Advanced fares 18th & 19th September

[lowerfold]

Like an idiot I bought 3 advanced tickets (as soon as they were available) for Manchester to Euston on Friday the 16th September. The idea was to buy the return tickets for the 19th as soon as they became available. Unfortunately after a prolonged email correspondance with Virgin it appears they don't know if any advanced tickets will be on sale for that weekend.
I checked the engineering schedule before I bought the outbound and nothing was highlighted.
I tried cross country & east coast and they are all the same.
Anyone got any clues as to whats going on?

 

[John @ home]

I bought 3 advanced tickets (as soon as they were available) for Manchester to Euston on Friday the 16th September.

Do you mean Friday 17 September? 16 September is a Thursday this year.

The idea was to buy the return tickets for the 19th as soon as they became available. Unfortunately after a prolonged email correspondance with Virgin it appears they don't know if any advanced tickets will be on sale for that weekend.

A wide range of Advance tickets are on sale for Sunday 19 September from St Pancras to Manchester via Sheffield. They are £1 cheaper if booked online via the East Midlands Trains site.

 

[323235]

Yes there are Standard Class Advances available from £16 and First Class from £17 which although being nothing special does give you Free Tea and Coffee.

 

[lowerfold]

Yes, sorry about the date mix up :roll: it's no wonder I can't get ticket if I don't know what day of the bloody week it is?

Cheers for the info - I'll try the East Midland site. Though any idea why nothing from Euston?

Thanks again

 

[rail-britain]

Sunday 19 September : Euston - Manchester
Due to engineering work on the ECML, between Newcastle and Edinburgh, services out of London Euston are at a premium
As a result Virgin Trains are restricting Advance on all services

 

[lowerfold]

R-B
Thanks for the info
When you say "restricting"
Is that restricting as in none at all or restricting as in maybe a few?
I could go the dog leg East Midland route as advised but I'd risk hanging on if I could go direct.

Thanks again

 

[455driver]

Knowing VWC and their "maximising profit" ethos, I would say restricting as in none!

 

[rail-britain]

I would wait another two to four weeks before travel and recheck
By then Virgin Trains will review the loadings and decide if the restriction still needs to be applied

Details are awaited from Network Rail on any other engineering restrictions that may apply

I am in the opposite position
Last week I was looking at a Glasgow - Euston which showed as £165
Yesterday this was reduced to £49
East Coast applied similar price reductions for the same day
The 16:33 Euston - Preston also seems to have fallen in price dramatically

 

[tivoli]

Considering same weekend, I am travelling Kings Cross to York on Sunday 19th. East Coast website are only showing Grand Central trains for that day at the moment. Are they likely to offer advance tickets soon or am I as well just going with Grand Central anyway?

 

[Failed Unit]

Considering same weekend, I am travelling Kings Cross to York on Sunday 19th. East Coast website are only showing Grand Central trains for that day at the moment. Are they likely to offer advance tickets soon or am I as well just going with Grand Central anyway?

If you can find a ticket at the price and time that suits take GC. The east coast websites is open until 1st October except most Sunday's in September. I suspect network rail is yet to confirm the diversion times. I expect that AP tickets will be avialable on East Coast, but typically the cheapest tickets are not avialable during the day on Sunday anyway as they don't need to sell them!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Sunday 19 September : Euston - Manchester
Due to engineering work on the ECML, between Newcastle and Edinburgh, services out of London Euston are at a premium
As a result Virgin Trains are restricting Advance on all services

I don't get this myself, Euston - Glasgow maybe, but I doubt many extra are going to use London - Manchester (to use TPE) or London - Birmingham (to use the Voyager) as a result. Unless they are going to borrow some pendo's to increase capacity on the Birmingham - Scotland route to reduce the capacity on some of the other routes as a result.

I think the biggest winners in the diversion will be the airlines to be honest. (along with track bashers)

 

[142094]

Considering same weekend, I am travelling Kings Cross to York on Sunday 19th. East Coast website are only showing Grand Central trains for that day at the moment. Are they likely to offer advance tickets soon or am I as well just going with Grand Central anyway?

Grand Central have recently put their prices up, but even before that if you book far enough in advance, East Coast tickets are cheaper. Depends on if you want to be tied to one train or want some flexibility.

 

[lowerfold]

The power of this forum knows no limits!!!
Posted yesterday and guess what, the tickets for the 18th & 19th went on sale late today. But judging by the times available selling quick.
Thanks again for everybodys contributions I'm sure its all due to you

 

[rail-britain]

I don't get this myself, Euston - Glasgow maybe, but I doubt many extra are going to use London - Manchester (to use TPE) or London - Birmingham (to use the Voyager) as a result. Unless they are going to borrow some pendo's to increase capacity on the Birmingham - Scotland route to reduce the capacity on some of the other routes as a result

It's a knock-on effect
Passengers who would normally travel East Coast to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Inverness, may swap to West Coast
Therefore the Glasgow services will book up VERY quickly
This then limits seats to Carlisle, Preston, Wigan, and Warrington
As an alternative, these passengers may have to travel via Birmingham or Manchester

Equally, if Network Rail advise of a further restriction on those routes then that can cause issues
Therefore all the operators are waiting for Network Rail to confirm there are no other restrictions (due no later than 26 July)

This doesn't affect Grand Central, as they are unlikely to gain or lose such affected passengers