Avanti strike timetables

[jfollows]

Available for 21 & 23 June at https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/strike

Hourly to Manchester via Milton Keynes, Stafford, Crewe. Not calling at Wilmslow. Stockport will be closed so Styal line.
Hourly to Liverpool "to be confirmed" after Crewe
Hourly to Birmingham (mainly) last trains to Wolverhampton
Four Glasgow services
Last departure 16:03 Euston-Rugby, last Liverpool 14:56, Manchester 15:40, Wolverhampton 15:43

EDIT Other comments from Northern thread:
#54

Yes, Wilmslow loses out quite badly. Anyone wanting to head south will have to double back to Manchester on the Styal stopper! Meanwhile XC will also be running via Crewe and Wilmslow but won't be calling at any intermediate station between Stafford and Manchester.

I get there are concerns about overcrowding, but needlessly not calling at stations when there's a strike on is just counterproductive.

#58

I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that at Wilmslow, Northern services are dispatched solely by the guard, but Pendolinos and Voyagers are dispatched with the assistance of platform staff. If there are no available station staff who are competent as dispatchers (which there may well not be, if station staff are striking also) then what solution is there other than services that require them simply not calling there?

That might not be the singular reason not to call at Wilmslow, but I imagine it will be a contributing factor if station staff are on strike.

 

[jfollows]

Implication from Network Rail's map that London-Liverpool trains will be routed via Warrington and Earlestown.

 

[Fokx]

Implication from Network Rail's ma that London-Liverpool trains will be routed via Warrington and Earlestown.

Or Manchester Piccadilly and Styal subject to diversion knowledge potentially?

 

[Watershed]

Or Manchester Piccadilly and Styal subject to diversion knowledge potentially?

They'll be going via Warrington and Earlestown. A return to the early days of the Grand Junction Railway!

 

[Pinus contorta]

They'll be going via Warrington and Earlestown. A return to the early days of the Grand Junction Railway!

Yay. Lots of wheel squealing past the old gasworks.

 

[williamn]

I was going to travel Glasgow - London on 24th. I'm prepared to take a chance on the few trains that are running. Is there now no way to buy a ticket though? Have sales been suspended from all vendors?

 

[Watershed]

I was going to travel Glasgow - London on 24th. I'm prepared to take a chance on the few trains that are running. Is there now no way to buy a ticket though? Have sales been suspended from all vendors?

You should be OK on the 24th - it will be a later startup than usual, and I would expect it to be very busy, but you should be able to travel.

Avanti have all their trains marked as reservation compulsory in the timetable data, and have stopped all reservations being issued for the affected dates. So you cannot buy a ticket through any medium that is itinerary based (i.e. apps/websites or some booking offices or TVMs). Older style TVMs and some booking offices should still be able to sell you a ticket though.

 

[williamn]

You should be OK on the 24th - it will be a later startup than usual, and I would expect it to be very busy, but you should be able to travel.

Avanti have all their trains marked as reservation compulsory in the timetable data, and have stopped all reservations being issued for the affected dates. So you cannot buy a ticket through any medium that is itinerary based (i.e. apps/websites or some booking offices or TVMs). Older style TVMs and some booking offices should still be able to sell you a ticket though.

Thanks! Avanti have now released their timetable on their website and I think there are 4 trains planned.

 

[williamn]

Sorry, couldn't find a way to delete above post but the timetable released is for the strike days only.

 

[Watershed]

Sorry, couldn't find a way to delete above post but the timetable released is for the strike days only.

For the 'intermediate' days it won't be a full service but it will be more than 4 trains.

 

[jfollows]

There is now a revised timetable for 20 June at https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/strike; it looks like a nearly normal timetable with changes made for things like Stockport being closed at midnight, so the 22:00 Euston-Piccadilly has to use the Styal line. However, this was a planned engineering diversion in the absence of a strike anyway.

 

[Some guy]

I was going to travel Glasgow - London on 24th. I'm prepared to take a chance on the few trains that are running. Is there now no way to buy a ticket though? Have sales been suspended from all vendors?

Good luck they’re going to be jam packed as loads of passengers tend to ignore the fact only 4 trains are running all day. The final service from Glasgow is at half 2

 

[Peter0124]

Will they be using all the 11 car sets available that day? Or will some services get 9 car'd?

 

[jfollows]

Good luck they’re going to be jam packed as loads of passengers tend to ignore the fact only 4 trains are running all day. The final service from Glasgow is at half 2

The 24th is not a strike day, we’re still waiting for the timetable to be published but it’ll be better than 4 trains all day.

 

[Starmill]

If you don't already have a ticket you should be able to buy an Anytime or Off Peak ticket from the booking office on the day. Failing that try a ticket machine if there is one.

If there's not one where you're travelling from it's best to speak to the staff at the station, or if there are no staff at the station just board without a ticket and enquire with the onboard staff where to buy one.

 

[Watershed]

The 24th is not a strike day, we’re still waiting for the timetable to be published but it’ll be better than 4 trains all day.

It will be a normal weekday timetable, but with the first train at 07:37 (as on the strike day).

 

[williamn]

Good luck they’re going to be jam packed as loads of passengers tend to ignore the fact only 4 trains are running all day. The final service from Glasgow is at half 2

It'll either be packed or empty I think.

Does anyone know if www.mytrainticket.co.uk is legitimate retailer? They seem to be able to sell me an off peak single ticket for the 24th.

 

[XAM2175]

If you don't already have a ticket you should be able to buy an Anytime or Off Peak ticket from the booking office on the day. Failing that try a ticket machine if there is one.

Their website now claims that they're going to re-open sales - including Advances - when the timetables are confirmed.

I'm not entirely sure what to think about that, since the same page also states "unfortunately, if you have an existing seat reservation for Tuesday 21, Thursday 23 or Saturday 25 June, it is no longer valid and cannot be transferred to another service" - so people who already hold tickets and have no option but to travel have to chance it, but people buying new tickets will be able to obtain reservations?

 

[Starmill]

Their website now claims that they're going to re-open sales - including Advances - when the timetables are confirmed.

I'm not entirely sure what to think about that, since the same page also states "unfortunately, if you have an existing seat reservation for Tuesday 21, Thursday 23 or Saturday 25 June, it is no longer valid and cannot be transferred to another service" - so people who already hold tickets and have no option but to travel have to chance it, but people buying new tickets will be able to obtain reservations?

It's possible that no seat reservations will be issued, ane they'll just offer counted places to new bookings.

 

[Cletus]

I have an advance ticket for next Thursday from Glasgow to Euston on a service that no longer exists.

Here is a simplification of my twitter conversation with Avanti last night.

Me:
I am booked on the 1133 from Glasgow to Euston on Thursday 23rd, but that looks to have been cancelled.
Can I be re-booked on what looks to be the 1003 service instead?

Avanti:
I'm afraid that we can't book seat reservations as of yet. This may change in the next few days however.

Me:
There's no service at that time on a normal day, so will it be a case of just turning up then?

Avanti:
At the moment that would be the thing to do, yes

 

[XAM2175]

It's possible that no seat reservations will be issued, ane they'll just offer counted places to new bookings.

Good point. I would hope that the process is equitable either way - reservations open to everybody or nobody.

I have an advance ticket for next Thursday from Glasgow to Euston on a service that no longer exists.

Here is a simplification of my twitter conversation with Avanti last night.

Thanks for adding that.

 

[williamn]

Still awaiting the timetable for non strike days. Many others seem to have already posted it. Any news on when Avanti's will be published?

 

[Watershed]

Still awaiting the timetable for non strike days. Many others seem to have already posted it. Any news on when Avanti's will be published?

Afraid I don't know that, but from what I have heard, it will broadly speaking be the same as the strike days in terms of the time of the first trains of the day, but then a normal service until close of play.

 

[jfollows]

Still awaiting the timetable for non strike days. Many others seem to have already posted it. Any news on when Avanti's will be published?

22 June timetable now at https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/strike

It's unusual in that it shows the normal train service, highlights in red those which are cancelled, and shows additional trains or replacement coach services in blue/green.

First down departure is the 07:35 to Manchester via Crewe; after 10am a normal service seems to be available.
First up service is coincidentally the 07:35 from Manchester via Stoke-on trent

 

[williamn]

Looks like they haven't released any tickets for sale for 22nd. I'm travelling on 24th so think I'll just go via ECML as LNER have put seats on sale.

 

[Watershed]

Looks like they haven't released any tickets for sale for 22nd. I'm travelling on 24th so think I'll just go via ECML as LNER have put seats on sale.

You can probably still buy tickets online (e.g. by using TrainSplit and entering 'avoid Avanti'). Alternatively, you can buy your ticket (in advance or on the day) at most stations - those with non-journey planner based TVMs, or a ticket office.

I wouldn't bother taking a huge detour just because they've thrown their toys out of the pram and blocked reservations on reservation "compulsory" (but not really) trains.

 

[williamn]

You can probably still buy tickets online (e.g. by using TrainSplit and entering 'avoid Avanti'). Alternatively, you can buy your ticket (in advance or on the day) at most stations - those with non-journey planner based TVMs, or a ticket office.

I wouldn't bother taking a huge detour just because they've thrown their toys out of the pram and blocked reservations on reservation "compulsory" (but not really) trains.

LNER is booking cheap advance fares so I think I'll go with them, and its only an extra hour or so anyway! Avanti's loss!

 

[Falcon1200]

22 June timetable now at https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/strike

Thanks for the link.

Something strange going on; Realtime Trains shows trains to Euston starting from Preston at 0800 and 0900, before the first Up Glasgow at 1000, but these are not in Avanti's timetable ? And the first train from Preston (and therefore points north, plus Wigan and Warrington) to the West Midlands is..... 1117 ! No Crewe stops are shown on any of the earlier Euston expresses.

 

[jfollows]

I also note

1. The original colour-coded timetable for 22 June has now been replaced with a more conventional one, but it doesn't show the 0800 or 0900 from Preston as Falcon1200 observes
2. The timetables for 24 June and 26 June are also there now (https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/strike) - the 24 June timetable does show up departures from Preston at 0800 and 0900

26 June looks close to a normal Sunday timetable, from a quick glance only, with first London <-> Manchester services at their normal times.

EDIT National Rail Enquiries shows the 0800 and 0900 departures from Preston to London on 22 June:

however note that NRE doesn't appear to know who is operating the 0800 and 0900 services, so there's something different about them ......

Also, if anyone's interested, I attach the first timetable posted by Avanti for June 22; this has now been removed and replaced on the Web site so I'm only posting it for interest.

Thanks for the link.

Something strange going on; Realtime Trains shows trains to Euston starting from Preston at 0800 and 0900, before the first Up Glasgow at 1000, but these are not in Avanti's timetable ? And the first train from Preston (and therefore points north, plus Wigan and Warrington) to the West Midlands is..... 1117 ! No Crewe stops are shown on any of the earlier Euston expresses.

===================================================
Automerge, following comment from Wednesday 22 June 07:40am:
1M06 08:00 Preston-Euston is operated by 390001 today, but it and 1M07 (the 09:00 departure) never appeared in the Avanti strike timetable for today, so it's not been done well.

 

[172101]

On saturday how is Avanti able to run the GLC service until the 1730 EUS-GLC when on the other days the last GLC is 1330 (Mon) & 1207 tomorrow?
Plus there is a PRE-BHI service all day until very late.