Hitting London Midland in the pocket

[martinsh]

Due to their total uselessness, I have decided to boycott London Midland until further notice.

Since my regular (2/3 per week) journey is Crewe - Stafford, that leaves me with a problem !

I want to make a journey where the least proportion of revenue goes to Lm.

I am right in thinking they would get less of a Crewe - Stoke and Stoke - Stafford Day return combination, than a Crewe - Stafford return ?

 

[calc7]

Probably - but doesn't this give you a ridiculous detour away from the CRE-STA fasts?

 

[Swirlz]

Buy Crewe to Norton Bridge...

Presumably they have to give a couple of £ to the bus operator, as well as sharing revenue with other train companies.

Redspottedhanky (and National Rail) says valid via Stafford for £7.80 Single / £10.10 Return.

It also undercuts the Crewe-Stafford fare

 

[johnnycache]

Probably - but doesn't this give you a ridiculous detour away from the CRE-STA fasts?

The simple way to estimate Orcats shares (ie the percentage allocation each operator gets) is the count the number of direct trains in a typical hour and allocate equal shares to each

It only gets more complicated if-

There are slow and fast trains where the fast trains overtake the slow (in which case the slow train is ignored) or

If there are journey opportunities with interchanges that start later and arrive earlier than a direct train (in which case count them too)

The other thing is if there are dedicated tickets where the revenue goes 100% to one operator

 

[soil]

The simple way to estimate Orcats shares (ie the percentage allocation each operator gets) is the count the number of direct trains in a typical hour and allocate equal shares to each

Is this related to the TOC pricing the flow? Obviously on some routes two TOCs is required, and the 'main' TOC doesn't always get to price it.

 

[yorkie]

Is this related to the TOC pricing the flow? Obviously on some routes two TOCs is required, and the 'main' TOC doesn't always get to price it.

Revenue allocation is timetable-driven, for inter-available fares.

There is no mechanism to give the TOC that sets the flow any more of the fare. If there was, I suspect there would be huge battles over many flows!

 

[soil]

I see. Looks like Crewe- Stafford is nearly all LM, so they will get nearly all the dosh.

I can't see any obvious way of avoiding this without spending lots more.

 

[yorkie]

Due to their total uselessness,..

If you have a customer service issue, I may be able to get someone to look into it, if you like?

 

[martinsh]

If you have a customer service issue, I may be able to get someone to look into it, if you like?

They cancelled the entire Birmingham - Crewe service due to wires down near Birmingham. Don't see why they can't have run Wolverhampton - Crewe ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Buy Crewe to Norton Bridge...

Presumably they have to give a couple of £ to the bus operator, as well as sharing revenue with other train companies.

Redspottedhanky (and National Rail) says valid via Stafford for £7.80 Single / £10.10 Return.

It also undercuts the Crewe-Stafford fare

Can I "stop short" on the bus ? It goes past my office !

[Unfortnuately only runs about 5 times per day ]

 

[Swirlz]

They cancelled the entire Birmingham - Crewe service due to wires down near Birmingham. Don't see why they can't have run Wolverhampton - Crewe ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Can I "stop short" on the bus ? It goes past my office !

[Unfortnuately only runs about 5 times per day ]

I assume so!

Still Crewe-Stafford-Norton Bridge at that price seems a good anomaly to exploit IMO.

 

[kieron]

I assume so!

Still Crewe-Stafford-Norton Bridge at that price seems a good anomaly to exploit IMO.

Nantwich-Norton Bridge (priced by EMT) is a bit cheaper again (although it is twice as dear in First Class). Easement 700350 says you can double back via Stafford with that ticket, for if anyone is ever concerned that the route passes through Norton Bridge on the way.

 

[172212]

Couldn't you get an ex Edinburgh or Glasgow VT to Wolverhampton and then an XC Piccadilly to Stafford. I wish I could boycott London Midland. 9/10 of the trains at my local station are operated by them!

 

[gazthomas]

Bike, bus or taxi

 

[Howardh]

Never seen the point of privatisation to encourage competition when just one company runs on one line. Manchester to London is Virgin, like it or lump it. That's not competition, that's a monopoly.

Bizarre.