Long (and unnecessary?) connection at Haymarket

[trainophile]

Just booking Advance tickets on Trainsplit, route Southport to Aberdeen, departing 24th July at 08:21. I note it shows "long delay" at Haymarket, arriving at 13:27 and departing at 14:35. However the minimum connection time for HYM is 5 minutes and there's a 13:33 direct Aberdeen train, so why wouldn't it put me on that one rather than having to hang around? They appear to arrive and depart on island platforms too, being 2 and 3.

Presumably it's what keeps the price low, but I'm tempted to splurge another tenner (railcard price) for an Advance on the 13:33, which would keep my options open. Ironically the Advance ticket for the 14:35 on its own is £4 more than the 13:33 one, so I'm thinking it's not to do with the later one being a less lightly loaded service. Just puzzled. Any thoughts?

(Of course this would mean I'd be finishing short at Haymarket, but who is going to know?)

*Edited to correct departure time to 14:35*.

 

[30907]

The 1435 (not 1425) Aberdeen is LNER, the 1333 Scotrail - possible reason?

 

[Gaelan]

The 1435 (not 1425) Aberdeen is LNER, the 1333 Scotrail - possible reason?

Yes, this is likely it - LNER's services between Edinburgh and Aberdeen often have better-value advances.

 

[trainophile]

The 1435 (not 1425) Aberdeen is LNER, the 1333 Scotrail - possible reason?

Thanks, have edited OP. I never thought to check operators! Seems they stop at different stations en route but as both go to ABD it still seems a bit weird.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Whilst I can't answer your question- it annoys me when journey planning websites send you on journeys like the OP's (e.g. Lancashire towards Aberdeen etc.) via Waverley instead of- changing at Haymarket- with Haymarket obviously being a much user friendly Station owing to it's smaller size compared with Waverley and also you'd have more time at Haymarket.

 

[trainophile]

In case anyone is interested after all this time, I took a gamble and bought a ticket for the 13:33 from Haymarket, and just arrived to see the Aberdeen train pulling away on the adjacent platform while we were waiting for our late running TPE doors to open .

Oh well, can’t win ‘em all. Only a tenner wasted.

 

[Tester]

In case anyone is interested after all this time, I took a gamble and bought a ticket for the 13:33 from Haymarket, and just arrived to see the Aberdeen train pulling away on the adjacent platform while we were waiting for our late running TPE doors to open .

Oh well, can’t win ‘em all. Only a tenner wasted.

If you met the minimum connection time, that should be claimable!

 

[yorkie]

Just booking Advance tickets on Trainsplit, route Southport to Aberdeen, departing 24th July at 08:21. I note it shows "long delay" at Haymarket, arriving at 13:27 and departing at 14:35. However the minimum connection time for HYM is 5 minutes and there's a 13:33 direct Aberdeen train, so why wouldn't it put me on that one rather than having to hang around? They appear to arrive and depart on island platforms too, being 2 and 3.

Are you absolutely sure there was no itinerary for the earlier train?

I checked this and both itineraries are found; the fastest itinerary should always be offered. A slower itinerary may also be offered, especially if it's cheaper.

Next time, if you think the forum site is not finding the fastest itinerary, please alert me to it personally and I will ensure it's followed up with the relevant people.

If you met the minimum connection time, that should be claimable!

Providing there isn't any finishing short going on, then yes, if there is a split at Haymarket, then a Delay Repay claim can go to TPE for the combination of tickets that allowed travel on the earlier train. The tickets that were subsequently purchased could be refunded, providing they were not used. Alternatively, the tickets for the earlier train could be refunded (in which case Delay Repay could not be claimed) on the basis that they were unused due to the missed connection.

However, if this would involve finishing short on an Advance, then it's perhaps not claimable. There isn't enough information provided to conclude either way.

 

[trainophile]

Guilty . I would have been finishing short on my incredibly cheap Southport to Aberdeen ticket, which I suppose I should keep quiet about as it might be a mistake.

My theory was that if I’d boarded the Scotrail with a valid ticket to Aberdeen they wouldn’t be aware that any other ticket was held.

Nothing I can claim for, I took a gamble and lost.

 

[trainophile]

Have just recreated the same journey for a weekday in early September and it’s almost double what I paid, so I suspect the glitch has been corrected.