When did the restriction of Edinburgh (EDB) - Oxford (OXF) not via London change?

[ywy1234]

When did the restriction of not via London SVR between Edinburgh and Oxford change?

Now it became 2V, and not valid on southbound services departing before 9:30

I hate XC...

 

[bb21]

The applicable restriction code contained in NFM10 was still 8X, a nominal restriction.

This suggests that it was changed in January this year.

In January, XC changed the majority of long-distance flows which they price to 2V - valid after 0930 - claiming that it helps ease overcrowding on their trains in the morning peak.

My views on that can be searched and found from previous discussions. For my own sanity, I will not repeat them here.

 

[ywy1234]

The applicable restriction code contained in NFM10 was still 8X, a nominal restriction.

This suggests that it was changed in January this year.

In January, XC changed the majority of long-distance flows which they price to 2V - valid after 0930 - claiming that it helps ease overcrowding on their trains in the morning peak.

My views on that can be searched and found from previous discussions. For my own sanity, I will not repeat them here.

Since January? Oops... Then I must have travelled a lot using the invalid tickets although I never met a problem

 

[bb21]

Since January? Oops... Then I must have travelled a lot using the invalid tickets although I never met a problem

Depends on who you travelled with sometimes. XC guards would have probably all been briefed about the change, however many guards from other TOCs might not be aware of such a change so still assume that long-distance Off-Peak Returns not involving travel through London or nearby areas are valid at virtually any time.

 

[CompactDstrxion]

If the railways were competitive, Virgin would introduce some alternatively-routed flows on these so no one has to fork out for the ridiculously-priced Anytime tickets.

In the meantime, the SSR Route Any Permitted costs nearly a tenner more than the SVR Not London but is valid on early trains via the West Coast.

 

[calc7]

If the railways were competitive, Virgin would introduce some alternatively-routed flows on these so no one has to fork out for the ridiculously-priced Anytime tickets.

Problem is, for Edinburgh to Oxford, VT only run trains as far as south as Birmingham, and from there you typically need XC involved to get to Oxford in any meaningful time. Therefore they cannot introduce a "VT only" fare.

Whether or not a "via Preston" fare would be possible, I don't know.

Either way, it's not too hard to find the Scotland - Midlands Virgin-priced 2T (after 0415) Off-Peak Returns which can be used to travel via Edinburgh in most cases anyway.

 

[LexyBoy]

How about a "VT&Chiltern&FGW Only" fare?

IMO CrossCountry are doing quite a good job teaching travellers about split tickets with the ~100% fare rises caused by the change to 2V restrictions. I think they would have been better off doing what the other IC operators have done and transferred the regulated fare to a Super Off Peak, with all the restrictions they are allowed, and had an Off Peak with approximately the restrictions of the original Savers.

 

[yorkie]

It's only around £14 more for the +Any Permitted SSR which is less restrictive (and has no restrictions at all on the Oxford <> London leg, it is only restricted on the Edinburgh <> London portion of the journey).

If you wish to go via London one way and not the other, then a change of route excess would only be half the difference.

I personally would go via London every time, as the trains are of a higher standard and chronic overcrowding is less likely compared to the XC route which can be pretty horrendous at certain times. XC are trying to price people off the route as the DfT won't pay for any additional coaches.

 

[nedchester]

It's only around £14 more for the +Any Permitted SSR which is less restrictive (and has no restrictions at all on the Oxford <> London leg, it is only restricted on the Edinburgh <> London portion of the journey).

If you wish to go via London one way and not the other, then a change of route excess would only be half the difference.

I personally would go via London every time, as the trains are of a higher standard and chronic overcrowding is less likely compared to the XC route which can be pretty horrendous at certain times. XC are trying to price people off the route as the DfT won't pay for any additional coaches.

Agree.

You can also split by buying a Edinburgh to Birmingham (Virgin only) SVR and then a ticket from there to Oxford. Paying £256 for the dubious privilege of travelling with AXC is daylight robbery.

Personally as Yorkie suggests go via London as the journey will be more comfortable (and possibly quicker)

 

[calc7]

It's only around £14 more for the +Any Permitted SSR which is less restrictive (and has no restrictions at all on the Oxford <> London leg, it is only restricted on the Edinburgh <> London portion of the journey).

If you wish to go via London one way and not the other, then a change of route excess would only be half the difference.

I personally would go via London every time, as the trains are of a higher standard and chronic overcrowding is less likely compared to the XC route which can be pretty horrendous at certain times. XC are trying to price people off the route as the DfT won't pay for any additional coaches.

Just to avoid any ambiguity, the SSR +Any Permitted still takes the 2V restriction if travelling via Birmingham on XC so cannot be used as a slightly dearer way to avoid the pre-0930 issues if wanting to avoid London.

 

[John @ home]

If your travel from Edinburgh is Mon-Fri before 0930, but from Oxford is not, consider a £121.40 (Railcard £80.15) Super Off-Peak Return Edinburgh - London, which is valid (by any trains Sat, Sun or bank hol.):

Outward leg
Mon - Fri: by any train Edinburgh - London scheduled to arrive before 0430 or after 1117. This excludes the 0540, 0548 and 0625 Edinburgh - London trains only.

Return leg
Mon - Fri: by any train London - Oxford except those scheduled to depart before 0930.

Break return leg of journey in Oxford for up to one month from date printed on the ticket.

Mon - Fri: by any trains Oxford - Edinburgh via Birmingham except those scheduled to depart before 0930.

If you really need to return from Oxford to Edinburgh Mon - Fri before 0930, there are no time restrictions at all from Oxford if you travel via Coventry and Nuneaton avoiding Birmingham. See map AS. From Nuneaton, you may take any train which left Euston after 1005, or any train at all which has not come from London. See Validity Codes 1K and 2V.

 

[wintonian]

I tend to go via London these days as the fare is aprox the same (sometime a few pounds more or a few pounds less) for a slightly longer journey time and more comfortable trains.

I see no reason to use XC north of Banbury and even Oxford/ Reading it is only a time saver being a direct train.

I think XC are deliberately trying to price people off their trains as they are often severely overcrowded but people think that as it is a direct train and avoids crossing London it must be the best way to go, if only some of them could be persuaded to to try the other route then they might realise that crossing from Waterloo to Euston is not difficult at all and the Pendolinos are generally less crowded and more comfortable.

As nice as it sounds a VT&Chiltern&FGW only fare would do nothing for those south of Basingstoke and would be unusable, you would need to do VT&Chiltern&FGW&SWT assuming space is available, add in a cross London marker and you would no longer need to do a change of route excess.

 

[CompactDstrxion]

Just to avoid any ambiguity, the SSR +Any Permitted still takes the 2V restriction if travelling via Birmingham on XC so cannot be used as a slightly dearer way to avoid the pre-0930 issues if wanting to avoid London.

You can travel on early VWC services from Edinburgh to Birmingham on this ticket to avoid London.

 

[Greenback]

I also agree with those who have recommended travelling via London. I now do anything I can to avoid travel to Scotland and the north of England via XC. The trains are uncomfortable in comparison to other TOC's, and it is almost always cheaper to avoid XC priced flows.

 

[route:oxford]

It's only around £14 more for the +Any Permitted SSR which is less restrictive (and has no restrictions at all on the Oxford <> London leg, it is only restricted on the Edinburgh <> London portion of the journey).

If you wish to go via London one way and not the other, then a change of route excess would only be half the difference.

I personally would go via London every time, as the trains are of a higher standard and chronic overcrowding is less likely compared to the XC route which can be pretty horrendous at certain times. XC are trying to price people off the route as the DfT won't pay for any additional coaches.

It's so much quicker to go direct though (via WC)

Glasgow/Edinburgh to Birmingham is 3h59m. Brum to Oxford is 1h10m. No need to venture onto the Underground.

I'm sure that someone advised me that an off-peak "london to edinburgh" ticket at £121.40 is valid via Oxford thus offers a saving on the £127.80 off peak Oxford-Edinburgh return. (Edit:- John@home has pointed this out earlier in the thread)

I look forward to the day when I can disembark at MK from a Pendolino and change to a E-W service to Oxford.

 

[John @ home]

I'm sure that someone advised me that an off-peak "london to edinburgh" ticket at £121.40 is valid via Oxford thus offers a saving on the £127.80 off peak Oxford-Edinburgh return. (Edit:- John@home has pointed this out earlier in the thread)

Yes, East Coast will sell the £121.40 Super Off-Peak Return with reservations from Edinburgh to Paddington on the first journey opportunity of the day:

0536 Edinburgh - Preston Lancs 0807 TPE
0817 Preston Lancs - Wolverhampton 0931 Virgin
0941 Wolverhampton - (0958 Birmingham New St 1004) - (1114 Oxford 1116) - Reading 1139 CrossCountry
1152 Reading - Paddington 1223 FGW

This surprised me a little, but it is not a perverse interpretation of the rules. The £121.40 Super Off-Peak Return Edinburgh - London Terminals route Any Permitted has Validity Code 1K. The relevant sentence is:

For journeys to southern England on CrossCountry via Birmingham, use restriction code 2V or 8X as appropriate.

It seems that, in railway routeing, a journey to London Terminals cannot be a journey to southern England.

Break of journey at Oxford is, of course, permitted with the itinerary above.

 

[route:oxford]

There are also no restrictions on services from Croy to Oxford (valid via either Edinburgh or Glasgow).

This service is priced by Virgin.

 

[CompactDstrxion]

There are also no restrictions on services from Croy to Oxford (valid via either Edinburgh or Glasgow).

This service is priced by Virgin.

It passes the fares check for Falkirk. However, break of journey on outward travel is prohibited by the restriction code for the Route Any Permitted (3A) so it should not be used from Edinburgh. BoJ on the 'Route Banbury Preston' is not restricted.