Bromsgrove - Oxford valid via Banbury?

[WestCoast]

Looking at the Anytime Day Return with YP Railcard on this fare, the quickest way (and preferred route for me) is via Banbury.

There is only one set of fares, set by First Great Western. The routing planners are refusing travel via Banbury; insisting I travel via Worcester and Moreton-in-Marsh.

One of the routeing points in the RG for Bromsgrove is Barnt Green (next stop on the line) - Oxford, which permits travel via maps BP & MW including Banbury.

The Barnt Green fares are set by XC and no Anytime Day Return exists, the Anytime Return is double that of the Bromsgrove fare.

Any Opinions on certain validity?

 

[bb21]

What is your proposed journey?

I might have a better option for you.

Fails fares check for Barnt Green and doesn't satisfy the 3-mile rule either so your itinerary on said ticket is not permitted imo.

 

[WestCoast]

My actual journey is day return Selly Oak to Oxford, departing around 8am next Thursday. I need to be flexible. Any advice on this one is much appreciated.

 

[soil]

Birmingham - Oxford is one of those things that XC like to charge way too much money for.

Just FWIW:

Bromsgrove - Oxford
£17.90 SDS £16.40 CDS Any Permitted

Barnt Green - Oxford
£35.50 SOS Via Banbury

Worcester Stations/Droitwich Spa - Oxford
£17.90 SDS £16.40 CDS Any Permitted

Cheltenham Spa - Oxford £45.50 SOS

You can compare an SOS with an SDS - there is no allowance made there.

Bromsgrove - Oxford via Worcester: 61.75 miles
Bromsgrove - Oxford via Banbury 69 miles

 

[bb21]

One possible solution is Bromsgrove - Banbury. The CDR is £20.30, and if my calculations are correct, is shortest via Birmingham. Banbury - Oxford is £5.80 for a CDR.

This is obviously more expensive than the ticket you wanted.

I thought the Bromsgrove ticket could be replaced by a Pershore - Banbury ticket for £14.50, however that one was 0.25 mile too long via Birmingham. Bad luck. My calculations as follows:

Shortest Route

[Table 126] Pershore - Oxford: 49.25 miles
[Table 116] Oxford - Banbury: 22.75 miles

Total: 72 miles

Route via walk between Birmingham Stations

[Table 126] Pershore - Worcester Shrub Hill: 7.75 miles
[Table 71] Worcester Shrub Hill - Birmingham New Street (direct): 25 miles
[Table 115] Birmingham Moor Street - Banbury: 42.5 miles

Total: 75.25 miles

 

[SickyNicky]

RailEasy will happily sell a Pershore to Banbury ticket via Birmingham, so presumably others will as well.

 

[soil]

Just FWIW, the Bromsgrove - Banbury CDR has an after 8:14 rule.

So you could use it on the 08:22 from Selly Oak to BHM arriving 08:32.

It seems unlikely that you could then catch the 08:33 to Oxford (arr. 09:40), but you could try.

Otherwise there is an 09:04, which arrives Oxf 10:14.

The Pershore mileage assumes a walk between stations and then an additional transfer at Banbury back onto the train from New Street.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

RailEasy will happily sell a Pershore to Banbury ticket via Birmingham, so presumably others will as well.

Yes, looks like a fares issue:

Pershore - Banbury SDS £28.70
Pershore - Banbury SVS £21.50
Pershore - Banbury CDS £14.40

cf.

Worcester - Banbury SDS £23.30
Worcester - Banbury CDS £20.20

The reason it passes is not distance, but because Worcester - Banbury via BHM is a mapped route.

 

[bb21]

I didn't even think to check if Worcester - Banbury is valid via Birmingham. In that case the Pershore ticket is definitely fine then as Worcester passes fares check.