Northern Strike/ticket res query.

[TrainfanBen]

What should I do? (I just need a bit of reassurance really)...

The tickets are;
2 adults return Coventry-Blackpool Pleasure Beach Station (sold as advance singles) bought from Thetrainline in one transaction.
We completed the outward journey.

The return is booked for the 14:17 VTWC from Preston. The itinerary specified the 13:22 from Blackpool Pleasure Beach Station but this service is not running.

Northern don't specify the easements on their website (I tried to check but didn't find it.)

On the outward journey Northern staff gave us permission at Preston to use the service that was due for departure. I assume for the return the nearest train for tomorrow would be the 12:50?

The frequency is every two hours (approx.) tomorrow and I don't want to turn up at the station to be told we can't travel.

I'm tempted just to cut my losses and just purchase new anytime tickets at Blackpool North to avoid but I'm concerned the connection is tight at Preston (I'm travelling with a family member who has arthritis)

What would you do? Help greatly appreciated

 

[robbeech]

If you have no real issue with getting the 1250 then i guess that is the most sensible option, though if you booked the tickets before the industrial action was announced you should be able to board the next VTWC service after your proposed return time. I appreciate you don't want the hassle though. Is your ticket something and connections or do you have a specific itinerary stating the 1322 departure from Blackpool?

 

[TrainfanBen]

Its booked train only, which would't be a problem if there was no disruption.
I'll purchase new tickets.

 

[Hadders]

I wouldn't be buying any new tickets. Given there is a strike tomorrow I doubt anyone is going to be picky over this.

 

[gray1404]

Don't buy new tickets at all.

 

[island]

And for future reference never use Trainline as it sells the same tickets as everywhere else for a higher price.

 

[Starmill]

You would be fine, there is no requirement at all to purchase any new tickets. If you did purchase new tickets it's unlikely they would be refunded, but it would still be worth writing in to Northern with all of the tickets explaining everything that happened.

 

[TrainfanBen]

Outcome:
I did buy new tickets. Best £100 I spent.
I didn't want to post about it but
Now I have two valid claims; one on the outbound for an incident that occurred Tuesday due to a missing handrail/unsafe train dispatch and the second for defamation and Equality Act compliance etc.

My mother fell over boarding the train at Preston on Tuesday. Was left unassisted on carriage floor until Blackpool.
It was apalling. I'm buying a car.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

And for future reference never use Trainline as it sells the same tickets as everywhere else for a higher price.

I tell this to so many passengers. Just shows how good advertising can be.

 

[Joe Paxton]

I tell this to so many passengers. Just shows how good advertising can be.

They have built up quite a brand over the years.

 

[313103]

Outcome:
I did buy new tickets. Best £100 I spent.
I didn't want to post about it but
Now I have two valid claims; one on the outbound for an incident that occurred Tuesday due to a missing handrail/unsafe train dispatch and the second for defamation and Equality Act compliance etc.

My mother fell over boarding the train at Preston on Tuesday. Was left unassisted on carriage floor until Blackpool.
It was apalling. I'm buying a car.

Can you elaborate the part of your statement 'unsafe train dispatch' ? I am at a lost on this was the guard at fault if its Guarded Train, was it a dispatchers fault if the train is dispatched by a dispatcher, was it the drivers fault if the train was in doo mode?

The second point what do you mean by defamation and equality act compliance?

Thirdly how did your Mother fall over, was this caused by the train or movement or too high a step?

Finally how is it your Mother was left unassisted on the journey from Preston to Blackpool a journey time of approx 35 minutes? Was any of the train crew made aware of this? Did not one of the general public offer any assistance or try to make the train crew aware? Did you use any of the safety devices to make the train crew aware? Why did you wait for the journey to terminate before raising your problems ?

 

[TrainfanBen]

My mum fell forward onto the train. Lack of hand rail was contributory.

Northern Train Staff knew about my mother being stuck on the floor they stood watching, unable to get back up before the train start signal was given by Virgin platform dispatcher who saw.

The virgin dispatcher saw her on the floor and gave the signal. I should have overridden it with the emergency handle.
My mother is overweight and unable to lift her bodyweight.
Knowing I couldn't lift her, I took photo's.

She should have been assisted by a paramedic crew at Preston. The train shouldn't have started.
We were told she should wait until Blackpool South. My mother didn't have any choice in the matter.


I should have pulled the emergency stop handle.

 

[Merseysider]

Why didn't you?

 

[TrainfanBen]

I was distracted thinking about the legalities and didn't think too.

 

[ainsworth74]

The OP got correct advice on what to do with their original issue. Regarding the later issue without anyone else on the Forum being there it isn't really possible to comment extensively and besides for the sort of action the OP is talking about they will most likely need a solicitor in any case. Therefore this thread is locked.