Tonbridge tickets

Two mates and me are planning a trip to the Kent & East Sussex Railway at Tenterden soon. It will be on a Tuesday. I will be at St Pancras at about 10:30, one mate will be coming from Bourne End and the other will be in his motor. I've worked out the train times and the two of us travelling by train hope to catch the same HS1 train from St Pancras to Ashford International, then the bus to Tenterden. Coming back, Mate2 can drive us to Tunbridge Wells. We will then head by train to Tonbridge and either return via Ashford and HS1, or via Sevenoaks and London Bridge depending on the time and how we feel.

Both of us have Old Gits Railcards and my plan to cover all the National Rail journeys is:
a) I buy a London Terminals to Tonbridge Plus High-Speed Off-Peak Day Return (Restriction B1) for £24.10. This is valid after 9:30. My questions are: is this valid via the classic route on the way back? And if so is it valid from London Bridge to St Pancras International?

b) My mate buys a Bourne End to Tonbridge Any permitted Off-Peak Day Return (Restriction C4) for £26. This is valid on any train arriving at Paddington after 10:00. My questions are: is it valid on HS1? Is it valid from London Bridge to St Pancras International if we come back via the classic route?

c) We both buy a Tunbridge Wells to Tonbridge Anytime Single

I know that we could both buy slightly cheaper Plus HS1 tickets to Ashford International, but I'm hoping the Tonbridge tickets can give us the flexibility of either Classic or HS1 coming back.

I don't believe that London - Ashford - Tonbridge is a permitted route, so you'd need the Ashford fare and then break your journey on the way back (effectively) to get back on at Tonbridge.

Apart from that, Any Permitted is fine on HS1 (there's not much special about it from a fares point-of-view except that Travelcards are not allowed unless routed PLUS HIGH SPEED). That route is also used for many local-ish journeys where there is a choice - it's fine on any valid route, high-speed or classic.

Any London Terminals PLUS HIGH SPEED tickets are OK to travel on Thameslink between St Pancras and, for instance, London Bridge.

Not aware of any valid routing options via High Speed for Tonbridge-London (despite the ticket option!).

Further East - Paddock Wood does however have two valid routing variations via Strood/Ashford.

Dont know if you have considered returning via Headcorn. There is a direct bus (12) from Tenterden takes less than half an hour so is quicker than driving to Tunbridge Wells. Even better if your driving pal could drop you off there it is only 10-15 minutes out of his way to T Wells and might save him a trip into the middle of Tunbridge Wells.

ThisIsSurbiton said:

I don't believe that London - Ashford - Tonbridge is a permitted route, so you'd need the Ashford fare and then break your journey on the way back (effectively) to get back on at Tonbridge.

Apart from that, Any Permitted is fine on HS1 (there's not much special about it from a fares point-of-view except that Travelcards are not allowed unless routed PLUS HIGH SPEED). That route is also used for many local-ish journeys where there is a choice - it's fine on any valid route, high-speed or classic.

Any London Terminals PLUS HIGH SPEED tickets are OK to travel on Thameslink between St Pancras and, for instance, London Bridge.

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leshuttle said:

Not aware of any valid routing options via High Speed for Tonbridge-London (despite the ticket option!).

Further East - Paddock Wood does however have two valid routing variations via Strood/Ashford.

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Thank you both for your replies, which were very informative.

leshuttle's point about the Tonbridge fare existing is what made me think of booking to Tonbridge in the first place. If I have time at St Pancras I might see if a machine would sell me one!
The Strood option is a curve ball! Apparently Ashford fails the fares check, so is not a valid routing point, but you can still use HS1 to Strood via Ebbsfleet, then catch the train to Paddock Wood via Maidstone. Although an amusing route, I think I'll leave it for another day!

It looks as though I'm just left with ThisIsSurbiton's confirmation of buying tickets to Ashford International and returning via the classic route and Thameslink from London Bridge. We could buy a single from Tunbridge Wells to Ashford, but at £10.70 each we probably won't bother.

Thanks again for your advice.

gcmozart said:

Dont know if you have considered returning via Headcorn. There is a direct bus (12) from Tenterden takes less than half an hour so is quicker than driving to Tunbridge Wells. Even better if your driving pal could drop you off there it is only 10-15 minutes out of his way to T Wells and might save him a trip into the middle of Tunbridge Wells.

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Thanks. I'd certainly consider it. However, the driver has to go to Tunbridge Wells anyway.

gcmozart said:

Dont know if you have considered returning via Headcorn. There is a direct bus (12) from Tenterden takes less than half an hour so is quicker than driving to Tunbridge Wells. Even better if your driving pal could drop you off there it is only 10-15 minutes out of his way to T Wells and might save him a trip into the middle of Tunbridge Wells.

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On further investigation the ticket to Headcorn is the same price as Ashford International and allows us to do what I thought we could do with the Tonbridge ticket, namely return by HS1 if we want. If we are dropped off at Headcorn then we avoid the Tunbridge Wells fare too. I think the Headcorn ticket is the way to go!

I'll let you know what actually happened. We are going in a couple of weeks.