ECR to UCK Return - First Off-Peak Service?

[Alteran Ancient]

Here's one for you lot.

I'd like to travel tomorrow from East Croydon to Uckfield any time after 9AM. There's a 09:22AM which is just before the off-peak cut-off, but after that, the next service isn't until 10:22AM. I have a Network Railcard that will bump the price down to £13.00 exactly after 10AM. I'd be prepared to throw away the NR discount and just pay for off-peak, but that won't get me on the 09:22 because as far as I know, there is no easement that is valid on that service that might allow off-peak.

I looked at splitting at Oxted, but that doesn't save any money. Any other ideas?

 

[Starmill]

What about New Cross Gate to Uckfield? For trains away from London, there are no time restrictions at all on that ticket.

 

[JonathanH]

What about New Cross Gate to Uckfield? For trains away from London, there are no time restrictions at all on that ticket.

That isn't how booking engines interpret the C0 restriction (although it does seem odd it has that rather than the 0929 restriction).

The unpublished restrictions on BRFares include this

Not valid to arrive EAST CROYDON 0430–0930 on any TOC

 

[Starmill]

That isn't how booking engines interpret the C0 restriction (although it does seem odd it has that rather than the 0929 restriction).

The unpublished restrictions on BRFares include this

Not valid to arrive EAST CROYDON 0430–0930 on any TOC

The restriction which applies is as follows

Not valid on trains timed to depart after 04:29 which arrive at London Terminals or Kensington Olympia before 09:50.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/C0

therefore valid on any train.

 

[Alteran Ancient]

That's rather interesting. So in theory, could I use that ticket at East Croydon to board the service to Uckfield at 09:22? I normally associate off peak as 9:30 onwards, but it just seems like a really oddly worded restriction for a direction of travel that is going away from London.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

That's rather interesting. So in theory, could I use that ticket at East Croydon to board the service to Uckfield at 09:22? I normally associate off peak as 9:30 onwards, but it just seems like a really oddly worded restriction for a direction of travel that is going away from London.

Off-Peak means after 09:30 for some tickets in the London area, but certainly not all. If you look around (as Starmill has!) you will find plenty that are valid earlier or later than this.

 

[causton]

it just seems like a really oddly worded restriction for a direction of travel that is going away from London.

And that is what makes it valid!

There are surprisingly no trains from London Bridge to Uckfield that also arrive at London Bridge (as part of the same service - ID/headcode etc - obviously) before 0950.

 

[JonathanH]

And that is what makes it valid!

There are surprisingly no trains from London Bridge to Uckfield that also arrive at London Bridge (as part of the same service - ID/headcode etc - obviously) before 0950.

So, what about the unpublished restriction and the fact that it won't show as valid on any booking site / national rail?

That 0930 at East Croydon is there for a reason.

(I agree that there are off peak tickets around which are valid well before 0930.)

 

[causton]

So, what about the unpublished restriction and the fact that it won't show as valid on any booking site / national rail?

That 0930 at East Croydon is there for a reason.

(I agree that there are off peak tickets around which are valid well before 0930.)

Unpublished.

You said it yourself.

There are lots of rules that you possibly could be breaking every day but if they are unpublished how are we to know whether they apply?
Those other restrictions are for computers to understand mainly, not humans, and the only restrictions we can follow is the ones that are published.

The unpublished restrictions also say the ticket is unconditionally valid on certain trains from Paddington towards South Wales, so should I rock up at Paddington with that ticket?

Train Easements
Also unconditionally valid on the following trains:
GW4499
1712 LONDON PADDINGTON to READING From 29 November 2018 until 7 December 2018
Mo Tu We Th Fr (GWR)
GW6115
1745 LONDON PADDINGTON to SWANSEA From 29 November 2018 until 7 December 2018
Mo Tu We Th Fr (GWR)
GW6117
1845 LONDON PADDINGTON to SWANSEA From 29 November 2018 until 7 December 2018
Mo Tu We Th Fr (GWR)

The unpublished restrictions generally match the human readable ones, but they usually contain a load of hacks cobbled together to stop journey planners from circumventing certain things.

 

[yorkie]

That isn't how booking engines interpret the C0 restriction (although it does seem odd it has that rather than the 0929 restriction).

The unpublished restrictions on BRFares include this

Not valid to arrive EAST CROYDON 0430–0930 on any TOC

A direct train from London Bridge to Uckfield would not be captured by this restriction as the customer would not be deemed to be ''arriving at Easy Croydon"

The electronic restrictions can apply to:

• Departure times of a journey leg
• Arrival times of a journey leg
• Final terminating point of train

So if the departure times from New Cross and London Bridge are OK, and the arrival times into London Bridge and Uckfield are OK, then the journey with one change at LBG is validated.