Taunton to Preston - Engineering Works

[m_m]

Hi,

I am a bit confused by some engineering works on a day that I have to travel in May. My journey is:

Sunday 14/05/2017 - Taunton to Preston (Lancs), arriving early evening ideally but this is flexible

Thursday 18/05/2017 – Preston (Lancs) to Taunton, leaving at approximately 16:30/17:30

I am not massively bothered about cost as work are paying, but I need to make sure that the fare looks straightforward to our central booking people (or else they might think that there are ‘no fares available’ and I will end up with a hellish journey up the M5, probably in a van).

I have been on the national rail website and, if I try and put a journey in as above it plays up and starts pushing me onto rail replacement buses or not generating any fares.

However, if I put in to travel via Gloucester it lists train journeys with no replacement buses and routes me via Birmingham. However, if I click to buy a return ticket it says this is not available.

If I just book a normal open return ticket from Taunton to Preston (Lancs) will it be valid via Birmingham?

If not, is there another way of achieving this journey that I haven’t spotted?

Many Thanks!

 

[Romilly]

On the Sunday, there are rail-replacement buses (and no trains) between Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway. But, between Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham, there is a choice between express rail-replacement buses, and trains calling at Gloucester en route.

The usual £120.20 Taunton-Preston offpeak return ticket will cover your journey, whichever option you choose between Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham on the Sunday. You will travel via Birmingham New Street both ways in any event (although the ticket would also be valid for travel via Newport and Shrewsbury, avoiding Birmingham, if you wanted to take the long route).

NB if you want to avoid taking a bus across Bristol on the Sunday, there is an hourly diverted through train from Taunton to Birmingham going via Bristol, Bath, Swindon and Cheltenham.

Unfortunately, the journeys on the Sunday are not showing up properly on National Rail Enquiries, and none of the booking engines allows you to specify a via point for just one half of a return journey.

 

[m_m]

That's brilliant, thanks very much!

I think I will stick to the diverted train, the journey doesn't seem too long and I'd prefer to avoid buses.

Cheers!