Delayed Trains (Virgin and Cross Country)

[osborn99]

Hello,

Me again, not sure if it's just me or I'm unlucky. Every train I get on gets delayed.

Manchester to Weymouth, overnight advance

Tuesday night the virgin train arrived in Euston at 00:30, 42 mins late. I missed my connection to Waterloo via tube. I was almost in tears, thought I was going to be stuck for the night. Luckily the virgin staff paid for a taxi so I could get the 01:05 train from waterloo.

Weymouth to Manchester

This time it's cross country, on Wednesday night Southampton to Birmingham the train got to Birmingham 20 mins late so I missed my connection to Manchester. They told me to catch the train just before 9pm but I have to catch another train from Manchester to Chorley. Luckily I had 5 mins spare to catch the last train to Chorley. Again this caused me a panic attack.

I paid £80 for this service, what would you rate this service out of 10?

Where would I go to apply for a refund? I bought tickets from East coast online

 

[island]

I don't think you're entitled to any compensation here as the minimum delay for compensation on Virgin is an hour (45 minutes on the London-Wolverhampton route) and on CrossCountry is 30 minutes, and you say you weren't delayed by that length of time. If you were, you would write to the train operating company you used (not the one you bought the ticket from). Compensation is paid in rail travel vouchers.

 

[Robinson]

Hello,

Me again, not sure if it's just me or I'm unlucky. Every train I get on gets delayed.

Manchester to Weymouth, overnight advance

Tuesday night the virgin train arrived in Euston at 00:30, 42 mins late. I missed my connection to Waterloo via tube. I was almost in tears, thought I was going to be stuck for the night. Luckily the virgin staff paid for a taxi so I could get the 01:05 train from waterloo.

Weymouth to Manchester

This time it's cross country, on Wednesday night Southampton to Birmingham the train got to Birmingham 20 mins late so I missed my connection to Manchester. They told me to catch the train just before 9pm but I have to catch another train from Manchester to Chorley. Luckily I had 5 mins spare to catch the last train to Chorley. Again this caused me a panic attack.

I paid £80 for this service, what would you rate this service out of 10?

Where would I go to apply for a refund? I bought tickets from East coast online

Please explain to me how what you have described is "bad service"? Sounds to me like the Virgin staff at Euston did a very good job paying for your taxi to Waterloo so you could make the last train. What exactly did you want them to do? Same going the other way - they did the best they could to get you moving.

Personally I'd rate that pretty highly - and I'm not even a fan of XC.

 

[6Gman]

If the idea of missing the last train/ being stuck overnight panics you don't plan risky journeys!

 

[island]

If the idea of missing the last train/ being stuck overnight panics you don't plan risky journeys!

That's neither here nor there. If you're stranded due to a late train, the TOC must either sort you a taxi or overnight accommodation.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . . thought I was going to be stuck for the night. Luckily the virgin staff paid for a taxi so I could get the 01:05 train from waterloo. . . . .

I'm not sure that was luck.
I think its more likely that it was a contractural obligation - that's what you'd paid for: being taken from A to B.

 

[dvboy]

You can apply for compensation if:

..on your outward journey, your overall delay in arriving at your destination (Weymouth) was over an hour on your outward journey - write to Virgin.

..on your return journey, your overall delay in arriving at your destination (Chorley) was over 30 minutes -write to CrossCountry.

 

[yorkie]

Where would I go to apply for a refund? I bought tickets from East coast online

You cannot get a refund as you used the tickets.

You may be eligible for compensation from the relevant TOC that caused the initial delay, but I cannot advise if you are eligible as it is unclear what your scheduled and actual arrival times at your final destinations were.

 

[osborn99]

If the idea of missing the last train/ being stuck overnight panics you don't plan risky journeys!

Ok, thanks for that. Last tube to Waterloo was 00:27, is 39 mins connection time risky?

When I say I have panic attacks, I really do. So it's not worth applying for a refund? Yes the Virgin staff paid for my taxi but it was their job to get me to B as someone said, they had no choice. As for bad service and I'm sure people will understand this. On the tannoy the train manager keeps saying sorry for the inconvenience but can't be bothered to give updates or to give advice for people that will miss the last connection. At Euston station I had to run around to find a member of staff and other people were in the same boat. I wish they were better at managing people, you know what I mean?

Anyway thanks for the reply's.

 

[island]

No, it is not worth applying for a refund. As yorkie says, you may be entitled to compensation paid in rail travel vouchers depending on how late you were compared to your expected arrival time on the itinerary you had.

Connection times with the tube are defined from station to station, so there is a defined time to get from Euston NR to Waterloo NR (which I think is something like 55 minutes) rather than from Euston NR to Euston LU.

If you could post all the trains you planned to take and all those you ended up taking including at least the departure time from each station where you boarded a train and the final arrival time, we can work out whether you're entitled to anything.

I do agree with the principle of 6Gman's post: if you fear that missing a connection due to delays will cause you a panic attack, you need to book an earlier train or a longer connection. This may be costlier than advance tickets on late night trains; only you can make that cost/benefit analysis.

 

[Crossover]

On the tannoy the train manager keeps saying sorry for the inconvenience but can't be bothered to give updates or to give advice for people that will miss the last connection. At Euston station I had to run around to find a member of staff and other people were in the same boat. I wish they were better at managing people, you know what I mean?

So how do you expect the TM to know where everyone on the train is going as to give advice for everyone as to whether last connections will be missed?

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Ok, thanks for that. Last tube to Waterloo was 00:27, is 39 mins connection time risky?

When I say I have panic attacks, I really do. So it's not worth applying for a refund? Yes the Virgin staff paid for my taxi but it was their job to get me to B as someone said, they had no choice. As for bad service and I'm sure people will understand this. On the tannoy the train manager keeps saying sorry for the inconvenience but can't be bothered to give updates or to give advice for people that will miss the last connection. At Euston station I had to run around to find a member of staff and other people were in the same boat. I wish they were better at managing people, you know what I mean?

Anyway thanks for the reply's.

I don't know what you mean at all, sorry. It sounds to me that in both directions you've actually caught the train you intended to catch. The staff have kept you well informed and have fulfilled their contractual obligations by providing onward transport. I don't really see what else they could have done.

 

[34D]

Luckily I had 5 mins spare to catch the last train to Chorley. Again this caused me a panic attack.

If it helps alleviate a panic attack, then print off the National Rail Conditions of Carriage http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/system/galleries/download/misc/NRCOC.pdf

"Clause 43. Help from Train Companies if you are stranded
If disruption caused by circumstances within the control of a Train Company or a Rail Service Company leaves you stranded before you have reached your destination and the Train Company whose trains you are entitled to use is unable to get you to that destination by other means, any Train Company which is in a position to help will, if it reasonably can, either arrange to get you to that destination, or provide overnight accommodation for you."

As others have said, if this is such an issue you ought to adjust your travel-plans, perhaps staying overnight in places, then coming back in the daylight hours.

 

[island]

So how do you expect the TM to know where everyone on the train is going as to give advice for everyone as to whether last connections will be missed?

I have been on evening trains that got delayed and the guard went through the train offering assistance to people who were liable to miss connections and arrange their alternatives, whether that be a later train, a different route, a taxi, or some combination.

 

[RJ]

So how do you expect the TM to know where everyone on the train is going as to give advice for everyone as to whether last connections will be missed?

As island has stated, the TM goes through and asks everyone, if they have time. The TM may appear to twiddle their thumbs for most of the time or just do tickets/dispatching, but they have a much greater deal of customer service responsibility when things go wrong. Sometimes it's not possible for them to see everyone however, particularly if there is liason happening with staff elsewhere.

 

[Butts]

I have been on evening trains that got delayed and the guard went through the train offering assistance to people who were liable to miss connections and arrange their alternatives, whether that be a later train, a different route, a taxi, or some combination.

I can confirm this happens on East Coast as on my way from Newark to Falkirk( EC& Connections) the other week what you describe actually happened.

My visions of a Taxi from EDB to FKG evaporated when EC discovered the temporary late night additions to the normal service run by Scotrail during the Festival.

I believe one passenger got a taxi from Edinburgh to Dunblane from EC gratis.

 

[Ferret]

A very misleading thread title. It sounds as though all worked as it should when delays happen (which of course they inevitably do).

 

[swt_passenger]

You can apply for compensation if:

..on your outward journey, your overall delay in arriving at your destination (Weymouth) was over an hour on your outward journey - write to Virgin.

The 0105 from Waterloo only goes as far as Southampton - so the intended time at Weymouth must have included an overnight wait somewhere. NRES advises a wait at Basingstoke between 0216 and 0540, to pick up an SWT service starting at BAS. So even if osborn99 had been stuck at Waterloo until the first through service of the day he'd only eventually have been 35 min down at Weymouth. Seems to me this is all a bit of a non issue. Whereabouts was the OP planning on spending the night on his original planned timings?

I assume this relates to the post a few days ago about use of Advance fares overnight? http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=70368

 

[Robinson]

The 0105 from Waterloo only goes as far as Southampton - so the intended time at Weymouth must have included an overnight wait somewhere. NRES advises a wait at Basingstoke between 0216 and 0540, to pick up an SWT service starting at BAS. So even if osborn99 had been stuck at Waterloo until the first through service of the day he'd only eventually have been 35 min down at Weymouth. Seems to me this is all a bit of a non issue. Whereabouts was the OP planning on spending the night on his original planned timings?

I was just wondering the same thing actually... :-?

 

[RJ]

I was just wondering the same thing actually... :-?

They may well have had a lift arranged.

If not though, London is a much better place to be stranded overnight - the place never sleeps, easy to find accomodation and it all else fails, you can jump on a warm bus to somewhere and back to kill a few hours. Being an urbanite, I know which I'd prefer over that, or Southampton for over 3 hours!

 

[island]

The 0105 from Waterloo only goes as far as Southampton - so the intended time at Weymouth must have included an overnight wait somewhere. NRES advises a wait at Basingstoke between 0216 and 0540, to pick up an SWT service starting at BAS. So even if osborn99 had been stuck at Waterloo until the first through service of the day he'd only eventually have been 35 min down at Weymouth. Seems to me this is all a bit of a non issue. Whereabouts was the OP planning on spending the night on his original planned timings?

I assume this relates to the post a few days ago about use of Advance fares overnight? http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=70368

Might the journey have been during the olympics with extended services available?

 

[Greenback]

A very misleading thread title. It sounds as though all worked as it should when delays happen (which of course they inevitably do).

I agree. I have amended the thread title accordingly. (Though the OP was possibly referring to the train service rather than the service they received).

 

[lj9090]

Might the journey have been during the olympics with extended services available?

The only real change to late night services this far down the line was the 0.05 from Waterloo got pushed back to 00.30 (or was it 00.35?). This only goes and only went as far as Bournemouth.

Last train all the way down to Weymouth is 9 something.

 

[island]

Last train all the way down to Weymouth is 9 something.

Then I am at a total loss as to how the OP was planning to get there in the first place other than stopping overnight somewhere en route!

 

[philjo]

The OP stated the journey was Manchester -Weymouth, Overnight advance. I was reading it as one of those advance tickets where you are using booked trains but the itinerary includes a long break somewhere overnight.

looking at East coast looks like it was this itinerary - I picked a random weekday in September:

Manchester Piccadilly dep 21:15
VT
London Euston arr 23:48
Train terminates at London Euston

London Underground from London Euston to London Waterloo
Please check operating hours for this service

London Waterloo dep 01:05
Basingstoke arr 02:47
Train continues to Southampton Central

Basingstoke dep 05:40
Weymouth arr 08:09

Personally I would not want to wait at Basingstoke at that time in the morning!

 

[island]

That would fortify my view that the OP is not entitled to any compensation in this case.

 

[swt_passenger]

Might the journey have been during the olympics with extended services available?

Not really, because if you had followed the link in my post, you'll see he only posted last Sunday (19th) about a journey 'on Tuesday' i.e. in the future, and I believe it is that journey that is the subject of this thread...

 

[osborn99]

Hello, an update. I checked on thetrainline and I was delayed by 33 mins on xc from Southampton to Manchester. So I sent my claim

Today I received 50% compensation in train vouchers. Very happy with that, did not expect it

 

[222007]

That's neither here nor there. If you're stranded due to a late train, the TOC must either sort you a taxi or overnight accommodation.

Exactly Virgin did this for my brother. There service from glasgow to birmingham was delayed by 35 mins meaning he missed the last train of the night back home. he spoke to virgin who advised him to catch the next service to Leicester and they would pay for a taxi for the remaineder of the journey.