GWR connection services

[Caleb2010]

wondered if anyone can help!

Travelling from Carmarthen to Paddington on an advance purchase ticket routed AP Slough.

The connection between trains in Swansea is a mere 7 minutes- I’m mobility impaired so thought, as the only compulsory reservation is on the Swansea to Paddington train, I’d get the train before from Carmarthen to ensure my arrival in Swansea was in time for the London train, after all, it’s non reservable, not operated by GWR, and it wouldn’t make the rest of my travelling day all wrong should TFW cancel the train - or it run late!

Contacted GWR to check out my theory and was told “you can’t do that!” When I asked why they said “you can’t do that!” When I said that the reason behind it was mobility and connection time they said “you can’t do that!”

Can anyone tell me why?

I can understand that - on Southern, for example there are counted places for ap tickets from the allocation of fares but this is a connection not the whole journey!!
Surely the AP Slough means I have a ticket for the train via slough which begins at Swansea- all I’m trying to do is get to Swansea with enough time to board that train safely!!

 

[_toommm_]

Did you get a booked place reservation from Carmarthen? I presume you're travelling with TfW to Swansea so they'll normally issue one.

As for being told no, I suspect the staff are just hearing the words advance and can I travel on an earlier train, normally which I'm sure you know is not allowed, but if you don't have a reservation for the service for Carmarthen to Wales, then you can get any.

 

[Caleb2010]

No, no booked or counted place. or, it doesn' say so anyway!

Strangely though, when I amended the Passenger assist booking - they gave me a reservation on the Manchester train i'd now be travelling on.

The 1233 ex CMN is booked for a 153, what worries me is - apart from the late running - is that with the severe stock shortage at the moment a short journey from Pembroke Dock to Swansea using a 153 could be the first to go.

I'm getting worried that the staff on the TFW service will refuse me travel, then the next one will be cancelled or late causing a knock on effect, meaning i'll then miss my connection in London, by which point GWR will have fulfilled their contract and wash their hands of me!

This way everyone's happy!

 

[_toommm_]

No, no booked or counted place. or, it doesn' say so anyway!

Strangely though, when I amended the Passenger assist booking - they gave me a reservation on the Manchester train i'd now be travelling on.

The 1233 ex CMN is booked for a 153, what worries me is - apart from the late running - is that with the severe stock shortage at the moment a short journey from Pembroke Dock to Swansea using a 153 could be the first to go.

I'm getting worried that the staff on the TFW service will refuse me travel, then the next one will be cancelled or late causing a knock on effect, meaning i'll then miss my connection in London, by which point GWR will have fulfilled their contract and wash their hands of me!

This way everyone's happy!

If you've managed to get a reservation no problems on the previous service then even less reason to worry! The service to Piccadilly will either be a 158 or 175 so you'll be alright on that for capacity, and to be honest, I foresee more problems on GWR. They've been having issues with their IEPs coupling up at Swansea, and whenever I've got them they've been running quite late as a result of troublesome coupling, or running as 5-vice-10 car.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

meaning i'll then miss my connection in London

What kind of a connection do you have?

 

[Caleb2010]

Need to get to victoria for the Portslade service. but the later into Paddington, the less time i've got to get to Vic
i've just looked at the routing guide and it appears that i'm quite ok to catch an earlier train from CMN.
Thanks for the advice. i'll try not to worry, Didn't know there were so many teething problems with the new stock.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Need to get to victoria for the Portslade service. but the later into Paddington, the less time i've got to get to Vic
i've just looked at the routing guide and it appears that i'm quite ok to catch an earlier train from CMN.
Thanks for the advice. i'll try not to worry, Didn't know there were so many teething problems with the new stock.

Remember you're entitled to compensation on the total value of your tickets if you do end up delayed. However it would make it a lot simpler if you bought the tickets before travelling, as you are then unquestionably eligible for compensation on everything.

 

[yorkie]

...as the only compulsory reservation is on the Swansea to Paddington train, I’d get the train before from Carmarthen to ensure my arrival in Swansea was in time for the London train, after all, it’s non reservable, not operated by GWR, and it wouldn’t make the rest of my travelling day all wrong should TFW cancel the train - or it run late!..

Yes, in this case you can either choose to:

• take an earlier train to Swansea, or...
• stick with your suggested service, and if the train is delayed causing you to miss the connection, take the next available trains and claim delay compensation if your delay is of a length long enough to qualify.

It is therefore in GWR's interests to reduce their risk of having to pay you compensation.

Contacted GWR to check out my theory and was told “you can’t do that!” When I asked why they said “you can’t do that!” When I said that the reason behind it was mobility and connection time they said “you can’t do that!”

GWR customer services are not knowledgeable about railway tickets, so I am not surprised that they gave you incorrect information.

For future reference, if you prefer to have an itinerary which has additional interchange time built into it, there are websites that will do that.

 

[_toommm_]

wondered if anyone can help!

Travelling from Carmarthen to Paddington on an advance purchase ticket routed AP Slough.

The connection between trains in Swansea is a mere 7 minutes- I’m mobility impaired so thought, as the only compulsory reservation is on the Swansea to Paddington train, I’d get the train before from Carmarthen to ensure my arrival in Swansea was in time for the London train, after all, it’s non reservable, not operated by GWR, and it wouldn’t make the rest of my travelling day all wrong should TFW cancel the train - or it run late!

Contacted GWR to check out my theory and was told “you can’t do that!” When I asked why they said “you can’t do that!” When I said that the reason behind it was mobility and connection time they said “you can’t do that!”

Can anyone tell me why?

I can understand that - on Southern, for example there are counted places for ap tickets from the allocation of fares but this is a connection not the whole journey!!
Surely the AP Slough means I have a ticket for the train via slough which begins at Swansea- all I’m trying to do is get to Swansea with enough time to board that train safely!!

Just as an after thought, some journey sites let you build in more connection time and produce an itenaray with at least that amount of time.

 

[kieron]

No, no booked or counted place. or, it doesn' say so anyway!

Strangely though, when I amended the Passenger assist booking - they gave me a reservation on the Manchester train i'd now be travelling on.

Yes, there's a mixture of reservable and non-reservable trains between Carmarthen and Swansea. Generally speaking, trains to Swansea aren't reservable, but anything going further is. The train before the 1233 is going to Manchester. It's listed in the timetable as "reservations recommended", but that's probably more of an issue further east.

I know that some people have said on here that, if you don't have a reservation for part of your journey with an advance ticket, you can't catch a reservable train for that part. Glad to hear that the passenger assist people don't think that, though.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

I know that some people have said on here that, if you don't have a reservation for part of your journey with an advance ticket, you can't catch a reservable train for that part. Glad to hear that the passenger assist people don't think that, though.

Well, that is the official rule. In practice, you are likely to 'get away' with it on a 'stopping' train. On an Intercity service, perhaps not quite so much.

 

[cactustwirly]

Well, that is the official rule. In practice, you are likely to 'get away' with it on a 'stopping' train. On an Intercity service, perhaps not quite so much.

Got away with it on an intercity services multiple times...

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Got away with it on an intercity services multiple times...

Well of course it's possible to get away with it on some occasions. But the likes of the infamous East Coast guard whom we all know of, would almost certainly recognise that something was wrong.