Beaconsfield To Liverpool

[coxy]

Hi.

I'm planning a weekend trip from Beaconsfield (BCF) to Liverpool (LIV) next weekend. Departing Friday 27th October, returning Sunday 29th October.

Direct Off Peak point to point tickets are either £123.90 via Banbury (set by Crosscountry, so no departure before 09.30), or £110.90 via London (set by Avanti, so no restriction on departure time on a Friday).

However I've decided to buy split tickets, changing in Birmingham. So I'll be buying a Super Off Peak return from BCF to Birmingham Stations for £30.90, plus a Super Off Peak return from Birmingham Stations to Liverpool Stations for £37.30 for a total of £68.20.

The only restrictions I can see with this combination of tickets will be on departure from BCF, with the first train I can take on Friday 27th being the 09.04 to Oxford, changing at High Wycombe for a connecting service to Birmingham Moor Street. At Moor Street it'll be a cross platform interchange on to Smethwick Galton Bridge, then pick up the train to Liverpool Lime Street from there. Arrival will be after 13.00, so again complying with the ticket restrictions (code is LJ).

On the way back on Sunday 29th, my ticket has a restriction code of LJ. This suggests restrictions apply Monday to Saturday, so I'm double checking to see if there are any "hidden" or unpublished restrictions ? I'm planning to get the 14.33 or 15.33 West Midland Train service back to Birmingham, then changing again at Moor Street for Beaconsfield.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Flip side with the proposed split is that you obviously then have to travel via Birmingham, but given where Beaconsfield is geographically located on the GB rail network, maybe that's not all that bad.

P.S. Any reason why one couldn't use the £110.90 "Route ✠ANY PERMITTED" Off Peak Return fare, via Banbury?

 

[mangyiscute]

That's very odd, since in the restriction code for the £110.90 fare, it says "for journeys via Birmingham use restriction code 2V" which is the one associated with the £123.90 ticket, and if you search for a ticket it will offer you the £110.90 ticket for travel on either route, so the £123.90 ticket seems to be completely obsolete.

I agree that your proposed itinerary is perfectly valid with the tickets you have suggested, the super off peak tickets (and all others) tend to have no sunday restrictions, and you comply with all the restrictions for the outward journey.

I personally would walk between Moor Street and New Street rather than going to Smethwick Galton Bridge since you'll have half an hour for a 5 mins walk and then you should get to get on the seat early, get a good seat and have access to all the facilities at New Street too. On the way back, you'd be relying on a 2 min connection at Smethwick Galton Bridge too, with a decent number of steps between the two platform levels, or a 20 min walk through Birmingham

 

[Haywain]

On the way back, you'd be relying on a 2 min connection at Smethwick Galton Bridge too, with a decent number of steps between the two platform levels, or a 20 min walk through Birmingham

The minimum connection time at Smethwick Galton Bridge is 7 minutes, and the minimum for New Street to Moor Street is 25 minutes (12 + 8 + 5). Whilst both can be done more quickly, these are key to being able to qualify for Delay Repay.

 

[coxy]

Thank you for the various replies.

I can't answer if the £110.90 "Route ✠ANY PERMITTED" Off Peak Return fare can be used via Banbury, but for me personally it came down to price / time. Travelling via London does not save a significant amount of time compared to going via Birmingham, but I can save £42 by travelling on the slightly slower route

I'd assumed it was a fairly straight forward interchange at Smethwick Galton Bridge, but as pointed out there's not much time between the connecting services. I'll check RTT on the day(s) to see if they are running early/late and be prepared to walk between Moor Street / New Street.

 

[mangyiscute]

I can't answer if the £110.90 "Route ✠ANY PERMITTED" Off Peak Return fare can be used via Banbury, but for me personally it came down to price / time. Travelling via London does not save a significant amount of time compared to going via Birmingham, but I can save £42 by travelling on the slightly slower route

It is valid, just to be clear, national rail enquires will offer the ticket for journeys via Birmingham

I'd assumed it was a fairly straight forward interchange at Smethwick Galton Bridge, but as pointed out there's not much time between the connecting services. I'll check RTT on the day(s) to see if they are running early/late and be prepared to walk between Moor Street / New Street.

It isn't an awful change at Smethwick Galton Bridge, just that iirc you have to go up quite a few stairs to get between the platforms, since the platforms are at different levels, and then the bridge connecting them is above the upper level, so from the lower level up to the bridge is a decent climb. You may prefer that to walking through Birmingham, however.

 

[Watershed]

It isn't an awful change at Smethwick Galton Bridge, just that iirc you have to go up quite a few stairs to get between the platforms, since the platforms are at different levels, and then the bridge connecting them is above the upper level, so from the lower level up to the bridge is a decent climb. You may prefer that to walking through Birmingham, however.

The change is much easier than walking across Birmingham, and there are lifts if stairs are an issue.

The only downside is that you are reliant on the Snow Hill line if you change at Galton Bridge, which (post-Covid) isn't the most frequent or reliable. The walk between Moor Street and New Street isn't the nicest but you aren't relying on anything else - if you know where you're going and walk quickly, you can do it from platform to platform in perhaps 6 or 7 minutes. The official connection time of 25 minutes includes quite a bit of slack, even for those who walk more slowly and don't know the route well.

 

[mangyiscute]

Yeah to be fair, the first time I did the New Street to Moor Street walk I took a wrong turn and it took me a bit longer (thankfully i had about 30 mins) so it can be confusing. For me, especially on the way there, I'd walk to New Street just so I can then get on my train at its origin rather than having to wait on the platform at both Moor Street and Smethwick - the train should get into Birmingham at 11:20 from its previous service and you should be able to board immediately. On the way back, a 2 min connection is always tight, so I'd favour New Street again - if the Smethwick to Moor Street train is late than you risk missing the train at Moor Street since that is only an 8 min change

 

[paul1609]

As an alternative Id suggest considering getting the train from Beaconsfield to Denham £5.90 Anytime single each way, Greenline 724 bus to Watford junction £2 each way, then using a LNWR/WMR only ticket to Liverpool changing at Crewe. (Off peak £52.90/ Super Off Peak £37-80).