Restriction Code SK

[muug1982]

I'm looking at purchasing a Off Peak Return from London Euston to Coleshill Parkway (restriction code SK - price £28)
The restriction text on brfares.com (http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=EUS&dest=CEH&grpo=1072&rte=370&tkt=SVR) mentions restrictions on the outward into Euston, but nothing on the inbound for travelling to Euston.

Does this mean the ticket is unrestricted?

I can't get any routes to come up online with this fare for the route Coleshill > Nuneaton > Euston…(the fastest route & permitted), only for Coleshill > Birmingham > Tamworth > Euston

Any thoughts regarding my assumptions and also the likelihood of a trouble free journey (I'm intending on taking the 15:46 from Euston, and the 07:35 from Coleshill connecting to the 08:18 at Nuneaton.

 

[Paul Kelly]

There's two separate issues here: the restriction code seems to have been applied the wrong way around (as I think you've noticed), but also that booking engines apply a hidden restriction that journeys on "LM AND XC ONLY" fares must go via Tamworth. This was added at the time there was a bit of fuss about very cheap tickets from Kent to South Yorkshire being valid on Virgin between Euston and Nuneaton/Tamworth - that was removed as a permitted route to South Yorkshire and instead Tamworth added as a hidden via point in the routeing guide data for "LM AND XC ONLY" fares. This was a hack to force booking engines to allow the route by splitting it at Tamworth and doing a separate routeing check either side. But it clearly causes problems here - maybe you could complain to CrossCountry?

 

[Aeion]

I don't think it would be valid on the 0818 as you can't arrive into London Euston before 1000 with a off peak ticket, you can how ever leave London at any time providing you are using the return portion of your off peak ticket

 

[Tetchytyke]

There is no anomaly; many Off Peak Return (old Saver) tickets from Euston do not have morning peak restrictions on the return leg. For example http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=EUS&dest=MKC&grpo=1072&tkt=SVR.

I don't understand why it isn't showing validity on those trains, I suspect LM's website is mis-applying the restriction for some reason. I suspect if you ask them they'll fix the restriction (and not in the way you want) though.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Oddly the Euston-Nuneaton (also Tamworth) Off Peak fare on LM with the same SK restriction is £37.
Why would Coleshill passengers get a lower fare via either of these points?

 

[muug1982]

I think it just reflects competition, there is a virtually LM monopoly at Nuneaton, but from Coleshill there are viable alternatives in the off peak pattern:
Coleshill - Euston via Nuneaton, 1h43, 1tph
Coleshill - Euston via Birmingham, 1h50, 2tph
There is also Birmingham International, which is an easy 10 min drive from Coleshill and offers 3tph with a journey time of 1h10. There are often cheap advances on the VT services even a few days before departure. From Nuneaton the journey to Coventry is both longer and trickier.

In the opposite direction the time penalty via Birmingham is about 20mins, but the last LM service via Weedon is the 17:46...after this it is quicker via New Street on VT, there are also hourly VT services to Nuneaton in the evening off peak which connect well giving journey time of 1h18
BOJ isn't allowed on the outbound on restriction SK

 

[CyrusWuff]

Historically, SK had the same validity in both directions, namely:

Valid on any London Midland service scheduled to arrive London Terminals at or after 1000.

Not valid for travel on Northbound London Midland services timed to depart London Terminals before 0845 or on any Northbound London Midland service timed to depart any other station before 0845.

Break of journey is not permitted except to change trains at an intermediate station or to access station facilities

This appears to have changed to the current version, permitting use of the Return portion from Euston at any time, with the January 2012 fares round.

 

[sd0733]

Oddly the Euston-Nuneaton (also Tamworth) Off Peak fare on LM with the same SK restriction is £37.
Why would Coleshill passengers get a lower fare via either of these points?

A problem has been caused creating anomalies on the TV route where journies are also possible via Birmingham due to them cutting a lot of walk-up fares on the Birmingham route a while ago. The most regular anomalies are from Rugeley and Lichfield. Just look at the fares to Euston from Rugeley Trent Valley against Rugeley Town and also the one from Lichfield Trent Valley against stations like Blake Street and of course 99.9% from those examples are going to travel via the Trent valley route.