Advance ticket, choice of connection at Glasgow Central?

[trainophile]

I'm on my way to Ayr today via Glasgow Central, where I arrive at 1315. The journey planner put me on the 1334, but I see there is a 1330 to Ayr that is a bit quicker. It also says on RTT "service does not have a guard".

Would I be okay to get that one? The only reservation on my through ticket is Wigan to Glasgow.

 

[crehld]

I'm on my way to Ayr today via Glasgow Central, where I arrive at 1315. The journey planner put me on the 1334, but I see there is a 1330 to Ayr that is a bit quicker. It also says on RTT "service does not have a guard".

Would I be okay to get that one?

Do you have an actual reservation for the 1334 service to Ayr? Or has the journey planner just suggested that service to you as a connecting service? If the latter, I see no problem getting the earlier service.

While many Scotrail services in the Strathcylde regions don't have a guard, they will almost certainly have a ticket inspector on board.

 

[Merseysider]

That would be fine, yes. Your ticket is valid on appropriate connecting trains, and the 1330 from GLC is clearly appropriate.

 

[trainophile]

Thanks both. Nope, no timed train specified on ticket, just on journey planner. Presumably it will work the barrier on a different platform!

 

[Mag_seven]

Do you have an actual reservation for the 1334 service to Ayr?

I don't believe you can reserve seats on Glasgow to Ayr services so OP should be OK.

 

[trainophile]

All okay, and yes there is a ticket inspector. Barely glanced at mine. I have an honest face!

 

[yorkie]

Thanks both. Nope, no timed train specified on ticket, just on journey planner. Presumably it will work the barrier on a different platform!

It's an appropriate connection, so it's valid.

The magnetic stripe encoding is very basic and the system is not capable of cross-referencing appropriate or booked services with platform allocations (nor would it be in any way desirable for it to be).

All okay, and yes there is a ticket inspector. Barely glanced at mine. I have an honest face!

They are very friendly in my experience and their priority is to sell tickets to people needing them (a lot of the stations on those lines are unstaffed, rather like the Northern and ATW networks); they certainly aren't going to be fussing over whether you are on the right connecting service or not.