So, Diss to Cardiff today. Had seats booked out of Paddington but it's a flexible ticket and I decided to travel earlier so I can get to bed at a sensible time.
Arrived at Diss to hear an announcement that there had been a fatality (that was the wording used) further down the line and that if intending to reach anywhere beyond Colchester, not to travel.
Station staff confirmed 'do not travel'. Asked if I could go via Cambridge, told yes. So I got on the train (1p45) intending to change at Stowmarket, but it wasn't booked to stop and we arrived Ipswich just as the Cambridge train pulled out. I prevaricated as the train sat there but decided to go for a 'known delay' and wait for the Peterborough train to Ely. Official advice at this time was still do not travel.
Next London train came in and was announced it would be 'held until further notice'. They dispatched it 10 minutes or so later which made me question my decision, but I checked the information and the advice was still 'line closed, don't travel'.
The 1717 from Ely to Kings X was cancelled, I wen to Cambridge and got a Thameslink to St Pancras.
So I got to Paddington just in time for the 1915 Swansea.
In the event, to original train i caught from Diss arrived at Liverpool Street only 52 minutes late just after 5pm as the line reopened shortly after I settled into a 156...
How are GA likely to treat a delay repay claim? The NR journey planner says the 1447 from Diss should get me to Cardiff for 1925. I probably would have missed that connection and ended up on the following service arriving 2020 had I gone against the travel advice and stayed on the train so due 25% of my return fare. But I'm actually going to arrive at 2117, so 50% refund should be due.
Specific questions:
1. Does my booking on an even later service count against me? They could argue I've not been delayed at all from my original itinerary.
2. Does the fact that had I stayed on the train I caught from Diss count against me, even though their advice was not to travel at all?
I'm not annoyed or anything, it was my choice to follow the advice (and thereby suffer a "known" delay rather than risk being stuck for hours somewhere. And the tragic incident is nobodies fault. And obviously I'm not detracting from the fact that lots of people will have had a far worse day than me. I'm curious how they will see it, or how they should apply the rules in this case.
I will be donating any refund to charity, as the ticket is on expenses anyway.
Arrived at Diss to hear an announcement that there had been a fatality (that was the wording used) further down the line and that if intending to reach anywhere beyond Colchester, not to travel.
Station staff confirmed 'do not travel'. Asked if I could go via Cambridge, told yes. So I got on the train (1p45) intending to change at Stowmarket, but it wasn't booked to stop and we arrived Ipswich just as the Cambridge train pulled out. I prevaricated as the train sat there but decided to go for a 'known delay' and wait for the Peterborough train to Ely. Official advice at this time was still do not travel.
Next London train came in and was announced it would be 'held until further notice'. They dispatched it 10 minutes or so later which made me question my decision, but I checked the information and the advice was still 'line closed, don't travel'.
The 1717 from Ely to Kings X was cancelled, I wen to Cambridge and got a Thameslink to St Pancras.
So I got to Paddington just in time for the 1915 Swansea.
In the event, to original train i caught from Diss arrived at Liverpool Street only 52 minutes late just after 5pm as the line reopened shortly after I settled into a 156...
How are GA likely to treat a delay repay claim? The NR journey planner says the 1447 from Diss should get me to Cardiff for 1925. I probably would have missed that connection and ended up on the following service arriving 2020 had I gone against the travel advice and stayed on the train so due 25% of my return fare. But I'm actually going to arrive at 2117, so 50% refund should be due.
Specific questions:
1. Does my booking on an even later service count against me? They could argue I've not been delayed at all from my original itinerary.
2. Does the fact that had I stayed on the train I caught from Diss count against me, even though their advice was not to travel at all?
I'm not annoyed or anything, it was my choice to follow the advice (and thereby suffer a "known" delay rather than risk being stuck for hours somewhere. And the tragic incident is nobodies fault. And obviously I'm not detracting from the fact that lots of people will have had a far worse day than me. I'm curious how they will see it, or how they should apply the rules in this case.
I will be donating any refund to charity, as the ticket is on expenses anyway.