Validity of an LNER ticket on Scotrail if services cancelled.

Would an LNER Advance from Kings Cross to Inverness be valid to travel on a later Scotrail service ( from EDB to INV ) if the former was cancelled ? I'm off to Inverness on Monday and due to the rain and wind the Highland Chieftain may not run. If the ECML is partially blocked I may have to travel via WCML ( if Avanti allow ). Do LNER have procedures in place which would allow me to travel on a Scotrail service from either Glasgow or Edinburgh ? I understand that this would all depend very much on the consequences of the weather and TOC co-operation but in the past have LNER passengers due to board at Edinburgh been authorized to take the next available Scotrail ? Obviously they cannot wait for the next LNER which would be in 24hrs time.

In this specific circumstance, yes. If there is no other train with your booked train company that day then any train company that can help you is obliged to. Strictly speaking LNER could arrange a real replacement bus, but in reality it will have to mean being accepted on other train services of other companies (as there's no further LNER service).

General Zod said:

I understand that this would all depend very much on the consequences of the weather and TOC co-operation but in the past have LNER passengers due to board at Edinburgh been authorized to take the next available Scotrail ?

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Generally speaking, yes. But it very much depends on the circumstances on the day. If the ECML is closed then it's possible that LNER might use one of sets allocated to Aberdeen to London for a run up to Inverness (depending on driver availability, etc.)

Funnily enough the High Chieftain from KGX was heavily delayed today and there was a passenger with a LNER EDB-INV Advance who was eventually allowed to use the next Scotrail. Took a lot of faffing around though !

General Zod said:

Funnily enough the High Chieftain from KGX was heavily delayed today and there was a passenger with a LNER EDB-INV Advance who was eventually allowed to use the next Scotrail. Took a lot of faffing around though !

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This is the usual nonsense you can expect from certain train companies however if you would otherwise be stranded then any company who is in a position to assist is contractually obliged to do so under Condition 28.2 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel, so if the train is cancelled there is no doubt you can take ScotRail. It may not be a comfortable journey, though.

This happened to me a few months ago. There was absolutely no bother at all. I just walked up to the guard at Edinburgh and explained, and he cheerily let me on.

The way things are today you'll be lucky to catch any train.