Another fantastic day with Avanti

[gazzaa2]

24 Avanti cancellations today and a number of short runnings. A disgraceful situation.

They should just run an indefinite strike day timetable at weekends and be done with it.

 

[Mag_seven]

They should just run an indefinite strike day timetable at weekends and be done with it.

They probably wouldn't be able to resource that.

The whole situation is just crap and no one appears to be interested in doing anything about it.

 

[jfollows]

I think the suggestion is to allow people to board them.

There are times I've been at Euston and have worked out my departure platform, and noticed an arrival at an adjacent platform, so the barriers are open. I've therefore walked onto "my" platform and - after checking that the cleaners have actually done their thing - boarded the train.
I've done this several times, I don't have an expectation of being able to do it or make a habit of it, but when I have done it's been fine.
The implication to me is that the trains are often ready for boarding sooner than they're advertised on the departure boards. Being "prepared" is sometimes an excuse.

 

[Oxfordblues]

One is regularly told (on here) that trains cannot be announced until shortly before departure, hence the scrum, because they are being 'prepared for departure'.

No scrum for me. I just check realtimetrains to see if my train's running, then opentraintimes to see which platform it's going from. Simples!

 

[Tezza1978]

No scrum for me. I just check realtimetrains to see if my train's running, then opentraintimes to see which platform it's going from. Simples!

I do exactly the same. Although one time a few months ago I was actually screamed at by a member of Avanti staff for trying to do this and board a train after her colleague openly lied and told me ("this definitely isnt your train its going to Manchester") I politely showed the real times trains page and was bawled at again to "stay on the concourse you can't wait here on the slope" Cleaners had already cleaned the train and returned up the slope. Her colleagues were sniggering as she kept bawling and shouting at me - I stood my ground and calmly said she was behaving like a jobsworth. Was eventually let on the train when was announced, I made a formal complaint about her to Avanti and eventually got a grovelling apology from them

 

[station_road]

There are times I've been at Euston and have worked out my departure platform, and noticed an arrival at an adjacent platform, so the barriers are open. I've therefore walked onto "my" platform and - after checking that the cleaners have actually done their thing - boarded the train.
I've done this several times, I don't have an expectation of being able to do it or make a habit of it, but when I have done it's been fine.
The implication to me is that the trains are often ready for boarding sooner than they're advertised on the departure boards. Being "prepared" is sometimes an excuse.

It's often because they are planning a ticket check and waiting for the revenue people to come over from a different platform before advertising the train as ready for boarding

 

[Skie]

It's often because they are planning a ticket check and waiting for the revenue people to come over from a different platform before advertising the train as ready for boarding

Which is crazy as there are less disruptive ways of doing ticket checks (it’s especially farcical on the barriered platforms) and it would help solve the scrum issue if a train was called within a few minutes of arrival. I quite regularly get on a train early thanks to realtime trains and it’s regularly less than 5 minutes before departure when you see the passengers start to get on.

One positive Avanti story: they’re much faster at paying delay repay than Virgin ever were. 2-3 days for confirmation and then a week to get the cash.

 

[yorksrob]

Avanti appear to be a proper crock of c**p tonight travelling South from Lancaster.

 

[Sly Old Fox]

It’s saddening and maddening how hard it is to travel around the network so regularly. I’m amazed at just how many passengers keep coming back. I pray the railway can get its act together.

 

[Huntergreed]

I’ve been in Edinburgh today. Whilst the last 2 Avanti’s are running, generally today has been terrible across the (departure) board! LNER have hardly been running much, citing a “lack of train crew” (overtime ban I’m guessing?), Scotrail have been bad due to a signalling fault, and TPE are just their usual selves.

TPE have cancelled the last Lockerbie train and Avanti have said they haven’t been able to persuade their control to issue a stop order, so a pointless double back via Carlisle looks like it will be needed.

 

[nlogax]

I’ve had to take a day off in order to guarantee making it to London from Glasgow this coming Monday in order to beat the strikes. Fearing plan A will be carnage regardless of how early I’m stood in line at GLC. Making plans B, C and D via any possible combination of Northern (yes, I know), Scotrail, TPE, LNR & LNER.

 

[diffident]

I’ve had to take a day off in order to guarantee making it to London from Glasgow this coming Monday in order to beat the strikes. Fearing plan A will be carnage regardless of how early I’m stood in line at GLC. Making plans B, C and D via any possible combination of Northern (yes, I know), Scotrail, TPE, LNR & LNER.

Is a plan E via an aeroplane viable?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Avanti appear to be a proper crock of c**p tonight travelling South from Lancaster.

All be better from tomorrow!

 

[WizCastro197]

Is a plan E via an aeroplane viable?

The seats are £100 upwards from easyJet, not sure about BA, it depends whether OP is willing to spend that money or risk the train.

 

[paul1609]

Megabus still have seats from £30 ish, the overnight non stop service imho is a lot better than the sleeper seats service regardless of price.

 

[Huntergreed]

Given a whole day and that Monday isn’t a strike, I wouldn’t be too worried. Weekdays are generally a lot better than weekends, and whilst some definitely will be cancelled, not all will be. It may be packed like sardines, but you will get there!

 

[Hans]

24 Avanti cancellations today and a number of short runnings. A disgraceful situation.

Train my wife was due to travel on with Avanti today was cancelled yesterday, then reinstated, then reconfirmed from Avanti it was def running, only for it to be cancelled. Planned to travel on the earlier train but luckily (!) found out the return train was cancelled so gave up.

 

[yorksrob]

All be better from tomorrow!

I'll be long gone. Throwing in my lot with Northern who are paragons of reliability in comparison.

 

[standish1]

Up here in the Grim North not a good day at Manchester Airport with the snow. Not a good day for flying.

 

[Huntergreed]

Up here in the Grim North not a good day at Manchester Airport with the snow. Not a good day for flying.

Not a good day for anything really!

 

[yorksrob]

I'll be long gone. Throwing in my lot with Northern who are paragons of reliability in comparison.

Northern to the rescue - with their reliable trains and sensible policy regarding disruption, they'll end up being the best TOC if they're not careful !

 

[800001]

I’ve been in Edinburgh today. Whilst the last 2 Avanti’s are running, generally today has been terrible across the (departure) board! LNER have hardly been running much, citing a “lack of train crew” (overtime ban I’m guessing?), Scotrail have been bad due to a signalling fault, and TPE are just their usual selves.

TPE have cancelled the last Lockerbie train and Avanti have said they haven’t been able to persuade their control to issue a stop order, so a pointless double back via Carlisle looks like it will be needed.

I’d say LNER have run 90% of what the should, far off ‘hardly running’!

 

[Huntergreed]

I’d say LNER have run 90% of what the should, far off ‘hardly running’!

Perhaps it was just when I arrived. The aberdeen service was cancelled, the Inverness was cancelled, the next London was cancelled and the one after that was delayed! Does seem that things got a lot better later on though!

 

[Welshman]

So, the Great Day Dawns -
6 trains cancelled
9 starting or ending short.
Same old, same old.

 

[317 forever]

I guess at this point the only way to get Avanti to change its attitude is a class action law suit or for something awful to happen like someone being attacked while sleeping at a station as a result of being stranded? Leaving people stranded and not paying for any sort of accommodation or alternate transport is truly awful.

Isn't that against the terms of their franchise/contract anyway?

24 Avanti cancellations today and a number of short runnings. A disgraceful situation.

Particularly if it's 24 cancellations from the reduced timetable. Heaven knows how many cancellation there will be from the increased timetable taking effect from today.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Megabus still have seats from £30 ish, the overnight non stop service imho is a lot better than the sleeper seats service regardless of price.

If you're short and skinny. Seat width and legroom are poor.

 

[WizCastro197]

If you're short and skinny. Seat width and legroom are poor.

FlixBus still have some seats to Victoria from £29.99.

 

[317 forever]

FlixBus still have some seats to Victoria from £29.99.

That's if they don't cancel the day before

 

[nlogax]

Given a whole day and that Monday isn’t a strike, I wouldn’t be too worried. Weekdays are generally a lot better than weekends, and whilst some definitely will be cancelled, not all will be. It may be packed like sardines, but you will get there!

Am sure I will eventually! Luckily I only have one goal for the whole day and that's to get from one end of the country to the other.

 

[D1537]

So, the Great Day Dawns -
6 trains cancelled
9 starting or ending short.
Same old, same old.

7 cancelled and 10 short now, including the last two EUS-LIV trains terminating at Crewe, from which there are no onward services available to Liverpool.