South Merton to Elephant & Castle season

[chrisg]

Hi all,

Quick question regarding a South Merton to Elephant & Castle paper season ticket - is it valid only via Wimbledon (a service from say Sutton to Luton), or will I also be able to use it via Mitcham Junction (going into Sutton and then via Carshalton up to E&C)?

My friend had a nasty run-in with an FCC RPI last month (despite doing nothing wrong) and I don't want to get pounced on. Have tried queueing at E&C to ask at the ticket office but the queue is so long I've not had enough time!

Cheers all.

 

[clagmonster]

Assuming your ticket is routed any permitted, you are valid on all direct trains.
The FCC timetable shows this in a footnote as through trains (see http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/static/timetables/timetable/FC1105_TL_ALL_ROUTES_WEB.pdf page 114) so I would say you are valid.

 

[chrisg]

Brilliant - thanks for your help!

Do you think I should also be able to use it to get off at Wimbledon? It's handy to grab some food shopping on the way home. I presume its ok to break my journey?

Thanks again.

 

[bb21]

Assuming your ticket is routed any permitted, you are valid on all direct trains.
The FCC timetable shows this in a footnote as through trains (see http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/static/timetables/timetable/FC1105_TL_ALL_ROUTES_WEB.pdf page 114) so I would say you are valid.

I think his ticket would be routed "Not London".

The service officially terminates at Sutton and has a different headcode upon departure the other way around the loop. The question is whether the footnotes imply that it is a direct train going through Sutton. Through passengers do not have to change trains, however that does not automatically mean that it is one direct service passing Sutton.

One easy way around it, is to buy a season ticket between Elephant & Castle and either St Helier or Sutton Common. The fares are the same as for South Merton, thanks to the fact that London fares are priced on a zonal basis. For these two destinations going around the loop in one direction is the shortest route and in the other direction is no more than 3 miles longer so you're definitely covered anywhere around the loop.

You may stop off at any station along the route that your season ticket is valid for.

 

[John @ home]

Assuming your ticket is routed any permitted, you are valid on all direct trains.

The question is whether the footnotes imply that it is a direct train going through Sutton.

I try to discourage use of the word direct on railway routeing matters. There is no definition and no consensus on what it means.

The Instructions to the National Routeing Guide (NRG) state that:

Most customers wish to make journeys by through trains or by the shortest route. In both cases they will be travelling on a permitted route, provided the correct fare has been paid to reflect any routeing indicated by the fares manual. You only need refer to the Routeing Guide when a customer is not using an advertised through train or the shortest route.

http://www.atoc.org/clientfiles/File/RSPDocuments/instructions.pdf

The NRG's Glossary defines Through Train as:

one which runs between the origin and destination stations and on which passengers can make their journey without having to change trains.

http://www.atoc.org/clientfiles/File/RSPDocuments/glossary.pdf

The timetable makes it clear that South Merton - Elephant & Castle via Sutton services meet this definition. The footnote ensures that these services are advertised through trains.

 

[bb21]

The NRG's Glossary defines Through Train as:

The timetable makes it clear that South Merton - Elephant & Castle via Sutton services meet this definition. The footnote ensures that these services are advertised through trains.

I don't have the necessary documents to hand so couldn't check. It is good to know that this is the case.