Delay repay due to cancelled train

[beeza1]

Just checking to see if my train is running on time, glad I did as the second leg of my journey has been cancelled.
I will now delay my departure for an hour which in turn will mean me arriving at my destination an hour late,
Can I claim delay repay even if my new train is on time, or do I have to complete the first leg on the train I intended to take and wait for over an hour st my interchange?
I will be using the return portion of an Off Peak Return.

 

[yorkie]

Just checking to see if my train is running on time, glad I did as the second leg of my journey has been cancelled.
I will now delay my departure for an hour which in turn will mean me arriving at my destination an hour late,
Can I claim delay repay even if my new train is on time, or do I have to complete the first leg on the train I intended to take and wait for over an hour st my interchange?
I will be using the return portion of an Off Peak Return.

This is rather confusing; saying that you will delay your own departure suggests that the train company is not causing the delay, and therefore hints that you would not qualify for Delay Repay.

I think it is important that you are seen to be acting reasonably; it may be worth contacting the company in advance of travel if it sounds like there is going to be doubt as to the validity of you claim.

What was your intended itinerary?

 

[beeza1]

This post is very confusing. What was your intended itinerary?

Sorry about that,
Due to leave Birmingham at 10:03 to Sheffield, change at Sheffield on to the 11:35 Northern service to Huddersfield due at my destination at 12:38
I will now leave Birmingham at 11:03, ( I don't fancy hanging around at Sheffield for over an hour), reaching my destination at 13:38.
Can I still claim delay repay?
Should have stated it's the 11:35 Northern service that's cancelled.

 

[yorkie]

Sorry about that,
Due to leave Birmingham at 10:03 to Sheffield, change at Sheffield on to the 11:35 Northern service to Huddersfield due at my destination at 12:38
I will now leave Birmingham at 11:03, ( I don't fancy hanging around at Sheffield for over an hour), reaching my destination at 13:38.
Can I still claim delay repay?
Should have stated it's the 11:35 Northern service that's cancelled.

I'd ask Northern (perhaps via Twitter) first; I would say something like this, which is within Twitter's character limit:

"Hi. Today I'm planning to take:

1003 BHM-SHF
1135 SHF-BHS

Is your 1135 train running? If not, do you have any advice on what trains I should take instead?"

(include a photograph of your ticket)​

If they replied on Twitter stating to take a later train from Birmingham it's fine. But if you do that of your own accord, then it could make the claim seem very suspicious and possibly invalidate it. I can see an argument both ways and would recommend you avoid that situation by checking with them first.

 

[beeza1]

Apparently the 11:35 to Huddersfield has now been reinstated,
Too late now for me to get to Birmingham New Street to catch my intended train, the 10:03 to Sheffield.
I don't suppose I can claim delay repay now, or can I?

 

[yorkie]

Apparently the 11:35 to Huddersfield has now been reinstated,
Too late now for me to get to Birmingham New Street to catch my intended train, the 10:03 to Sheffield.
I don't suppose I can claim delay repay now, or can I?

I would advise against it.

 

[BC]

Apparently the 11:35 to Huddersfield has now been reinstated,
Too late now for me to get to Birmingham New Street to catch my intended train, the 10:03 to Sheffield.
I don't suppose I can claim delay repay now, or can I?

I can't see how you can. IF you had been on the train you originally intended the SHF-HUD train would have been there for you to catch.

 

[beeza1]

I can't see how you can. IF you had been on the train you originally intended the SHF-HUD train would have been there for you to catch.

I would advise against it.

Why?
I acted on the information available at the time I needed to leave for the station, that stated the train was cancelled.

 

[BC]

If you had decided at that point to abandon the journey and seek a refund (perhaps by buying a new ticket combination via oh lets say Doncaster and York or something) then you might have had a chance. But the delay was entirely at your instigation - you chose to wait and thats the cause. You could have carried on travelling to SHF and then once there they could have authorised an alternate train that would delay by only a few minutes but that cannot now happen of course.

 

[yorkie]

You won't be able to use their Delay Repay form anyway so you will need to email them ( [email protected] ); explain what happened and see what they say. I do not know what they will say, but it could be a battle. Attach a photograph of the ticket and ensure your letter is clear and concise.

If you are dissatisfied with Northern's response, you can refer it to the Ombudsman; again I have no idea if they would support such a case or not.

If you had decided at that point to abandon the journey and seek a refund (perhaps by buying a new ticket combination via oh lets say Doncaster and York or something) then you might have had a chance. But the delay was entirely at your instigation - you chose to wait and thats the cause. You could have carried on travelling to SHF and then once there they could have authorised an alternate train that would delay by only a few minutes but that cannot now happen of course.

A refund would not apply as this was the return portion of a return ticket. You are right that an alternative itinerary via Huddersfield may have been offered, which would have reduced the delay down to 45 minutes (ie. 50% delay repay / 25% of ticket cost).

So it really is far from clear that a claim for a one hour delay is a valid claim; there is no harm writing to them providing this is not done in a way that could lead to any accusations of fraud ie. be very clear about what happened and what you did.

If this happens again, write to the company via Twitter as this enables rapid communication just prior to travel; feel free to use my draft message above as a template.

 

[beeza1]

If you had decided at that point to abandon the journey and seek a refund (perhaps by buying a new ticket combination via oh lets say Doncaster and York or something) then you might have had a chance. But the delay was entirely at your instigation - you chose to wait and thats the cause. You could have carried on travelling to SHF and then once there they could have authorised an alternate train that would delay by only a few minutes but that cannot now happen of course.

There are no alternative trains, they only run hourly, that's why I decided to wait.
The delay as far as I am concerned is entirely due to information issued by Northern at the time I needed to depart for the station.
Looks like we will have agree to disagree, I have to leave now or I will miss the 11:03

 

[BC]

There are no alternative trains, they only run hourly, that's why I decided to wait.
The delay as far as I am concerned is entirely due to information issued by Northern at the time I needed to depart for the station.
Looks like we will have agree to disagree, I have to leave now or I will miss the 11:03

There are at least three trains after the cancelled one that will get you in with less than an hours delay. Might be other operators but Northern could ask to get you on them.. but you've taken it away from them - and the train you want is running anyway... So fingers crossed hope you make it..

 

[yorkie]

There were alternatives that would have reduced the delay. Whether or not you would have been instructed/authorised to use them is unknown.

My advice would have been to seek advice from the company straight away, and act upon that advice; it would then be difficult for them to deny you compensation providing you acted in accordance with their instructions.

As that's no longer possible, I would email them detailing what happened and see what they say

 

[gray1404]

In general terms though it is fine to still claim delay repay if your intended service is cancelled and you catch the next one. The scheme doesn't state one must wait at the station. In this case though, as Yorkie has said, you need to email Northern as your train did run (even though you said it had originally been cancelled). If possible I would attach any proof/screenshots.

I travelled Formby to Birmingham recently. I discovered online my Liverpool to Birmingham leg had been cancelled before leaving for the station. I therefore left Formby half an hour later as I'd prefer to wait at home rather than in Liverpool. My intended train was still cancelled and I arrived at my destination late and had a valid delay repay claim.

 

[beeza1]

Thanks for all the replies, just to clarify a few points,
I don't use Twitter and to be honest wouldn't know how to.
My actual destination was not Huddersfield but a small unmanned station on the Penistone line.
I was not aware there were alternative routes, when I got home I checked and I assume changing at Leeds is what was meant, this would still have resulted in a delay of over 45 minutes at my destination.
I caught the 11:03 no problem, it was rammed, I had to change seats twice and ended up standing, then the Northern service was 23 minutes late at my destination, so all in all I was 83 minutes later than I should have been, then to cop it all my taxi was also late, (can't blame the railway for that), so I was almost 2 hours late getting home!
Days like this make me wish I had taken my car, fortunately they are rare occurrences.
I am going to submit a delay repay claim to Northern for an 83 minute delay and see what happens.

 

[bb21]

A refund would not apply as this was the return portion of a return ticket. You are right that an alternative itinerary via Huddersfield may have been offered, which would have reduced the delay down to 45 minutes (ie. 50% delay repay / 25% of ticket cost).

A refund on the return portion due to the journey being abandoned is possible. The refund is half the return fare. A retail brief was issued to all TOCs a while ago on this subject.

This case described by the OP certainly does not qualify as an 83-minute delay. He may still get compensation on a goodwill basis, but that does not make this a legitimate claim (above 23 minutes).