Robin Hood Line to Sheffield ticket validity

[WillPS]

Can somebody explain why tickets from Sheffield to Mansfield are valid through Nottingham, yet trains from Sheffield to Kirkby-in-Ashfield are only valid via Worksop, when in fact Kirkby is two stops closer to Nottingham than Mansfield?

 

[ashworth]

I've no idea, and having just checked I am quite surprised about this!
Tickets to Sheffield via Nottingham are valid from all other stations from Mansfield Woodhouse southwards and so I have no idea why Kirkby in Ashfield has been missed out.
Perhaps it would be best to keep quiet about it as returns from stations on the Robin Hood Line (other than Kirkby in Ashfield) to Sheffield are cheaper than from Nottingham. Those of us who use this facility from Mansfield, Hucknall etc to avoid the 45 minute wait at Worksop on the outward journey would not want this ticket removed.

 

[WillPS]

I've no idea, and having just checked I am quite surprised about this!
Tickets to Sheffield via Nottingham are valid from all other stations from Mansfield Woodhouse southwards and so I have no idea why Kirkby in Ashfield has been missed out.
Perhaps it would be best to keep quiet about it as returns from stations on the Robin Hood Line (other than Kirkby in Ashfield) to Sheffield are cheaper than from Nottingham. Those of us who use this facility from Mansfield, Hucknall etc to avoid the 45 minute wait at Worksop on the outward journey would not want this ticket removed.

Me too!

My girlfriend lives in Kirkby, and I go to university in Sheffield so it's a journey we both make regularly, is there any way we could take advantage of this? I understand travelling short is illegal, but if we get on at Kirkby with a Mansfield-Sheffield ticket would the guard not allow it? Is a break of jouney allowed on a normal Off-Peak ticket?

 

[Railjet]

I understand travelling short is illegal, but if we get on at Kirkby with a Mansfield-Sheffield ticket would the guard not allow it? Is a break of jouney allowed on a normal Off-Peak ticket?

BOJ is allowed. Travelling short cannot be illegal if BOJ is allowed.

 

[yorkie]

Can somebody explain why tickets from Sheffield to Mansfield are valid through Nottingham, yet trains from Sheffield to Kirkby-in-Ashfield are only valid via Worksop, when in fact Kirkby is two stops closer to Nottingham than Mansfield?

What's your source for this?

They're both only valid via Worksop.

 

[glynn80]

What's your source for this?

They're both only valid via Worksop.

Sheffield to Mansfield

Sheffield is a routeing point, Mansfield is a member of both Nottingham and Worksop routeing points and thus the fares check rule applies. We cannot use Off Peak Returns as the OP is proposing to use as there is not an OPR from Sheffield to Worksop so we will have to use the Anytime Day Return

Sheffield to Mansfield SDR- £10.40
Sheffield to Nottingham SDR- £15.40
Sheffield to Worksop SDR- £5.30

Therefore the only routeing point combination we can use is Sheffield to Worksop.

The mapped routes Sheffield to Worksop is very easy as there is only one map- SH and this only allows you to go direct Sheffield to Worksop and then down the Robin Hood Line to Mansfield.

 

[WillPS]

Sheffield to Mansfield

Sheffield is a routeing point, Mansfield is a member of both Nottingham and Worksop routeing points and thus the fares check rule applies. We cannot use Off Peak Returns as the OP is proposing to use as there is not an OPR from Sheffield to Worksop so we will have to use the Anytime Day Return

Sheffield to Mansfield SDR- £10.40
Sheffield to Nottingham SDR- £15.40
Sheffield to Worksop SDR- £5.30

Therefore the only routeing point combination we can use is Sheffield to Worksop.

The mapped routes Sheffield to Worksop is very easy as there is only one map- SH and this only allows you to go direct Sheffield to Worksop and then down the Robin Hood Line to Mansfield.

That's a very complicated explanation, but I take your point - however if you use any train booking website (or National Rail Enquiries) it will show Nottingham - Mansfield via Nottingham as being a valid route for this journey.

If I book tickets and print off the receipt thingy they send to your email with your planned journey, surely the Guard can't have any qualms about accepting it?

Edit: Checked TheTrainline, and they don't accept it - so it must be a bug with the National Rail website. Still, could it be a bug which can be exploited?

 

[glynn80]

That's a very complicated explanation, but I take your point - however if you use any train booking website (or National Rail Enquiries) it will show Nottingham - Mansfield via Nottingham as being a valid route for this journey.

If I book tickets and print off the receipt thingy they send to your email with your planned journey, surely the Guard can't have any qualms about accepting it?

Edit: Checked TheTrainline, and they don't accept it - so it must be a bug with the National Rail website. Still, could it be a bug which can be exploited?

The National Rail website is IIRC just a timetabling system showing you the quickest routes, it does not sell tickets and thus often it can show routes for which a direct ticket between the points you have queried is not valid. thetrainline (or any other online ticketing website) incorporate the routeing guide (the system I described which dictates which routes are valid for each individual journey) and timetabling, so no you would not be able to exploit the timetabling aspect of the National Rail site to show your ticket was valid.

 

[yorkie]

Edit: Checked TheTrainline, and they don't accept it - so it must be a bug with the National Rail website. Still, could it be a bug which can be exploited?

If they ever sell tickets, yes....

 

[Mcr Warrior]

:roll: The National Rail website might not sell tickets, but the Virgin Trains website certainly does, and it will sell you the Sheffield to Mansfield anytime day return ticket for £10-40 which are routed via Nottingham and will provide reservations on the outward and return Sheffield to Nottingham legs.

 

[WillPS]

And I think Virgin still print out those stupidly big tickets which have your journey times on them - so there's no way they can be declined on board.

 

[ashworth]

Return tickets from Mansfield, Hucknall etc to Sheffiled via Nottingham are also available from the National Express East Coast Website.
Just checked the EMT website, which I am sure is run by trainline, also issues tickets via Nottingham.