Acceptance of tickets on Avanti due to multiple cancellations on XC from Manchester

[DanielDeronda]

I'm travelling home from Liverpool via Birmingham New Street, was supposed to be on final XC service @ 2103.

But for to a trespasser on the line in the Manchester area all lines are closed.

What are my options to get home tonight or early Sunday?

What's the process with getting across London on the Underground from Euston Square as my ticket doesn't have a Maltese cross on.

I'm not sure if any rail replacement transport is being provided.

I can't travel back the next day unless accomuos provided.

I'll put in a delay repay claim.

 

[JonathanH]

If the journey possibilities aren't in your hands, because the 2103 from Birmingham to Reading is cancelled, you are likely to need to find a member of customer services at Birmingham New Street to suggest the best possible journey arrangements. You are unlikely to be the only person in your situation.

EdIt: Tiger is showing a replacement bus from Birmingham to Reading.

https://tiger.worldline.global/BHAMNWS/staff;scrollbar=true

More information on ticket acceptance on CrossCountry journey check as well.
https://www.journeycheck.com/crosscountry/

19:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Southampton Central due 23:42 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train drivers.
Further Information
Passengers should board the Avanti West Coast service departing from Birmingham New Street at 2121 towards London Euston, changing there to use the London Underground Northern line towards Morden/Battersea power station and alight at Waterloo. Please then change for the 00:10 South Western Railway service towards Bournemouth.
Passengers to/from Leamington Spa, Banbury - Please board the next available Chiltern Railways service departing from Birmingham Moor Street towards London Marylebone, changing there to use the London Underground Bakerloo line towards Elephant & Castle, and alight at London Waterloo where you should then change for South Western Railway services towards Bournemouth.
Passengers from Oxford and Reading are advised to use GWR services to Reading for connecting GWR service to Basingstoke and further change for South Western Railway services towards Bournemouth for your required station.
A coach, operated by Bouden Travel, will operate departing Birmingham New St at 2103 towards Reading. This service is now showing in online journey planners.

Information relating to the disruption to your journey and up-to-date travel information is available by clicking on 'Line Updates' on our JourneyCheck page on www.journeycheck.com/crosscountry/.

 

[DanielDeronda]

I'm in a taxi now direct to Reading.

 

[JonathanH]

I'm in a taxi now direct to Reading.

Well that is probably a better outcome than going to London and ending up on the 0034 from Paddington to Reading. I think getting the 2333 from Paddington would have been a bit tight from a Euston arrival just after 2310 on the 2121 Avanti train from Birmingham.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'm in a taxi now direct to Reading.

What's your arrival time there? Should originally have been 2239, I reckon. Think you need to be delayed by 30 mins to be eligible to Delay Repay from Cross Country.

 

[DanielDeronda]

Think we ended up arriving into Reading around 0010-0015, so about 90mins late.

What evidence can I provide Cross Country of that arrival time? There's nothing on realtimetrains which I expected. I couldn't get anything from the taxi driver.

 

[gray1404]

Think we ended up arriving into Reading around 0010-0015, so about 90mins late.

What evidence can I provide Cross Country of that arrival time? There's nothing on realtimetrains which I expected. I couldn't get anything from the taxi driver.

Just submit the claim. It may get approved as the train the systems is cancelled. It it doesn't then appeal or email customer services.

 

[Watershed]

Think we ended up arriving into Reading around 0010-0015, so about 90mins late.

What evidence can I provide Cross Country of that arrival time? There's nothing on realtimetrains which I expected. I couldn't get anything from the taxi driver.

It shouldn't be too tricky, but if it really came to it, you could rely on:

• Your witness testimony, staying the arrival time
• Train running data showing that the train was cancelled and that there was no train alternative that would have allowed you to reach Reading any earlier
• XC's control logs showing that a taxi was booked for passengers on the cancelled service
• (Possibly) data from Google or Apple showing the time that your phone was in different locations, e.g. the time it arrived in Reading
• Google Maps data showing the average driving time from Birmingham to reading at that time of day, and day of the week

Obviously none of these things are, in and of themselves, definitive proof. But when put together, I would suggest they easily meet the burden of proof for a civil matter, which is the "balance of probabilities" (i.e. which side's version of events is more believable).

 

[Haywain]

What evidence can I provide Cross Country of that arrival time? There's nothing on realtimetrains which I expected.

The only thing they need to know is that you were more than an hour late. The exact time isn't relevant as it makes no further difference.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The only thing they need to know is that you were more than an hour late. The exact time isn't relevant as it makes no further difference.

It would perhaps make a difference *if* the OP was travelling using a Return ticket, as in that case the XC Delay Repay thresholds mean a 50% pay out (based on the cost of the return fare) for a 60-119 mins delay and a 100% pay out for a 120+ mins delay.

 

[Haywain]

It would perhaps make a difference *if* the OP was travelling using a Return ticket, as in that case the XC Delay Repay thresholds mean a 50% pay out (based on the cost of the return fare) for a 60-119 mins delay and a 100% pay out for a 120+ mins delay.

Between 1 hour and 2 hours makes no difference, that is my point. The OP suggests they are concerned about how to show they were 90 minutes late, I would suggest that it doesn't matter where it sits within that band.

 

[DanielDeronda]

Between 1 hour and 2 hours makes no difference, that is my point. The OP suggests they are concerned about how to show they were 90 minutes late, I would suggest that it doesn't matter where it sits within that band.

Claim created, expecting around £27 based on a 90min delay.

Re evidence if claim is rejected.

Can see the cancellations on realtimetrains.co.uk

Google Maps said average journey time from New St around 2h, depending on route, so that is consistent with my taxi leaving New St at around 2215.

The taxi was bought on account so no more payments from us.

Will see what XC will say.

 

[Haywain]

Will see what XC will say.

I really think you are overdoing the worrying about this.

 

[DanielDeronda]

I really think you are overdoing the worrying about this.

I probably am but you never know with XC!!

 

[DanielDeronda]

All sorted, just under £27, worried about nothing!!