Delay repay conundrum

[sot]

Now here is an unusual thought:

Imagine leaving more than adequate slack before a long distance advance, such as an LNER, LNR or AWC.

Arriving at the start of your advance in record time at least an hour before your booked train.

Would you
a) ask TM or guard or revenue for discretion on earlier service?

b) await actual booked time?

Now if you have permission or are endorsed to use an earlier service and at the point of endorsement the train is on time, but then picks up delays are you held to the

A) original booked train's arrival time?

B) the arrival time of the train which you are endorsed or have been allowed to travel on?

Bit of a hypothetical question that came to mind whilst awaiting a booked lnr advance last week.

 

[ainsworth74]

Would you
a) ask TM or guard or revenue for discretion on earlier service?

b) await actual booked time?

a) Ask the TM for permission to use their earlier service but only if possible to speak to them before boarding (such as at say Kings Cross) if unable to secure permission prior to boarding then b).

Now if you have permission or are endorsed to use an earlier service and at the point of endorsement the train is on time, but then picks up delays are you held to the

A) original booked train's arrival time?

B) the arrival time of the train which you are endorsed or have been allowed to travel on?

You are entitled to Delay Repay, if using a booked train only ticket, if your booked train is late enough to trigger one of the Delay Repay thresholds. If the booked train ran to time but the earlier train you are on was late then it's tough luck.

 

[wilbers]

Well, if its an advance for a train that hasn't been cancelled or has a long delay you wouldn't get endorsement for an earlier service anyway.

If that does apply and you do get it endorsed then your ticket forms a contract to get you there by the time of the original train, so for example if you are allowed on a train an hour earlier and it gets delayed 61 minutes, then there is no delay repay that can be claimed.

Delay repay is about delay to your journey, not to a particular train. Another example would be if you were using 2 trains, with a 25 minute interchange time and first train is delayed by 15 minutes - those going to the interchange station as their destination can claim 15 minute delay repay, you would reach your destination on time and not be able to claim any.

 

[ainsworth74]

Well, if its an advance for a train that hasn't been cancelled or has a long delay you wouldn't get endorsement for an earlier service anyway.

Your mileage may vary but I've had quite a few successes over the years at Kings Cross travelling north with LNER (and predecessors).

 

[sot]

Well I know it is completely different but attempting to get an LNR cross acceptance at long distance when the last connecting train was cancelled was a no go the other week.

My query relates to what is actually the contract in these situations, is the advance booked train only ticket turned into something else by an official of the railway endorsing it. Does it become a ticket for the newer earlier or later train? What conditions are you then travelling under once you are on the endorsed for another service ticket?

I imagine it is one of those "so long as the railway comes off better" situations. Similar to the delay repays that get denied because you may have been able to make some impossible connections that you'd have to be psychic to predict were running delayed. Whilst simultaneously riding on AWC with a Northern only ticket.

 

[ainsworth74]

My query relates to what is actually the contract in these situations, is the advance booked train only ticket turned into something else by an official of the railway endorsing it. Does it become a ticket for the newer earlier or later train? What conditions are you then travelling under once you are on the endorsed for another service ticket?

It remains a ticket for the service that was booked. However you have been given dispensation by an authorised member of staff to travel without a valid ticket (for that train).

 

[sot]

That's why I love RailForums, always thoughts and answers to those quandaries and conundra that come to mind when travelling the rails.

 

[Haywain]

Well I know it is completely different but attempting to get an LNR cross acceptance at long distance when the last connecting train was cancelled was a no go the other week.

It's difficult to comment without knowing the exact circumstances but, as stated above, a member of staff could have authorised travel on an alternative service at which point your ticket is deemed to be valid for that service. In addition, you do have some rights conferred by the National Rail Conditions of Travel and PRO legislation.