Day ticket from Thatcham to watford jn valid via London

[whole diary]

[BerkshireBugsy]

At the moment I am commuting from Thatcham to watford jn and my ticket allows me to go via London but the tube/overground service is soo slow. Does anyone here know if it is permissible to use this ticket on the mainline services into Euston and then catch the tube from Euston the paddington?

It's a full price (peak time) standard ticket if that makes any difference

Thanks

Dave

[Mookiemoo]

If its says via london then i wold presume it would do

[paul7575]

The fare from Euston to Watford Jn is set by London Midland, reflecting the fact that they are considered the normal operator.   That's why Watford Jn is outside the London fare zones.

So yes, a National Rail fare must be valid on LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) from Euston.  (If you didn't already know, the Virgin WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) services are pick up and set down only at Watford Jn, so cannot be used for the journey.)

Paul

[BerkshireBugsy]

Many thanks to you both and Paul I didn't know that so thanks again

[TonyK]

So yes, a National Rail fare must be valid on LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) from Euston.  (If you didn't already know, the Virgin WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) services are pick up and set down only at Watford Jn, so cannot be used for the journey.)

Paul

Am I thick or isn't every train "pick up and set down only"? I can't think what else one could do at a station with a stopped train on the platform.

[grahame]

So yes, a National Rail fare must be valid on LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) from Euston.  (If you didn't already know, the Virgin WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) services are pick up and set down only at Watford Jn, so cannot be used for the journey.)

Paul

Am I thick or isn't every train "pick up and set down only"? I can't think what else one could do at a station with a stopped train on the platform.

Pick up only northbound ... set down only southbound ... at Watford Junction.   For the most part - the 08:50 Euston to Holyhead appears to call for both on Saturdays - http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/assets/pdf/timetables/vt-timetable-d-09-2012.pdf

Trains occasionally stop at a platform for locomotive or crew purposes, or because of signals.   And I'm trying (but can't) think of somewhere that trains reverse at a platform but don't make a public stop ...

[paul7575]

...And I'm trying (but can't) think of somewhere that trains reverse at a platform but don't make a public stop ...

Eastleigh provides an example of that for FGW^▸ (First Great Western).  There's a Cardiff - Portsmouth service that runs that way in the late evening for diversionary route knowledge purposes that reverses in the platform but does not have a publicly advertised stop, and (without looking it up) a late Portsmouth to somewhere (Westbury?) in the opposite direction.

Paul

[TonyK]

Pick up only northbound ... set down only southbound ... at Watford Junction.   For the most part - the 08:50 Euston to Holyhead appears to call for both on Saturdays - http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/assets/pdf/timetables/vt-timetable-d-09-2012.pdf

Trains occasionally stop at a platform for locomotive or crew purposes, or because of signals.   And I'm trying (but can't) think of somewhere that trains reverse at a platform but don't make a public stop ...

Of course, silly me...

[Brucey]

The ticket has a maltese cross prefixing the route, so a cross-London terminal transfer on the tube is permitted.

[thetrout]

Have you considered the SN service from Kensington Olympia or Sheppards Bush? Direct to MKC^▸ (Milton Keynes Central) and calls at Watford Junction?

It runs from Clapham Junction (Sometimes South Croydon via CLJ) through Kensington Olympia to Watford Junction and onto Milton Keynes Central.

It's not an overly quick service but is more direct and might save you the hassle and it's probably just as quick than LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) to Euston Road and then a Walk to the Station (Often quicker than changing Tube Lines to go on to Euston Underground Station).

When I went to Coventry not so long ago, I took a VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchise (or, possibly, in a France context, Versement Transport - a payroll tax on employers to fund local transport) ) Service from Watford Junction having used that service from CLJ as my ticket was route: NOT LONDON which is now valid via Kensington Olympia. As this is no longer a London Terminals Station IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly')? It is suprisingly easier I found than the Northern Line for WAT - EUS and even more so when the Waterloo Branch is closed!!!

[BerkshireBugsy]

Thanks TT - for the moment I am finished in Watford but will bear that in mind! I hadn't thought of going that way.