Alleged attempt by VTWC to avoid Delay Repay by regulating trains goes wrong

[boxy321]

Yesterday VTWC announced that ex-Scotland trains would be delayed due to slow running during the high winds. Totally understandable and things were running about 20 minutes late.

I therefore got a service starting at New St thinking it would not be delayed as it was only heading to London.

How wrong I was!

Since the 17:10 from up north was approaching the 30 minute threshold for compensation Virgin decided to let it go first so we sat at New St with no announcements and watched as the departure time increased until it eventually displayed 'delayed' only. Progress was then predictably slow, followed by sitting outside Birmingham International why people in charge made up their minds. One announcement was cut short before falling silent.

Eventually we got to the platforms and lost all power as the train manager made several brisk journeys up and down the aisles as we watched the 350 behind us also overtake in the direction of Coventry. We couldn't get off to change as the doors had no power.

Finally the train came back to life and we were told to use the next 9-car 390 which was adjacent on platform 4 (and full). I'm no expert but I understand a full and standing 11-coach pendolino is not going to fit onto an already packed smaller one. After seeing the Tokyo-style hoards I went back to plan A since the train manager was overhead saying he himself would have a job getting back on, let alone the thousand plus passengers in the scrum.

Eventually, the late running train that caused all this was still over 30 minutes late and we were by 32 minutes too. This dumbf*ckery actually delayed about 10 trains on the West Coast Mainline and created a dangerous scenario at International.

Apparently the issue with our train was a full reset was needed due to a comms fault. Was it this or a desire not give 50% of the income from the ex-Scotland train back?

 

[JN114]

Apparently the issue with our train was a full reset was needed due to a comms fault. Was it this or a desire not give 50% of the income from the ex-Scotland train back?

It’s highly doubtful that delay repay factors into the minds of the people making these decisions. I can’t speak for Virgin in all honesty; but being the equivalent decision maker for another train operator, revenue and delay compensation is about as far from our minds as possible.

Why do you doubt VTWC’s assertions that it was a train fault that required a full reset?

 

[AlterEgo]

It doesn’t matter how many times it gets said, people continually believe operational decisions are taken on the basis of avoiding Delay Repay, like they’re wheedling you out of money you’ve earned.

But here we go anyway:

Delay Repay is a pittance in the scheme of things, is only claimed by a minority of customers, and pales in comparison to Franchise-bound payments for performance failures. Much more expensive still are the consequences of an unrecovered train service for the rest of the day.

I have literally never ever heard of an operational decision taken with the rationale of avoiding paying Delay Repay.

 

[boxy321]

Regardless of the whys, people on board suspected a rat and verbal communication was terrible.

Picture this; late train makes yours late, no info, doors locked, next train overtakes, then another, chaos on the platforms, staff arguing, slow progress. Why make 10 trains late across 4 different TOCs to get one back on time? Seemed like Lewisham without the snow.

 

[alistairlees]

Regardless of the whys, people on board suspected a rat and verbal communication was terrible.

Picture this; late train makes yours late, no info, doors locked, next train overtakes, then another, chaos on the platforms, staff arguing, slow progress. Why make 10 trains late across 4 different TOCs to get one back on time? Seemed like Lewisham without the snow.

I don't think people are out to get you. Stuff goes wrong, there is no need for conspiracy theories.

 

[Mintona]

Apparently the issue with our train was a full reset was needed due to a comms fault. Was it this or a desire not give 50% of the income from the ex-Scotland train back?

Regardless of the whys, people on board suspected a rat and verbal communication was terrible.

I wonder why that might be....

 

[6Gman]

Yesterday VTWC announced that ex-Scotland trains would be delayed
I therefore got a service starting at New St thinking it would not be delayed as it was only heading to London.
How wrong I was!

Since the 17:10 from up north was approaching the 30 minute threshold for compensation Virgin decided to let it go first

I think this is where your account starts to go awry.

Many (possible) reasons why they chose that course of action; Delay Repay very unlikely to be the one.

 

[DarloRich]

It doesn’t matter how many times it gets said, people continually believe operational decisions are taken on the basis of avoiding Delay Repay, like they’re wheedling you out of money you’ve earned.

But here we go anyway:

Delay Repay is a pittance in the scheme of things, is only claimed by a minority of customers, and pales in comparison to Franchise-bound payments for performance failures. Much more expensive still are the consequences of an unrecovered train service for the rest of the day.

I have literally never ever heard of an operational decision taken with the rationale of avoiding paying Delay Repay.

This is spot on. Close thread.

 

[jopsuk]

attempting to hit performance targets, or to avoid delay replay, or similar, won't be what caused your train to have technical problems and fail, will it?

 

[Deafdoggie]

whilst undoubtedly there will be people on the train making delay repay claims, many more will have missed connections along the way, some will be early as they caught the train before as it was late. If train operators really do base their decisions on delay repay it seems very silly, as it won't affect most people.

 

[AlterEgo]

attempting to hit performance targets, or to avoid delay replay, or similar, won't be what caused your train to have technical problems and fail, will it?

The OP is claiming there really was no technical fault and it was all a ruse to stop people claiming a few quid in Delay Repay.

 

[boxy321]

To be clear, I was not talking of conspiracies, but of passengers' interpretation of what was going on, given the absence of any information at International, especially once the doors were locked on the platform meaning nobody could transfer.

In hindsight, decisions seem to have been made that weren't circulated at platfrom level both to passengers and TMs, neither knowing what was going on in terms of departure times and who would be next (given there's 8 trains per hour towards Coventry).

I won't be claiming my £1.25 DR compensation.

 

[boxy321]

I don't claim because of the wastage. 2 sheets of colour printed A4 with an envelope and postage. Yes, one could claim for things you were never on.

 

[AlterEgo]

I don't claim because of the wastage. 2 sheets of colour printed A4 with an envelope and postage. Yes, one could claim for things you were never on.

You don’t need a claim form. You just send in an email.

 

[boxy321]

You don’t need a claim form. You just send in an email.

Correct. It's what they send you in the post I'm talking about though.

 

[AlterEgo]

Correct. It's what they send you in the post I'm talking about though.

A BACS payment, PayPal, or debit card credit doesn’t go via the post.

 

[boxy321]

VTWC always send a letter with a cheque or vouchers unless its automatic delay repay. I asked them.