Trivia> Shortest day return that's not possible?

[Howardh]

Thinking a Day Return ticket wouldn't be much use on Penzance - Thurso (26hr journey outward) but it made me wonder what would be the shortest journey in which you couldn't do a return from if you set off on the first train?
Times allowed would be, say, from 5am to 2am - and oddities eg Parliamentary services going one way only don't count.

Might have a go at this on the NR website, but maybe it's a common question and there's a simple answer??

 

[CallySleeper]

Day returns are only available on journeys of such length where it is possible to return the same day.

 

[Howardh]

Day returns are only available on journeys of such length where it is possible to return the same day.

Which is the shortest return journey which can't be done in a day?

 

[Deerfold]

Day returns are only available on journeys of such length where it is possible to return the same day.

Not sure about that...

Which is the shortest return journey which can't be done in a day?

http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=RDS&dest=DTN&tkt=CDR

Reddish South to Denton

 

[Howardh]

Not sure about that...
http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=RDS&dest=DTN&tkt=CDR
Reddish South to Denton

You didn't read my post properly now did you....

Parliamentary services going one way only don't count

 

[Deerfold]

You didn't read my post properly now did you....

No, I read it twice and completely missed that bit. Sorry...

 

[dzug2]

Maybe something like Hanborough to Combe? Around a mile at a guess

 

[Deerfold]

Maybe something like Hanborough to Combe? Around a mile at a guess

I think that pretty much falls into the same category as mine...

 

[dzug2]

I think that pretty much falls into the same category as mine...

Not really - the journey starting in the other direction is perfectly possible as a two way parly service

 

[Howardh]

If the journey is from A to B, but the return has to be via C then as long as there is a valid return ticket for that route then that's OK - whether A to B's a Parliamentary, one-off or whatever.

 

[greatkingrat]

Luxulyan - Coombe Junction Halt

You can't even do a single journey without an overnight stay in Liskeard.

 

[cuccir]

The area within which stations on the Esk Valley Railway to Whitby are doable in a day is a fairly small - that line has 4 services a day so a little more again than Coombe Junction. The closest impossible journeys from these stations (presuming generally that journeys from Great Ayton are the closest) include:

Carlisle (and Wetheral which is slightly closer)
Long Preston

Extrapolating from these: all Settle-Carlisle stations, of which I think Kirkby Stephen is closest as the crow flies at ab out 65 miles from Great Ayton. This also means that there are stations both in North Yorkshire that it's not possible to make a day return between (eg Great Ayton to Settle).

 

[RJ]

Is this topic related to fares, or just general trivia concerning journey opportunities?

 

[Simon11]

How about Llandanwg to Harlech on a Winter Sunday timetable. 2 miles by road between two, but not possible to make a day trip as there is only 1 train per day in each direction.

 

[Jona26]

Heysham Port to Morecambe?

 

[Howardh]

Heysham Port to Morecambe?

Just looked that up. Can't do a day return so that just about answers my question but it gives a (anytime, presumably) Return fare = (from) £88.00
It really does, honestly, say that in the box

For that I'd want, at least, a free cup of tea

 

[Deerfold]

Just looked that up. Can't do a day return so that just about answers my question but it gives a (anytime, presumably) Return fare = (from) £88.00
It really does, honestly, say that in the box

For that I'd want, at least, a free cup of tea

NRE presents it badly, but if you hover over the "Off-peak" description it reveals this to be a North Country Rover ticket.

 

[Howardh]

NRE presents it badly, but if you hover over the "Off-peak" description it reveals this to be a North Country Rover ticket.

Thanks! Didn't even know such a thing existed, but I'll be looking it up to see if it might come in handy some day

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Shippea Hill - Lakenheath, not sure if it comes under the 'anomaly' category
and similarly Thorpe Culvert - Havenhouse

 

[adrock1976]

How about Lockerbie to Carstairs on Sundays?

No trains are scheduled to call at Carstairs on Sundays.

On Mondays to Saturdays, to travel between the 2 stations, you need to double back via Glasgow or Edinburgh as it is not possible to travel directly between those 2 stations.

Also, another possibility is Lockerbie or Carstairs to Golf Street, Barry Links, or Balmossie. It is not possible to return the same day.

In peace

Adam

 

[TUC]

Day returns are only available on journeys of such length where it is possible to return the same day.

But surely if a day return fare exists, by definition it must be valid, regardless of the services available?

 

[MrJamesBrown]

What about a journey on the Coryton line in Cardiff on a Sunday? Say between Ty Glas and Birchgrove?

 

[D6975]

NRE presents it badly, but if you hover over the "Off-peak" description it reveals this to be a North Country Rover ticket.

And it's got it wrong too.
A 4 in 8 NW rover is only £70, so it should offer this rather than a North Country.

 

[thenorthern]

How about Peartree to Elton and Orston/Rauceby neither of those are possible although ironically there was once a direct train between all of them.

 

[infobleep]

If talking about Sundays, how about Guildford to Worpolesden? No Sunday service at Worpolesden. You'd have to walk. Not sure if they would sell you a ticket from the TVM on a Sunday but they might do.

Not certain if Woking to Worpolesden is shorter. At times it feels like it's quicker journey between Worpolesden and Woking.

 

[theshillito]

Just looked that up. Can't do a day return so that just about answers my question but it gives a (anytime, presumably) Return fare = (from) £88.00
It really does, honestly, say that in the box

For that I'd want, at least, a free cup of tea

There is a day return in the system. £2.90, only 30p more than the single

So yes, this is probably the shortest day return that isn't possible. Whether you'll be able to actually buy it is another matter...

 

[Merseysider]

There is a day return in the system. £2.90, only 30p more than the single

So yes, this is probably the shortest day return that isn't possible. Whether you'll be able to actually buy it is another matter...

A lot of ticket issuing systems (eg the one Virgin use) require the clerk to select a journey in order to sell the ticket. But others (like Merseytravel's STAR) can just sell a ticket without that hassle.

 

[lyndhurst25]

A lot of ticket issuing systems (eg the one Virgin use) require the clerk to select a journey in order to sell the ticket. But others (like Merseytravel's STAR) can just sell a ticket without that hassle.

I didn't know that. Is there a list of which systems the various TOCs use and which ones require actual trains to be selected? I ask becacuse I have found a money saving day return fare which involves starting short. The proplem is that the origin station does not have a train service every day of the week. I assumed that althought it would be impossible to buy the ticket online, I wouldn't have any problems buying it at station ticket offices.

 

[hangus78]

The WebTIS engines (EastCoast, Southern, First Group and RSH) do not make you select a service unless the ticket has mandatory reservation conditions.

You can buy the Heysham Port to Morecambe Day Return without an issue.