Avanti and Connections ending with cancelled Scotrail service

[Geochemwill]

Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong forum, I wasn’t sure if it should be fares or timetables!

I have advance purchase Avanti West Coast and connections ticket Manchester Oxford Road (MCO) to Dumfries (DMF) for tomorrow.

Reservations on the ticket are:
2034 MCO - Preston (Northern)
2143 Preston - Carlisle (Avanti)
2310 Carlisle - DMF (Scotrail) ,

Booked before the temporary timetable was published; according to the temporary Scotrail timetable, the last service Carlisle to DMF departs 2111, which means I would need to catch Northern 1834 to Preston and Avanti 1941 to Carlisle.

On Scotrail website it is mentioned that if booked on a service affected by the temporary timetable, you can travel on earlier/later service, but having tweeted Scotrail this evening I have been advised this only applies to Scotrail services!

Is this correct and do I now have to buy another ticket to be able to meet the earlier service from Carlisle please?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So the options for the OP would seem to be...

(i) Abandon their journey and not travel (and claim a full refund).

(ii) Travel on earlier connecting trains. (If so, who can authorise this with minimal fuss, and how exactly?)

(iii) Travel as per their originally booked itinerary and arrive at Carlisle at around 2252 (and be potentially stranded as the earlier Scotrail train for Dumfries will have gone by then, and the later one is cancelled).

In this lastmost circumstance, ought the OP to reasonably expect that onward road transport to Dumfries will be arranged for them?

 

[Geochemwill]

So the options for the OP would seem to be...

(i) Abandon their journey and not travel (and claim a full refund).

(ii) Travel on earlier connecting trains. (If so, who can authorise this with minimal fuss, and how exactly?)

(iii) Travel as per their originally booked itinerary and arrive at Carlisle at around 2252 (and be potentially stranded as the earlier Scotrail train for Dumfries will have gone by then, and the later one is cancelled).

In this lastmost circumstance, ought the OP to reasonably expect that onward road transport to Dumfries will be arranged for them?

Thank you! Option ii would be preferable but I guess staff at MCO would not be able to authorise for the Avanti leg, given it’s a Northern station, so in the case I reach Preston earlier, would I need to also speak with Avanti staff at Preston also?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Geochemwill. Who sold you the ticket?

 

[92002]

So the options for the OP would seem to be...

(i) Abandon their journey and not travel (and claim a full refund).

(ii) Travel on earlier connecting trains. (If so, who can authorise this with minimal fuss, and how exactly?)

(iii) Travel as per their originally booked itinerary and arrive at Carlisle at around 2252 (and be potentially stranded as the earlier Scotrail train for Dumfries will have gone by then, and the later one is cancelled).

In this lastmost circumstance, ought the OP to reasonably expect that onward road transport to Dumfries will be arranged for them?

The simple answer is to travel earlier to meet the last train connection. It is an Avanti decision to allow earlier travel.

Done hold your breath for an answer from ScotRail from anybody in command. Twitter is a call centre.

 

[Geochemwill]

@Geochemwill. Who sold you the ticket?

I bought the ticket from TPE (to get the Nectar points!)

 

[yorkie]

Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong forum, I wasn’t sure if it should be fares or timetables!

I have advance purchase Avanti West Coast and connections ticket Manchester Oxford Road (MCO) to Dumfries (DMF) for tomorrow.

Reservations on the ticket are:
2034 MCO - Preston (Northern)
2143 Preston - Carlisle (Avanti)
2310 Carlisle - DMF (Scotrail) ,

Booked before the temporary timetable was published; according to the temporary Scotrail timetable, the last service Carlisle to DMF departs 2111, which means I would need to catch Northern 1834 to Preston and Avanti 1941 to Carlisle.

On Scotrail website it is mentioned that if booked on a service affected by the temporary timetable, you can travel on earlier/later service, but having tweeted Scotrail this evening I have been advised this only applies to Scotrail services!

Is this correct and do I now have to buy another ticket to be able to meet the earlier service from Carlisle please?

I wouldn't trust the Scotrail twitter team to open a can of sardines that was already open; ignore them!

You may travel on an earlier service.

If you depart at the booked time, you are contractually entitled to a taxi, but in reality you may find it difficult to get the rail industry to organise one, so going earlier seems a better bet. Edit: I see Scotrail have agreed they will provide a taxi, which is a rare good response from them.

https://twitter.com/ScotRail/status/1533914345620512770

You can ask them whether they'd accept your ticket on an earlier train, Will. Alternatively, we'll arrange a taxi from Carlisle. ^Angus

So really it's up to you; do you prefer to avoid the inconvenience of departing earlier than planned, or do you prefer to avoid the inconvenience of a taxi?

@Geochemwill. Who sold you the ticket?

I bought the ticket from TPE (to get the Nectar points!)

The retailer is only relevant if you wish to get a refund; I would not do that (unless the replacement itinerary is cheaper; how much did you pay and do you have any Railcards?)

Thank you! Option ii would be preferable but I guess staff at MCO would not be able to authorise for the Avanti leg, given it’s a Northern station, so in the case I reach Preston earlier, would I need to also speak with Avanti staff at Preston also?

There is no requirement to get it authorised in my opinion, though doing so can avoid hassle in case you encounter a member of staff who isn't carrying out a proper duty of care (most rail staff are not of such a mindset, though a minority are, but of course there is no knowing when you will run into them)

 

[Geochemwill]

I wouldn't trust the Scotrail twitter team to open a can of sardines that was already open; ignore them!

You may travel on an earlier service.

If you depart at the booked time, you are contractually entitled to a taxi, but in reality you may find it difficult to get the rail industry to organise one, so going earlier seems a better bet. Edit: I see Scotrail have agreed they will provide a taxi, which is a rare good response from them.

https://twitter.com/ScotRail/status/1533914345620512770

The retailer is only relevant if you wish to get a refund; I would not do that (unless the replacement itinerary is cheaper; how much did you pay and do you have any Railcards?)

Thank you, I’ll do my best to reach MCO early enough to ask to the ticket office to endorse my ticket so I can board the earlier Northern train to Preston and then at Preston will go to ticket office to endorse ticket to allow me to travel to Carlisle. I only paid £10.10 for the ticket and have no railcard, so if I had to purchase a replacement it would not be cheaper! Noted about the taxi, but I’ll keep that a last resort!