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Cancellation of Last Train

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BurtonM

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In a similar vein, I often travel with a bike on the last train home, on Northern.
Arriva's publicity is terrible and despite my best efforts I often find my last train home has been replaced with a bus (I think it's a lack of drivers but not sure).
One of the companies Northern contract buses from sometimes is a local Stagecoach garage, and their drivers refuse to let me on the bus with my bike.

Fortunately the few times this was an issue, they had managed to double book with a coach as well as a decker so I wasn't stuck, but the Northern transport coordinator gave me the idea I'd have been out of luck and stranded if it wasn't for that. He said to me 'I don't see why they don't let you on' (they did at one point then started refusing), then when he thought I was out of earshot and speaking to a Stagecoach staff member he said he didn't see why I wouldn't travel without my bike, and couldn't I leave it locked up at the departure point? I questioned this and said my bike stayed with me, as you wouldn't abandon a suitcase. I was basically told that you never know who'll be running the replacement service and what their bike policy would be, which sounds a lot like trying to shake the responsibility.
If I was refused passage on Northern's replacement bus service due to my bike would Northern be obliged to provide me alternative transport?
 
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221129

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BurtonM said:
In a similar vein, I often travel with a bike on the last train home, on Northern.
Arriva's publicity is terrible and despite my best efforts I often find my last train home has been replaced with a bus (I think it's a lack of drivers but not sure).
One of the companies Northern contract buses from sometimes is a local Stagecoach garage, and their drivers refuse to let me on the bus with my bike.

Fortunately the few times this was an issue, they had managed to double book with a coach as well as a decker so I wasn't stuck, but the Northern transport coordinator gave me the idea I'd have been out of luck and stranded if it wasn't for that. He said to me 'I don't see why they don't let you on' (they did at one point then started refusing), then when he thought I was out of earshot and speaking to a Stagecoach staff member he said he didn't see why I wouldn't travel without my bike, and couldn't I leave it locked up at the departure point? I questioned this and said my bike stayed with me, as you wouldn't abandon a suitcase. I was basically told that you never know who'll be running the replacement service and what their bike policy would be, which sounds a lot like trying to shake the responsibility.
If I was refused passage on Northern's replacement bus service due to my bike would Northern be obliged to provide me alternative transport?
Click to expand...
No they wouldn't
 
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DanTrain

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What would happen hypothetically if someone was travelling to a station, to use an example from above somewhere, to Whitwell, and they ended up stranded at Worksop due to following advice. Say they didn’t have a mobile or enough cash for a taxi (unlikely but not beyond comprehension). How would they get home? Use the help point and (insert TOC here) would have to order a taxi? Use a help point/nearby phone to call the police as they’re stranded (do the police help here?). What if this person is under 18?

It all seems like a minefield that could easily (ok, maybe hypothetically) end up in an expensive lawsuit?
 
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sprunt

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While "Don't follow the advice of staff if they're advising you to go to an unstaffed station." is sound advice on the face of it, how is someone travelling from, say, Sheffield to Lincoln supposed to know that Worksop station is unstaffed?
 
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block6panger

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block6panger said:
Without wishing to start a new thread, I was travelling from Euston to Headstone Lane last week.

This involved a London north western train from Euston to Harrow & Wealdstone and then the last overground one stop to Headstone Lane.

The first leg no problems, arrive a few minutes late but still with plenty of time to make the last train at Harrow & Wealdstone (I had left more than the minimum connection).

However, the information boards at the station and my virgin trains app state that the last train is cancelled. I struggle to find a member of staff but I call the help point. After ten minutes or so, they come back to inform me that they would not be prepared to provide a taxi as the train did in fact run much to my surprise. I was on the other side of the station and could make no comment to if the train did run or not.

I have submitted an email to TFL including my taxi receipt and a screenshot of the 'cancelled' train. Luckily the two stations are not miles away but I did not fancy a late night walk, and the cab was not too expensive at all. But that is besides the point as it was certainly not the best experience I have faced late at night.

I await their reply with interest...
Click to expand...

Just to update this... TfL have replied this week for my claim. They have refunded my oyster fare, cab fare and rounded it up for good measure.
 
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robbeech

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DanTrain said:
What would happen hypothetically if someone was travelling to a station, to use an example from above somewhere, to Whitwell, and they ended up stranded at Worksop due to following advice. Say they didn’t have a mobile or enough cash for a taxi (unlikely but not beyond comprehension). How would they get home? Use the help point and (insert TOC here) would have to order a taxi? Use a help point/nearby phone to call the police as they’re stranded (do the police help here?). What if this person is under 18?

It all seems like a minefield that could easily (ok, maybe hypothetically) end up in an expensive lawsuit?
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You’d be expected to use the information point at Worksop. This wasn’t working on any of the times I’ve tried it. Luckily I’ve managed to sort myself out with a taxi / last bus (before they retimed it to make the connection impossible). Poor service all round.

sprunt said:
While "Don't follow the advice of staff if they're advising you to go to an unstaffed station." is sound advice on the face of it, how is someone travelling from, say, Sheffield to Lincoln supposed to know that Worksop station is unstaffed?
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They wouldn’t. Even if they had been to Worksop before they might not be aware that the ticket office closes at 5 (or 4 if they get bored).
 
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Antman

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northernchris said:
If the last train of the day is cancelled does the operator have a duty to ensure passengers get to their destination? Reason I ask is on Saturday the last Leeds-Ilkley service was cancelled and no alternative was offered.
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Likewise the 00.32 Kings Cross to Cambridge has been cancelled presumably due to various problems in the Cambridge area. Would it be possible to put on a rail replacement service? Surely passengers wouldn't be left stranded in the freezing cold?
 
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Esker-pades

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Jack15001 said:
Likewise the 00.32 Kings Cross to Cambridge has been cancelled presumably due to various problems in the Cambridge area. Would it be possible to put on a rail replacement service? Surely passengers wouldn't be left stranded in the freezing cold?
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National Rail Enquires say that there are replacement buses circulating, with additional buses being sourced.
 
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Antman

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FelixtheCat said:
National Rail Enquires say that there are replacement buses circulating, with additional buses being sourced.
Click to expand...

Fair enough then. Presumably they'll only be needed between Hitchin and Cambridge? There is a later train from Kings Cross to Peterborough.
 
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sufian123

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2143 Euston to Wolverhampton Saturday 15th December last train was cancelled after 2 hours. Driver issue. Replacement driver would be coming from Wembley but nothing happened. Now resourcing taxis.
 
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AY1975

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If a train operator leaves you stranded and refuses to accept liability (assuming that you had already bought a ticket before you knew that there was a problem) and you are not happy with their response (or lack of one), it may be worth escalating the matter to the Rail Ombudsman (see www.railombudsman.org) or Transport Focus (www.transportfocus.org.uk).
 
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matt_world2004

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What happens if people are left behind due to crowding. On the last train or a very infrequent service the overnight gwrs are always leaving people behind at Ealing Broadway they are every 2 hours.
 
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LMS 4F

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Times were different many years ago. I and 3 friends went on a special from Wellingborough to Derby for an open day at the works. Living at Bedford we got a local to Wellingborough to get the special. After a good day the return was very late and we had missed our connection.
Faced with 4 thirteen year old boys telling him we would have to spend the night on the station phone calls were made and a service due to terminate at Wellingborough was laid on and we had a coach each for the run to Bedford.
This would have been late 1950s and how many parents would allow their offspring to do that sort of trip today? We were also faced with a one hour walk home from the station, to late for a bus and my parents didn't have a car. No phones either, a different world.
 
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Mag_seven

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matt_world2004 said:
What happens if people are left behind due to crowding. On the last train or a very infrequent service the overnight gwrs are always leaving people behind at Ealing Broadway they are every 2 hours.
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They have to wait 2 hours to the next one!

Seriously though, any decent TOC would lay on alternative transport rather than have you wait 2 hours.
 
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