Oldfield Park and Bath Spa

[Benjwri]

I quite regularly travel from the GWML near London to Oldfield Park.

To get to Oldfield you have to change trains at Bath Spa, however this isn’t always quicker than taking the bus, as that depends on the very variable bath buses, and you do not know which will be quicker till just before you arrive.

Tickets to Bath and Oldfield are both the same price, so if I bought a ticket to Oldfield Park, and discovered the bus was quicker at the time, would they allow me to finish my journey at Bath Spa?

 

[Hadders]

Tickets to Bath and Oldfield are both the same price, so if I bought a ticket to Oldfield Park, and discovered the bus was quicker at the time, would they allow me to finish my journey at Bath Spa?

Yes that would be fine as long as you aren't using an Advance ticket, although an Oldfield Park ticket might not work the ticket barriers at Bath.

 

[The exile]

Yes that would be fine as long as you aren't using an Advance ticket, although an Oldfield Park ticket might not work the ticket barriers at Bath.

If the fare is the same, it would have to be someone of a particularly “jobsworth” description who wouldn’t let you out three quarters of a mile short of your destination - especially since you’re only going to be doing it when there’s a longish wait for your onward train. I’ve encountered several of those on the railway - but never yet on the gate line at Bath

 

[_toommm_]

If the fare is the same, it would have to be someone of a particularly “jobsworth” description who wouldn’t let you out three quarters of a mile short of your destination - especially since you’re only going to be doing it when there’s a longish wait for your onward train. I’ve encountered several of those on the railway - but never yet on the gate line at Bath

I know Northern are clamping down on advance tickets and stopping short, as the colour info screens show a page on advances, stating you MUST travel between the start and end destination, and you cannot get off at an intermediary stop. I remember them getting some negative press where someone bought I believe a Hull to Bridlington or Scarborough advance, but they boarded at Beverley, and were told on the train it wasn’t allowed by the guard.

 

[The exile]

I know Northern are clamping down on advance tickets and stopping short, as the colour info screens show a page on advances, stating you MUST travel between the start and end destination, and you cannot get off at an intermediary stop. I remember them getting some negative press where someone bought I believe a Hull to Bridlington or Scarborough advance, but they boarded at Beverley, and were told on the train it wasn’t allowed by the guard.

Other than the fact that they’re operated by the same company - a closer northern analogy would be trying to stop short at Newcastle on a Finsbury Park to Manors advance…

 

[Hadders]

The terms and conditions of Advance tickets state that you must travel in accordance with your booked itinerary. Despite that, following some high profile cases that resulted in adverse publicity, it is the internal policy of the railway not to penalise passengers to finishing short when using an Advance ticket, as long as it isn’t being done to avoid paying a higher fare.

It is also worth pointing out that some walk on fares prohibit break of journey (and therefor finishing short) but I’m not aware of any between London and Oldfield Park.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Other than the fact that they’re operated by the same company - a closer northern analogy would be trying to stop short at Newcastle on a Finsbury Park to Manors advance…

That all depends what destination you have for Manors

 

[Benjwri]

Yes that would be fine as long as you aren't using an Advance ticket, although an Oldfield Park ticket might not work the ticket barriers at Bath.

Yeah, would always be an Off Peak Return, never know when I’m going far enough in advance for an Advance, and the buses would never get me there in time if I did!
Thanks for the advice, will have to try if it works on the gate line next time. It’s a 15 minute wait usually for the slow train, so little lost if they say no!

 

[The_Van]

Just tell them you're popping out to the shop outside