting...

Having just tried to buy a CDR for Epsom to Fleet via Waterloo, I find I cannot even though it is possible to buy a CDR to Woking via Waterloo and also to Basingstoke via Waterloo....

Why would something be available to those destinations, but not to somewhere half way between them and served by the same trains?!

The clerk did check "via London not Und" as well, with the same results.

*scratches head*

:-?




( Ended up buying two separate tickets to cover travel via Waterloo - don't want to change at Clapham Jct because I want to be sure of sitting down! ).

 

[thefab444]

I can only find a "NOT LONDON" for Epsom - Woking.

Off peak services out of Clapham Junction aren't that bad, and there aren't many CLJ > FLE services in the peak anyway; none between 1646 and 1919, so presumably during this time you are supposed to change at Wimbledon and Surbiton/Woking.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It's a family trip out so there's four of us and owing to the Farnborough Air Show there would be little chance of a seat if we can't start at Waterloo!

In fact we're going to the show, but via a corporate invitation and Fleet is nearer the lounge than Farnbourough as the lounge is on the opposite side of the airport from the crowds... Changing at Clapham won't be a problem on the way back, and returning from Fleet will have very definite advantages seat-wise compared to boarding at Farnborough for London after the show!

 

[thefab444]

Ah, I'd forgotten about that (although to be fair no date was mentioned in your original post)!

With regards to your original question, "LONDON NOT UND" tickets are available from Epsom to stations west of, and including, Basingstoke. They are not available for stations east of Basingstoke, including Woking - so where the clerk got this from I'm not sure?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I don't know; I'll ask him next time he's on duty when I'm buying a ticket.

And yes, sorry, I did forget to put the date in the OP. Perhaps I should report that my suspicions were correct, the train ( 12 car 450 ) was almost empty out of Waterloo, but it packed to the rafters at Clapham Jct! And the vast majority detrained at Farnborough, leaving us no problems at all at Fleet.

For the return journey, the theory worked again - lightly loaded from Fleet, but standing room only after the Farnborough stop - and in fact there was a queue outside containing several hundred people waiting to be allowed into the station...!!