Alternative Routes During Watford Closure

[Hadders]

I potentially need to travel from Northampton to London on Saturday 14th February.

The WCML is closed at Watford on this day with LM suggesting various alternatives. One they don't mention is using the Marston Vale line from Bletchley to Bedford to connect with trains via the MML to St Pancras.

I can understand why LM don't want passengers to go this way because of the limited capacity on the Marston Vale line (and it doesn't run on Sundays) but does anyone know if I'm likely to encounter an issue going this way. It's potentially the quickest route too.

 

[Muzer]

So it's not a permitted route as far as I can tell from a cursory glance at the routeing guide (only mapped route Northampton to London is EN, which is via the WCML only), but of course that tends to be out the window anyway during disruption. My instinct would be that nobody will stop you. Obviously if you can get an itinerary from a booking engine, use that (I haven't tried), or find any small print anywhere about the exact conditions of ticket acceptance during this period of disruption (the phrase "reasonable routes" is your friend!).

 

[Hadders]

You can't get an itinerary although LM's publicity says if you've a ticket from Northampton you may use Wellingborough instead and with a ticket from Milton Keyns you can use Bedford. There's no replacement transport to get you to Wellingborough or Milton Keynes though.

I suppose the worst it would be is an SDS from Bletchley to Bedford.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The phrasing is that tickets are available via Thameslink and EMT on all reasonable routes. I can't imagine you would have anyone try and stop you. I'd say Bletchley to Bedford was a reasonable route.

 

[class303]

I potentially need to travel from Northampton to London on Saturday 14th February.

The WCML is closed at Watford on this day with LM suggesting various alternatives. One they don't mention is using the Marston Vale line from Bletchley to Bedford to connect with trains via the MML to St Pancras.

I can understand why LM don't want passengers to go this way because of the limited capacity on the Marston Vale line (and it doesn't run on Sundays) but does anyone know if I'm likely to encounter an issue going this way. It's potentially the quickest route too.

London Midland usually have ticket acceptance with East Midlands trains. So depending whether Wellingborough is convenient for you, you can go Wellingborough to St Pancras on a Northampton ticket. That's the way I always go.

 

[PeterY]

Saturday 14th February. I've at long last booked myself a return from Euston to Coventry. For me it'll be a good route bash because there are number of lines I've yet to do.

 

[Hadders]

I've had a reply from London Midland saying that you are allowed go via the Bletchley-Bedford line.

London Midland

Going into London via Bedford is a suggested route during the engineering works if travelling from Bletchley. East Midlands Trains are accepting our tickets into St Pancras and we are allowing people to travel any reasonable route into London, as London Midland run the service between Bedford and Bletchley, this would also be valid.

I hope this answers your question. If you have any further quaetions, then do please let me know.

Yours sincerely
Customer Relations Advisor

 

[185143]

Saturday 14th February. I've at long last booked myself a return from Euston to Coventry. For me it'll be a good route bash because there are number of lines I've yet to do.

I'm sorry to upset you but the works have been cancelled.

 

[cls]

Can anyone point me to where it shows the Watford works have been cancelled / suspended ?

 

[deltic]

Can anyone point me to where it shows the Watford works have been cancelled / suspended ?

See http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/87191.aspx

 

[gordonthemoron]

have the following week's works been cancelled also?

 

[Buttsy]

The cancellation is down to the Harbury landslip which has denied Virgin any diversion possibilities via Banbury

 

[gordonthemoron]

according to Virgin website, blockade 21-22/Feb is cancelled too
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
since both blockades have been cancelled, why haven't Virgin issued a revised timetable for 22/2? VT services are still showing as starting from Milton Keynes or Rugby, although LM trains are starting from Euston.

The normal timetable is showing for 21/2

 

[dvboy]

It's not as simple as reinstating the normal timetable due to staffing mainly, so this will have taken time to sort out.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Quite simply, Virgin and London Midland will need to know they can get enough staff in before they can confirm the timetables. I'd imagine they granted a lot of annual leave in the expectation the staff won't be needed, so the trains that can run will depend on this. It may be a full timetable- it looks like it will be for London Midland- but it will depend on staffing.