Great Western Coffee Shop

https://busandtrainuser.com/2025/01/21/avoid-paying-75-more-without-using-railcards-split-or-advance-tickets/

They say the railway’s byzantine fare structure is going to be sorted when Great British Railways (GBR) finally gets up and running. But that promise is like Billy Bunter’s never arriving postal order. Every incoming Minister in the DfT over the last couple of decades has promised to sort the complex system of rail fares and tickets out usually ordering a “full review” but instead another raft of additional price options are added to the mix. It’s happening again even now with the Great British Rail Sale.

Continues

Another excellent article by Roger French

Suggesting using a return ticket in the wrong direction? Brilliant idea if you want a slam dunk penalty fare or worse.   Barry Doe says it’s ok, really?

I don’t think so. Like you say, they’ll be trouble if you get caught.

Risk versus reward. As pointed out in the article, the chances of being caught...

This is one of those instances where I think it's unfair. If we're to continue to have walk up return fares then they should be the same for either direction. If TOCs want flow pricing then there should be single leg fares only.

A good point is made noting that using a return the 'wrong' way round isn't allowed, but discarding one leg of a return is fine when the return is cheaper than a single. The TOCs have created this mess, so I have no qualms with someone using a return like this. Of course I'd point out the risks if someone suggests it. I'd take that risk myself though.