Ticket acceptance during engineering works

[enginedin]

I travelled on Sunday using a split ticket, with each segment being an advanced ticket. There was planned engineering work affecting the journey, and the tickets were brought after engineering work was planned. The journey was meant to be:

station 1 -> station 2 (rail; TOC1)
station 2 -> station 3 (rail; TOC2)
station 3 -> station 5 (bus)
station 5 -> station 6 (rail; TOC2)

I realised that the bus was pretty slow, and that I could do the following:

station 1 -> station 2 (rail; TOC1)
station 2 -> station 3 (rail; TOC2)
station 3 -> station 4 (rail; TOC3)
station 4 -> station 5 (bus)
station 5 -> station 6 (rail; TOC3)

I specifically asked the Train Manager at station 3 before I boarded if I could use my ticket on their train, they looked and said yes. The train + bus being faster meant that I got to station 5 30 mins before I was meant to, and I again asked the train manager of the train at station 5 if I could use my ticket on their train, they said yes (after looking at the ticket). It meant I got home about 45 mins earlier than I should have done.

Strictly, the validity of the tickets wasn't valid on my 2nd two train journeys (they were TOC specific) - was I particularly lucky, or do train managers often ignore validity rules during engineering works?

 

[Watershed]

I travelled on Sunday using a split ticket, with each segment being an advanced ticket. There was planned engineering work affecting the journey, and the tickets were brought after engineering work was planned. The journey was meant to be:

station 1 -> station 2 (rail; TOC1)
station 2 -> station 3 (rail; TOC2)
station 3 -> station 5 (bus)
station 5 -> station 6 (rail; TOC2)

I realised that the bus was pretty slow, and that I could do the following:

station 1 -> station 2 (rail; TOC1)
station 2 -> station 3 (rail; TOC2)
station 3 -> station 4 (rail; TOC3)
station 4 -> station 5 (bus)
station 5 -> station 6 (rail; TOC3)

I specifically asked the Train Manager at station 3 before I boarded if I could use my ticket on their train, they looked and said yes. The train + bus being faster meant that I got to station 5 30 mins before I was meant to, and I again asked the train manager of the train at station 5 if I could use my ticket on their train, they said yes (after looking at the ticket). It meant I got home about 45 mins earlier than I should have done.

Strictly, the validity of the tickets wasn't valid on my 2nd two train journeys (they were TOC specific) - was I particularly lucky, or do train managers often ignore validity rules during engineering works?

You were lucky insofar as they would have been perfectly entitled (legally speaking) to refuse you permission to use their services. But the engineering works may well have influenced their decision, especially if you explained what you were doing.

I'd treat it as an unexpected bonus whenever it does happen.

 

[Haywain]

was I particularly lucky, or do train managers often ignore validity rules during engineering works?

I wouldn't say you were particularly lucky, but you employed the right approach in asking before boarding. Without knowing the details of the tickets and train operators it is difficult to comment further.

 

[enginedin]

tickets and train operators

TOC #3 (which was the one who accepted both tickets they shouldn't really have done) was Transpennine Express