Endorsing Tickets

[Edward101]

I was on the Caledonian Sleeper earlier this month which arrived in Inverness nearly two hours late at 10.30 (scheduled arrival 08.38). I was intending to catch the 08.55 connecting train to Kyle of Lochalsh, for which I had an advance ticket (valid on that service only). The train manager on the sleeper went through the lounge car asking passengers whether they had onward connections, so I asked whether he might be able to endorse the Kyle ticket for travel on the 10.56, the next available service, but was strangely met with a puzzled look, and was told that I could just show the ticket for the 08.55 to the conductor on the 10.56 and explain the situation. Not wishing to chance it, on arrival I asked the staff in Inverness booking office to endorse the ticket, which they were more than happy to do. I have been in this situation in the past, and the train manager on the sleeper has always previously endorsed my ticket for connecting services. Most staff on the sleeper are extremely helpful when it comes to assisting with onward connections when the train is late, maybe this time I just caught the train manager on an off day?

This prompts two questions: is it actually a legal requirement to get an advance ticket endorsed if your connecting train (eg the sleeper) is delayed? I always try to get tickets endorsed, to avoid difficulty later in the journey, but is this necessary? Why are certain staff more willing to endorse tickets than others? Maybe some staff are not actually authorised to endorse tickets, or could get into trouble if they did? I would have thought a train manager would be authorised, but I could be wrong.

 

[londonbridge]

Last time I got a ticket endorsed was an advance on Chiltern when my booked train was cancelled, ticket office clerk endorsed it without question.

 

[Starmill]

It isn't a requirement to get your ticket endorsed if this happens, but it certainly can be helpful if you do. If everyone you ask refuses to endorse your ticket don't worry, just travel anyway (so long as you were using a valid travel itinerary of course) and if asked for your ticketa explain which train you were on that was delayed. There's really no reason I can see for a train manager / guard or a member of ticket office staff not to provide an endorsement in this situation, because it's entirely covered by their documentation.

 

[Hadders]

There’s no requirement to get the ticket endorsed. Staff in the Highlands are far more relaxed and would probably be aware of the situation regarding the late running sleeper train anyway.

 

[xotGD]

I'm sure that the vast majority of passengers have never heard the expression "getting a ticket endorsed". Therefore a passenger asking a member of staff to endorse a ticket is likely to be a rare thing.

 

[yorkie]

This prompts two questions: is it actually a legal requirement to get an advance ticket endorsed if your connecting train (eg the sleeper) is delayed?

Absolutely not.

 

[les.]

I've missed my connection a fair few times over the years and have never even thought of getting my ticket endorsed.

I just explain to the train guard on the onward train I catch the situation and they have always been fine with it. I'm sure that a guard could check up on the validity of your explanation as to why you missed your connection if they wanted to.