• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Thames Branch Day Ranger and Acton Main Line

Status
Not open for further replies.

davcr0ck

Member
Joined
8 May 2017
Messages
7
Location
Oxfordshire
Hello all.

I'm in the middle of planning an trip using the Thames Branch Day ranger to do multiple journeys between Reading and London Paddington, One of the stations I plan of visiting is Acton Main Line, with has TFL Rail Services stopping at it on weekends.

The Day ranger is only valid on GWR services but it in one of the valid stations for the ranger ticket. I have contacted GWR about this issue and they clam that it valid on TFL services. But TFL denied this information. After spending an hour talking to National Rail they said it valid on TFL services, But then an hour later, I get a message from them saying that it not valid and that I would have to buy a separate ticket.

After a few days, I message TFL again about the situation and they say it only valid on GWR services and then a day later I get another message from TFL (quoting the message) saying "I have been given an update on this as there seems to be some conflicting information regarding this matter. I will get back to you shortly with my findings, sorry for any inconvenience caused, Thanks Sam " And this message was sent on 5th February and I haven't got an response from TFL, National Rail or GWR on this matter.

Anyone got any advise on what I should do next
If you want to see the messages between TFL, National Rail or GWR let me know.

davcr0ck
 
Last edited:
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

ForTheLoveOf

Established Member
Joined
7 Oct 2017
Messages
6,416
Hello all.

I'm in the middle of planning an trip using the Thames Branch Day ranger to do multiple journeys between Reading and London Paddington, One of the stations I plan of visiting is Action Main Line, with has TFL Rail Services stopping at it on weekends.

The Day ranger is only valid on GWR services but it in one of the valid stations for the ranger ticket. I have contacted GWR about this issue and they clam that it valid on TFL services. But TFL denied this information. After spending an hour talking to National Rail they said it valid on TFL services, But then an hour later, I get a message from them saying that it not valid and that I would have to buy a separate ticket.

After a few days, I message TFL again about the situation and they say it only valid on GWR services and then a day later I get another message from TFL (quoting the message) saying "I have been given an update on this as there seems to be some conflicting information regarding this matter. I will get back to you shortly with my findings, sorry for any inconvenience caused, Thanks Sam " And this message was sent on 5th February and

I haven't got an response from TFL, National Rail or GWR on this matter. Anyone got any advise on what I should do next.

If you want to see the messages between TFL, National Rail or GWR let me know.

davcr0ck
There is no company restriction printed on the ticket, and the National Rail Enquiries listing does not talk about any restriction on the companies that may be used.

If you buy your ticket on the GWR website, it links you straight to National Rail Enquiries' listing, which, as above, defines the validity as services running along the map. The time/other restrictions section doesn't talk about non-validity on TfL Rail at all.

It would be ludicrous for the transfer of certain GWR services to TfL to mean that you are more limited in terms of the services you can take on a particular, non-TOC-specific, product, and given the lack of any restrictions on the "official" source of information for this product, I would suggest that anyone who says it is only valid on GWR services is, to put it politely, talking out of their rear.
 

Mag_seven

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
1 Sep 2014
Messages
9,994
Location
here to eternity
Action Main Line

Spellchecker alert! ;)

Looks like no thought has been given to the fact that TfL have taken over the services that stop at Acton Main Line.

the National Rail Enquiries listing does not talk about any restriction on the companies that may be used.

According to NRE:

Participating train companies
Great Western Railway;

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/pr601e4c0a04000200f63dfe8f29a46f.aspx
 

Kite159

Veteran Member
Joined
27 Jan 2014
Messages
19,157
Location
West of Andover
A similar issue has been raised in the past with Hanwell as apart from the start/end of the day it was served by Heathrow Connect.

As for TfL Rail, I believe the only services which call at West Ealing (other than at the start/end of the day), so if there was no validity on TfL Rail how would someone travel on the Greenford branch
 

Ianno87

Veteran Member
Joined
3 May 2015
Messages
15,215
As for TfL Rail, I believe the only services which call at West Ealing (other than at the start/end of the day), so if there was no validity on TfL Rail how would someone travel on the Greenford branch

A bracing walk from Ealing Broadway ;)
 

davcr0ck

Member
Joined
8 May 2017
Messages
7
Location
Oxfordshire
A similar issue has been raised in the past with Hanwell as apart from the start/end of the day it was served by Heathrow Connect.

As for TfL Rail, I believe the only services which call at West Ealing (other than at the start/end of the day), so if there was no validity on TfL Rail how would someone travel on the Greenford branch
Hmm forgot about that, I,m also traveling Greenford branch as well, well thats another problems as well
 

ForTheLoveOf

Established Member
Joined
7 Oct 2017
Messages
6,416
Like I say, they are talking absolute rubbish. There is no TOC restriction and definitely no need to walk!
 

cjohnson

Member
Joined
3 Sep 2009
Messages
597
So in theory it is also valid on Chiltern from West Ealing (in combination with another ticket to South Ruislip or beyond...?!)
 

Sleeper

Member
Joined
6 Jan 2016
Messages
65
Location
London


Like I say, they are talking absolute rubbish. There is no TOC restriction and definitely no need to walk!

@ForTheLoveOf : It may well be that no-one has until now given thought to how the Thames Day Ranger might be affected by transfer of operating responsibilities away from GWR, and maybe in due course there will be a review.

However, your own link (post #2) to NRE leads directly to the statement (quoted by @Mag_seven in post #3) that the only “participating train company” is Great Western Railway. Nothing on that NRE page contradicts that.

Why is that statement not in itself sufficient to say that only GWR trains may be used?
 

ForTheLoveOf

Established Member
Joined
7 Oct 2017
Messages
6,416
@ForTheLoveOf : It may well be that no-one has until now given thought to how the Thames Day Ranger might be affected by transfer of operating responsibilities away from GWR, and maybe in due course there will be a review.

However, your own link (post #2) to NRE leads directly to the statement (quoted by @Mag_seven in post #3) that the only “participating train company” is Great Western Railway. Nothing on that NRE page contradicts that.

Why is that statement not in itself sufficient to say that only GWR trains may be used?
Because the validity of the product is shown by the map, and there is no indication that other TOCs do not participate.

Any company restriction must be printed on the ticket to have effect, anyway.
 

davcr0ck

Member
Joined
8 May 2017
Messages
7
Location
Oxfordshire
The consensus here http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=20174.0 is that the ticket is valid.

Personally, I know what I would go for if it was a choice of getting to Greenford and spending more time somewhere like this lovely bookshop in Henley, https://www.waysbookshop.co.uk/

I,m doing two branch line on this trip (Greenford and Windsor) and then the other two later on in the future, but I remember that bookshop for when I go to Henley in march.
 

Mag_seven

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
1 Sep 2014
Messages
9,994
Location
here to eternity
However, your own link (post #2) to NRE leads directly to the statement (quoted by @Mag_seven in post #3) that the only “participating train company” is Great Western Railway. Nothing on that NRE page contradicts that.

I suspect the NRE page just needs updating to include TFL Rail as a participating train company - the fact that it hasn't is just symptomatic of todays fragmented railway.
 

185143

Established Member
Joined
3 Mar 2013
Messages
4,486
I used a Thames Branches ranger on a TfL Rail service, and RPIs boarded en route. My ticket was checked with no problems whatsoever.
 

yorkie

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
6 Jun 2005
Messages
67,438
Location
Yorkshire
It's valid in my opinion. There is nothing printed on the ticket to suggest it may not be valid.

NRE is frequently out of date when it comes to information such as lists of "participating companies" and it is not the case that an omission of a company from NRE's website can reduce or restrict the contractual rights of a customer in any way.
I suspect the NRE page just needs updating to include TFL Rail as a participating train company - the fact that it hasn't is just symptomatic of todays fragmented railway.
Agreed.
 

nat67

Established Member
Joined
23 Apr 2014
Messages
1,477
Location
Warwickshire
Hello all.

I'm in the middle of planning an trip using the Thames Branch Day ranger to do multiple journeys between Reading and London Paddington, One of the stations I plan of visiting is Acton Main Line, with has TFL Rail Services stopping at it on weekends.

The Day ranger is only valid on GWR services but it in one of the valid stations for the ranger ticket. I have contacted GWR about this issue and they clam that it valid on TFL services. But TFL denied this information. After spending an hour talking to National Rail they said it valid on TFL services, But then an hour later, I get a message from them saying that it not valid and that I would have to buy a separate ticket.

After a few days, I message TFL again about the situation and they say it only valid on GWR services and then a day later I get another message from TFL (quoting the message) saying "I have been given an update on this as there seems to be some conflicting information regarding this matter. I will get back to you shortly with my findings, sorry for any inconvenience caused, Thanks Sam " And this message was sent on 5th February and I haven't got an response from TFL, National Rail or GWR on this matter.

Anyone got any advise on what I should do next
If you want to see the messages between TFL, National Rail or GWR let me know.

davcr0ck
I have used a Thames & Branches to Acton Main Line to score a 345 and there were two what I believed where RPI's but in fact they just asked about what ticket I used and where I was travelling to. They had never heard of a ranger ticket.
 

nat67

Established Member
Joined
23 Apr 2014
Messages
1,477
Location
Warwickshire
But it's like (if this is not going off topic) a Thames & Branches is not valid to Didcot or Oxford, but why have that doesn't go up the Thames river but a Thames rover is. The price difference is weird as a three day Thames rover is only £52 for adults and ranger is £21, doesn't make sense.
 

yorkie

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
6 Jun 2005
Messages
67,438
Location
Yorkshire
But it's like (if this is not going off topic) a Thames & Branches is not valid to Didcot or Oxford, but why have that doesn't go up the Thames river but a Thames rover is. The price difference is weird as a three day Thames rover is only £52 for adults and ranger is £21, doesn't make sense.
That's beyond the scope of this thread, but fares and ticketing rarely makes sense (and if given a remit to make the fares more consistent, the train companies would increase the price of fares and reduce validities, so be careful what you wish for!)
 

davcr0ck

Member
Joined
8 May 2017
Messages
7
Location
Oxfordshire
I used a Thames Branches ranger on a TfL Rail service, and RPIs boarded en route. My ticket was checked with no problems whatsoever.

It's valid in my opinion. There is nothing printed on the ticket to suggest it may not be valid.

NRE is frequently out of date when it comes to information such as lists of "participating companies" and it is not the case that an omission of a company from NRE's website can reduce or restrict the contractual rights of a customer in any way.

Agreed.

I have used a Thames & Branches to Acton Main Line to score a 345 and there were two what I believed where RPI's but in fact they just asked about what ticket I used and where I was travelling to. They had never heard of a ranger ticket.

Ok then, Thank you all.
 

nat67

Established Member
Joined
23 Apr 2014
Messages
1,477
Location
Warwickshire
That's beyond the scope of this thread, but fares and ticketing rarely makes sense (and if given a remit to make the fares more consistent, the train companies would increase the price of fares and reduce validities, so be careful what you wish for!)
True, but now all the HST's have gone it's going to bother me in particular as much now as it did then. But I do understand about the price would change and validity would change for the reason of what the ticket is called.
 

island

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Dec 2010
Messages
15,982
Location
0036
I have used a Thames & Branches to Acton Main Line to score a 345 and there were two what I believed where RPI's but in fact they just asked about what ticket I used and where I was travelling to. They had never heard of a ranger ticket.
And, presumably, let you on your way? Which is what authorised persons should do when unsure about a ticket’s validity and not in a position to look it up.
 

nat67

Established Member
Joined
23 Apr 2014
Messages
1,477
Location
Warwickshire
And, presumably, let you on your way? Which is what authorised persons should do when unsure about a ticket’s validity and not in a position to look it up.
Correct, but I have had other guards that don't know the validity of certain tickets and I have to explain what it is and they say okay.
 

IanD

Established Member
Joined
18 Sep 2011
Messages
2,718
Location
Newport Pagnell
@ForTheLoveOf : It may well be that no-one has until now given thought to how the Thames Day Ranger might be affected by transfer of operating responsibilities away from GWR, and maybe in due course there will be a review.

I suspect the NRE page just needs updating to include TFL Rail as a participating train company - the fact that it hasn't is just symptomatic of todays fragmented railway.


When Chiltern took over Oxford - Bicester, the solution was to remove the line from the map for the 3 day version. That will probably be the solution here, again with no reduction in price to compensate.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top