In message
s.com of Sat, 21 May 2011 14:24:04 in uk.transport.london, paul in HG
writes
On May 21, 3:39*pm, Mizter T wrote:


[snip]

I'd forgotten about the West Brompton route, that's certainly worth a
try.

Thanks for all the suggestions, time to do some experimenting to see
which is best!

Nobody has said that TfL's Journey Planner (JP) can be used for Luton.
It is slightly tricky to persuade it to take some of the more obscure
routes suggested.

Later: Oh bu??er, the target was Elstree.

Sorry about the verbosity in URLs below. JP finds Elstree ambiguous. It
prefers Elstree & Borehamwood Rail Station but tolerates Elstree and
Borehamwood Station. (That can be passed without problem to both FireFox
and Internet Explorer. Browsers use ";amp;" to communicate "&".)
You may also have problems with your news reader not handling url
correctly where url extends over several lines. I had when testing.

Here goes:

1a) The basic route now
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...language=en&se
ssionID=0&ptOptionsActive=-1&type_origin=stop&name_origin=southfields&ty
pe_destination=stop&name_destination=Elstree and Borehamwood Station

1b) That route using JP's large print version
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/bcl...anguage=en&ses
sionID=0&ptOptionsActive=-1&type_origin=stop&name_origin=southfields&typ
e_destination=stop&name_destination=Elstree and Borehamwood Station

1c) That route in German
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...sessionID=0&pt
OptionsActive=-1&type_origin=stop&name_origin=southfields&type_de stinati
on=stop&name_destination=Elstree and Borehamwood Station

1d) That route departing on a specified day and time:
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...language=en&se
ssionID=0&ptOptionsActive=-1&type_origin=stop&name_origin=southfields&ty
pe_destination=stop&name_destination=Elstree and Borehamwood Station&itd
date=20110523&itdtime=700

1e) That route arriving on a specified day and time:
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...language=en&se
ssionID=0&ptOptionsActive=-1&type_origin=stop&name_origin=southfields&ty
pe_destination=stop&name_destination=Elstree and Borehamwood Station&itd
Date=20110516&itdTime=700&itdTripDateTimeDepArr=ar r

2) Southfields - Edgware Road - Farringdon - Elstree
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...language=en&se
ssionID=0&ptOptionsActive=-1&type_origin=stop&name_origin=southfields&ty
pe_destination=stop&name_destination=Elstree and Borehamwood Station&typ
e_via=stop&name_via=Edgware Road (Circle Line)
This is a bit long from an Excel 2003 cell containing a hyperlink call
where I generate those urls.
name_via=Baker Street is equivalent and 14 bytes shorter. (BAY is -17).

3) Southfields - West Brompton - West Hampstead - Elstree (cheaper as
avoids Zone 1)
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...language=en&se
ssionID=0&ptOptionsActive=-1&type_origin=stop&name_origin=southfields&ty
pe_destination=stop&name_destination=Elstree and Borehamwood Station&typ
e_via=stop&name_via=West Hampstead
name_via=West Brompton is ineffective - main route goes through WBT.

4)
In message
..com of Sat, 21 May 2011 07:39:14 in uk.transport.london, Mizter T
writes

[snip]

Go to Wimbledon and take the direct Thameslink stopping train? Timing
wise might not be so great though (the train starts off going in the
'wrong direction' towards Streatham, and isn't particularly snappy).
name_via=Wimbledon selects this route. It did not do so for
name_destination=Luton which suggested changing to an overtaking Bedford
train from a St Albans' at Farringdon.

5)
In message of Sat, 21 May 2011 15:52:14
in uk.transport.london, Roland Perry writes

[snip]

At Kings Cross, the change from subsurface to Thameslink is one of the
shorter. Another possibility is to take the Jubilee via Baker Street,
then change again at West Hampstead.
I can't force this. name_via=Finchley Road goes via Westminster.
As already noted, name_via=Baker Street goes via Farringdon.
--
Walter Briscoe