Are my tickets valid in this situation?

[Hedge Fund]

My usual route to work is:

Wetheral (WRL) on the Tyne Valley Line (TOC is Northern) to Carlisle (usually takes about 8 mins) then change to an Avanti train from Carlisle to London Euston. I book these tickets in well in advance.

However, today all Avanti trains on the WCML from Carlisle to Euston are cancelled or massively delayed due to a derailed train near Penrith which will be there all day apparently. Avanti have stated my tickets are valid for LNER Newcastle to Kings Cross instead, which is fine, but my question is:

Is my ticket from Wetheral to Carlisle valid for a much longer journey the opposite direction Wetheral to Newcastle, so I can get an LNER train?

Thanks!

 

[Fawkes Cat]

My usual route to work is:

Wetheral (WRL) on the Tyne Valley Line (TOC is Northern) to Carlisle (usually takes about 8 mins) then change to an Avanti train from Carlisle to London Euston. I book these tickets in well in advance.

However, today all Avanti trains on the WCML from Carlisle to Euston are cancelled or massively delayed due to a derailed train near Penrith which will be there all day apparently. Avanti have stated my tickets are valid for LNER Newcastle to Kings Cross instead, which is fine, but my question is:

Is my ticket from Wetheral to Carlisle valid for a much longer journey the opposite direction Wetheral to Newcastle, so I can get an LNER train?

Thanks!

If Avanti have told you that they're valid, then take that note with you and I would expect you would be OK.

Do you have one through ticket (i.e. Wetheral to London) or do you have split tickets? If you have a through ticket, then that makes the argument even easier.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That question would need to be addressed to Northern, their X is probably the easiest way to ask it. Or just ask the guard before you board. Given the standing acceptance agreement between the DfT TOCs it's likely it would be accepted, though.

 

[Haywain]

My usual route to work is:

Wetheral (WRL) on the Tyne Valley Line (TOC is Northern) to Carlisle (usually takes about 8 mins) then change to an Avanti train from Carlisle to London Euston. I book these tickets in well in advance.

However, today all Avanti trains on the WCML from Carlisle to Euston are cancelled or massively delayed due to a derailed train near Penrith which will be there all day apparently. Avanti have stated my tickets are valid for LNER Newcastle to Kings Cross instead, which is fine, but my question is:

Is my ticket from Wetheral to Carlisle valid for a much longer journey the opposite direction Wetheral to Newcastle, so I can get an LNER train?

Thanks!

Are you booking split tickets?

 

[Hedge Fund]

I do not have split (cheaper) tickets for Avanti if that is what is being asked? My tickets are always direct from CAR to EUS, not split along the way.

But if you are asking if I have one single ticket from WRL to EUS, then the answer is no. I buy WRL to CAR, and CAR to EUS tickets separately in advance (as a single ticket offers no price advantages but is only available in paper form which is more inconvenient).

 

[Fawkes Cat]

I do not have split (cheaper) tickets for Avanti if that is what is being asked? My tickets are always direct from CAR to EUS, not split along the way.

But if you are asking if I have one single ticket from WRL to EUS, then the answer is no. I buy WRL to CAR, and CAR to EUS tickets separately in advance (as a single ticket offers no price advantages but is only available in paper form which is more inconvenient).

I think actually whether you have a separate ticket to Carlisle is in fact a red herring on this occasion. The National Rail incident page (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/penrith-20251103/) currently says (in part)

Avanti West Coast customer advice:

Tickets will be accepted on the following routes, at no extra cost:

CrossCountry between Edinburgh and Birmingham New Street

LNER between Edinburgh and London Kings Cross

Northern services between Carlisle and Newcastle and between Preston and York / Manchester Piccadilly

ScotRail between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central

TransPennine Express services between Glasgow Central / Edinburgh and Carlisle

If your train is cancelled, your ticket is valid on one of the two Avanti West Coast services immediately before your booked train, or one of the two immediately after.

Tickets for today on this route will be valid on Tuesday 4 November without alteration required.

So I think that you would be entitled to use the Northern train to Newcastle and then the LNER service to London on the basis of your Carlisle to London ticket.

Having said which, in view of the issues that LNER are dealing with at Huntingdon, might it be best to delay your trip until tomorrow?

 

[Hedge Fund]

I think actually whether you have a separate ticket to Carlisle is in fact a red herring on this occasion. The National Rail incident page (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/penrith-20251103/) currently says (in part)



So I think that you would be entitled to use the Northern train to Newcastle and then the LNER service to London on the basis of your Carlisle to London ticket.

Having said which, in view of the issues that LNER are dealing with at Huntingdon, might it be best to delay your trip until tomorrow?

I was just looking at the issues at Huntingdon and trying to work out how it would affect my journey.

Whilst all the Avanti services from Carlisle to Euston are coming up as cancelled, the LNER services to KGX are all saying 'on time' at this moment. I don't know enough about the LNER Newcastle to KGX route to know how the Huntingdon issue affects things. The LNER page is saying delays between Peterborough and KGX.

Edit to add: LNER on X are saying as of 4 hours ago "We expect to run a normal service today" - How true that is remains to be seen.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would agree that now Northern are on the acceptance list this should be OK. Obviously when asked show both tickets.

 

[Tetchytyke]

A Carlisle to London ticket is, because of the disruption, being accepted from Carlisle to Newcastle and then to London.

So it doesn't matter if you have one through Wetheral to London ticket or whether you have split tickets Wetheral to Carlisle and Carlisle to London. It's accepted via the Tyne Valley and LNER.

 

[Hedge Fund]

Thanks for all the help and replies.