Northern strike and Virgin EC ticket acceptance

[BahrainLad]

Hello, was wondering if anyone had any advice.

Currently booked on the 1035 KGX - Leeds VTEC on Saturday connecting to Northern to Kirkby Stephen. Booked through the VTEC website, First Advance.

Got an email yesterday saying

"As you may have heard, RMT union members who work for Northern have announced that they plan industrial action on Saturday 26 May and if it goes ahead Northern will be running a limited service. Your ticket will be accepted on Virgin Trains East Coast Services via a reasonable route. "

Having checked the Northern website they make no mention of an alternative timetable for Leeds/Settle/Carlisle trains so I am presuming at this point that they don't plan on running anything.

We plan to go KGX - Darlington on VTEC instead and then get a pickup to drive us to Kirkby, but I was wondering if it was possible to get some seat reservations on the 1030 train even though we have tickets/reservations for a train on a different route? Is there any way to see how busy this train will be (on a Saturday bank holiday...) and whether we're likely to find some seats in F?

Or any other advice welcome!

 

[gray1404]

I would give VTEC a call later on today and ask them if they will allow this first. You could also try Tweeting them now.