Rail replacement taxis

[Samuel88]

How often do Rail companies put on taxis?
I ask because as a result of someone being hit by a train earlier at Saunderstead, Southern were very prompt at putting on taxis! I was very impressed.

 

[Glenn1969]

It happened to me quite a lot when I was travelling to basketball games back in the day and XC running late meant I missed the last train to Halifax

 

[Whistler40145]

Many years ago, was at Liverpool Lime Street and the last Blackpool North service on a Saturday night got cancelled, a replacement Minibus was organised to start at St Helens Central, but BR put on a Taxi from Liverpool to link up with the Minibus, arriving in the early hours of the Sunday morning.

 

[farci]

A few winters ago very bad snow and subzero temperatures betweeen London-Glasgow led to the Virgin service running two hours late into Glasgow Central arriving after midnight. Proactively the guard came through the train after Carlisle to assure pax they would get to their final destinations by taxi and taking details. I lived locally but in some cases that involved a paid-for taxi from Glasgow-Aberdeen.

Great service! I was so impressed I wrote to Virgin Customer Service to complement the staff. It seems my letter was not properly read. A week later they sent me vouchers for £50 apologising for the delay...

 

[tds42]

When I lived in Colchester would sometimes have a rail replacement taxi to Colchester Town if the Walton train needed to gain time

 

[mm333]

LNER (and predecessors) are usually very good at putting on taxis for passengers on their trains that miss the last connections out of Leeds. That must have happened about 10-15 times to me over the last 10 years. I think there's been 2 times where I've not found a member of staff at Leeds to get me a taxi and those have both been when the delayed leg was the bit south of London so I was the only delayed passenger on the incoming train. On both times, I've had my taxi fare refunded.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

It depends on whether there are still staff on duty at the interchange station. If there's nobody there, you're left to your own devices.

Having said that, I was once given a taxi from Liverpool to Little Sutton when my train from Yorkshire arrived in the small hours.

And Eurostar once out me up in a 4-star hotel in London when they made me miss the last train out of Euston.

 

[Bald Rick]

Regular thing, and the Southern policy hasn’t changed for years as far as I know.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've had a few. BR were much more forthright about doing it (typically if more than one hour's delay was being incurred they'd consider it).

Highest value one I've had is Preston to Edinburgh a few years ago.

 

[Melancholia]

Every Monday morning, GWR puts out a taxi for a service that's advertised to be a timetabled rail replacement bus service.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C52095/2019/04/29/advanced

This is a taxi service, due to the amount of people using this service, majority of the time as I've been told, none.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Every Monday morning, GWR puts out a taxi for a service that's advertised to be a timetabled rail replacement bus service.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C52095/2019/04/29/advanced

This is a taxi service, due to the amount of people using this service, majority of the time as I've been told, none.

Why does that service even exist?

Though I suppose with no calling points along the way, the taxi only needs to go out if anyone actually wants to travel.

 

[Spartacus]

Every Monday morning, GWR puts out a taxi for a service that's advertised to be a timetabled rail replacement bus service.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C52095/2019/04/29/advanced

This is a taxi service, due to the amount of people using this service, majority of the time as I've been told, none.

Curious. The runner of TPE services at the time was taken to task years ago for doing the same thing with overnight airport services booked to call at Dewsbury and I think Stalybridge. As the calls weren't required by the franchise they simply dropped them and they never returned.

 

[mm333]

Why does that service even exist?

Though I suppose with no calling points along the way, the taxi only needs to go out if anyone actually wants to travel.

Even Tuesday-Friday, the 0351 service doesn't help you get into London early. It only goes to Reading then you've got a 30 min connection for the stopper into Paddington (arr 0602). You can get into Paddington at 0622 by leaving Oxford at 0517.

It is however is one of only 2 trains a day to take the curve between Foxhall Junction (west of Didcot station) and the line to Oxford, so it may be a parliamentary.

RTT has it arriving at Reading on platform 15, and then it leaves a minute later as an ECS to Paddington.

 

[faltskog36abba]

A group of us were waiting at greenfield station ten years ago- The last train failed to show up on a Friday evening. We rang private hire cabs but we were told up to an hour wait, Whilst we were waiting this - Replacement mini bus turned up and stopped at the local stations down to Manchester. No one was there so we were dropped straight at our houses in north Manchester-Much better than the train.

 

[47271]

I get put in a taxi maybe once every two months and it could be anywhere if things have gone that badly to cock. It is not in any way something to aspire to.

My record distance, I think, is Preston to Birmingham going backwards on the tip up seat of a rattly old black cab on a very warm summers evening with all the windows open, courtesy of Virgin. The M6 was shut for roadworks so we had to divert via Stoke. I got in just after midnight. Hilarious.

 

[MrEd]

When Scotrail had staff shortages last summer and a few Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh trains were cancelled, the powers that be sent the rail replacement buses the most direct route from Inverness to Kyle by road, which is down Loch Ness and through Glen Shiel, missing out all the intermediate stations. This meant that if you were going to say Achnasheen, Strathcarron or Plockton, you had your very own private taxi at Scotrail's expense (which got you there quicker than the train)! I never understood why the bus couldn't simply have been routed along the A832 and A890 which follow the rail route virtually all the way (although for some of the smaller stations closer to Kyle, a deviation is required), avoiding the need for £150+ taxis. Not that I was moaning, though- I've enjoyed two luxury taxi tours of the north-west Highlands between Inverness and Plockton now, courtesy of Scotrail

 

[Bald Rick]

When Scotrail had staff shortages last summer and a few Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh trains were cancelled, the powers that be sent the rail replacement buses the most direct route from Inverness to Kyle by road, which is down Loch Ness and through Glen Shiel, missing out all the intermediate stations. This meant that if you were going to say Achnasheen, Strathcarron or Plockton, you had your very own private taxi at Scotrail's expense (which got you there quicker than the train)! I never understood why the bus couldn't simply have been routed along the A832 and A890 which follow the rail route virtually all the way (although for some of the smaller stations closer to Kyle, a deviation is required), avoiding the need for £150+ taxis. Not that I was moaning, though- I've enjoyed two luxury taxi tours of the north-west Highlands between Inverness and Plockton now, courtesy of Scotrail

One assumes you were in a small party of one or not much more?

 

[Dave91131]

In 2007 (I think) I got to Wakefield Westgate on a Saturday evening for the last train to Peterborough, only to discover it had been re-timed to depart around 20 minutes earlier - a planned alteration but not advertised in any way at the station nor in the timetable booklet.

Staff organised a taxi to Doncaster to connect in to the last Aberdeen - London HST to get me back to Peterborough. Loss of 91 mileage, but better than a night in Wakefield!

 

[Highlandspring]

I’ve known First provide taxis from Euston to Edinburgh and, on one occasion, Aberdeen when they still ran the Caledonian Sleeper. More recently there was the time in summer 2017 that a West Highland service was cancelled and the passengers were sent in 42(!) black hacks to Crianlarich...

 

[37047]

I've had taxis on a few occasions from King's Lynn. One was a Saturday evening last summer when the train I was waiting for was cancelled, and the next one was massively delayed en route due to a fight onboard. As this would have meant a gap of ~3h between services, taxis were ordered for everyone waiting.

Most recently was a few weeks ago (a Saturday, only one cancelled train, nothing major as I recall). Great Northern did organise a rail replacement bus to call at all stations to Ely but this takes 90+ mins vs. 30 on the train (a combination of having to go to Watlington and the A10). Very helpfully, the station staff also provided several taxis direct to Ely for people with onward connections - not as quick as the train but significantly faster than the bus and much appreciated.

 

[MrEd]

One assumes you were in a small party of one or not much more?

I was the only person going to Plockton, yes. A separate taxi was summoned for a party of three travelling to Strathcarron, if I remember rightly.

 

[Bigfoot]

How often do Rail companies put on taxis?
I ask because as a result of someone being hit by a train earlier at Saunderstead, Southern were very prompt at putting on taxis! I was very impressed.

Very often. Most are booked through companies like cabline which cab operators subscribe to to get work.

The same company is used to book staff cabs, which are used more than the public think.

 

[Bald Rick]

I was the only person going to Plockton, yes. A separate taxi was summoned for a party of three travelling to Strathcarron, if I remember rightly.

A taxi would be cheaper than a bus, then.

 

[aar0]

I enjoyed (not) a ride in a cab from Bristol Parkway to Swansea last year at about 2am, as XC caused me to miss the last GWR service. I got the impression that GWR paid though...?

 

[johntea]

One time Scotrail from Glasgow to Edinburgh missed the last Edinburgh to Leeds service by a matter of <5 minutes, they didn't hold the train which was very frustrating considering it would have easily made the time back along the route!

So we all had to seek out assistance at Edinburgh station, Scotrail eventually arranged that we would catch the next service to Newcastle then a taxi would be provided from there to Leeds, I seem to remember they got us all in the same taxi and the fare was something like £200 - although it took nearly an hour at Newcastle for it all to actually be arranged and set off! Arrived back in Leeds around 2am, I then had to get another taxi home and had work at 8am the next morning! On the slightly more positive side, I did get a full £100 or so rail ticket refund on top

 

[Wolfie]

I get put in a taxi maybe once every two months and it could be anywhere if things have gone that badly to cock. It is not in any way something to aspire to.

My record distance, I think, is Preston to Birmingham going backwards on the tip up seat of a rattly old black cab on a very warm summers evening with all the windows open, courtesy of Virgin. The M6 was shut for roadworks so we had to divert via Stoke. I got in just after midnight. Hilarious.

I had a shared black cab Brum to Euston after the last train was cancelled.

 

[paddington]

When I was bashing the Far North line, I took the 1041 from Inverness and intended to fly back to London from Wick.

I don't remember exactly what happened, but looking at the timetable I think the southbound train we were meant to pass at Invergordon at 1130 was delayed, then by the time we got to Helmsdale (scheduled 1312) we were so late that the signaller wanted us to wait for the southbound at 1420 before continuing north.

They then cancelled Thurso to Wick so upon arrival at Thurso (scheduled 1424) the train would become the 1632 to Inverness. Passengers for Wick obviously had to get off at Georgemas. A taxi was promised. There was only one other passenger to Wick, an American backpacker, so we were both a bit clueless, after half an hour we called the help point and they said they didn't even know we needed a taxi, so would order it now. After an hour nothing had shown up.

In hindsight what happened makes sense, to save money/fuel Scotrail just got a single taxi to depart Wick at 1600 taking the southbound passengers to Georgemas and then return, rather than two taxis to each do a round trip. But I was still hoping I could make the flight, otherwise I should have gone to Thurso and back rather than sit around Georgemas for an hour, or paid for my own taxi, but it was too late by the time I realised what was going on. As I would be stranded in Wick if I took Scotrail's taxi, I had to abandon the flight and take the train back south when it returned from Thurso! (It was then that I discovered the 4G mobile signal at Georgemas is better than at home in south London.)

Every Monday morning, GWR puts out a taxi for a service that's advertised to be a timetabled rail replacement bus service.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C52095/2019/04/29/advanced

Even Tuesday-Friday, the 0351 service doesn't help you get into London early. It only goes to Reading then you've got a 30 min connection for the stopper into Paddington (arr 0602). You can get into Paddington at 0622 by leaving Oxford at 0517.

Why doesn't the train run on Mondays?

 

[Melancholia]

Why doesn't the train run on Mondays?

Engineering works

 

[philthetube]

Going back to Colne Skipton days my mother ran a taxi business, when a late running Skipton was to be reversed at Colne a taxi used to be ordered to replace the service, usually a 7 seater.

The Station master at Earby would come out and wave his appropriately coloured flag as the cab passed through.

 

[tiptoptaff]

I enjoyed (not) a ride in a cab from Bristol Parkway to Swansea last year at about 2am, as XC caused me to miss the last GWR service. I got the impression that GWR paid though...?

Depends - GWR may have booked it and reclaimed the cost from XC, or the station staff would have been told by GWR control to ring XC control for them to book it.