Is there an easement or allowance for "quite literally unable to board"?

[Tetragon213]

I write this from the vestibule of a rammed 1V54 with my face pressed into the panelling, as CrossCountry have have been playing silly buggers in chopping off 4 coaches from the service. 8 coaches worth of passengers are currently being squeezed into a 4 coach unit, with predictable catastrophic overcrowding.

At Sheffield, I saw people join the queue to board, who I saw still on the platform as we left them behind when we departed; it seemed they couldn't board, such was the overcrowding.

In such a case, if those said passengers had Advance tickets (or if I myself had an Advance), would they be still be entitled to board the next available service with XC? Or would they have to purchase new tickets even when their literal inability to board is down to XC being XC?

 

[Bletchleyite]

In such a case, if those said passengers had Advance tickets (or if I myself had an Advance), would they be still be entitled to board the next available service with XC?

Yes, and Delay Repay would be applicable too. I do know (as I've claimed it) that Transport for Wales' claim site has a specific option for "could not board due to overcrowding" or some such.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Also you'd hope that XC maybe advertised/encouraged pax intending to travel on 1V54 to travel on alternative services where possible. Having said that, I see that the previous and later departures from Edinburgh were both 5-cars so probably already busy.

Would missing some Stations have helped ease overcrowding or simply passed the problem onto other services?

 

[Tetragon213]

Also you'd hope that XC maybe advertised/encouraged pax intending to travel on 1V54 to travel on alternative services where possible. Having said that, I see that the previous and later departures from Edinburgh were both 5-cars so probably already busy.

No such message was ever passed down; indeed, station staff were unaware it was meant to be 8 coaches; that was the main reason I booked that service!

Would missing some Stations have helped ease overcrowding or simply passed the problem onto other services?

They in fact did one worse, in calling an additional stop at Burton which resulted in more people getting left behind.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Dec 2025 ==

Yes, and Delay Repay would be applicable too. I do know (as I've claimed it) that Transport for Wales' claim site has a specific option for "could not board due to overcrowding" or some such.

Good to know for future reference. I think next time this happens (and it happens a lot with ClownCountry), I'll go back into town for a cuppa and claim delay repay, rather than try and play contortionist and require the services of a chiropractor post travel!

 

[P Binnersley]

If you have a seat reservation you are entitled to a seat (Condition of Travel 3.3)

3.3 Unless you have made a reservation, please note that your Ticket does not automatically entitle you to a seat, and at busy times you may have to stand. You will not be entitled to any refund in these cases unless you hold a first class Ticket and no first class seats were available on a train service where the timetable indicated that first class seats would be provided. More information on the refund to which you are entitled in such circumstances can be found in Condition 31.

If you had a reservation and Cross Country failed to provided you with a seat they are in breach of contract.
According to their passenger charter you should get 5% back.

If you are still without a seat after 20 minutes a member of the on-board team will be happy to endorse your ticket if you ask. You may send your endorsed ticket in to our Customer Relations Team who will give you National Rail Vouchers to the value of at least 5% of the price for that journey in recognition of our inability to honour your seat reservation.

Obviously getting your ticket endorsed wasn't practical and they will know your reserved seat was omitted from the train.