Walter Briscoe wrote:
In message of Wed, 22 Jul
2015 21:38:59 in uk.transport.london, Paul Corfield
writes
On Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:13:19 +0100, eastender
wrote:

Took kids to a party in Romford yesterday. As it was a 17.30 start,
decided not to risk getting to and driving on the A12 so took train
from Dalston Kingsland, change at Stratford to TFL Rail. Apart from
trains coming back not running owing to a fatality at Stratford, so
took kids to Romford McDonald's (no hardship for them) and then got
home late, a few points:


[snip]

- Fare is absurdly cheap - £2.80 to Romford going and £2.60 coming
back, I see from journey history. Would have been more in petrol so a
result there.

I'm surprised it's that much although I assume you paid peak fares on
the outward journey. To give a comparison a Dalston to Harrow and
Wealdstone journey (avoiding Zone 1) only costs £1.50 off peak so the
Romford line is £1.10 more expensive covering the same number of
zones. This is because the DfT insisted on separate, more expensive
farescales when TfL took over the Shenfield and West Anglia routes.

[snip]

Paul, you show your usual wide knowledge.
Are you able to give a URL, showing how DfT controlled the fares?
I am staggered that adjacent stations Harold Wood and Brentwood are in
zones 6 and 9 for a 4 minute journey.
I was also surprised to find Shenfield is in "Special fares apply".

Shenfield is treated exactly the same as Watford Junction.