Help GC Cancel all Trains tomorrow and Sunday

[northernrail2009]

I have Advance Tickets booked on GC Trains at 10am from York to Sunderland and back at 5.30pm but GC have Cancelled these Trains(see link) and im not sure what to do now.

What is the best way to travel from York to sunderland and can i use these tickets on First Trans Pennie?

http://www.grandcentralrail.co.uk/c...rvice-disruptions/4-service-disrtuptions.html

 

[Spaceflower]

York - Newcastle, then onto Sunderland

OR

York - Thornaby via TP then crawl up the coast to Sunderland

 

[Bittern]

but GC have Cancelled these Trains(see link)

But...I can't see link. There is no link.

 

[spoony]

Why have these services been cancelled? Very worrying?

 

[northernrail2009]

But...I can't see link. There is no link.

I have just put the link up on my first post.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Now does it matter what trains i travel on as i have a ticket from york to northallerton then Northallerton to Sunderland.

Dont ask me why i got the tickets like that it just worked out cheaper doing it that way with £5 off FGW offer.

The new Times i have got is

10.03 leave york
11.04 arrive newcastle
11.18 leave newcastle
11.45 arrive sunderland

Now will i be able to use those trains even if the 10.03 from york dont stop at northallerton?

 

[Daniel]

Technical difficulties... suggests train failure?

 

[northernrail2009]

Just to add my Tickets are anytime tickets on GC not Advance ones as i first though.

 

[John @ home]

The new Times i have got is
10.03 leave york
11.04 arrive newcastle
11.18 leave newcastle
11.45 arrive sunderland
Now will i be able to use those trains even if the 10.03 from york dont stop at northallerton?

If you have GC only tickets, turn up at York in time for your original departure, and follow the instructions of the GC staff there.

If you have tickets valid by any operator, you would be safer with
0956 York - Newcastle 1114. TPE. This calls at Northallerton.
1130 Newcastle - Sunderland 1149. NT.

John

 

[spoony]

Just remember try not to get the Metro:cry:

 

[northernrail2009]

If you have GC only tickets, turn up at York in time for your original departure, and follow the instructions of the GC staff there.

If you have tickets valid by any operator, you would be safer with
0956 York - Newcastle 1114. TPE. This calls at Northallerton.
1130 Newcastle - Sunderland 1149. NT.

John

Will they have GC staff at York as ive never seen them at york before?

I have to pick up my son at sunderland at midday and i can not be late as my Ex will go mad!!!!

Im coming from Stoke on Trent and have Advance Tockets for the stoke to man bit them the man to york and then GC tickets from york so cant be late into sunderland as would have been there at 11.50am by GC.

 

[williamn]

Pathetic. I fail to see why these people have been awarded the right to run the Bradford Services.

 

[John @ home]

Will they have GC staff at York as ive never seen them at york before?

The link you posted states:
Where services are cancelled, or part cancelled, Grand Central staff will be available at key stations to provide onward travel arrangements.

If York is not a key station where is? GC's HQ is in York. You might get the MD.

John

 

[yorkie]

Just remember try not to get the Metro:cry:

Why?

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

Just to update this thread:
Disruption to Services - 19th June 2009

We apologise to passengers for the disruption to our services on 19th June. We are attempting to restore our normal level of service however due to technical difficulties the following alterations will apply over this weekend.



Saturday 20th June 2009

1230 Sunderland - London - This service will start from York at 1405.

1127 London - Sunderland - This service will terminate at York.

1730 Sunderland - London - This service is cancelled.



Sunday 21st June 2009

0907 London - Sunderland - This service is cancelled.

1342 Sunderland - London - This service will start from York at 1615- a coach service will be provided for passengers from Hartlepool at 14:10, Eaglescliffe at 14:45 and arriving at York at 15:55.

1345 London - Sunderland - This service will terminate at York - a coach service will convey passengers for Eaglescliffe , Hartlepool and Sunderland from York Station departing at 16:00.

18:42 Sunderland - London - This service is cancelled.



Monday 22nd June 2009

0804 London to Sunderland - this service is cancelled.



Where services are cancelled, or part cancelled, Grand Central staff will be available at key stations to provide onward travel arrangements.

For further information please contact 0845 6034852.

Grand Central apologises for any inconvenience caused.

---

Pathetic. I fail to see why these people have been awarded the right to run the Bradford Services.

They're a good service, but due to their lack of available units, they can't run certain services when one or more unit is out of use. Every company has a bad run one time or another, and it's not often that GC have this anymore.

 

[TrainBrain185]

They're a good service, but due to their lack of available units, they can't run certain services when one or more unit is out of use. Every company has a bad run one time or another, and it's not often that GC have this anymore.

Sorry Dave, cannot agree with your comment. GC have improved lately but I still find their wafer thin fleet level against timetable demands leaves no room for manouvere. How can passengers rely on trains which have a probability of not operating? I am not fully sure of the legalities, but how many times can a rail op fail to provide a timetabled service before the rail regulator steps in?
As for the additions of the Class 180 units, these are not exactly renowned for their reliability neither.
Regards:

 

[87015]

Pathetic. I fail to see why these people have been awarded the right to run the Bradford Services.

...and franchised TOCs never ever cancel services?

 

[yorkie]

They did not cancel "all" services! They are running the original 'interim' timetable which was their two busiest services would run throughout, with 2 more running between London and York. Only two were cancelled throughout.

The reason for not having a complete 3rd set is due to a dispute with the company that refurbished the coaches therefore the last ones have not been handed over to GC, I think that's fairly common knowledge now.

 

[attics26]

what is fairly common knowledge is that they have always been trying to run a timetable which needs far more resources than they have ever had in place, which is a shame, but for anyone relying on them it is not good enough and how long will they be allowed to continue in their current form.

 

[yorkie]

They're about two coaches short of 3 full sets, and 3 sets would give a 50% surplus of capacity, so I don't think its fair to say that "far more resources" are required.

The situation needs resolving soon though, maybe they should look to acquire the Mk3s from elsewhere.

I think they may regret converting the Mk3s. They should have converted the power cars instead. Had they done this, they would have only had to hire a 37/47/57 and not a whole rake back when they had the problems last year, and to make 3 full sets all they'd have to do is hire a couple of coaches from Cargo D. (It would have also been rather good for when someone says Class 43s are not locos, as if GCs had been converted theirs the whole argument claiming they are not would be null and void ).

 

[TrainBrain185]

They're about two coaches short of 3 full sets, and 3 sets would give a 50% surplus of capacity, so I don't think its fair to say that "far more resources" are required.

The situation needs resolving soon though, maybe they should look to acquire the Mk3s from elsewhere.

I think they may regret converting the Mk3s. They should have converted the power cars instead. Had they done this, they would have only had to hire a 37/47/57 and not a whole rake back when they had the problems last year, and to make 3 full sets all they'd have to do is hire a couple of coaches from Cargo D. (It would have also been rather good for when someone says Class 43s are not locos, as if GCs had been converted theirs the whole argument claiming they are not would be null and void ).

The original source of the earliest troubles GC had were the HST "Locomotives". They were not the best examples to inherit.
However, that said, Heaton are adding extra staff to Rosters to deal with GC Maint and also training is ongoing with the servicing of Class 180's.
Regards:

 

[yorkie]

They were not in good condition I agree, but the problem was that a poor job was done originally (was it someone like DML who did it?), but after they came back from Brush (who obviously did a far better job) they became the most reliable HST fleet in the country for a period!

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

Probably still is, as arent the Miles Per Casualty done by train failure in service?!! IF it failed on depot then the MPC for GC is still probably quite high!! Been off for two weeks so Ive no idea what's happened.

 

[yorkie]

IIRC it's any delay over 5 (?) minutes attributed to the loco/stock/unit. It doesn't necessarily mean an engine failed, it can be something like a door problem, and you're right it only counts if it is in service.

 

[northernrail2009]

Well I have just got back from trip on GC(well should have been GC!!!)

I Have to say today has really put me off using GC ever again.

I knew that the train i have been booked on would not run also coming back from Sunderland but getting to york to find no GC staff there to help to find me other trains.

So I got on a TPE train and the guard on that train was a EX GC staff member and had left due to problems that GC have but she had to change me the full fare to Sunderland from York even that i have Tickets but they were GC ones.

So I was not a happy bunny and she told me that i could send them in to GC to get a refund on them.

she felt sorry about it but she was doing what she was told to do.

so a letter into GC tomorrow me thinks.

There was staff at Sunderland for the non 5.30pm train and they shorted tickets back to York as i had singles.

So Im not sure how I feel about GC now after today and i so better get my money back on the tickets that i was made to buy from TPE today.

why is GC not a member of ATOS??

 

[TrainBrain185]

Well I have just got back from trip on GC(well should have been GC!!!)

I Have to say today has really put me off using GC ever again.

I knew that the train i have been booked on would not run also coming back from Sunderland but getting to york to find no GC staff there to help to find me other trains.

So I got on a TPE train and the guard on that train was a EX GC staff member and had left due to problems that GC have but she had to change me the full fare to Sunderland from York even that i have Tickets but they were GC ones.

So I was not a happy bunny and she told me that i could send them in to GC to get a refund on them.

she felt sorry about it but she was doing what she was told to do.

so a letter into GC tomorrow me thinks.

There was staff at Sunderland for the non 5.30pm train and they shorted tickets back to York as i had singles.

So Im not sure how I feel about GC now after today and i so better get my money back on the tickets that i was made to buy from TPE today.

why is GC not a member of ATOS??

Well, at least you completed your journey with the superb First TransPennine Express.
Maybe its about time that Grand Central should take on Will Hay and his sidekicks from Buggleskelly Station and teach them how to run trains properly.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Just remember try not to get the Metro:cry:

And finally for the evening Mr Spoony. You don't appear to be a fan of Metro? Whats wrong sharing your Metro travel experience with half a million fleas in each unit? I've been bitten a few times after riding on them.
Regards:

 

[yorkie]

So I got on a TPE train and the guard on that train was a EX GC staff member and had left due to problems that GC have but she had to change me the full fare to Sunderland from York even that i have Tickets but they were GC ones.

York-Sunderland is a rip-off. York-Hartlepool £11 return, Hartlepool-Sunderland £5.50 return is your best bet. I don't think they should charge you at all though.

They're not officially allowed to offer that combo but if you ask for it they have to sell it.

she felt sorry about it but she was doing what she was told to do.

A phrase used by several historical individuals doing things that they know are morally wrong. :roll:



"If disruption caused by circumstances within the control of a Train Company or a Rail Service Company leaves you stranded before you have reached your destination and the Train Company whose trains you are entitled to use is unable to get you to that destination by other means, any Train Company which is in a position to help will, if it reasonably can, either arrange to get you to that destination, or provide overnight accommodation for you."

I'd have quoted her that from the NCoC, and said if she wants payment to issue an Unpaid Fare Notice to Tom Clift, Grand Central, York.

So Im not sure how I feel about GC now after today and i so better get my money back on the tickets that i was made to buy from TPE today.

It would put me off TPE, not GC. I wonder if the guard had a grudge. I once had to get TPE instead of GC on a GC only ticket because of a Northern train failing. There was no check on Northern but, as Northern had caused my delay due to their train being cancelled there's no way I was going to pay them or grovell to them. I did ask on the TPE before setting off from MBR and explained my NT train was cancelled and she accepted it.

TPE are normally 'undeseperate', I've never known them be anything less than reasonable before. There's one or two bad apples in every walk of life though I guess.

 

[glynn80]

why is GC not a member of ATOS??

GC are an associate member of ATOC (http://www.atoc.org/about.asp). They are also full signatories of the Ticketing & Settlement Agreement and thus have the same legal status as all other TOCs with regard to ticketing matters.

 

[yorkie]

Well, at least you completed your journey with the superb First TransPennine Express.
Maybe its about time that Grand Central should take on Will Hay and his sidekicks from Buggleskelly Station and teach them how to run trains properly.

on the contrary. TPE offered shoddy customer service, unusually for them as nearly all their guards are excellent in my experience. I wonder why that guard is no longer at GC?

 

[northernrail2009]

on the contrary. TPE offered shoddy customer service, unusually for them as nearly all their guards are excellent in my experience. I wonder why that guard is no longer at GC?

She told me that she lefted due to the way there trains run and I did ask GC staff at Sunderland if they knew her and said yes but gave a funny look when they said it!!!

I would name her but i wont but yes i think she may have a Grudge but she did ring her office on the train to find out what to do and it was them who told her that i had to buy a new ticket and to send ticket into GC to claim refund.

what do i put in letter to GC about the problems i have had and will they Def refund me on the Tickets that TPE made me buy?

And could i claim any Comp? Due to Stress caused and also i feel very ill after coming into contact with the TPE guard as i have Epilepsy and i though the stress was going to bring on a fit.

Also who do i send the letter and tickets too at GC? would it be better to send them to the tom clift?

 

[glynn80]

And could i claim any Comp? Due to Stress caused and also i feel very ill after coming into contact with the TPE guard as i have Epilepsy and i though the stress was going to bring on a fit.

Spending money triggers epileptic fits? News to me!

What sort of contact did you have with this female TPE guard?