• Re: Change at Manea for Ely

    From Sam Wilson@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 12:23:48
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <copr7m-n7r.ln1@castle-combe.rilynn.me.uk>, at 20:24:12 on
    Fri, 6 Mar 2026, Roger <usenet@rilynn.me.uk> remarked:
    On 06/03/2026 07:09, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10od0to$6peb$1@dont-email.me>, at 22:43:04 on Thu, 5 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Tomorrow I will be travelling from Edinburgh to Ely[1]. I bought the >>>>> tickets through the ScotRail site, which does split ticketing. The ticket
    for the return journey is direct from Ely to Edinburgh but the outward >>>>> tickets are split at Manea. No, there?s not need to change trains, just >>>>> tickets. Apparently that saves about œ4 in around œ100. Seems quite >>>>> random.

    OK, so here?s a ticketing question. You?re travelling from Edinburgh to >>>> Ely, changing trains at Peterborough from LNER to a specific XC train.

    On which you presumably had a seat reservation.

    It's not clear whether that ticket is valid on any train (the phrase "and
    connections" rings a bell) but happens to have a reserved seat on that train >> for convenience, or whether it is only valid on that specific train. I'm not >> sure how you would tell the difference without asking.

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on
    a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect
    an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then
    there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your
    ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than
    on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered by
    ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets themselves[1],
    is to catch the last available connecting service from Ely to Peterborough
    with again a relatively short connection, 13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking
    we might go for the train before the suggested one.

    [1] Advance Single, ?Specified LNER trains, and connecting se?[sic], with
    the time of the train and seat reservations from PBO printed on the ticket,
    but nothing to specify the connecting service(s).

    Sam

    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tweed@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 12:28:30
    Roger <usenet@rilynn.me.uk> wrote:
    On 07/03/2026 08:30, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <copr7m-n7r.ln1@castle-combe.rilynn.me.uk>, at 20:24:12 on
    Fri, 6 Mar 2026, Roger <usenet@rilynn.me.uk> remarked:
    On 06/03/2026 07:09, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10od0to$6peb$1@dont-email.me>, at 22:43:04 on Thu, 5 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Tomorrow I will be travelling from Edinburgh to Ely[1]. I bought the >>>>>> tickets through the ScotRail site, which does split ticketing. The ticket
    for the return journey is direct from Ely to Edinburgh but the outward >>>>>> tickets are split at Manea. No, there?s not need to change trains, just >>>>>> tickets. Apparently that saves about œ4 in around œ100. Seems quite >>>>>> random.

    OK, so here?s a ticketing question. You?re travelling from Edinburgh to >>>>> Ely, changing trains at Peterborough from LNER to a specific XC train. >>>>
    On which you presumably had a seat reservation.

    It's not clear whether that ticket is valid on any train (the phrase "and >>> connections" rings a bell) but happens to have a reserved seat on that train
    for convenience, or whether it is only valid on that specific train. I'm not
    sure how you would tell the difference without asking.

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on
    a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the
    Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect
    an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think
    that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then
    there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your
    ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than
    on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    A slightly different question might be: If I had an advance Lumo only ticket from Falkirk to London and I miss my connection at Edinburgh. Do I have to wait, potentially, several hours for the next Lumo train or may I catch the next LNER? I know Lumo do not usually accept LNER tickets when LNER trains are cancelled. (If Lumos are too frequent for this question to be plausible, please swap for another infrequent operator. Or, what happens if it's the last Lumo of the day that I miss?)



    On an only slightly related point, I am very wary of relying on connections onto the last train of the day, in case something goes wrong. If everyone
    did this, it could make the last train very lightly loaded and at risk of being removed from the timetable, at which point there is a new last train and the process repeats.


    My understanding is you have to wait for the next Lumo at Edinburgh, unless
    the last one of the day has gone. At that point the railway?s duty to get
    you home kicks in and you can then use LNER.

    As more operators become nationalised the disadvantages of Lumo (and other
    open operators) become more apparent. As an example, LNER, Northern and TPE allow you to use each other?s trains in the event of disruption.




    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tweed@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 12:41:30
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <copr7m-n7r.ln1@castle-combe.rilynn.me.uk>, at 20:24:12 on
    Fri, 6 Mar 2026, Roger <usenet@rilynn.me.uk> remarked:
    On 06/03/2026 07:09, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10od0to$6peb$1@dont-email.me>, at 22:43:04 on Thu, 5 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Tomorrow I will be travelling from Edinburgh to Ely[1]. I bought the >>>>>> tickets through the ScotRail site, which does split ticketing. The ticket
    for the return journey is direct from Ely to Edinburgh but the outward >>>>>> tickets are split at Manea. No, there?s not need to change trains, just >>>>>> tickets. Apparently that saves about œ4 in around œ100. Seems quite >>>>>> random.

    OK, so here?s a ticketing question. You?re travelling from Edinburgh to >>>>> Ely, changing trains at Peterborough from LNER to a specific XC train. >>>>
    On which you presumably had a seat reservation.

    It's not clear whether that ticket is valid on any train (the phrase "and >>> connections" rings a bell) but happens to have a reserved seat on that train
    for convenience, or whether it is only valid on that specific train. I'm not
    sure how you would tell the difference without asking.

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on
    a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the
    Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect
    an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think
    that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then
    there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your
    ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than
    on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered by ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets themselves[1], is to catch the last available connecting service from Ely to Peterborough with again a relatively short connection, 13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking we might go for the train before the suggested one.

    [1] Advance Single, ?Specified LNER trains, and connecting se?[sic], with
    the time of the train and seat reservations from PBO printed on the ticket, but nothing to specify the connecting service(s).

    Sam


    I don?t think they care which connecting train you take. You can?t break a journey on an Advance ticket, so if you take an earlier train you just
    spend longer hanging around at the connecting station. ie you gain no real personal advantage.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Sam Wilson@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 13:52:46
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <copr7m-n7r.ln1@castle-combe.rilynn.me.uk>, at 20:24:12 on
    Fri, 6 Mar 2026, Roger <usenet@rilynn.me.uk> remarked:
    On 06/03/2026 07:09, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10od0to$6peb$1@dont-email.me>, at 22:43:04 on Thu, 5 Mar >>>>> 2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
    Tomorrow I will be travelling from Edinburgh to Ely[1]. I bought the >>>>>>> tickets through the ScotRail site, which does split ticketing. The ticket
    for the return journey is direct from Ely to Edinburgh but the outward >>>>>>> tickets are split at Manea. No, there?s not need to change trains, just
    tickets. Apparently that saves about œ4 in around œ100. Seems quite >>>>>>> random.

    OK, so here?s a ticketing question. You?re travelling from Edinburgh to >>>>>> Ely, changing trains at Peterborough from LNER to a specific XC train. >>>>>
    On which you presumably had a seat reservation.

    It's not clear whether that ticket is valid on any train (the phrase "and >>>> connections" rings a bell) but happens to have a reserved seat on that train
    for convenience, or whether it is only valid on that specific train. I'm not
    sure how you would tell the difference without asking.

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on >>> a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the
    Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect >>> an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think >>> that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then
    there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your
    ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than >>> on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered by
    ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets themselves[1], >> is to catch the last available connecting service from Ely to Peterborough >> with again a relatively short connection, 13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking >> we might go for the train before the suggested one.

    [1] Advance Single, ?Specified LNER trains, and connecting se?[sic], with
    the time of the train and seat reservations from PBO printed on the ticket, >> but nothing to specify the connecting service(s).

    Sam


    I don?t think they care which connecting train you take. You can?t break a journey on an Advance ticket, so if you take an earlier train you just
    spend longer hanging around at the connecting station. ie you gain no real personal advantage.

    Just a slightly increased chance of arriving home at the time you expected
    to! :-)

    Sam

    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Roland Perry@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 16:15:22
    In message <10oh5ck$1h3d1$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:23:48 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on
    a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the
    Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect
    an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think
    that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then
    there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your
    ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than
    on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered by >ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets themselves[1], >is to catch the last available connecting service from Ely to Peterborough >with again a relatively short connection, 13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking >we might go for the train before the suggested one.

    If the train from Ely to PBO is an XC (originating Stansted) I'd be
    very nervous, because they are very prone to being cancelled every
    time a butterfly flaps its wings.
    --
    Roland Perry

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Sam Wilson@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 16:26:37
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10oh5ck$1h3d1$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:23:48 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on
    a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the
    Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect >>> an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think
    that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then
    there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your
    ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than >>> on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered by
    ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets themselves[1], >> is to catch the last available connecting service from Ely to Peterborough >> with again a relatively short connection, 13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking >> we might go for the train before the suggested one.

    If the train from Ely to PBO is an XC (originating Stansted) I'd be
    very nervous, because they are very prone to being cancelled every
    time a butterfly flaps its wings.

    Suggested service is the 1459 GA, arr 1539, but there is also the 1448-1523
    EM and before that (maybe a little too long before) the 1415-1449 XC.
    Ticket specifies the 1552 at PBO.

    Sam

    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Trolleybus@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 16:34:53
    On Sat, 7 Mar 2026 16:15:22 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk>
    wrote:

    In message <10oh5ck$1h3d1$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:23:48 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on
    a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the
    Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect >>> an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think
    that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then
    there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your
    ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than >>> on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered by >>ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets themselves[1], >>is to catch the last available connecting service from Ely to Peterborough >>with again a relatively short connection, 13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking >>we might go for the train before the suggested one.

    If the train from Ely to PBO is an XC (originating Stansted) I'd be
    very nervous, because they are very prone to being cancelled every
    time a butterfly flaps its wings.

    They used to be, but seem much better now.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Roland Perry@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 17:28:49
    In message <10ohjjs$1m97k$2@dont-email.me>, at 16:26:37 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10oh5ck$1h3d1$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:23:48 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on >>>> a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the
    Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect >>>> an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think >>>> that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then
    there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your
    ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than >>>> on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered
    ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets >>>themselves[1], is to catch the last available connecting service
    from Ely to Peterborough with again a relatively short connection,
    13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking we might go for the train before
    the suggested one.

    If the train from Ely to PBO is an XC (originating Stansted) I'd be
    very nervous, because they are very prone to being cancelled every
    time a butterfly flaps its wings.

    Suggested service is the 1459 GA, arr 1539,

    As that starts at Ipswich, there's plenty of time to look and see if it actually departed, and was on its way.

    but there is also the 1448-1523 EM

    Much the same.

    and before that (maybe a little too long before) the 1415-1449 XC.

    Which generally would be a lot less reliable.

    Ticket specifies the 1552 at PBO.

    What actually happened was:

    The GA got to PBO two early
    The EM was on time
    The XC was one early

    And the LNER was one early leaving PBO and as I type is one late at Northallerton.
    --
    Roland Perry

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Sam Wilson@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 17:47:26
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10ohjjs$1m97k$2@dont-email.me>, at 16:26:37 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10oh5ck$1h3d1$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:23:48 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on >>>>> a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the
    Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect >>>>> an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think >>>>> that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then
    there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your
    ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than >>>>> on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered
    ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets
    themselves[1], is to catch the last available connecting service
    from Ely to Peterborough with again a relatively short connection,
    13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking we might go for the train before
    the suggested one.

    If the train from Ely to PBO is an XC (originating Stansted) I'd be
    very nervous, because they are very prone to being cancelled every
    time a butterfly flaps its wings.

    Suggested service is the 1459 GA, arr 1539,

    As that starts at Ipswich, there's plenty of time to look and see if it actually departed, and was on its way.

    but there is also the 1448-1523 EM

    Much the same.

    and before that (maybe a little too long before) the 1415-1449 XC.

    Which generally would be a lot less reliable.

    Ticket specifies the 1552 at PBO.

    What actually happened was:

    The GA got to PBO two early
    The EM was on time
    The XC was one early

    And the LNER was one early leaving PBO and as I type is one late at Northallerton.

    Do you have a crystal ball to tell me whether the same thing will happen on Monday? :-)

    Sam

    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Roland Perry@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, March 08, 2026 06:18:24
    In message <10ohobe$1o351$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:47:26 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10ohjjs$1m97k$2@dont-email.me>, at 16:26:37 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10oh5ck$1h3d1$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:23:48 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on >>>>>> a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the >>>>>> Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect >>>>>> an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think >>>>>> that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then >>>>>> there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your >>>>>> ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than >>>>>> on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered
    ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets
    themselves[1], is to catch the last available connecting service
    from Ely to Peterborough with again a relatively short connection,
    13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking we might go for the train before
    the suggested one.

    If the train from Ely to PBO is an XC (originating Stansted) I'd be
    very nervous, because they are very prone to being cancelled every
    time a butterfly flaps its wings.

    100:

    Suggested service is the 1459 GA, arr 1539,

    As that starts at Ipswich, there's plenty of time to look and see if it
    actually departed, and was on its way.

    but there is also the 1448-1523 EM

    Much the same.

    and before that (maybe a little too long before) the 1415-1449 XC.

    Which generally would be a lot less reliable.

    Ticket specifies the 1552 at PBO.

    What actually happened (edit: on Saturday) was...

    The GA got to PBO two early
    The EM was on time
    The XC was one early

    And the LNER was one early leaving PBO and as I type is one late at
    Northallerton.

    Do you have a crystal ball to tell me whether the same thing will happen on >Monday? :-)

    You didn't say which day you were returning home, so I assumed it was yesterday. For Monday "GOTO 100".
    --
    Roland Perry

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Sam Wilson@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, March 08, 2026 10:26:08
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10ohobe$1o351$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:47:26 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10ohjjs$1m97k$2@dont-email.me>, at 16:26:37 on Sat, 7 Mar
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10oh5ck$1h3d1$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:23:48 on Sat, 7 Mar >>>>> 2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:

    By the nature of an "and connections" ticket, the minor leg is often on >>>>>>> a train which doesn't have seat reservations, but especially in the >>>>>>> Southeast they have a concept of "train reservations" which is in effect
    an itinerary that they'd like you to stick with. Although I don't think >>>>>>> that's compulsory to follow.

    If one of the trains is late and you miss the connection(sic) then >>>>>>> there's rules about how you resume your trip. It might affect your >>>>>>> ability to claim Delay Repay if you deliberately took a later train than
    on the itinerary for the minor leg, and as a result missed the
    connection to the major leg.

    I have the opposite issue on the return leg. The itinerary offered >>>>>> ScotRail with our tickets, though not printed on the tickets
    themselves[1], is to catch the last available connecting service
    from Ely to Peterborough with again a relatively short connection, >>>>>> 13 minutes, at PBO. I?m thinking we might go for the train before >>>>>> the suggested one.

    If the train from Ely to PBO is an XC (originating Stansted) I'd be
    very nervous, because they are very prone to being cancelled every
    time a butterfly flaps its wings.

    100:

    Suggested service is the 1459 GA, arr 1539,

    As that starts at Ipswich, there's plenty of time to look and see if it
    actually departed, and was on its way.

    but there is also the 1448-1523 EM

    Much the same.

    and before that (maybe a little too long before) the 1415-1449 XC.

    Which generally would be a lot less reliable.

    Ticket specifies the 1552 at PBO.

    What actually happened (edit: on Saturday) was...

    The GA got to PBO two early
    The EM was on time
    The XC was one early

    And the LNER was one early leaving PBO and as I type is one late at
    Northallerton.

    Do you have a crystal ball to tell me whether the same thing will happen on >> Monday? :-)

    You didn't say which day you were returning home, so I assumed it was yesterday. For Monday "GOTO 100".

    <https://homepages.cwi.nl/~storm/teaching/reader/Dijkstra68.pdf> (though
    I?m not sure how relevant that is in a railway context)

    Advice appreciated nonetheless. Thank you.

    Sam

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