Advance "& connections" question

[Dunderhead]

Suppose I have an "& connections" advance from A to B via London with a maltese cross, with the journey from A to London being the "connection" and the journey from London to B being the mandatory reserved journey, and the reserved journey is at 9pm in the evening. If I decide I would quite like a day out in London before making the onward journey, would it be permissible for me to make the "connection" journey from A to London at 11am in the morning to facilitate that?

I guess what I'm asking is, are there any restrictions on when the "connection" can be made on these tickets?

 

[yorkie]

The rules state that you may take "appropriate" connecting trains. Break of journey (as defined in NRCoC) is not permitted.

The Advance FAQs in The Manual says:

Q25. Can passengers on an advance ticket travel on earlier connecting trains?

A. Yes if it is non-reservable, no if it is reservable.

An exception that benefits customers: Where East Coast is a connecting TOC from Stevenage via London and vice versa e.g "AP London Reading" or "VWC & connections", East Coast waives the need for travel on the exact East Coast train booked on this relatively short journey Stevenage-Kings Cross, even though retail systems will force a reservation to be made.

Some recent topics include:

• Early connection on advance ticket?
• Advance ticket advice
• Newcastle - Kirkcaldy Advance ticket
• St Albans City to Bath Spa
• Valid travel itinerary
• VWC and connections' advance ticket
• Advance Tickets.unreserved seats
• Unreserved portion on an AP ticket...
• St Albans - Bridgend advanced ticket
• Breaking journey on unreserved last leg of AP ticket
• Advance fare train limitations
• "Advance ticket" question
• AP EMT + Connections: Do time restrictions apply to SWT portion too?
• EMT +cnnectns Leeds - Sheffield
• Tickets 'with Connections'
• Hayle to Paddington
• Advance Tickets: Question on Restrictions.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

There's a clue to the answer in the way you have illustrated the question with a specific example.

If the ticket type does not permit a 'Break of Journey' (other than to make a connection) and you specifically intend to have 'a day out in London' during that break, then you're deliberately violating the prohibition.
Whether you are likely to be detected doing so in violation of the 'No Break of Journey' condition is another matter.

It is reasonable for a passenger to leave adequate time, perhaps excessively adequate time, for a cross-London connection, maybe even taking some refreshment or if a smoker, enjoying a cigarette or two. That would not, in my opinion, be regarded as an unpermitted Break of Journey.

 

[Dunderhead]

I get the picture now. Thanks! Apologies for asking a question that has clearly been asked many times before.