Wiser after the event? (Fares, Routeing and Distances)

[Death]

Hail All!
Well...I've just returned home from my very pleasant week in Ultima Thule (The North! ) and am now very tired after having to stand up for the whole of a VWC working between Crewe and Euston earlier this afternoon!
I've also got a fairly bad headache as well...But I'd imagine that's more to do with the foul air from London that wafts over Farnborough more than anything else... hock:ad:

Anyway...Whilst up North, I eventually ended up doing a funny old set of workings for various reasons, and had to buy three Savers to cover me for the trip in the end. Now I'm still not very skilled in using Avantix or the NFM to find the cheapest tickets, so what I'd like to ask for future reference is:
Could I have done these journeys any cheaper using alternative routes or ticket types?

Also...If anyone has good route knowlege to hand, could ye give me approximate total distances for each of these trips? I was going to tot it up myself using mileposts, but in most cases they were either missing, covered by vegetation, or I was going too fast to make them out!

BTW: I'll point out that I always prefer to travel on some form of "open" ticket as that gives the greatest number of options, so forget cheaper types such as Apex's or Virgin Value fares. IMO there's nothing worse than holding an AXC-only ticket, and then seeing an FGW Valenta'd HST going to thy destination that ye could've used if only ye held an "open" ticket! :razz:

I've posted the details of my journeys and tickets purchased below for thy info. Many thanks in advance for any advice ye can offer!
>> Death <<

-------------------------------------------------
Death's workings - Week ending 18/04/2008CE:

[b]11/04/2008CE:                                    Outward half of ticket A only.[/b]
  Farnborough Main > London Waterloo     444004    15:16 SWT London Waterloo
  London Waterloo  > London Euston                 16:10 LUL Northern Line
  London Euston    > Preston             390010    16:46 VWC Edinburgh Waverley
  Preston          > Blackpool North     150142    19:27 NTH Blackpool North

[b]13/04/2008CE:     Return half of A with BOJ at Man Picc, and outward half of B.[/b]
  Blackpool North  > York                158752    13:12 NTH York
  York             > Darlington          43M+43V   17:46 NXE Newcastle
  Darlington       > Middlesborough      142022    18:31 NTH Middlesborough

[b]17/04/2008CE:                           Return half of B and outward half of C.[/b]
  Middlesborough   > Darlington          140...    16:24 NTH Darlington
  Darlington       > York                220034    17:06 AXC Bristol TM
  York             > Blackpool North     158752    18:10 NTH Blackpool North

[b]18/04/2008CE:                  Return half of C and remaining return half of A.[/b]
  Blackpool North  > Preston             156...    16:25 NTH Liverpool LS
  Preston          > London Euston       390007    16:49 VWC London Euston
  London Euston    > London Waterloo               19:45 LUL Northern Line
  London Waterloo  > Farnborough Main    450080    20:09 SWT Portsmouth Hbr

[b]Tickets purchased:                                           Total cost: £90.50[/b]
  A     Farnborough Main > Blackpool Nth      Y-P Svr Rtn     £52.30
  B     Manchester Stns  > Middlesborough     Y-P Svr Rtn     £28.90
  C     Manchester Stns  > Blackpool Nth      Y-P Svr Rtn     £ 9.30

 

[David]

There is a Y-P SVR from Blackpool North to Middlesborough for £38.70, and it's valid via Manchester and the Northern service which avoids Manchester. It may be 50p more, but it gives a lot more flexability.

Or you could have bought Middlesborough - Leeds (£18.20), and Leeds - Blackpool (£14.70). A total of £32.90 (both Y-P SVR). The Leeds - Blackpool ticket is once again valid either way.

 

[yorkie]

But there's no poing having an "open" ticket for the thereoretical flexibility if you don't use it I would have got the 1650 class 90 instead of the 1646, and I would have waited for the next train from Crewe to avoid standing (if you want a bay of 4 to yourself get a Desiro instead ) or perhaps even gone a different route altogether.


Is a Manchester-Middlesbrough really valid via Preston? (I've not checked the RG).

I concur with David about the Blackpool-York ticket being a better bet, I can't see the reason for splitting that at Manchester and then not even going via Manchester!

 

[1D53]

11/04/2008CE:
Farnborough Main > London Waterloo 444004 15:16 SWT London Waterloo - 33
London Waterloo > London Euston 16:10 LUL Northern Line
London Euston > Preston 390010 16:46 VWC Edinburgh Waverley - 209
Preston > Blackpool North 150142 19:27 NTH Blackpool North - 17

13/04/2008CE:
Blackpool North > York 158742 13:12 NTH York - 106
York > Darlington 43M+43V 17:46 NXE Newcastle - 44
Darlington > Middlesborough 140022 18:31 NTH Middlesborough - 15

17/04/2008CE:
Middlesborough > Darlington 140... 16:24 NTH Darlington 15
Darlington > York 220034 17:06 AXC Bristol TM - 44
York > Blackpool North 158742 18:10 NTH Blackpool North - 106

18/04/2008CE:
Blackpool North > Preston 156... 16:25 NTH Liverpool LS - 17
Preston > London Euston 390007 16:49 VWC London Euston - 209
London Euston > London Waterloo 19:45 LUL Northern Line
London Waterloo > Farnborough Main 450080 20:09 SWT Portsmouth Hbr - 33



848 in total by my reckoning.

Some of the unit numbers look dodgy though - 158742 isn't with Northern (presume 158752 or 158902), 140022 doesnt exist (Presume 142022)

 

[Death]

Hail again!
I didn't physically travel via Manchester when doing the journey, insted I used the cross-Pennine line via Accrington and Halifax when going between Preston and York.
On that note...I have to say that it's the most beautiful line I've seen thus far IMO...And some day I'd just love to take a Pacer down the Portsmouth (W. Yorks) incline in neutral just to see if I could make a 150mph rollercoaster out of it! hock:

When buying my ticket on board the York train on Sunday (After double-checking with the Guard that was OK before boarding) I decided to effectively split my return portion to Farnborough at Manchester, as Manchester is the North-easternmost point where that ticket was valid. As BOJ rules in relation to Savers permit breaks that may last several days, it makes sense IMO to use tickets "bit by bit" if necessary!

So basically...Even though my train wasn't actually going anywhere near Manchester, I used the return part of ticket A (See my OP) to Manchester, then bought my passage from Manchester to Middlesborough to "bolt on" to that part of the journey.
It may sound a little complex, but no Guards or revenue protection officers who dealt with me raised any issues with me using my tickets in such a way!

The reason that I used Manchester as my "star" point (The start/end of my regional workings) and not Preston was because it'd work out more expensive to get to 'Boro from Preston than Manchester, and of course my ticket from Farnborough (Route +London) was valid for travel via either/both stations AFAIK. :grin:

--- Old post above / New post below: ---

848 in total by my reckoning.

Cheers for that mate! Wish I could check those myself as many others do...But I don't know where I'd find distance charts etc. (No time to Google 'em!) and my AA road atlas doesn't show railway lines too accurateley, although it does show them!

Some of the unit numbers look dodgy though - 158742 isn't with Northern (presume 158752 or 158902), 140022 doesnt exist (Presume 142022)

Hmmm...Most of those numbers were scrawled from memory onto the back of a buffet bag when I had a few minutes spare at Darlington yesterday afternoon, so they may well be inaccurate. Cheers for digging up the right number for the Pacer though, I knew it was 14-22-, but couldn't remember the exact number!

As for the Sprinter: I know that she was a true Behemoth (Three-cars, one clearly poached from another unit) if nothing else, as she made very light work of the cross-Pennine line, much to my sheer satisfaction!
I'm sure that I had the same unit both ways between Blackpool and York...And although ye know thy unit allocations much better than I do, the only thing that makes me think it couldn't be 158752 is that I distinctly remember being passed by 158752 heading in the direction of Leeds as I approached Bradford Interchange yesterday en-route to Blackpool! hock:

This headache's making it hard for me to think at the moment, but I think the head-code for my York > Blackpool service yesterday was 1B42 or 1B46 if that helps.

Farewell, and thanks again!
>> Death <<

 

[1D53]

Hail again!
I didn't physically travel via Manchester when doing the journey, insted I used the cross-Pennine line via Accrington and Halifax when going between Preston and York.
On that note...I have to say that it's the most beautiful line I've seen thus far IMO...And some day I'd just love to take a Pacer down the Portsmouth (W. Yorks) incline in neutral just to see if I could make a 150mph rollercoaster out of it! hock:

It is a very very nice line between Burnley and Hebden - shame its so low speed because of the nature of the line and the precarious rock formations!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

As for the Sprinter: I know that she was a true Behemoth if nothing else, as she made very light work of the cross-Pennine line, much to my sheer surprise!
I'm sure that I had the same unit both ways between Blackpool and York...And although ye know thy unit allocations much better than I do, the only thing that makes me think it couldn't be 158752 is that I distinctly remember being passed by 158752 heading in the direction of Leeds as I approached Bradford Interchange yesterday en-route to Blackpool! hock:
This headache's making it hard for me to think at the moment, but I think the head-code for my York > Blackpool service yesterday was 1B42 if that helps.

If you remember the livery and number of carriages it could be easily worked out - 158752 (3 car/Northern purple), 158792 (2/Northern with vynils), 842 (2/Silver) 872 (2/Silver (400h engines) and 902 (2/Metro Red&Silver)

 

[Death]

Hail again!

It is a very very nice line between Burnley and Hebden - shame its so low speed because of the nature of the line and the precarious rock formations!

Is that why the train slowed down to about 3mph in one of the tunnels west of Hebden then?

If you remember the livery and number of carriages it could be easily worked out - 158752 (3 car/Northern purple), 158792 (2/Northern with vynils), 842 (2/Silver) 872 (2/Silver (400h engines) and 902 (2/Metro Red&Silver)

Ahhh...It's got to be 158752 then. She was most likely a three car unit (I'm positive she was) and I'm sure I remember seeing her "snaking" ahead of me after we'd reversed at Bradford!

Anyhow, I'm really tired and this headache's turned into a migrane. I'm off to bed!
>> Death <<

 

[1D53]

That will be Holme Tunnel which is 10mph I think. The tunnel itself is heavily lined and reinforced but still very unstable. 752-9 are all three cars with the centre cars being ex TransPennine internally. The third engine really makes a difference on the two cars, the drivers seen to agree too. There also seems to be a massive differences between the Cummins and Perkins units with the Perkins being regarded as sheds!