Reading to Weybridge permitted routes

[davetheguard]

I'm planning a visit to Brooklands museum near Weybridge next Saturday (24th Jan).

From Reading, the original plan was to change at Virginia Water, on to the Weybridge shuttle, before getting the local bus from Weybridge station to the museum. However, National Rail Enquiries (NRE) show a rail replacement bus in operation between Virginia Water & Weybridge.

As we always try to avoid rail replacement buses, we will probably defer to another date. However NRE also give options (travelling throughout by train) via a) Guildford, and b) Basingstoke.

Can someone confirm that travel via both a) & via b) are permitted routes from Reading (via Basingstoke, in particular, must be much longer) or is there a relaxation on routing because of the engineering work via Virginia Water?

 

[FenMan]

I'm planning a visit to Brooklands museum near Weybridge next Saturday (24th Jan).

From Reading, the original plan was to change at Virginia Water, on to the Weybridge shuttle, before getting the local bus from Weybridge station to the museum. However, National Rail Enquiries (NRE) show a rail replacement bus in operation between Virginia Water & Weybridge.

As we always try to avoid rail replacement buses, we will probably defer to another date. However NRE also give options (travelling throughout by train) via a) Guildford, and b) Basingstoke.

Can someone confirm that travel via both a) & via b) are permitted routes from Reading (via Basingstoke, in particular, must be much longer) or is there a relaxation on routing because of the engineering work via Virginia Water?

Without digging through the Routeing Guide ....

NRE is fine with b) via Basingstoke.

NRE won't offer the journey to Weybridge on a single ticket for any option involving North Downs Line stations beyond Wokingham

- RDG - Farnborough North - Farnborough Main - Woking
- RDG - North Camp - Ash Vale - Woking
- RDG - Guildford - Woking

 

[James Wake]

As a volunteer at the London Bus Museum, part of the Brooklands Museum I know that it is walkable from Weybridge to the Museum, it is uphill and takes 20 mins, but the bus is easier and drops you right by the main entrance. If you can postpone your visit until either 14th or 21st February, a vintage RT or Routemaster should (subject to crew availability) run local 15-20 min bus rides around the local area for £1 per person. I should be conducting that on the 21st. The 436 costs about £3 for a return I think and takes around 7-8 mins. You should be able to get away with just changing at Basingstoke if the time is right, or go via Virginia Water if it is open on the new date that you want to visit, however from memory, trains from Basingstoke and Virginia Water don't connect onto the 436 very well. I would recommend you check.

 

[davetheguard]

Hmm,

Thanks to James Wake for your helpful advice about access to the Brooklands museum.

I'm not sure that I really understand FenMan's post with regard to the Guildford route: does this mean the ticket from Reading is valid via Guildford or not - presumably he thinks not, but surely that must be a shorter route than via Basingstoke?

Thanks to those who have taken the trouble to reply, but short of some more encouraging and authoritative responses, I'll think I'll definitely postpone the trip to a later date, when the Virginia Water - Weybridge train service is running. I don't want to risk hassle via Guildford or Basingstoke if I'm not sure if they are permitted routes.

 

[Danltn]

Hmm,

Thanks to James Wake for your helpful advice about access to the Brooklands museum.

I'm not sure that I really understand FenMan's post with regard to the Guildford route: does this mean the ticket from Reading is valid via Guildford or not - presumably he thinks not, but surely that must be a shorter route than via Basingstoke?

Thanks to those who have taken the trouble to reply, but short of some more encouraging and authoritative responses, I'll think I'll definitely postpone the trip to a later date, when the Virginia Water - Weybridge train service is running. I don't want to risk hassle via Guildford or Basingstoke if I'm not sure if they are permitted routes.

Looking at the guide: Reading Group-Weybridge Group: LONDON RU WV WX+SU

None of those seem to show Guildford as a valid route, Basingstoke is fine though.

Maps: http://data.atoc.org/routeing-maps

 

[maniacmartin]

but surely that must be a shorter route than via Basingstoke?

There is no rule that says that if a route X is valid, then all routes shorter than X are automatically valid.

 

[davetheguard]

Thanks, everyone, for your help; we'll travel via Basingstoke as suggested.