York - Blackpool Nth disruption 16/10

[142094]

Was on the 08.09 service yesterday from York - Blackpool North, which got into Blackpool one and a half hours late. The first delay was due to a set swap at York with the original 158 being taken out of use due to a problem, the second delay due to waiting for a TPE and XC fast service to pass at Church Fenton, and the third delay due to cable theft in the Hebden Bridge area.

Just wondering if I sent my ticket in to Northern, how much am I likely to get back as compensation? I have a feeling that they may try to say that the cable theft was out of their hands and so not refund some of the money. I was travelling with a Off peak Day Return at £19.80 route Burnley with a railcard. I'm expecting at most I'd get half of this back as the return journey only had a slight delay.

 

[John @ home]

See the relevant part of Northern's Passenger Charter.

If a delay to a Northern service adds an hour or more to your journey, we will offer you National Rail travel vouchers to the value of at least 50% of the fare you paid for that journey. The vouchers are available for use on Northern and other train operators' services. This also applies to weekly season ticket holders.

http://www.northernrail.org/northern/passengerscharter/ifthingsgowrong

 

[142094]

That's what I thought, although as I've never had to claim from Northern before, I was wondering if they are likely to say no as the cable theft would be out of their hands?

 

[yorkie]

The NCoC gives them the right to say no for things like cable theft but TOCs can give you more than the NCoC minimum, and Northern giving you 50% of the fare for an hour or more is certainly more than the minimum. It's worth asking.

 

[Jordy]

If they don't give you Rail Travel Vouchers they may well send you a "Northern Rail Complimentary Travel Voucher" which is a 1 day rover for all of Northern.

 

[142094]

Sent off the letter today, so hopefully will have a reply by the end of next week. From the looks of it, the free day travel on Northern sounds better than the rail warrants - would make a good day out with that.

 

[142094]

Unfortunately no 1 day free travel on Northern, but £10 in travel vouchers, so I'm up by a total of 10p. Will pay for a trip to Dewsbury on Friday

 

[D6700]

Unfortunately no 1 day free travel on Northern, but £10 in travel vouchers, so I'm up by a total of 10p. Will pay for a trip to Dewsbury on Friday

Glad to see that some TOC's still do the sensible thing of rounding things up.

East Coast, on the other hand, give you the exact value - and even round that down to the nearest penny. Right now, I've got a voucher for £21.85 and had one a few months ago that ended in 2p! Because all fares end in a 0 or a 5, they don't put coppers in the tills, which caused a small farce at York ticket office when I used the voucher...