kieron
Established Member
Some changes to the routeing guide were published on Wednesday.
This easement is intended to make Cheltenham a valid routeing point for some journeys from those stations. I don't think it does anything for Evesham or Pershore, however, as the Cheltenham routeing point isn't associated with them. nre.co.uk does show journeys from Worcestershire Parkway to Didcot via Stroud, but not ones via Bristol Parkway.
In addition, the data for easement 701173 has been changed slightly. It no longer requires journeys to be via Stroud, but instead adds it to the locations via which it allows journeys. The text remains:
Changes from 07 Feb 2024 (485) to 14 Feb 2024 (486).
Easement changes:
Removed:
701169 (Fare route) Due to engineering blockades on 11, 18 and 25 February 2024, customers travelling with tickets priced on (00096) NOT VIA CARDIFF, travelling on rail replacement services, from to or via Pye Corner, may get connecting trains from Cardiff Central, This fare route easement applies in both directions.
A stop in Newport has been added to the bus timetable, so this was no longer useful.Easement changes:
Removed:
701169 (Fare route) Due to engineering blockades on 11, 18 and 25 February 2024, customers travelling with tickets priced on (00096) NOT VIA CARDIFF, travelling on rail replacement services, from to or via Pye Corner, may get connecting trains from Cardiff Central, This fare route easement applies in both directions.
Added:
701178 (Circuitous Route) Customers from Watton at Stone travelling with a Travelcard are not permitted to travel via Stevenage. This circuitous route easement applies in both directions.
It can be quicker to travel between Watton at Stone and London via Stevenage rather than Hertford. This easement stops travelcards from being used that way. Another way to do this would be to change the route on the ticket to "not via Stevenage".701178 (Circuitous Route) Customers from Watton at Stone travelling with a Travelcard are not permitted to travel via Stevenage. This circuitous route easement applies in both directions.
701179 (Fare route) On the 10th and between 12 and 18 February, when the route between Reading and Guildford is closed. Customers travelling with tickets priced on (00615) VIA GOMSHALL will be valid for travel via Guildford on Rail Replacement buses between Reading and Gatwick Airport. This fare route easement applies in both directions.
There are no trains between Reading, Wokingham and Guildford at the moment. This easement lets you use "via Gomshall" tickets on the bus between Guildford and Gatwick. The text is ambiguous (is "between Reading and Gatwick Airport" a description of the bus or the journey?), but the data only affects journeys which go from or to Gatwick and from, to or via Reading.701180 (Routeing Point) During engineering works between the 24 and 27 March 2024, tickets from Evesham, Pershore and Worcestershire Parkway, for journeys to or via London, will be valid via Cheltenham Spa and Swindon. This routeing point easement to apply in both directions.
There are no trains between Charlbury and Worcester Shrub Hill on the above dates. As before, the data doesn't mention London. This easement is intended to make Cheltenham a valid routeing point for some journeys from those stations. I don't think it does anything for Evesham or Pershore, however, as the Cheltenham routeing point isn't associated with them. nre.co.uk does show journeys from Worcestershire Parkway to Didcot via Stroud, but not ones via Bristol Parkway.
Map changes:
XB gains links between Gatwick Airport and Guildford.
This link (which doesn't appear in the copy of the map on data.atoc.org) may be to do with a rail replacement bus, although I didn't think the maps were checked for bus journeys. There's no rail route between Gatwick and Guildford which doesn't pass through at least one other routeing point, so you can't follow this link on a train. The map is used for Gatwick-Reading journeys amongst others.XB gains links between Gatwick Airport and Guildford.
In addition, the data for easement 701173 has been changed slightly. It no longer requires journeys to be via Stroud, but instead adds it to the locations via which it allows journeys. The text remains:
701173 (Fare route) During engineering works between the 24 and 27 March 2024, tickets from Hereford, Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcestershire Parkway, priced on (00799) LONDON EVESHAM, (00433) AP EVESHAM and (00805) VIA EVESHAM, for journeys to or via London, will be valid via Stroud and Swindon. This fare route easement to apply in both directions.