Megatrain (Virgin) Journey

[Butts]

I was lucky enough to secure a couple of pound specials for the route Birmingham to Edinburgh out on the 1852 Edinburgh to Brum Thursday 18th
August returning on the 0621 Brum to Edinburgh on Monday 22nd August.

1. Is the 1852 on Thursday likely to be packed (you get no seat reservation)

2. Same question for the return journey.

3. On the way down I plan to get out at Wolverhampton as I really want to go to Sandwell & Dudley and don't want to be doubling back on myself. I have in my posession a ticket for Wolves to S&D valid on the 18th (anytime single) I will be able to change trains without leaving the station and continue my journey. Will this be a problem ?

Many Thanks.

 

[AlterEgo]

In theory, any train with Megatrain tickets on won't be busy. Only a handful of fares are available, on the quietest trains, as a rule.

You are not allowed to break your journey on a Megatrain ticket, so getting off at Wolverhampton will not be permitted if your ticket is valid to Birmingham. I wouldn't like to speculate on the likelihood of you getting challenged or not, but if you are caught, you may be sold a brand new ticket (at walk-up prices - potentially an Anytime) between Edinburgh and Wolverhampton. Not worth the risk in my view.

 

[bb21]

3. On the way down I plan to get out at Wolverhampton as I really want to go to Sandwell & Dudley and don't want to be doubling back on myself. I have in my posession a ticket for Wolves to S&D valid on the 18th (anytime single) I will be able to change trains without leaving the station and continue my journey. Will this be a problem ?

It is not permitted. I wouldn't start short as your chances of being caught is fairly high. Train managers have good memory skills of where each person boarded the service, especially on less busy journeys.

Whether the prohibition on stopping short is enforceable is a different matter.

 

[Butts]

In theory, any train with Megatrain tickets on won't be busy. Only a handful of fares are available, on the quietest trains, as a rule.

You are not allowed to break your journey on a Megatrain ticket, so getting off at Wolverhampton will not be permitted if your ticket is valid to Birmingham. I wouldn't like to speculate on the likelihood of you getting challenged or not, but if you are caught, you may be sold a brand new ticket (at walk-up prices - potentially an Anytime) between Edinburgh and Wolverhampton. Not worth the risk in my view.

How is that going to happen when I get off one train and straight onto another.

I will not be leaving the station and have a valid ticket for the train I am going to board at Wolverhampton.

The only problem I could envisage is if they physically prevented me from leaving the train at Wolverhampton.(The one from Edinburgh)

Ethically I don't have a problem with it as what difference does it make to them whether I get off at Wolverhampton or Birmingham ?

 

[radamfi]

Whether the prohibition on stopping short is enforceable is a different matter.

There was a well publicised case last year where someone got unstuck by ending a Megatrain journey short at Eastleigh, leading to pages of discussion on here, so I would be careful!

 

[yorkie]

How is that going to happen when I get off one train and straight onto another.

At times like this, I wonder if the question is best not asked. I mean, what can we say?! Perhaps unwise to advertise to Virgin employees the date and time that you plan to do this either

 

[Butts]

At times like this, I wonder if the question is best not asked. I mean, what can we say?! Perhaps unwise to advertise to Virgin employees the date and time that you plan to do this either

I can't honestly see a BTP Hit Squad waiting at Wolverhampton :roll:

Your foresite is admirable and although the journeys are accurate the dates are not
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There was a well publicised case last year where someone got unstuck by ending a Megatrain journey short at Eastleigh, leading to pages of discussion on here, so I would be careful!

Did they get straight onto another train without leaving the station ?

 

[yorkie]

I can't honestly see a BTP Hit Squad waiting at Wolverhampton :roll:

BTP would only be called if you declined to pay the excess.

Now, I agree it's unlikely, but I'm not sure what you were asking by "is it a problem?"

Your foresite is admirable and although the journeys are accurate the dates are not :razz:

Okay

Did they get straight onto another train without leaving the station ?

No they didn't. They were incorrectly charged a PF instead of an excess. I heard a rumour (from a reliable source in SWT) that their appeal was successful.

Getting off at Wolves and onto a train to Sandwell & Dudley then continuing to New St would be invalid, and checks, especially on the locals between Wolves and New St, are quite common. When I did it, the RPI asked me for a ticket as we were passing Wolves PSB!

He won't have a problem with either on-train check as he will hold two valid tickets for the trains. The potential problem is the unenforceable no break of journey restriction being breached.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

He won't have a problem with either on-train check as he will hold two valid tickets for the trains. The potential problem is the unenforceable no break of journey restriction being breached.

Sorry, I misunderstood what he was saying, hence my edited post above

 

[radamfi]

No they didn't. They were incorrectly charged a PF instead of an excess. I heard a rumour (from a reliable source in SWT) that their appeal was successful.

Did they have to pay the excess (i.e. instead of twice the Anytime single from London to Eastleigh) or did they get off that as well?

 

[AlterEgo]

You can't excess a Megatrain ticket....

 

[Butts]

I can't understand why they don't do the £1 Fare to Wolverhampton as well as Birmingham.

There are no stops between Wolverhampton and Birmingham on this particular service.

 

[AlterEgo]

How is that going to happen when I get off one train and straight onto another.

I will not be leaving the station and have a valid ticket for the train I am going to board at Wolverhampton.

You cannot break your journey at all on a Megatrain ticket - that includes starting and finishing short. Opinions differ on here about whether break of journey restrictions is enforceable or not - however it is in the terms of the ticket, which you'd have had to agree to when you bought it.

It would be unwise to risk bumping into an RPI.

 

[Butts]

You cannot break your journey at all on a Megatrain ticket - that includes starting and finishing short. Opinions differ on here about whether break of journey restrictions is enforceable or not - however it is in the terms of the ticket, which you'd have had to agree to when you bought it.

It would be unwise to risk bumping into an RPI.

Where am I going to bump into an RPI ???

I have a ticket valid from Edinburgh to Birmingham

I also have a ticket valid from Wolverhampton to Sandwell & Dudley

I get off the train in Wolverhampton and get on the next one without leaving the station.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Where am I going to bump into an RPI ???

I have a ticket valid from Edinburgh to Birmingham

You cannot break your journey at all on a Megatrain ticket

You don't have a valid ticket if you cannot break your journey, regardless of whether you leave the station. The RPIs / guards will get to you at some point between Wolves and New St, trust me.

 

[Butts]

You don't have a valid ticket if you cannot break your journey, regardless of whether you leave the station. The RPIs / guards will get to you at some point between Wolves and New St, trust me.

I'm not going to New Street that's the whole point !!!

I exit the Edinburgh to Birmingham train at Wolverhampton.

I get onto the next train to Sandwell & Dudley for which I have a seperate valid anytime single.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I'm not going to New Street that's the whole point !!!

I exit the Edinburgh to Birmingham train at Wolverhampton.

I get onto the next train to Sandwell & Dudley for which I have a seperate valid anytime single.

Are your Megatrain tickets booked to Birmingham New St?

 

[AlterEgo]

I'm not going to New Street that's the whole point !!!

I exit the Edinburgh to Birmingham train at Wolverhampton.

I get onto the next train to Sandwell & Dudley for which I have a seperate valid anytime single.

You cannot break your journey on a Megatrain ticket. You have a ticket to Birmingham - you must not alight at Wolverhampton for any reason.

Please do not try to alight at WVH as it is not worth the risk.

Go into Birmingham (as you bought the ticket to travel there, right?) and catch the first train back out to SAD. You can even buy a new ticket on the EDB-BHM Virgin train from the TM, to save time.

 

[Butts]

You cannot break your journey on a Megatrain ticket. You have a ticket to Birmingham - you must not alight at Wolverhampton for any reason.

Please do not try to alight at WVH as it is not worth the risk.

Go into Birmingham (as you bought the ticket to travel there, right?) and catch the first train back out to SAD. You can even buy a new ticket on the EDB-BHM Virgin train from the TM, to save time.

What is the risk - I have a valid ticket for my onward journey ? - the Edinburgh -Birmingham train will be long gone by the time my S&D train arrives.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

What is the risk - I have a valid ticket for my onward journey ? - the Edinburgh -Birmingham train will be long gone by the time my S&D train arrives.

You technically do not have a valid ticket if you get off at Wolves - your ticket is valid direct from Edinburgh-New St and from Edinburgh-New St only. You cannot get off anywhere on route.

 

[Asian Demon]

I'm going to echo AlterEgo and others on this thread and advise against doing what you are planning to do. Whether BOJ is enforceable or not is neither here or there. Megatrain tickets DO NOT allow Break of Journey. If you get caught you will be facing a huge cost. The fact you have advertised your intention on this forum is probably not going to help you either.

 

[Butts]

You technically do not have a valid ticket if you get off at Wolves - your ticket is valid direct from Edinburgh-New St and from Edinburgh-New St only. You cannot get off anywhere on route.

I have also got a ticket valid on the same day from Wolverhampton to Sandwell & Dudley.

 

[graham43404]

This is from the Megatrain site regarding this subject.

Please note that the departure and arrival times displayed are for the main terminus points you selected. You must board and alight at these points, and it is a condition of travel on megatrain that you may not board or alight at other points on the route. If travelling on services operated by East Midlands Trains, you will be charged the full single fare for the actual journey made.

On services operated by South West trains, Penalty fares will apply if passengers alight or board at any other points along the route, other than the stations listed on the tickets.

 

[Butts]

I'm going to echo AlterEgo and others on this thread and advise against doing what you are planning to do. Whether BOJ is enforceable or not is neither here or there. Megatrain tickets DO NOT allow Break of Journey. If you get caught you will be facing a huge cost. The fact you have advertised your intention on this forum is probably not going to help you either.

Hey 1984 or what ???
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

This is from the Megatrain site regarding this subject.

Please note that the departure and arrival times displayed are for the main terminus points you selected. You must board and alight at these points, and it is a condition of travel on megatrain that you may not board or alight at other points on the route. If travelling on services operated by East Midlands Trains, you will be charged the full single fare for the actual journey made.

On services operated by South West trains, Penalty fares will apply if passengers alight or board at any other points along the route, other than the stations listed on the tickets.

I'm travelling on Virgin Trains - what does it say about them ?

 

[graham43404]

I'm travelling on Virgin Trains - what does it say about them ?

Nothing at all, but it has to be fairly similar as the other two at a guess.

 

[Max]

Hey 1984 or what ???

I think people are only warning you of the possible consequences. We have seen what happened to another passenger. Obviously if you decide to do this, it's at your own risk. But technically, it's invalid.

 

[Butts]

I think people are only warning you of the possible consequences. We have seen what happened to another passenger. Obviously if you decide to do this, it's at your own risk. But technically, it's invalid.

Thanks Max - I am not attempting to defraud anyone of any revenue.

I have paid for a ticket from Edinburgh to Birmingham

I have paid for a ticket from Wolverhampton to Sandwell & Dudley

The rest just seems to be semantics

 

[Asian Demon]

Nothing at all, but it has to be fairly similar as the other two at a guess.

It will be full anytime single fare for journey made which from Edinburgh to Wolverhampton would be £99.50

 

[AlterEgo]

To be fair, Butts, you asked if it would be a problem. You have been correctly advised that it does present a problem to you by fares experts.

Virgin are not a Penalty Fare operator. They will only charge you the Anytime Single between Edinburgh and Wolverhampton if you are caught. I think it is currently £99.50.

 

[Max]

Thanks Max - I am not attempting to defraud anyone of any revenue.

I have paid for a ticket from Edinburgh to Birmingham

I have paid for a ticket from Wolverhampton to Sandwell & Dudley

The rest just seems to be semantics

I (and most people, I believe) would agree that the situation is pretty crazy. Sadly though, the rules are in place and are likely to be upheld if you came across an RPI.