Grimsby Town to London Terminals return

[Aaron1]

Hi,
So on Friday 11th November I am travelling to London from Grimsby, I am absolutely not fussed what time I get into London, nor what route I take, nor am I fussed what day I return to Grimsby, I have decided to purchase a Grimsby to London Terminals any time return for £159.70 with 16-25 railcard discount applied, travel is any permitted route.

Would any permitted route involve slightly less obvious route such as Grimsby to Nottingam then Nottingam to St Pancras, or potentially Grimsby to Sheffield then Sheffield st Pancras etc.

I quite fancy a change from the normal Grimsby to Doncaster then Donny to KX, hence the anything return ticket, but I don't wish to make a mistake and end up on a train where my ticket is not valid.

Is there a list anywhere online about what routes may or may not be valid?

Thanks

 

[Haywain]

An Anytime Return ticket does not afford any routeing that would not be available on a Super Off Peak Return ticket also routed Any Permitted.

 

[Aaron1]

An Anytime Return ticket does not afford any routeing that would not be available on a Super Off Peak Return ticket also routed Any Permitted.

I see, thanks for that, I may aswell save some quid and purchase a super off peak return then!

Begs the question why is an anytime return ticket listed as an option if it doesn't offer any different to what a super off peak return does!

 

[Haywain]

I see, thanks for that, I may aswell save some quid and purchase a super off peak return then!

Begs the question why is an anytime return ticket listed as an option if it doesn't offer any different to what a super off peak return does!

An Anytime Return does not have time restrictions and has more flexibility due to the outward portion being valid for 5 days. A Super Off Peak Return has time restrictions and the outward portion is only valid for one day.

 

[Watershed]

I see, thanks for that, I may aswell save some quid and purchase a super off peak return then!

Begs the question why is an anytime return ticket listed as an option if it doesn't offer any different to what a super off peak return does!

It does offer something different - it doesn't have any time restrictions (unless there are time restrictions on the Railcard used, e.g. Two Together).

Time restrictions are a separate matter to route/TOC restrictions, although they can sometimes be connected - e.g. on a Friday, a Rugby to London Any Permitted Off-Peak Return is valid at any time, whilst the cheaper route LNR/WMR only Off-Peak Return isn't valid to arrive into London before 10am.

In terms of permitted routes from Grimsby to London, they're not particularly generous and unfortunately the only permitted route into St Pancras is via the Canal Tunnels to the Thameslink platforms.

However, you can travel on the 'GNGE' route (i.e. via Lincoln/Sleaford) as well as the ECML and all connecting routes between the two, e.g. Lincoln-Newark. And south of Peterborough you can travel via Ely & Cambridge instead of via Huntingdon, although you're still limited to St Pancras, Kings Cross or Moorgate as you can't travel into Liverpool Street (unlike most tickets from stations along the ECML).

 

[Aaron1]

It does offer something different - it doesn't have any time restrictions (unless there are time restrictions on the Railcard used, e.g. Two Together).

Time restrictions are a separate matter to route/TOC restrictions, although they can sometimes be connected - e.g. on a Friday, a Rugby to London Any Permitted Off-Peak Return is valid at any time, whilst the cheaper route LNR/WMR only Off-Peak Return isn't valid to arrive into London before 10am.

In terms of permitted routes from Grimsby to London, they're not particularly generous and unfortunately the only permitted route into St Pancras is via the Canal Tunnels to the Thameslink platforms.

However, you can travel on the 'GNGE' route (i.e. via Lincoln/Sleaford) as well as the ECML and all connecting routes between the two, e.g. Lincoln-Newark. And south of Peterborough you can travel via Ely & Cambridge instead of via Huntingdon, although you're still limited to St Pancras, Kings Cross or Moorgate as you can't travel into Liverpool Street (unlike most tickets from stations along the ECML).

Thanks for the info, I am surprised that to St Pancras from Nottingham or Sheffield doesn't seem to be a valid route.

 

[Failed Unit]

Thanks for the info, I am surprised that to St Pancras from Nottingham or Sheffield doesn't seem to be a valid route.

I would check that in a journey planner to be honest, it may be worth splitting if that is the case. I have used it into St Pancras via Nottingham before, but granted that was during disruption so an easement my have being in place. It looks like for some reason Doncaster you can go via Leicester (on LNERs journey checker)

The other poster mentioning Liverpool Street surprised me as well, why offer via Cambridge if you can’t do Liverpool Street, but would make sense to whoever made the rules.

 

[Watershed]

I would check that in a journey planner to be honest, it may be worth splitting if that is the case. I have used it into St Pancras via Nottingham before, but granted that was during disruption so an easement my have being in place.

The other poster mentioning Liverpool Street surprised me as well, why offer via Cambridge if you can’t do Liverpool Street, but would make sense to whoever made the rules.

The purpose of allowing via Cambridge is so that when LNER trains are diverted that way, itineraries are still shown rather than it showing "no fares found".

Splitting would unfortunately be required if wishing to travel via Nottingham. I'm sure that that would have been considered a reasonable route in the past, and hence should have been enshrined as permitted.

 

[Failed Unit]

The purpose of allowing via Cambridge is so that when LNER trains are diverted that way, itineraries are still shown rather than it showing "no fares found".

Splitting would unfortunately be required if wishing to travel via Nottingham. I'm sure that that would have been considered a reasonable route in the past, and hence should have been enshrined as permitted.

I must admit now I am wondering how I got offered London St Pancras - Grimsby via Leicester. Granted it was in engineering work and the ECML was not available) The quickest option was change at Leicester. Maybe I split. It was a while ago.

 

[Watershed]

I must admit now I am wondering how I got offered London St Pancras - Grimsby via Leicester. Granted it was in engineering work and the ECML was not available) The quickest option was change at Leicester. Maybe I split. It was a while ago.

It's difficult to say now, but if it was before the Canal Tunnels opened, journey planners may have deemed that the shortest route to St Pancras (or within 3 miles) at the time.

 

[Haywain]

And south of Peterborough you can travel via Ely & Cambridge

Not saying you're wrong but the relevant routeing guide maps do not show the link between Cambridge and Hitchin which makes that questionable. However, my TIS will offer itineraries for that route with the through ticket.

 

[JonathanH]

While it is absolutely not valid to end a journey on an advance ticket between Grimsby Town and St Albans at St Pancras and could lead to a significant excess being due if caught, it is interesting that itineraries are available via Nottingham and St Pancras on the mixing deck booking engines for advance fares routed EMR and connections between Grimsby Town and St Albans.

 

[jfollows]

Permitted routes are map combinations shown at https://data.atoc.org/routeing-maps
DG+LN EE EE+KS LN SH+LN
none of which includes Saint Pancras, however a variety of other routes as Watershed describes above.

Not saying you're wrong but the relevant routeing guide maps do not show the link between Cambridge and Hitchin which makes that questionable. However, my TIS will offer itineraries for that route with the through ticket.

I think KS+EE allows this.

 

[Feuillesmortes]

I am absolutely not fussed what time I get into London, nor what route I take, nor am I fussed what day I return to Grimsby, I have decided to purchase a Grimsby to London Terminals any time return for £159.70 with 16-25 railcard discount applied, travel is any permitted route.

Would any permitted route involve slightly less obvious route such as Grimsby to Nottingam then Nottingam to St Pancras, or potentially Grimsby to Sheffield then Sheffield st Pancras etc.

The East Coast is a "premium" line.

If you want a slower route to the west, you should probably split at Sheffield. You could travel via Tamworth for more savings.

 

[Haywain]

I think KS+EE allows this.

True, looks like I had an out of date version of the yellow pages without that combination.