Advance tickets - walking between non-reservable legs of journey

[trainophile]

Hypothetical question (but maybe not, depending on answer ):

The Wirral Line Liverpool loop closure involves inbound trains terminating at James Street with a bus replacement to Moorfields or Lime Street.

If I arrive at James Street and decide to spend a couple of hours in Liverpool before continuing to Southport (the destination on my Advance ticket), would this be allowed? I know it wouldn't "officially", but would anyone know, or care? When I eventually get to the barriers at Moorfields (or even Central), They won't know that I haven't just got off the rail replacement bus will they? (Don't know whether the barriers will be set to accept AP tickets, given that this is a "BoJ" necessitated by Merseyrail's own workings.)

Same scenario at Wigan... arrive at North Western, depart from Wallgate on a NT (hence unreservable) train. Could I spend a couple of hours in Wigan or am I obliged to catch the next service?

I suppose the gist of my query is in the "will anyone know or care" aspect, as I know full well the rules of Advance tickets!

 

[bb21]

Will anyone care? Probably not, especially on Merseyrail where the guards are not commercial.

I have been asked for my reservation coupons before even on the unreserved leg, but it is quite rare.

There is no guarantee, but the chances are low.

 

[trainophile]

I rather suspected that would be the case .

Surprised that anyone would ask for your reservation coupon for a spent leg of your journey. I'd think most people wouldn't even bother to keep it once they've finished with that train. Is that another unsuspected bylaw transgression?

 

[maniacmartin]

The tickets say on them "Only valid with reservations".

 

[trainophile]

The tickets say on them "Only valid with reservations".

And, having just checked, the res. coupons also say "retain for inspection". However it's all in the interpretation of "retain" isn't it? Perhaps it should be worded "retain until final destination shown on ticket". Then you'd get people shoving them in the waste bin in their destination station toilets, so not having them available for inspection at the exit barriers :roll:. Tricky one.