Birmingham New Street to London Euston

[Bletchleyite]

The service at 43 minutes past the hour calls at Milton Keynes Central but not at Rugby, so if you are getting on one of these trains and the Gestapo at Euston challenge you, you can say you are going to Milton Keynes Central, and they will have to let you on to the train. This might be helpful in the Monday - Friday evening peak when no London - Birmingham services operated by Avanti call at Rugby.

Or MKC unfortunately.

 

[duncanp]

Or MKC unfortunately.

According to the timetable I downloaded from the Avanti website, the 16:43, 17:43 and 18:43 from Euston all call at Milton Keynes Central.

But the OP should not have to jump through such hoops in order to get on a train that he is entitled to.

I would just show both season tickets at the barrier, and if challenged show a printed copy of the relevant clause of the National Rail Conditions of Travel.

 

[Bletchleyite]

According to the timetable I downloaded from the Avanti website, the 16:43, 17:43 and 18:43 from Euston all call at Milton Keynes Central.

Ah, it appears the "pick up only" restrictions aren't there at the moment, but I'd not bank on them not being reinstated as things get busier.

 

[AndyB1972]

Do most people think that the barrier police at Euston are a bigger problem than the inspectors on the train?

I’ll definitely be printing out a copy of the rules

thanks for all the advice, pretty much all the trains I ever travel on from Euston stop at Milton Keynes (and Rugby if not!) so that solves the problem most times at Euston anyway

 

[Bletchleyite]

Do most people think that the barrier police at Euston are a bigger problem than the inspectors on the train?

Yes, definitely. Most Avanti guards know what they are doing, and Avanti does not operate Penalty Fares. It's just getting past them at Euston that's the issue.

 

[BluePenguin]

If you are travelling on a train which runs fast from Euston to Coventry, it would also be a good idea to show both tickets at the barrier.

There are no scheduled services which do this. The displays which show services as first stop Coventry actually stop at Watford Junction although to pick up only

 

[Class800]

But if it is pick up only, the train is effectively fast to Coventry from the perspective of a passenger boarding at London Euston

 

[AndyB1972]

So today is my last day of my month's experiment on the Chiltern Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone route.....won't miss it!

So, when I get to Birmingham, I'm going to buy my 2 annual seasons tickets, Birmingham New Street-Rugby, and Rugby to London Euston

I saw elsewhere that someone on this forum kindly posted what it says on the internal "Knowledge Database" which confirms that 2 season tickets can be combined without the train having to stop at the station where one ticket end and the other begins

I presume th guards/train managers on Avanti Trains have access to this knowledge database, and what about the ticket officers (where I am shortly going to purchase the 2 season tickets)?

 

[alistairlees]

So today is my last day of my month's experiment on the Chiltern Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone route.....won't miss it!

So, when I get to Birmingham, I'm going to buy my 2 annual seasons tickets, Birmingham New Street-Rugby, and Rugby to London Euston

I saw elsewhere that someone on this forum kindly posted what it says on the internal "Knowledge Database" which confirms that 2 season tickets can be combined without the train having to stop at the station where one ticket end and the other begins

I presume th guards/train managers on Avanti Trains have access to this knowledge database, and what about the ticket officers (where I am shortly going to purchase the 2 season tickets)?

The validity of two season tickets together, joined at a station where your train does not stop, is contained explicitly in the national rail conditions of travel. Retail and on board staff should all be familiar with this now. You should have no problems purchasing them or using them (someone will mention Euston gateline in a minute).

 

[AndyB1972]

Thanks! I'm not worried about Euston, as someone else suggested, if the train also stops at Milton Keynes, which most do (and if not it'll stop at Rugby, so no problem), I will say that I'm going to Milton Keynes, then they'll have to let me through

 

[Class800]

Will be interested in hearing how this goes in practice

 

[AndyB1972]

I will report back and let everyone on here know!

 

[philthetube]

I don't think you will have a problem with this one, the Euston gate line deal with loads of splits, largely lul staff passes, (which act as a season ticket), travelling through Watford on none stoppers, however the principle is the same.

Present both tickets at the gate line, if you have issues ask to see a supervisor and when your journey validity is confirmed ask if this can be put in writing so that he does not have to be bothered again.

I cannot recall reports on the forum of Euston staff causing issues with splits, they seem to be mainly concerned with peak/off peak validity.

I would certainly not want to spend £100+ monthly in case someone did not do their job correctly.

 

[AndyB1972]

So I've been doing this for more than 2 weeks now, and I did say I'd report on how it's going

Happy to report it's been very smooth, no problems at all, both from the Train guards, and the barrier staff at Euston, so all good!

 

[alistairlees]

So I've been doing this for more than 2 weeks now, and I did say I'd report on how it's going

Happy to report it's been very smooth, no problems at all, both from the Train guards, and the barrier staff at Euston, so all good!

Glad to hear. I said it would be fine!

 

[Class800]

I was surprised - but good to know.