Grand Central Bradford to London

[wimbledonpete]

Hi everyone.

I have an advance ticket, first class with senior railcard, from Bradford to King's Cross on the 07.58 on Thursday. I saw today's train was cancelled because of a broken down train - if that happens again on Thursday (not sure just how broken the train is and I know they don't have many) what would my options be? Would I have to wait for the next one at 10.23 or would they let me on their 06.59 if I turned up for it? I think I've read that they wouldn't allow me to use Northern/LNER if it's a cancellation rather than widespread disruption?

Hopefully won't come to it but if there's the flexibility to get the earlier one, I'd want to do that, even though it would mean missing a Premier Inn breakfast buffet...

Thanks!

 

[SuspectUsual]

Who knows?

They may get ticket acceptance and send you via Leeds, they may not and then they'll just tell you to sit it out.

The unanswered question is whether they actually try to get ticket acceptance all the time

 

[Watershed]

You'd be entitled to take the previous or next Grand Central service (whichever one you turned up in time for) automatically.

If you wanted to travel using other operators you would need to rely on ticket acceptance, which they often can't come to a commercial agreement on with other operators, or else your rights under the PRO (which entitle you to be re-routed at the earliest opportunity regardless of operator).

However, TOCs such as GC seem to have no appreciation of their obligations under the PRO and routinely refuse and fail to comply them. Accordingly, you would likely have to pay for a new ticket on LNER etc. upfront and then reclaim this from GC if ticket acceptance isn't commercially agreed.

That would obviously leave you out of pocket, potentially for a considerable period of time if they try and play silly games over reimbursing you. Furthermore, GC has a very poor delay compensation scheme (not Delay Repay) that pays barely more than the NRCoT minima.

Accordingly I really couldn't recommend travelling with TOCs such as GC in the first place unless you're prepared to depart or arrive at a completely different time to that chosen when booking, or to potentially be out of pocket for a considerable period of time whilst you argue about re-routing expenses.

 

[skyhigh]

The ticket acceptance this morning was -

Passengers from Bradford Interchange should join the 0807 Northern service towards York, then alight at Leeds and join the 0846 LNER service to London Kings Cross.

Passengers from Low Moor should join the 0811 Northern service to Leeds and then join the 0915 LNER service to London Kings Cross.

Passengers from Halifax should join the 0816 Northern service towards Hull, then alight at Leeds and join the 0915 LNER service to London Kings Cross.

Passengers from Brighouse should join the 0832 Northern service to Leeds and then join the 0915 LNER service to London Kings Cross.

Passengers from Mirfield should join the 0839 Northern service to Leeds and then join the 0915 LNER service to London Kings Cross.

Passengers from Wakefield Kirkgate should join the 0906 Northern service to Leeds, then alight at Wakefield Westgate and join the 0929 LNER service to London Kings Cross.

Passengers from Doncaster should join the 0949 LNER service to London Kings Cross.

So if you were travelling from Bradford you'd actually have arrived earlier than booked into London.

Generally ticket acceptance will be arranged for a specific service with LNER unless they also have disruption.

 

[wimbledonpete]

You'd be entitled to take the previous or next Grand Central service (whichever one you turned up in time for) automatically.

If you wanted to travel using other operators you would need to rely on ticket acceptance, which they often can't come to a commercial agreement on with other operators, or else your rights under the PRO (which entitle you to be re-routed at the earliest opportunity regardless of operator).

However, TOCs such as GC seem to have no appreciation of their obligations under the PRO and routinely refuse and fail to comply them. Accordingly, you would likely have to pay for a new ticket on LNER etc. upfront and then reclaim this from GC if ticket acceptance isn't commercially agreed.

That would obviously leave you out of pocket, potentially for a considerable period of time if they try and play silly games over reimbursing you. Furthermore, GC has a very poor delay compensation scheme (not Delay Repay) that pays barely more than the NRCoT minima.

Accordingly I really couldn't recommend travelling with TOCs such as GC in the first place unless you're prepared to depart or arrive at a completely different time to that chosen when booking, or to potentially be out of pocket for a considerable period of time whilst you argue about re-routing expenses.

Thank you - interesting point about not travelling with them! But thank you for confirming that I could get the earlier one if mine is cancelled - the hotel is only 5 mins away so it's no hardship to set the alarm early enough to be prepared.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Nov 2023 ==

The ticket acceptance this morning was -

So if you were travelling from Bradford you'd actually have arrived earlier than booked into London.

Generally ticket acceptance will be arranged for a specific service with LNER unless they also have disruption.

Thank you - also very interesting and puts my mind at rest that there might be options in place, whether this option or getting the earlier GC service.

 

[yorkie]

Out of interest, how much was your ticket?

If acceptance isn't in place and you don't want the hassle of persuing GC for a refund of a replacement ticket , an alternative option is to refund the original.

 

[hkstudent]

Thank you - interesting point about not travelling with them! But thank you for confirming that I could get the earlier one if mine is cancelled - the hotel is only 5 mins away so it's no hardship to set the alarm early enough to be prepared.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Nov 2023 ==


Thank you - also very interesting and puts my mind at rest that there might be options in place, whether this option or getting the earlier GC service.

Indeed. And something nicer is: LNER first class get full catering service

 

[Willie Bee]

Accordingly I really couldn't recommend travelling with TOCs such as GC in the first place unless you're prepared to depart or arrive at a completely different time to that chosen when booking, or to potentially be out of pocket for a considerable period of time whilst you argue about re-routing expenses.

My wife and I are travelling to York early in 2024 from Newcastle and thought about returning on Grand Central, just for a change as we have never been on a GC train before.

We would have been taking it to Sunderland, where we could easily catch a Tyne & Wear Metro home

However, seeing your comment makes us think, best just to stick with LNER. We have had 9 journeys on LNER in the past year and all have been brilliant .. decent prices when booked in advance, easy-to-choose seats and pretty comfy too. For us LNER gets a big thumbs up

 

[Watershed]

My wife and I are travelling to York early in 2024 from Newcastle and thought about returning on Grand Central, just for a change as we have never been on a GC train before.

We would have been taking it to Sunderland, where we could easily catch a Tyne & Wear Metro home

However, seeing your comment makes us think, best just to stick with LNER. We have had 9 journeys on LNER in the past year and all have been brilliant .. decent prices when booked in advance, easy-to-choose seats and pretty comfy too. For us LNER gets a big thumbs up

I'm afraid I would have to agree that unless you are prepared to take a certain degree of risk, GC is probably not a good idea.

 

[wimbledonpete]

Out of interest, how much was your ticket?

If acceptance isn't in place and you don't want the hassle of persuing GC for a refund of a replacement ticket , an alternative option is to refund the original.

It was £40.90, so a lot cheaper than LNER. I guess you pays your money etc...

 

[yorkie]

It was £40.90, so a lot cheaper than LNER. I guess you pays your money etc...

Only £10.20 less than what we're selling to depart Bradford 4 mins earlier and getting to King's Cross 1114, or £7.10 cheaper than the direct LNER at 0659 (if that's not too early), but if 8am is the time you want to depart and you want the convenience of the through train, I can understand the attraction.

If anyone books a ticket through us and is mistreated by a TOC, we will do our best to help.

 

[wimbledonpete]

Only £10.20 less than what we're selling to depart Bradford 4 mins earlier and getting to King's Cross 1114, or £7.10 cheaper than the direct LNER at 0659 (if that's not too early), but if 8am is the time you want to depart and you want the convenience of the through train, I can understand the attraction.

If anyone books a ticket through us and is mistreated by a TOC, we will do our best to help.

I can't see anything like those fares on National Rail for tomorrow morning. It's giving a direct LNER at 0843 for £176.65, for example. Aren't all fares the same wherever you book them, depending on availability?

 

[Hadders]

I can't see anything like those fares on National Rail for tomorrow morning. It's giving a direct LNER at 0843 for £176.65, for example. Aren't all fares the same wherever you book them, depending on availability?

You'll need to book through the forum's own ticketing site:

RailUK Tickets, powered by Trainsplit

TrainSplit is a free service that makes it easy to find the cheapest train tickets for your journey.

tickets.railforums.co.uk

 

[yorkie]

I can't see anything like those fares on National Rail for tomorrow morning. It's giving a direct LNER at 0843 for £176.65, for example. Aren't all fares the same wherever you book them, depending on availability?

Forum members have put a lot of work into finding cheaper options, which may not be shown on train company sites.

 

[wimbledonpete]

Forum members have put a lot of work into finding cheaper options, which may not be shown on train company sites.

That's very interesting, I had no idea - will take a look next time I need to go somewhere, thank you.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Nov 2023 ==

If anyone's interested, the 07.58 from Bradford ran today, but it was quite a tedious journey - left late because of a late-running Northern service, not its fault, then jogged through West Yorks at about four miles a fortnight, yet still arrived five mins early at Wakefield. Also had to wait five mins or so at Adwick to let a train go in front. Seemed to have lots of timetable padding. Sat in the tunnel outside King's Cross for 10 mins waiting for a platform so ended up about 15 mins late, again not GC's fault.

But the seats were comfortable and the staff were very friendly and attentive. A cup of tea came deconstructed in a bag - cup of hot water, teabag, milk in sachets, not very impressive. But the ticket was cheap, so ups and downs. Glad I did it, travelled on some lines I never had before, not sure I'd want to do it again though.

Thanks for all the comments and advice, will know what to do next time.

 

[30907]

then jogged through West Yorks at about four miles a fortnight, yet still arrived five mins early at Wakefield. Also had to wait five mins or so at Adwick to let a train go in front. Seemed to have lots of timetable padding.

Which is to put it mildly, looking at RTT. I take it that it ran via the direct route from Wakefield, even though it is booked via Knottingley?

 

[wimbledonpete]

Which is to put it mildly, looking at RTT. I take it that it ran via the direct route from Wakefield, even though it is booked via Knottingley?

Yes, I thought it would go through Pontefract but it didn't.