East Coast Super Off Peak Single (Kings Cross - York)

[55018ballymoss]

Hello again,

Tomorrow afternoon I will be travelling back to York (YRK) from Kings Cross (KGX). I have purchased a Super Off Peak Single @ £48.50 for the journey.

To clarify the restriction code applicable for the ticket I took a look at brfares.com, but cannot find the fare paid listed!
There is a Super Off Peak Single (SSS) but this is listed at £97...

Therefore my questions are:
1. Is the 9D restriction code for the SSS listed on brfares.com also applicable to the ticket I have purchased?
2. If it is, it appears that I can depart Liverpool Street at anytime after 0930. Does this mean that I could depart from Liverpool Street, via Cambridge (CBG) and Peterborough (PBO) in the evening rush hour to avoid the peak time restrictions from Kings Cross and St Pancras?

I have lots of time, and would not mind coming home via CBG and PBO if this is allowed.

As always many thanks for helping!

 

[ainsworth74]

EC have a long standing special offer on selected Super Off-Peak tickets that reduces them by 50% so that £48.50 fare is the £97 fare just with the offer having been applied.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I would say you can go to Peterborough via Cambridge and Ely, but you won't be able to get to York any earlier, as you'll still need to wait for the first non-barred departure from King's Cross even when boarding at Peterborough.

There seems to be almost a get-out in that restriction 1D says "For journeys from Anglia via Ely, use restriction code 3V." Restriction 3V simply says "Outward travel - by any train scheduled to DEPART: Before 0300 and at or after 0930.". But although your journey would be via Ely, I don't think it can be counted as from Anglia, so I think you are stuck with restriction 1D and it's train-based evening peak restrictions out of King's Cross.

 

[causton]

When are you intending to arrive in York?

As searching Liverpool Street - York single via Cambridge produces the results, although not all trains appear to be showing, presumably due to the way connections work or what Indigo2 mentions above. (Edit: Barred trains just about visible in the screenshot involve taking the Tube to Finsbury Park then taking barred evening peak services from there to Cambridge!)

 

[55018ballymoss]

I have to be honest. I was more concerned with being able to depart London, rather than being stuck in London for the best part of four hours waiting for the ticket to be become valid from Kings Cross.
The idea of travelling via Cambridge and Ely appeals, as it will give me chance to look at both stations, and by the time I get to Peterborough, the wait, if any, should be a lot less.

 

[tannedfrog]

EC have a long standing special offer on selected Super Off-Peak tickets that reduces them by 50% so that £48.50 fare is the £97 fare just with the offer having been applied.

It has been argued though that the cheaper price removes the possibility of BOJ

 

[34D]

You can do it of course: Liverpool St-Cambridge-Ely-Peterborough, then Peterborough-Lincoln-Doncaster, then XC Doncaster-York.

Example:

Lst 12:58 - cbg 14:08
Cbg 14:12 - Ely 14:26
Ely 14:58 - Pbo 15:37
Pbo 16:25 - lcn 17:51
Lcn 18:31 - don 19:25
Don 20:18 - yrk 20:39.

How does this sound?

 

[maniacmartin]

You can do it of course: Liverpool St-Cambridge-Ely-Peterborough, then Peterborough-Lincoln-Doncaster, then XC Doncaster-York.

Although there are permitted routes via Cambridge, and also via Lincoln, they are on separate mapped routes and there is no mapped route via Cambridge and Lincoln, so this is not valid.

 

[yorkie]

It has been argued though that the cheaper price removes the possibility of BOJ

Although not applicable to the original poster's query, as no break of journey is proposed, I disagree with such an argument, as the National Rail Conditions of Carriage states:

"You may start, or break and resume, a journey (in either direction in the case of a return ticket) at any intermediate station, as long as the ticket you hold is valid for the trains you want to use. You may also end your journey (in either direction in the case of a return ticket) before the destination shown on the ticket. However, these rights may not apply to some types of tickets for which a break of journey is prohibited, in which case the relevant Train Companies will make this clear in their notices and other publications."

So unless it is "made clear" in notices and publications, you can break your journey.

 

[LexyBoy]

If just wishing to pass the time, rather than get back earlier, then I agree going via Ely is fine (also means you'll be joining the first off-peak train at Peterborough where lots of people get off, so it should be a bit less busy).

Alternatively there are lots of draws with free entry near Kings Cross - my picks would be the British Museum, British Library or the Bree Louise depending on your tastes. It is nice to just look out of a train window and switch off sometimes though!

Although not applicable to the original poster's query, as no break of journey is proposed, I disagree with such an argument, as the National Rail Conditions of Carriage states:

So unless it is "made clear" in notices and publications, you can break your journey.

The only way most passengers could find out about this is by googling e.g. "east coast web only singles break of journey", scrolling down past all the official sites given, and reading about it on an enthusiasts' forum. No mention is made of the reason for the discount, or any terms associated with it, in any part of the booking process.

 

[tannedfrog]

That seems fine but it is only fair to alert the OP to the possibility of a guard raising the point

 

[yorkie]

That seems fine but it is only fair to alert the OP to the possibility of a guard raising the point

Well, I suppose there is one particular (infamous) guard who is a cause for concern - even if using perfectly valid tickets...