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Changing at Stevenage. Have LNER given me enough time?

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Jetlagged

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I have never used Stevenage before so do not know the layout. I will be traveling from Newark to Gatwick and LNER have me arriving at Stevenage at 11.57 with a connection to Gatwick at 12.01.

Three questions :

Assuming everything is on time, have they given enough time to make the connection?

If I miss the 12.01, will I be allowed to travel on the next service without a penalty? The ticket is 'Advanced'.

Do the two services operate from adjacent platforms or have I got to lug my bags up and over?

TIA
 
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Failed Unit

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Yes to both. It is an island platform at Stevenage. Takes about 10 seconds to cross.

you can take following train or change at Kings Cross / St Pancras where more choice exists. However as you have baggage may as well wait 15 mins until the next one.
 

hexagon789

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I have never used Stevenage before so do not know the layout. I will be traveling from Newark to Gatwick and LNER have me arriving at Stevenage at 11.57 with a connection to Gatwick at 12.01.

Three questions :

Assuming everything is on time, have they given enough time to make the connection?

If I miss the 12.01, will I be allowed to travel on the next service without a penalty? The ticket is 'Advanced'.

Do the two services operate from adjacent platforms or have I got to lug my bags up and over?

TIA

What's the day?

Assuming tomorrow, there's a 1056 arrival on platform 2 from York (going to London King's Cross) and a train for Brighton (calling at Gatwick Airport) departing platform 1 at 1201.

Platforms 1 and 2 share an island, so it's simply a transfer from one side to the other of the island
 

yorkie

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I have never used Stevenage before so do not know the layout. I will be traveling from Newark to Gatwick and LNER have me arriving at Stevenage at 11.57 with a connection to Gatwick at 12.01.

Three questions :

Assuming everything is on time, have they given enough time to make the connection?
It's a valid connection
If I miss the 12.01, will I be allowed to travel on the next service without a penalty? The ticket is 'Advanced'.
Absolutely; you can also claim delay compensation if you get to Gatwick 30 or more minutes late (but if you make the 1217, this would require a further delay to occur).

For Stevenage - Gatwick times, see: http://www.fastjp.com/#journeys?orig=SVG&dest=GTW&odate=20191101&otime=1200&maxres=20&maxch=6

Do the two services operate from adjacent platforms
Yes
or have I got to lug my bags up and over?
Nope.
 

gray1404

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If a delay of the LNER service causes you to arrive at Gatwick 30 or more minutes late you can claim delay repay.

However, GTR (who operate the Thameslink brand) operate delay repay 15. So if there are any delays to your connecting service with GTR and you arrive at Gatwick 15 minutes or more late you can claim delay repay.

The minimum interchange time Stevenage is 4 minutes, thus you have a valid connection.
 

Hadders

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Trains from Stevenage peak to Gatwick operate every 15 minutes during weekday off peak times so if you miss your connection another train will be along shortly unless there's serious disruption. As others have said it's a cross platform connection, less than 10 yards. About as simple as you can get!

Aim for the rear carriage of the train from STevenage for a more comfortable journey in declassified 1st class.
 

Ianno87

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Trains from Stevenage peak to Gatwick operate every 15 minutes during weekday off peak times so if you miss your connection another train will be along shortly unless there's serious disruption. As others have said it's a cross platform connection, less than 10 yards. About as simple as you can get!

Aim for the rear carriage of the train from STevenage for a more comfortable journey in declassified 1st class.

Though whilst it's every 15 minutes at Stevenage, 2tph are faster than the other two.

The 1201 is faster by running non-stop from East Croydon to Gatwick (arriving 1313)

The 1217 runs via Redhill and arrives 1342 - if it is late at Stevenage, it may be better to consider waiting for the 1231, as that may get to Gatwick sooner (scheduled 1343 - only 1 minute later!)
 

A Challenge

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The 1217 runs via Redhill and arrives 1342 - if it is late at Stevenage, it may be better to consider waiting for the 1231, as that may get to Gatwick sooner (scheduled 1343 - only 1 minute later!)
Wouldn't that mean you couldn't get delay repay though?
 

717001

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If I miss the 12.01, will I be allowed to travel on the next service without a penalty? The ticket is 'Advanced'.

If the second train is a ThamesLink one, you only need to worry about what train you get at boundaries between Off-peak and Peak, as tickets aren't issued for specific trains - so you'll be fine at this time of day, if you do need to get a later one.

Struck through as shown below to be incorrect
 
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A Challenge

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If the second train is a ThamesLink one, you only need to worry about what train you get at boundaries between Off-peak and Peak, as tickets aren't issued for specific trains - so you'll be fine at this time of day, if you do need to get a later one.
There is no difference between peak and off peak on advance tickets.
 

yorkie

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If the second train is a ThamesLink one, you only need to worry about what train you get at boundaries between Off-peak and Peak, as tickets aren't issued for specific trains - so you'll be fine at this time of day, if you do need to get a later one.
Peak/off peak is irrelevant as the journey is being made on an Advance ticket, so there is no concept of 'off peak' for this journey.

In any case if your journey is delayed by a connecting service, the principle that you can take the next train should apply equally, regardless of ticket type held.
 

Jetlagged

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What an amazing forum this is. So much useful information and so fast to respond. My thanks to you all.

Thanks for the tips about the delay repay and to Hadders for the tip regarding 1st class at the rear of the train. All duly noted.

This is on a weekday, Thurs 22nd to be exact. I asked about being penalised catching the following Thameslink as, when the ticket was purchased, it warned that it was only to be used on the services quoted. I thought that did not apply to the Thameslink service and was seeking the confirmation that you have all given me.
 

yorkie

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...I thought that did not apply to the Thameslink service and was seeking the confirmation that you have all given me.
Two issues here
1) You're right that it doesn't apply; you may take any "appropriate" train from Stevenage to Gatwick. The direct trains between these stations are all non-reservable and you aren't tied to a specific train.
2) Regardless of the above fact, if delays occur when travelling on (an) Advance ticket(s), you are allowed to take appropriate/reasonable alternative services to complete your journey. So even if the Stevenage to Gatwick train was a 'booked' train (which it isn't), you'd still be entitled to take the next one.
 

Jetlagged

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Two issues here
1) You're right that it doesn't apply; you may take any "appropriate" train from Stevenage to Gatwick. The direct trains between these stations are all non-reservable and you aren't tied to a specific train.
2) Regardless of the above fact, if delays occur when travelling on (an) Advance ticket(s), you are allowed to take appropriate/reasonable alternative services to complete your journey. So even if the Stevenage to Gatwick train was a 'booked' train (which it isn't), you'd still be entitled to take the next one.

Thanks Yorkie.
 

Hadders

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I’d get the first train from Stevenage and change at St Pancras if there is a faster train from there ex Bedford, as it might overtake a slower train south of London.
 

30907

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I’d get the first train from Stevenage and change at St Pancras if there is a faster train from there ex Bedford, as it might overtake a slower train south of London.
In fact, I would stay on the LNER service if there was disruption and no immediate connection at Stevenage. There is no requirement to avoid LNER services on the & CONNECTIONS section - can't remember the thread title but as I said the opposite and I remember being politely (of course) corrected.
 

yorkie

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In fact, I would stay on the LNER service if there was disruption and no immediate connection at Stevenage. There is no requirement to avoid LNER services on the & CONNECTIONS section - can't remember the thread title but as I said the opposite and I remember being politely (of course) corrected.
It's mentioned the iKB:
**An exception that benefits passengers: Where London North Eastern Railway is a connecting TOC from Stevenage via London and vice versa, e.g. “AP London-Reading”, or “VWC & Connections”, London North Eastern Railway waives the need to travel on the exact London North Eastern Railway train booked on this relatively short journey Stevenage ↔ Kings Cross, even though retail systems will force a reservation to be made.
While that's not quite the same scenario, you are right that if disruption occurs a passenger would be fine to stay on without needing to gain permission to do so.

That said, it won't be so easy getting large suitcases from a terminal platform at KGX onto the Thameslink platforms at STP, though there are lifts. Just allow plenty of time to do it (by which time it may have been better to wait for the next train)
 
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