In reply to Bottom Clinger:
> The last time I was at Preston train station was when I was travelling back from Preston to Wigan (12 minute journey) I accidentally got on the London Euston express…
I used to get the train in the morning to London from Preston. £189 for the 07:18 that gets in at 10:10. Go one stop further north to Lancaster, the train that gets you in at 10:10, costs £76. But it is the same physical train that stops at Preston at 07:18. Enterprising people would buy the ticket from Lancaster and get on at Preston, saving over £100. The ticket inspectors, used to make a killing, as they had hundreds of people, without 'printed at Lancaster' on their ticket. So they would charge them full fair, and get a bonus for each one they caught. Every morning. Day after day. So count yourself lucky.
For those interested, the correct way to save money was to buy the ticket from Lancaster to London. Get on at Preston. But also buy a Preston to Lancaster single for ~£12. That way you have a valid ticket for the entire journey. Rather than starting your journey one stop closer to the destination, and relying on logic.
Its similar going north from London in the evening. Some stations are still at peak, so its cheaper to get a ticket further north to Lancaster, but get off at Preston. You can get off the train and leave the station to 'break your journey', provided you carry on. But you cant actually get off the train, leave the station and bugger off home. That's a crime.
Don't you just love petty little rules designed to milk money from the public and put people off using the service.