Great Western Coffee Shop

This Wednesday ... Chippenham (but Melksham would be nice!) to Acton Main Line - need to be there at about half past 8 and set of back soon after 5 - but can't guarentee a particular train.   Happy to limit myself to trains that have a "6" as the middle digit rather that a "2" for some of the way if I need to, also happy to take a slower but cheaper ride if it's less than an hour slower.

Quoted return fare CPM -> AML is 135 return ... singles on many trains are 67.50.   Lots of ways to "play" with this one  ;) I think I have a 79 pound return fare that gives me good flexibility but would be interested in suggestions.  Oh - I am now qualified to be a Saga lout, but am not infirm enough to claim with a straight face that 7 a.m. on Wednedsay is after 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and the limit doesn't say that it's after 10 a.m. on the same day/

Suggestions?

Assuming you can commit to your outward journey, I see a ^44.50 advance departing CPM at 0555, change PAD, arr 0751 at AML.

Return journey is a bit more complicated, but there may be something you can do involving off-peak day tickets split at Didcot on a Turbo stopping service to Didcot then an HST back from there...?

Can I just confirm.... you have a Senior Railcard?

No - but I'm elligible for club 55.

Best I can see is the Advance Purchase on the 0555 from CPM change at PAD, arrive AML 0751, for ^44.50

Then on the return, an Off Peak Day Single (Route: Not London) on the 1724 AML to Didcot, arrive 1854 (change at Ealing Broadway) for ^14.90

Then from DID, a Super Off Peak Single to CPM on the 1912, arrive 1944, for ^10

Total ^69.40.

For just a little more you can split the Outward journey at DID into 2 Anytime Singles, CPM - DID ^19.00 and DID - AML (via London) ^26.90. This would allow a later start on the 0709 at CPM arriving AML at 0821. Your total would then be ^70.80.

If you do your journey avoiding London Paddington you can use Club 55 both ways.

Can you tell me, Ollie, how you get the Club 55 fare out of FGW's Booking engine? I've selected 'Avoid London' and clicked on the 'slower routes' link. This lists the Club 55 fares but when you click 'Check for trains' it comes up as N/A - at least for the times grahame wants to travel.

A bit more digging and I've managed to get Clubb 55 to work that early, but only as far as Slough. ^25.00 Club 55 Return to Slough, plus a Slough - AML Anytime Day Return at ^10.50 for a total of ^35.50.

0625 from Chippenham gets to AML at 0833 changing at Reading and Ealing Broadway. 0555 for an 0803 arrival.
1724 from AML gets to Chippenham 1944, again changing EAL and RDG.

Good work - many thanks.   I think I'll go for the old fogies ticket to Slough

Isn't it interesting that I can get from Chippenham to Paddington on the 06:25 in 81 minutes, but the shorter journey to Acton Main Line takes a much longer 128 minutes.

P.S. If the 05:56 TransWilts still ran, and the evening return (these are two of the trains that were running when First took over), I could do the whole of this trip with FGW  ;)

If your splitiing at Slough remember that the train has to stop there in order to make the split ticket valid.

Thanks.  My itinary's going to be "change Reading, change Ealing" both ways and I thought that all trains that run from Reading (stopping) to Ealing (calling) stop along the way at Slough - but you've got me worried now and I'm going to check that out.

I checked that before quoting the fares. You do indeed stop at Slough both ways. I've subsequently discovered a cheaper split as well.

Chippenham - Langley (Berks), Club 55 Return ^25.00
Langley (Berks) - Acton Main Line (Route: Not London) Anytime Day Return ^8.90.
Total: ^33.90

Using the services quoted upthread; either the 0555 or 0625 out and the 1724 return, these all call at Langley (Berks).

Incidentally grahame, if you can make it to AML for 1651 in the evening you can then travel all the way back to Melksham. Starting short at CPM on the outward.

1651 AML-EAL arrives 1654.
1704 EAL-RDG arrives 1800. (calls Langley)
1811 RDG-SWI arrives 1838.
1844 SWI-MKM arrives 1910.

Pointless if you have to drive to CPM in the morning, but if you are getting a lift...... In which case you'll need a Melksham - Langley (Berks) Club 55 Return.

Finally, it appears that Club 55 is only available in the morning peak as far as the Greater London boundary, with Iver being the last station before said Boundary. I chose Langley (Berks) because the fare from there to AML is the same as from Iver, but Iver has far fewer trains calling.

BNM - many thanks for the research - duly used and a viable and successful day's work was the result. I *did* end up back on the TransWilts service as it happened ... though with the car up at Chippenham, got off there and felt - well - a bit disloyal in doing so.   In fact if First hadn't "pulled" the 05:56 from Melksham I could have done the whole thing without having to resort to a car at all - but that's a story for a campaign and another thread ...

Glad to have helped save you a few bob. And apologies for assuming, upthread, that you may've been old enough for a Senior Railcard!!  ;)