Off Peak Day Return - Break Journey?

omelette451

gner_ex wrote: »

Compared to them, FGW are popes and saints.

And I never thought I'd hear anyone say that!

Anyway, I have a quick (related) question... If I'm travelling on a ticket that doesn't allow breaks of journey and have to change at a station (let's say Birmingham New St), am I allowed to pass through the barriers while I'm waiting for my connection? I can think of many reasons why I might want to do so (e.g. to smoke, go to a particular shop, collect other tickets from the FT machines, etc.), but do the staff have any right to refuse to allow it? Obviously I'd have a valid ticket so they couldn't fine me, but what if they suspected (whether or not it's true) that I was trying to travel short?

gner_ex

omelette451 wrote: »

And I never thought I'd hear anyone say that!

Anyway, I have a quick (related) question... If I'm travelling on a ticket that doesn't allow breaks of journey and have to change at a station (let's say Birmingham New St), am I allowed to pass through the barriers while I'm waiting for my connection? I can think of many reasons why I might want to do so (e.g. to smoke, go to a particular shop, collect other tickets from the FT machines, etc.), but do the staff have any right to refuse to allow it? Obviously I'd have a valid ticket so they couldn't fine me, but what if they suspected (whether or not it's true) that I was trying to travel short?

Break of journey does NOT include changing train. At certain places, you may need to leave a station to go to another one (i.e. New Street to Moor Street).

Strictly speaking, you oughtn't leave the barriered area unless your train is from a different situation. In reality - 99% of barrier staff will allow you to go out and get a sandwich or for a smoke - then what you do is entirely upto you. But try your ticket in the barrier - you never know whether it will be expected (especially at Birmingham, if your connection is one where a change of station is a permitted route).