London to Inverness & break of journey

[Keith Jarrett]

Ticket experts, a little help please.
I am planning the following journey in a few weeks time
Day1
Depart Euston 09:30, to Carlisle
Spend several hours in Carlisle and go forward to Glasgow later same day
Overnight in Glasgow
Day 2
07:06 Glasgow Queen Street to Inverness, Overnight Inverness
Day 3
18:43 Inverness to Edinburgh, Overnight in Edinburgh
Day 4
09:30 Edinburgh To Newcastle
Spend a few hours in Newcastle & return to Kings Cross later same day.

I am planning on using a Super Off Peak Return (SSR) London Terminals to Inverness with a railcard as I wish to retain some flexibity on breaks of journey once I am on the move from London. Can anyone find fault with the ticket vs the itinerary? The only thing that concerns me is the resumption of my journey on day 2 whether I can leave Glasgow that early having broken my journey the previous night. I have looked at the restrictions against the ticket and there is no mention of any morning peak restriction out of Glasgow and everything else seems to fit in with the restrictions showing against the ticket.

 

[John @ home]

Unless day 2 is a Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday, the problem is that the 0706 from Glasgow on day 2 is too early.

The £131.70 (Railcard £86.95) London Terminals - Inverness route Any Permitted Super Off-Peak Return (SSR) carries Restriction 9F.

Day1
Depart Euston 09:30, to Carlisle - permitted

Mondays - Fridays (By any train on Bank Holidays and other days): Outward travel NORTHBOUND – by any train scheduled to DEPART: London Euston at or after 0905.

Spend several hours in Carlisle and go forward to Glasgow later same day - permitted

Break of Journey
Break of journey is allowed on the outward portion of Super Off-Peak tickets unless otherwise indicated by a restriction shown against the ticket’s validity code, and in all cases on the return portion of Super Off-Peak return tickets.

Restriction 9F does not contain a restriction limiting break of outward journey on the first day of the ticket's validity.

Day 2
07:06 Glasgow Queen Street to Inverness - not permitted Monday - Friday

Overnight Break of Journey
Restarting journey from an intermediate station
Outward (on day 2): outward morning restrictions as above apply from/via the stations shown above (Mon-Fri) and journey must recommence before 12.00 (all days). Recommencing from any other station en route that is north of the stations shown above must be on trains timed to depart 09.30-11.59 inclusive, Mon-Fri (by any train before 12.00 on BH and other days)

The stations shown above are London Terminals, Stevenage, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, Bedford, Watford Junction and Milton Keynes Central.

The effect of this is that the only direct Glasgow Queen St - Inverness train allowed on day 2 is at 1011. The 1141 is also allowed if you change at Perth.

Day 3
18:43 Inverness to Edinburgh - permitted

Mondays - Fridays (By any train on Bank Holidays and other days): Return travel SOUTHBOUND – by any train scheduled to ARRIVE:
London Liverpool St: at or after 1000.
London St Pancras: at or after 1129.
London Euston: at or after 1005. Also valid on all First ScotRail Caledonian sleepers (with supplement).
London Terminals (except as above): at or after 1117.

Day 4
09:30 Edinburgh To Newcastle
Spend a few hours in Newcastle & return to Kings Cross later same day. - permitted

Break of Journey
Break of journey is allowed ... in all cases on the return portion of Super Off-Peak return tickets.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Thanks for that - you have confirmed my suspicions that I could not travel so early in the morning on a weekday northwards from Glasgow.
However by the sounds of it, travel in the evening peak from Glasgow on Day 1 of my plannned itinerary would be perfectly acceptable! I am now thinking of revising my plans so that on Day 1 I head for Inverness on the 17:41 from Glasgow, changing at Perth.
And one final question, would travel back via Aberdeen be permitted? My interpretation of the routeing guide seems to say OK - I am looking at maps AS and IS. Nevertheless, confirmation from the experts would be welcome.

 

[John @ home]

I am now thinking of revising my plans so that on Day 1 I head for Inverness on the 17:41 from Glasgow, changing at Perth.

That would be valid, but rather cumbersome. You would need to leave Carlisle by 15:07.

15:07 Carlisle - Glasgow Central 16:30 TPE
Walk from Glasgow Central to Glasgow Queen Street
17:11 or 17:41 Glasgow Queen Street - Perth 18:24 or 18:52 ScotRail
18:59 Perth - Inverness 21:03 ScotRail

Unless you have a pressing need to go via Glasgow, I would suggest the following which allows an extra hour in Carlisle and gives a single cross-platform change at Haymarket:

16:11 Carlisle - Haymarket 17:31 TPE
17:45 Haymarket - Inverness 21:03 ScotRail

It would be prudent to reserve a seat on the 17:45 Haymarket - Inverness 21:03.

would travel back via Aberdeen be permitted? My interpretation of the routeing guide seems to say OK

Yes. The National Routeing Guide's Permitted Route Identifier shows that Map AS is one of the options showing permitted routes between London Group and Inverness. Map AS allows travel via Aberdeen.

 

[yorkie]

However by the sounds of it, travel in the evening peak from Glasgow on Day 1 of my plannned itinerary would be perfectly acceptable!

There is no evening peak out of Glasgow on this ticket.

And one final question, would travel back via Aberdeen be permitted? My interpretation of the routeing guide seems to say OK - I am looking at maps AS and IS. Nevertheless, confirmation from the experts would be welcome.

Yes, tickets from the South to Inverness are valid via Aberdeen, providing they are not 'Route: Aviemore'; 'Route: Any Permitted' is fine.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Thanks for the help guys. Very much appreciated.