Delayed Pendolino - advice needed

[Robinson]

Hi again,
I am currently sat on the 1830 London Euston-Glasgow Central which is now to be terminated at Wigan due to the lineside fire near Leyland.
I hold a ticket valid to Glasgow but planned to buy another ticket on to Helensburgh upon arrival. With the delays, however, it seems incredibly unlikely that I'm going to make the last train.

My question is - have I just made a huge mistake in not buying the H'burgh ticket at the same time, or am I covered in this scenario?

 

[tony_mac]

I think you've probably made a mistake! Perhaps you can get the TM to give you an over-distance excess?

 

[sdrennan]

Buy one online and collect it

 

[ValleyLines142]

Buy one online and collect it

If you're referring to the self-service machine at stations, where you type in the code given to you to print off tickets, I think you have to be 24 hours in advance. I think that's down here in Cardiff anyway, could be different with Virgin or ScotRail.

 

[Furrball]

My belief is that it is 2 hours between booking and collection.

 

[scotsman]

Yeah, 2 hours

 

[Lampshade]

You're only covered as far as Glasgow unfortunately as that is the journey for which you currently have a contract with the company for. It seems the last train is cancelled, if you can get to Crewe somehow you might be able to plead your case on the Lowland Sleeper to Glasgow or if you can get to Preston, the Highland Sleeper to Edinburgh.

EDIT: Preston may be possible by going Wigan > Bolton > Blackburn > Preston.

 

[snail]

My belief is that it is 2 hours between booking and collection.

If you use a WebTIS site like East Coast or Red Spotted Hanky it's pretty much immediate.

I don't think that would do the OP much good in terms of emergency travel though as the ticket would have the collection date and time stamped on, which would clearly be after the delay occurred.

 

[ainsworth74]

Before we start going down alternative routes to Glasgow I would strongly suggest you seek the guard or another member of the train crew to determine what exactly Virgin are planning on doing to get you to Glasgow.

 

[tony_mac]

If you use a WebTIS site like East Coast or Red Spotted Hanky it's pretty much immediate.

it's usually pretty much immediate, but not always.

I've had some that were available moments afterwards, but some others that took at least 30 minutes (approx Runcorn to Stafford anyway).

the collection date and time stamped on, which would clearly be after the delay occurred.

The collection time is irrelevant, it is the booking time that would matter.

 

[ainsworth74]

Well the 18:30 terminated at Crewe about two hours ago so I wonder what the OP is doing?

 

[Robinson]

Well the 18:30 terminated at Crewe about two hours ago so I wonder what the OP is doing?

We were told to go to Manchester Piccadilly and then Bolton for road transport. The guard on the Manchester train didn't have any info; staff at Piccadilly didn't want any questions asked about the York route which was suggested...

Platform 14 is now acutely overcrowded and there's no way I'm going to be able to get on the only train to Bolton currently on the board...

 

[sheff1]

Before we start going down alternative routes to Glasgow I would strongly suggest you seek the guard or another member of the train crew to determine what exactly Virgin are planning on doing to get you to Glasgow.

Agreed.

 

[Robinson]

What do you mean by that? I seriously don't think it's a case of the staff 'not wanting any questions about the York route'. That is ridiculous! I'd complain about that to them. They have a job to do! There are major delays on the WCML, there are obviously going to be issues on the go. That is ridiculous on the staff! I'd complain! I recommend travelling via York, as Virgin Trains passengers may use First TransPennine Express services between Manchester and Leeds/York/Doncaster to connect with East Coast services to/from Scotland.

Where are you now Robinson as of 2229?

Still at Manchester Piccadilly.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Can I have an idiot moment and ask what OP stands for? I know its the person who starts a thread.

 

[Old Timer]

Bolton is also affected, with the system indicating 2 hours delay. Currently buses running to from Preston/Wigan

 

[156402]

Can I have an idiot moment and ask what OP stands for? I know its the person who starts a thread.

Original Poster I've always assumed!

 

[tony_mac]

What do you mean by that? I seriously don't think it's a case of the staff 'not wanting any questions about the York route'. That is ridiculous!

My guess is that the staff on the ground are not given much information and are not authorised to make any decisions regarding alternative routes on other TOCs.

 

[yorkie]

I recommend travelling via York, as Virgin Trains passengers may use First TransPennine Express services between Manchester and Leeds/York/Doncaster to connect with East Coast services to/from Scotland.

But he wouldn't have got home via the ECML (after having got as far as he had) this late as the last connections would have gone. Better to follow Virgin's advice as there will be dozens of others in the same position and Virgin will have to give them all some recommendation.

 

[Lampshade]

I don't get why they've sent you all to Manchester, especially as York's the only real alternative from there and they've evidently dismissed it outright :?

 

[sheff1]

The only last hope would be to catch 1P66 2242 MAN - YORK which arrives at 0009, and then catch 1N35 0035 YORK - NCL which arrives at 0218, then get on the first EDB/GLC service in the early hours of the morning.

Virgin should be making arrangements for people to get to their destinations, not leaving passengers to their own devices and ending up stranded overnight.

 

[ValleyLines142]

But he wouldn't have got home via the ECML (after having got as far as he had) this late as the last connections would have gone. Better to follow Virgin's advice as there will be dozens of others in the same position and Virgin will have to give them all some recommendation.

I agree with you on that fact that other passengers are in the same position but Robinson will still miss the last connections on the WCML as well as the ECML, may be worse with replacement buses on the go!

 

[tony_mac]

Virgin should be making arrangements for people to get to their destinations, not leaving passengers to their own devices and ending up stranded overnight.

They can though, this isn't the fault of the railway, they aren't obliged to do anything.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Out of curiosity, instead of buying online, could you not just find the TM / guard and buy the additional ticket form them??

 

[sheff1]

I don't get why they've sent you all to Manchester, especially as York's the only real alternative from there and they've evidently dismissed it outright :?

The last connection via York to Edinburgh is 1942 and that wouldn't get people to Carlisle or Glasgow anyway.

NRES indicated trains terminating at Wigan with bus connections to Preston. Of course, there will be limit on how many trains could be accommodated at Wigan. Once Wigan was full it seems resonable to send people to Manchester (or maybe Stockport for ease of motorway access) for onward bus connection to Preston and possibly beyond, depending on the availabilty of trains to take people further north.

If road transport could not be arranged it seems unreasonable to then tell people to go to Bolton, knowing there is still no onward train service. If overnight hotels need to be sourced then Manchester is a far better option than Bolton.

 

[Robinson]

It's now a replacement coach from Piccadilly to Preston, just heading off now...

 

[sheff1]

They can though, this isn't the fault of the railway, they aren't obliged to do anything.

They may not be obliged, but their Passenger Charter suggests they will:

5.1 Looking After You When Services Are Delayed
Our people are trained to identify and resolve any journey difficulties you may have. Sometimes problems occur outside our control that affect your journey. We will do our best to advise you of any delays as they occur before you join one of our trains.

If you are travelling with Virgin Trains and are delayed for more than one hour waiting for a train at a station, we will, where possible, provide you with vouchers for free non-alcoholic drinks. If your train is cancelled and the subsequent train is two or more hours later, transport will be provided to the nearest railway station that can conveniently be used to enable you to reach your destination station, or, at our discretion, your actual destination. Where onward travel on the same day is not possible (either by train or by suitable alternative transport) we will provide overnight hotel accommodation.
.......

In the event that disruption to the service causes delay, we will:
• get you to your destination station
• or arrange alternative transport where this is not practical and appropriate
• or, if your onward journey is not possible, get you back to your originating station
• or make appropriate arrangements for stranded passengers.

 

[tony_mac]

You're right - it does, that's more than the CoC dictates.

If you have already joined our train and it is delayed for more
than 30 minutes we will provide complimentary non-alcoholic
drinks until stocks are exhausted, and keep you informed of
developments. We will give you full information about any
delay to your train at regular intervals during your journey,
as well as regular announcements giving the planned station
stops and approaching stations. Our onboard Customer
Service team will help you with onward journey planning

or....

If you have already joined our train and it is delayed for more than 30 minutes you will find that the shop is closed and that no staff can be found. We will make no announcements as we will be busy hiding from potentially irate customers, and we don't know what is happening anyway. If found, and asked to help with onward journey planning, our Customer Service team will tell you that they don't know what is happening and you will find out when you get to whatever station we happen to terminate at.

 

[sheff1]

or....

If you have already joined our train and it is delayed for more than 30 minutes you will find that the shop is closed and that no staff can be found. We will make no announcements as we will be busy hiding from potentially irate customers, and we don't know what is happening anyway. If found, and asked to help with onward journey planning, our Customer Service team will tell you that they don't know what is happening and you will find out when you get to whatever station we happen to terminate at.

I thought it was me who was supposed to be cynical

 

[34D]

My question is - have I just made a huge mistake in not buying the H'burgh ticket at the same time, or am I covered in this scenario?

Yes a huge mistake (re taxi to Helensburgh), though I'd be surprised if you end up in Glasgow before 10am tomorrow.....

Sleeper is 00:52 preston platform 4..... Assuming it finds a way through? Currently at Crewe. Sorry, I am of course referring to the highland sleeper which doesn't go to Glasgow