Timetable change after ticket purchase

[MichaelAMW]

Hello All,

I am travelling from Beeston to Exeter on Sat 28 May, which is the Bank Holiday weekend. Using the normal timetable I would go:

Beeston 06.43, Derby 07.01/07.25, Exeter 10.46.

However, on that day the line is closed between Derby and Tamworth. When I checked the times, the 07.25 from Derby (06.08 Leeds - Paignton) was retimed to depart at 06.53, with the connection from Beeston being the 06.03, an XC Nottingham - Cardiff service running as advertised, at least on the Nottingham - Derby section. On the strength of this information, which was backed up by a call to XC customer services, I booked a Derby - Exeter Advance ticket. No through Advance tickets were available from Beeston.

Problem is that the 06.03 service has apparently been pulled, leaving the first train to Derby at 06.24, arriving 06.48, which is 1 minute less than Derby's minimum connection time. What do think my position is, should I miss my connection, given that my planned train has been cancelled after booking my ticket?

If you wish to respond along the lines of "if you miss the first train for any reason..." etc relating to Advance tickets then that will be no help - that topic is a stalemate on this forum and the question I am asking is something else. The crucial issue is that I cannot go any earlier, as the 06.03 is usually the first train, in order to avoid the effects of the engineering alterations and thus I feel a bit left 'high and dry'.

 

[Deerfold]

It's not the question you're asking, but the first bus of the morning at 0533 from Dunkirk should get you to Derby in time, unless you're a slow walker through Derby (or of course there are unforeseen problems):

http://www.trentbarton.co.uk/service_times.aspx?serviceid=188

 

[hairyhandedfool]

If you speak to the ticket issuer on the phone, they *may* agree to a change the time of the reservation without a fee, and if you are lucky they might even offer a refund.

Unless you have a mobility issue the suggested minimum connection time is usually more than enough time for any station.

 

[MichaelAMW]

If you speak to the ticket issuer on the phone, they *may* agree to a change the time of the reservation without a fee, and if you are lucky they might even offer a refund.

Unless you have a mobility issue the suggested minimum connection time is usually more than enough time for any station.

Thanks for the phone-call suggestion. As for minimum times, I agree: I know Derby well and would only need a few minutes *as long as* my incoming train is ok.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Just be aware that I don't think they have to do anything as it is not part of the ticket you bought, but give it a try.

 

[MichaelAMW]

Correspondents may be interested to know that a call to CrossCountry sorted this all out. They were quite happy to listen to my story - I vaguely got the impression that their booking system showed I was a regular customer - and emailed over an 'authority to travel' for the later train from Derby. I also suspect that phoning up with an attitude that was more "Can you help me?" rather than "Why have you lot gone and cancelled my train??" can't have done any harm...

All in all, a pleasant surprise! Interestingly, she agreed with my suggested view that I could use two tickets, the Beeston-Derby single plus AP on to Exeter, for the one journey and that I could therefore use the next train from Derby if my train from Beeston was late. However, and this is perhaps reality kicking in, she also said that some see this as a 'grey area' and I'd also probably end up with an extended discussion with their train manager!

 

[bb21]

Good to see common sense prevail, after all it was not the customer's fault that the connection has now become an unofficial one.

I agree that not appearing aggressive can certainly influence a person's willingness to help.

With the authority to travel from customer services, I cannot see how the TM can do anything to you. If he suspects that it has been issued inappropriately, then he'll have to take it up with them, not you.

 

[MichaelAMW]

Good to see common sense prevail, after all it was not the customer's fault that the connection has now become an unofficial one.

I agree that not appearing aggressive can certainly influence a person's willingness to help.

With the authority to travel from customer services, I cannot see how the TM can do anything to you. If he suspects that it has been issued inappropriately, then he'll have to take it up with them, not you.

As you can see, there's even a helpful phone number to avoid such problems. (See attached - only 3 errors in the typing of my name!)