TPE Seat Reservations

[noddingdonkey]

(This isn't strictly about fares but as it's about tickets this seemed to be the most appropriate forum)

I've booked Huddersfield to Salford Crescent and return tomorrow, on the TPE website. I've got seat reservation coupons only for the Huddersfield to Manchester Pic leg outbound (understandable, as the Manchester - Salford section is with Northern) but outbound I've got a coupon only for Salford - Manchester which isn't reservable and doesn't specify seats, but no reservation for the TPE MAN-HUD section.

The ticket is Anytime so reservations aren't mandatory, but I have a couple of questions:

Have I screwed up and not ticked a box somewhere on the website?

If I go to the booking office at Huddersfield will I be able to arrange a seat reservation for the return TPE service (and will there be a charge?)

 

[causton]

Some sites don't automatically issue reservations for Anytime tickets (to avoid people wasting them I guess) as they can catch any train.

You will not be able to book seats for TPE on the same day, but if it is a different day (the deadline is usually before 1800 the day before travel) reservations can be obtained free of charge

 

[noddingdonkey]

Thanks for that. I've just been to the TPE website and gone through the process again and it only offers the option to book a seat for the outbound and/or return legs rather than for the specific services that are part of it.

Which makes me think that TPE have screwed up in giving me a pointless reservation coupon for a non bookable service and not for the one that I really wanted it for?

I guess there's not much I can do about it now.

 

[maniacmartin]

What may have happened is the train has been marked as having reservations available so they can sell APs on it, as if you can't reserve seats for at least one leg then the IT systems won't allow an AP to be sold. However, in reality they don't want to actually issue seat reservations, so set it up to issue "Coach * Seat ***".

If your coupon specifies such a seat of starts, this is the reason. It's called a 'counted place reservation' and is common in SWT-land. It's only use is to control AP quotas, but booking sites don't know if they will get one of these or a real reservation until after they've attempted to reserve your seat with the NRS central computer system. All they see is reservations are available, so they've tried to get one for you for your Anytime ticket as requested

(If your coupon does not specify "Seat ***" then please ignore all the above)

 

[noddingdonkey]

Thanks for that, that is what the ticket says.

I've called TPE Customer Services who seem to think that it's because the train isn't reservable - although I think this may be because it's after the 1800 deadline.

Guess it's sardine time on the way home then!