BUJ-SHF confusion

[P156KWJ]

Hi, on 13th December (for Gizzy's birthday bash ) I used National Rail just to find out the price for the ticket from my local station (Burton Joyce) to Sheffield. I assumed it'd give me Burton Joyce - Nottingham then change to either Derby or chesterfield, and onwards. However, it churned out a very odd route I'm not sure is technically valid, but is fine for me. Basically, it gives me these details:

07:09 Burton Joyce - Newark Castle 07:30
[walk to NNG]
08:17 Newark Northgate - Doncaster 08:41
08:51 Doncaster - Sheffield 09:25

Says I can buy a Child First Anytime Day Single (what a mouthfull!) for only £6.20, which is less than £1 more expensive than buying a ticket from Nottingham to Sheffield return and on the way back I'd be buying a standard anytime single at £4.50 anyway. So is that a valid route or something up with National Rail? Also, assuming this ticket is indeed valid, would I be able to stay at doncaster for a bit and get a later XC or TPE service down to Sheffield?
Cheers

 

[me123]

I'm struggling to use the routeing guide for this one; It's saying taht you can use map ER+YL together. Unfortunately, there is no map YL :roll:

The other routes I can see show no link this way.

BUT BUJ is in the Newark group, suggesting that there will be journey options via Newark.

 

[P156KWJ]

cos obviously you can buy single tickets that go via the Newark stations seperately (for example Nottingham-Durham) so if they are advertising it, then surely they have to sell it me if I want it? Just wondering cos Burton Joyce doesn't have a ticket office / machine so I'd be buying off the train, just saves fuss as they can be fussy themselves occasionally.

 

[dan_atki]

Unfortunately, there is no map YL :roll:

Weird - it doesn't appear on the list of maps (nor through changing the URL) but is in the PDF off all maps :?

Newark is a valid route through map ER as me123 has said, NXEC has confirmed that the ticket you mentioned (£6.20) is valid on the route you quoted above - it is routed 'Any Permitted' so nothing special needs to be asked for either (just a 'First class child single to Sheffield' will suffice).

As it is an Anytime ticket, you can break your journey in Doncaster as you wish - you are not tied to any particular service.

 

[P156KWJ]

so I assume that includes going off Doncaster station (only so I can go in to the shps to buy food - not stuck with Cafe Ritazza paying £££££££ for something to eat thanks

 

[dan_atki]

Yeah, break of journey allows you to leave the station for cheaper food.

 

[yorkie]

At times like this, I wonder if it's worth bothering consulting National Rail Enquiries. The source is not authoritative on routeing matters so when it comes up with an 'unusual' route the RG has to be consulted. Even if the route is invalid, if you enter into a contract (ie: buy a ticket) with the 'unsual' route in the itinery it has to be honoured by the TOCs, yet NRES won't sell you a ticket, it only directs you to another site where you have to search again. Thetrainline/Atos Origin powered sites may, or may not, offer the same journey.

In conclusion I suggest querying TOC sites directly. If you think the route is strange then, by all means query the RG, but I strongly advise buying the ticket online with the itinery, print it off and bring it with you.

The fact is that you can be using a valid, yet odd, route and some guards WILL want to have an argument. Only a tiny proportion, but occasionally you do encounter them, and you need to be prepared to deal with them.

 

[ashworth]

I've tried Burton Joyce to Sheffield using east Midlands Trains Website (Trainline) and I was quite amazed to see that a Day return is available for only £10.60 which is valid via the normal route of Nottingham or Derby, but also via Newark and Doncaster, or via Lincoln.
The most amazing journey with this ticket that it offered was with chnges at Newark Castle/Northgate and Wakefield Westgate!
As I only live about 8 miles from Burton Joyce so I think I will book one myself online and enjoy a good circular tour!

Even more amazing is the fact that the cheapest Day Return from Newark to Doncaster is £15.40
Newark to Sheffield Day Return is £17.20
Burton Joyce to Doncaster is a whopping £21.50

 

[yorkie]

I've tried Burton Joyce to Sheffield using east Midlands Trains Website (Trainline)

which is not an authoritative source.

and I was quite amazed to see that a Day return is available for only £10.60 which is valid ...

No, thetrainline doesn't list the routes a ticket is valid for. You need to consult the RG for that.

...via the normal route of Nottingham or Derby, but also via Newark and Doncaster, or via Lincoln.
The most amazing journey with this ticket that it offered was with chnges at Newark Castle/Northgate and Wakefield Westgate!
As I only live about 8 miles from Burton Joyce so I think I will book one myself online and enjoy a good circular tour!

Yep, if you book it online and you print off the itinery, they are agreeing to a contract allowing you to take those trains.

Even more amazing is the fact that the cheapest Day Return from Newark to Doncaster is £15.40
Newark to Sheffield Day Return is £17.20
Burton Joyce to Doncaster is a whopping £21.50

Yep, booking that online sounds a good deal.

But we need to be careful with the facts here, and any advice like this should be treated with caution.

When taking a route that is invalid in the RG but is offered online, make sure you book online, get reservations (if available), print the confirmation screen and take them with you in case a guard queries it.

 

[P156KWJ]

but surely even if you buy it on the train, if they don't offer you that ticket, that's false advertising, as National Rail says that it is a valid route and you only need one ticket to complete it :?

 

[Techniquest]

As yorkie says, get a print-off of the journey it provides as proof of it being valid. They can hardly argue at that then!

 

[yorkie]

but surely even if you buy it on the train, if they don't offer you that ticket, that's false advertising, as National Rail says that it is a valid route and you only need one ticket to complete it :?

Well, there's no contract, so your case is weakened. But, as previously mentioned, if you bring a printout, you will have a case. Only the most jobsworthy guard would argue with such a printout but I know of one such individual at Edinburgh who works for NXEC. He is of below average intelligence and thinks XC operate from Carlisle to Edinburgh and no printout will make him change his braindead mind. Although he refused to accept he was wrong, the printout may have prevented him chinging us.

 

[P156KWJ]

most TTIs on the ex-Central Trains side are okay, Neil who I think is based at Lincoln is a right laugh! printed off the journey details and one of those personalised timetables