Booked tickets confuse me

[Moonschool]

So I picked up my tickets today from the machine and I'm a bit worried. In a few weeks I'm going from Kings Norton to Blackpool South and back.

The first ticket has
'From Kings Norton To Blackpool South' then my next ticket says 'From Birmingham N St To Preston Lancs'. I was expecting a ticket from Kings Norton to New Street, then a ticket from New Street to Preston and after Preston to Blackpool South.

How will London Midlands and Northern Rail know that I'm on the right train if my ticket just says 'Kings Norton To Blackpool South'. What if I get fined or something?

Of course the return ticket is similar. I'm new to all this so any help would be great, thanks.

 

[TheJRB]

Not to worry. The first ticket (Kings Norton to Blackpool South) is your main travel ticket for the journey (no doubt routed "VWC & CONNECTNS"). The other one (Birmingham New Street to Preston) is a seat reservation.

In other words the only train in the itinerary that you must board and have a seat reservation for is the 08:15 Birmingham New Street to Preston train. You are not tied down to the connecting trains at either end so for example you could catch a train earlier from Kings Norton to Birmingham or a later train from Preston to Blackpool South with no penalty, so long as you use your booked Virgin service between Birmingham and Preston.

 

[Moonschool]

Yes it does say 'VWC & CONNECTNS'. I was just confused as the person checking my ticket at Preston might haven no idea what Kings Norton is. I'll just take your word for it, thank you!

 

[pjnathanail]

What's important to note is that you must take both the ticket and the seat reservation with you on your journey, so when your ticket is checked the guard knows what train you are booked on

 

[Crossover]

Yes it does say 'VWC & CONNECTNS'. I was just confused as the person checking my ticket at Preston might haven no idea what Kings Norton is. I'll just take your word for it, thank you!

Whether the guard knows where Kings Norton is or not isn't your problem - you have nothing to worry about and the advice given in the thread is spot on

 

[yorkie]

How will London Midlands and Northern Rail know that I'm on the right train if my ticket just says 'Kings Norton To Blackpool South'. What if I get fined or something?

They won't know you are on an appropriate service unless they ask to see your seat reservation for your booked service.

It is unlikely that they will ask to see it, but they might. Keep it safe just in case, as your ticket isn't valid without it.

For full details, see our Fares Guide - 1.1.3.1.1 Multi-Leg Journeys with Connecting Trains
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I was just confused as the person checking my ticket at Preston might haven no idea what Kings Norton is.

It is true that not all railway staff know where all of the stations on the network are, which is unsurprising given there are thousands of stations.

If they are in doubt, they might:

• look it up; or
• ask you where it is; or
• ask to see your reservation (only applicable in this case because you have an Advance ticket)

However if I worked at Preston I would likely know the names of the stations between Preston & Blackpool, and if I saw a ticket to Blackpool from a station I didn't recognise, I would know it was valid via Preston because there is no other way to get to Blackpool.

Even if I didn't know the names of the stations between Preston & Blackpool, I would know that it was valid via Preston anyway because of the routeing on the ticket.

None of this is a concern of the passenger, so you needn't worry!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The South line is guarded solely by Blackpool men, who from my experience are a very nice bunch - I can't imagine them giving you a grilling about where you've come from etc.

 

[island]

Not to worry. The first ticket (Kings Norton to Blackpool South) is your main travel ticket for the journey (no doubt routed "VWC & CONNECTNS"). The other one (Birmingham New Street to Preston) is a seat reservation.

In other words the only train in the itinerary that you must board and have a seat reservation for is the 08:15 Birmingham New Street to Preston train. You are not tied down to the connecting trains at either end so for example you could catch a train earlier from Kings Norton to Birmingham or a later train from Preston to Blackpool South with no penalty, so long as you use your booked Virgin service between Birmingham and Preston.

...but you may not break your journey en route.

 

[yorkie]

...but you may not break your journey en route.

Agreed.

For example going for a drink (& meal - if they do food?) at the pub within Birmingham New St station (is it still there?) or the M&S etc, is permitted. But going elsewhere in Birmingham, say to a Wetherspoon pub outside the station, would be a breach of the T&Cs. See 1.5.1 What is and is not a "Break of Journey"

 

[pemma]

If they are in doubt, they might:

• look it up; or
• ask you where it is; or
• ask to see your reservation (only applicable in this case because you have an Advance ticket)

From my experience that's normally done in a casual manner e.g. "I've not heard of X before where's that?"

However if I worked at Preston I would likely know the names of the stations between Preston & Blackpool, and if I saw a ticket to Blackpool from a station I didn't recognise, I would know it was valid via Preston because there is no other way to get to Blackpool.

The RPIs at Preston are STM Security staff contracted to Northern so aren't always people who have a sound knowledge of the local lines and stations. There is of course no need for the original poster to worry about the conductor on the Blackpool South - Preston train grilling them if the destination on the ticket is Blackpool South.

 

[yorkie]

Indeed.

 

[Moonschool]

Cheers guys, you have been a big relief!

 

[yorkie]

No worries enjoy the journey.