First Great Western - West Of England to Axminster

[whole diary]

[DevonTrains2008]

I notice that First Great Western is to cover Exeter to Axminster in it's new Devon only timetable this December.
- are they really operating services on this route or are they just producing this timetable to highlight their onward connections, prehaps to compete with the Waterloo line for passengers from stations such as Axminster and Honiton?

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i thought it was just for connections are those stations not in a lighter font on the timetable?

[ReWind]

I would imagine that they are showing the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) connections, as these are currently the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) that operates between Exeter and Axminster.

If FGW^▸ (First Great Western) were to operate services between Exeter and Axminster, I would of thought they would of continued to Yeovil or Salisbury, as Axminster is not a station where I could see services terminating.  It would cause more congestion to an already congested line.

[eightf48544]

Are these connections to and from West Devon and Cornwall?

Anyone to London is going to go via SWT^▸ (South West Trains).

I suppose if you were going for several days you might go via Exeter to Bristol and the North, otherwise you'd probaly drive to Tiverton Parkway.

Freinds of ours now regularly use SWT to Clapham Junction from Axminister to visit family. They book in advance and get incredably cheap fares far less than their petrol costs and they don't have the bother of parking in Wandsworth.

Which goes to show rail travel at a sensible price is very attractive.
 

[devon_metro]

I was under the impression that SWT^▸ (South West Trains) did not offer cheap advance fares, apart from the inflexible Megatrain which rarely has ^1 fares!

[Timmer]

I was under the impression that SWT^▸ (South West Trains) did not offer cheap advance fares, apart from the inflexible Megatrain which rarely has ^1 fares!

It does do a good range of Advance fares which I have used on numerous occasions this year.

[paul7575]

I think SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s advance fare map and price list is one of the most easily understood around, especially since they changed to 'Advance' being singles only. Prior to May they were still offering Super Apexs^▸ (Advanced Purchase Excursion (fare)) and such like, possibly being one of the last TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to do so:

(Network Rail - home page)/rdonlyres/342EF0FA-3CD8-43B1-B11A-E3417A8AAADD/0/SWTAdvancefaresmap2.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/342EF0FA-3CD8-43B1-B11A-E3417A8AAADD/0/SWTAdvancefaresmap2.pdf

It's fair to say they don't offer Advance fares within 'commuter land' though...

Paul

 

[smokey]

I notice that First Great Western is to cover Exeter to Axminster in it's new Devon only timetable this December.
- are they really operating services on this route or are they just producing this timetable to highlight their onward connections, prehaps to compete with the Waterloo line for passengers from stations such as Axminster and Honiton?

The answer lies in your own quote, it's a Devon services timetable therefore by ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) rules all devon services are shown, however it was too differcult for the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Idiots to put the Exeter-Axminster line on the front cover map.

[moonrakerz]

I think SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s advance fare map and price list is one of the most easily understood around, especially since they changed to 'Advance' being singles only. Prior to May they were still offering Super Apexs^▸ (Advanced Purchase Excursion (fare)) and such like, possibly being one of the last TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to do so:

(Network Rail - home page)/rdonlyres/342EF0FA-3CD8-43B1-B11A-E3417A8AAADD/0/SWTAdvancefaresmap2.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/342EF0FA-3CD8-43B1-B11A-E3417A8AAADD/0/SWTAdvancefaresmap2.pdf

It's fair to say they don't offer Advance fares within 'commuter land' though...

Paul

 

Something worth a mention is that if you pay an extra ^2 on your "advance" ticket to London you can travel right across the London travel area.
My daughter travels from Warminster to Rochester in Kent. If she buys a ticket to W'loo then one to Rochester that costs her ^4 more than an "advance" + ^2 to "Abbey Wood" (Kent not Bristol !) and a ticket from Abbey Wood to Rochester.

[gaf71]

I notice that First Great Western is to cover Exeter to Axminster in it's new Devon only timetable this December.
- are they really operating services on this route or are they just producing this timetable to highlight their onward connections, prehaps to compete with the Waterloo line for passengers from stations such as Axminster and Honiton?

The answer lies in your own quote, it's a Devon services timetable therefore by ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) rules all devon services are shown, however it was too differcult for the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Idiots to put the Exeter-Axminster line on the front cover map.

Why would FGW put it on their timetables? They don't run any services there. Surely its up to SWT^▸ (South West Trains) to provide this info.( P.S. I know you can't stand FGW smokey!)

[devon_metro]

It is actually on the timetables and is fairly useful. Just a shame about the rest of book B which is a disaster!

[thetrout]

The prices on south west trains make me laugh.

Assume you want to get from Gillingham (Dorset) to Exeter

If you book an advance First Class ticket from London - Exeter Via Salisbury - Gillingham - Axminster it will cost you ^20 for a First Class single.

Now you buy a ticket from Gillingham (Dorset) First Class to Exeter and it will cost you ^34.50 for a walkup ticket.

So its cheaper to buy a ticket for the same train for a longer journey than a much shorter journey. I know it has restrictions but lets assume you know your going to be on that train.

I tried it once this way and booked the advanced ticket. The ticket collector simply frowned at me for ever so slightly cheating the system...

[paul7575]

The prices on south west trains make me laugh.

Assume you want to get from Gillingham (Dorset) to Exeter

If you book an advance First Class ticket from London - Exeter Via Salisbury - Gillingham - Axminster it will cost you ^20 for a First Class single.

Now you buy a ticket from Gillingham (Dorset) First Class to Exeter and it will cost you ^34.50 for a walkup ticket.

So its cheaper to buy a ticket for the same train for a longer journey than a much shorter journey. I know it has restrictions but lets assume you know your going to be on that train.

I tried it once this way and booked the advanced ticket. The ticket collector simply frowned at me for ever so slightly cheating the system...

How long ago? Since May all Advance tickets are explicitly barred from starting long or ending short as well as break of journey, the T&C were changed to be common for all operators. Many Tocs, such as GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways) in their heyday, would have taken it a lot further...

Paul

[thetrout]

it was about 2 or 3 months ago. I knew about the break of journey not being allowed except to change trains shown on your ticket. but I wasn't aware that you couldn't start the journey late or end early. My understanding was this for example

If you booked and advanced ticket from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington on the 12:30. If you decided to board the 12:43 at Bath Spa then why would that be a problem because it is the exact same train on the same route. All that is different is that you have boarded a stop later.

If say the train started from W-S-M and you had your ticket booked from Bristol then yes of course I would pay for a ticket from W-S-M To Bristol Temple Meads without any form of questioning that.

The whole system to be honest is confusing to someone who doesn't know anything about rail travel or ticketing and these are the type of people who get taken advantage of by the system.

I sharn't continue down this line of conversation in this post as this would take the post completely off the OP^▸ (Original Poster / topic starter)'s topic

[super tm]

Why would you board the train at Bath Spa.  You bought a ticket from Bristol and for Advance tickets that is where you must start your journey.  If you want to  travel from Bath then you must buy the ticket from Bath in the first place