Darlington to King's Cross via Thornaby

[tsman]

Is a Darlington to King's Cross Super Off Peak return valid via Thornaby?

Asking as I am looking to change at York onto Transpennine Express to continue to Redcar Central on return leg. I am wondering if I can do that through just buying a Thornaby to Redcar ticket, rather than a Northallerton to Redcar one.

I can see iterniaries for Kings Cross to Darlington via Thornaby on NRE, but wouldn't it involve a double back between Eaglescliffe and Thornaby? Am I likely to be challenged on my routing?

 

[Paul Kelly]

In fact it's valid via Middlesbrough which saves a bit more - doubling back through Thornaby and Eaglescliffe is permitted as they're all within Middlesbrough Routeing Group. However it's considered a bit of a grey area if you are not simply interchanging at Middlesbrough or Thornaby to doubleback the other way.

Edit: sorry the above information is wrong; doubling back via Middlesbrough is banned by easement 600083 (Customers travelling from/via Middlesborough to/via Darlington may not travel via Northallerton. This easement applies in both directions.)

But going via Thornaby is permitted, with the same proviso about doubling back for interchange purposes only.

 

[tsman]

So if it is pretty obvious that I'm not interchanging at Thornaby to Darlington, I'd be safer just getting the ticket from Northallerton?

 

[Marton]

I use off peak Darlington to KX via Thornaby occasionally. Never had a problem.
I usually prefer to split at York as it gives more flexibility if I choose to go via Darlington when connections don’t work from Nunthorpe, as they rarely do with the new TPE extension to Redcar.