Shortest Route to Mapped Route

[JB_B]

Suppose the shortest route isn't a mapped route and my ticket allows break of journey.

Can I take a train along the shortest route and then, when I reach a station on a mapped route, change there and continue a mapped journey (off the shortest route).

(I'm guessing that there would probably be no way of checking but is it strictly legit?)

 

[FenMan]

Suppose the shortest route isn't a mapped route and my ticket allows break of journey.

Can I take a train along the shortest route and then, when I reach a station on a mapped route, change there and continue a mapped journey (off the shortest route).

(I'm guessing that there would probably be no way of checking but is it strictly legit?)

There are plenty of shortest routes that aren't mapped - they don't need to be, as the shortest route, by definition, is a valid route. I take your point about moving to a mapped route that is off the shortest route part-way through a journey. And my answer would be, except in the most extreme of circumstances, how would anyone know? I can think of several examples from my home station where I can switch from one mapped route to another where the through journey for that combination is apparently not permitted, but the individual legs are perfectly ok. This tends to be a (non) issue in areas where there is a tangle of lines, such as in south London.

 

[bb21]

To answer your question, no, you cannot switch between two different permitted routes part way through a journey, in theory.

 

[yorkie]

Suppose the shortest route isn't a mapped route and my ticket allows break of journey.

Can I take a train along the shortest route and then, when I reach a station on a mapped route, change there and continue a mapped journey (off the shortest route).

(I'm guessing that there would probably be no way of checking but is it strictly legit?)

What route do you have in mind?

If the route you wish to take is not a mapped route, nor the shortest route (or within 3 miles of shortest), but routes using both methods happen to intersect at a particular point, then in practice it is unlikely that anyone would mind if you did what you describe, but that does not make it a permitted route.

In practice if your route is reasonable then no-one is going to know, or care, what methodology is used; it is entirely possible for routes that are not permitted to be reasonable. Equally the converse is true; there are routes that are permitted which many people would consider unreasonable (e.g. until a few months ago, Droitwich to Hatton was mapped via Reading, Portsmouth, Bristol etc; this was an example we often went through at our fares workshops)

 

[maniacmartin]

What bb21 said.
Once you've chosen a permitted route (whether mapped or shortest), you need to stick to that route for the whole journey.

When relying on the direct train rule, things get a bit more complex with break of journey. It's discussed in several threads covering the Gainsborough to Adwick service

 

[JB_B]

.... And my answer would be, except in the most extreme of circumstances, how would anyone know? ...

Yes - I'm just interested in the strict validity - I'm sure a challenge would be very very unlikely.

To answer your question, no, you cannot switch between two different permitted routes part way through a journey, in theory.

Thanks - that's what I thought.

 

[JB_B]

What route do you have in mind?
...

I was thinking in the context of Runcorn Wakefield (this thread http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=152463 ) and whether the shortest route (via Runcorn East to Warrington BQ) could be combined with maps HV/VK further east.

( I realize now, from Runcorn itself, the lack of trains makes that a purely academic question. )

 

[yorkie]

I was thinking in the context of Runcorn Wakefield (this thread http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=152463 ) and whether the shortest route (via Runcorn East to Warrington BQ) could be combined with maps HV/VK further east.

( I realize now, from Runcorn itself, the lack of trains makes that a purely academic question. )

The 'shortest route' for the purposes of the contractual position, as stated in the Conditions of Travel, is not actually via Runcorn East. As you say, there are no journey opportunities this way.

However you are correct that, according to the data feed which booking sites are required to use, the "shortest route" is considered to be via Runcorn East.