Informed beforehand that train is cancelled for tomorrow. What do I do?

[Jalinne]

Hello, I had made some plans with my friends to go to Penrith tomorrow from Manchester. Our return leg of the journey would have us take the 1808 Avanti West Coast train (goes to London Euston) and change at Wigan North Western and then head to Wigan Wallgate from where we'd take the 1940 Northern service to Deansgate.

It turns out that the train that is supposed to take me to Wigan only takes me until Preston (which is one stop earlier) and is then cancelled. Any idea what I can do about this? Is it possible for me to take a train at Preston that would take me to any of the Manchester stations? My ticket is valid for all Manchester stations by the looks of it.

 

[Benjwri]

Hello, I had made some plans with my friends to go to Penrith tomorrow from Manchester. Our return leg of the journey would have us take the 1808 Avanti West Coast train (goes to London Euston) and change at Wigan North Western and then head to Wigan Wallgate from where we'd take the 1940 Northern service to Deansgate.

It turns out that the train that is supposed to take me to Wigan only takes me until Preston (which is one stop earlier) and is then cancelled. Any idea what I can do about this? Is it possible for me to take a train at Preston that would take me to any of the Manchester stations? My ticket is valid for all Manchester stations by the looks of it.

Can you confirm exactly what ticket you hold? Especially if it is an advance, and what route is shown on it? The very simple answer is you can take the booked train to Preston, then the next train of the same operator and route to your destination on any ticket. However if we know the exact ticket(s) held we might be able to advise a better route that is valid.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Jalinne. Welcome to the forum. Similar comments as @Benjwri. What ticket type have you got exactly? Maybe an Off Peak Return. Maybe a couple of Advance Singles. From where to where? And what price did you pay for your ticket(s), and did this include any railcard discount?

 

[Benjwri]

Although having looked further the answer will be the same for any ticket. The quickest alternative is your scheduled 18:08 departure, then change at Lancaster or Preston (Your choice, makes no difference, both connections valid, both same platform, although there may be less chaos at Lancaster, so this might be preferable), to the 18:58 at Lancaster (19:18 at Preston) service towards Euston.

You can then make the planned change at Wigan to your planned 19:40 train towards Manchester Oxford Road, arriving same time.

You should post your ticket types regardless, just to be sure, but I can’t see a ticket this won’t be valid for.

 

[JBuchananGB]

Ignore me the previous suggestion was better

 

[dmncf]

I have also recently suffered from this - in my case I was informed a few weeks before departure that my train was cancelled. Mine was a long journey and the loss of my seat reservation was an annoyance. If this is an issue for you @Jalinne, be aware that you can make seat reservations on your new train at a station ticket office, or on the GWR website in My Account, Bookings (it's free but you'll have to create an account).

 

[JBuchananGB]

Another option. 1808 from Penrith. 1910 from Preston to Bolton. Replacement bus Bolton to Manchester.

In fact the Wigan to Manchester train is a special fast service running on a diversion non stop to Deansgate, avoiding the bus between Bolton and Manchester

 

[Jalinne]

@Benjwri @JBuchananGB @Mcr Warrior @dmncf My return ticket is an advanced single. On my Apple Wallet, it says that the route is "AWC & Connections" which I'm assuming stands for Avanti West Coast. Also looks like I can get off at any of the Manchester stations as my ticket says Penrith to Manchester Stations. Moreover, the first leg of my journey to Wigan was supposed to be by Avanti West Coast and from Wigan to Manchester by Northern.

 

[30907]

@Benjwri @JBuchananGB @Mcr Warrior @dmncf My return ticket is an advanced single. On my Apple Wallet, it says that the route is "AWC & Connections" which I'm assuming stands for Avanti West Coast. Also looks like I can get off at any of the Manchester stations as my ticket says Penrith to Manchester Stations. Moreover, the first leg of my journey to Wigan was supposed to be by Avanti West Coast and from Wigan to Manchester by Northern.

As you can make the journey as far as Wigan by Avanti trains that is the most straightforward option.
You won't have a reserved seat from Preston/Lancaster to Wigan of course.

If you miss the connection at Wigan you will have an hour's wait but you can then claim Delay Repay from Avanti.

 

[Jalinne]

As you can make the journey as far as Wigan by Avanti trains that is the most straightforward option.
You won't have a reserved seat from Preston/Lancaster to Wigan of course.

If you miss the connection at Wigan you will have an hour's wait but you can then claim Delay Repay from Avanti.

I see, but wouldn't it be better for me to take the train from Preston straight to Manchester (assuming it is allowed that is)?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Possible alternative itinerary...

1808 Avanti train from Penrith to Preston arrive 1904.

1918 Avanti train from Preston to Wigan NW arrive 1929.

1940 Northern train from Wigan Wallgate to Man Oxford Road, arrive 2010.

Believe there's Northern trains operating from Preston to Bolton tomorrow but it's then a rail replacement bus between Bolton and Manchester Stns.

 

[30907]

I see, but wouldn't it be better for me to take the train from Preston straight to Manchester (assuming it is allowed that is)?

No, there are engineering works beyond Bolton on that route so it would be a bus along the M61 then to Piccadilly. Or a train to Bolton then bus to Deansgate, but that's much slower.

Mcr Warrior has given the full details of the route people are suggesting.

For completeness, there is a 1949 Northern train Preston-Wigan NW-Deansgate etc, useful if the change at Wigan is too tight.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

BTW, has the 1808 Avanti Southbound from Penrith definitely been cancelled South of Preston? Avanti still seem to be selling Advance tickets through to Wigan NW, changing there for Manchester Stns via Wigan Wallgate.

 

[JBuchananGB]

The itinerary originally mentioned by @Benjwri and detailed again by @Mcr Warrior is the best thing to do. TPE is running express buses from Preston to Manchester but your ticket not valid there. Very few if any trains are running Preston to Manchester because line is closed between Bolton and Manchester. Northern are running one train an hour from Wigan Wallgate to Manchester Oxford Road, calling only at Deansgate. This is a special diversionary route due to all the engineering work closing both the normal routes from Wigan to Manchester. I looked on National Rail Enquiries and the 1808 ex Penrith is showing there as cancelled beyond Preston.

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[Mcr Warrior]

@Jalinne. How did you get on?