The purpose of the emergency timetable is to avoid transferring delay from Birmingham to the WCML. Holding the train defeats that purpose.
I think the answer here is to email LNWR and ask for full delay repay, as well as the cost of all the bus fares he had to purchase. And, an explanation for how and why he was stranded to roam the streets/buses of the capital overnight instead of his rights being fulfilled under the NRCoT.
Whilst the overall treatment of the case could be called a disgrace, we need to bear in mind that LNWR do not appear to have been given the opportunity to deal with the matter on the night in question, and may not yet be aware of the case at all. The only rail staff we are aware of the the OP spoke to were at Victoria and they could have been staff of Southern, Southeastern or even Network Rail.
Alright, that’s not a problem.
I think you need to follow the (sensible) advice above - post #72 - put it clearly in writing, send it by e-mail or via their on line form, retain a copy , possibly send it by post too - and if so get a proof of posting / tracked postage even.
Ceratinly agree with engagement at the earliest oppportunity.
I’ve always been something of a fan of the phrase “Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the blind obedience of fools”. However well-drafted a set of rules is, there will be a (with any luck) small percentage of situations where they patently don’t make sense, and some of those situations will be potentially life-or-death.
When the OP was at Birmingham, how apparent was the chaos? With two successive LNW Euston trains - and many others (when was the train he got cancelled beyond Northampton?) - being cancelled, I would suggest it was, and that - in consequence - for him to have engaged with passenger services there, emphasing that he had to get a long way beyond London, would have been very sensible. And - unless LNW were confident of getting him to London 'in time' (by 2300?), in the circumstances getting him on an Avanti train (though this rather assumes there was one) would have been sensible.
As long as you get there whilst the Victoria Line is open the OPs probably right to go to Victoria. The frequency and speed of the Victoria Line is such that you would be at Victoria not much later than walking to St Pancras. Even during the daytime St Pancras is only really a consideration if you have a direct train from there to your destination. Once you are heading to somewhere off the Thameslink network 99% of the time you are better off going to Victoria and getting a direct train from there.
Thanks for the update - but given the disruption outlined in your OP - this seems pretty poor to me (esp if you have to subtract an element for the night bus fares you had to pay to ride around them all night in order to keep warm). I'm not sure if there is more you could do about getting more - I suppose it would probably be to raise your case with Passenger Focus (on the basis they are better than the Rail Ombudsman).Well, after almost 5 months, I got paid £27.15 worth of compensation into my bank account
Seems thats that’s just 50% refund of the return fare, which you should have got 100% of the total fare paid as it’s over 2 hours delay.Well, after almost 5 months, I got paid £27.15 worth of compensation into my bank account
Was this just in respect of compensation for the delay of some 18 hours? Did you ask if they could cover your costs in bus travel as well?Well, after almost 5 months, I got paid £27.15 worth of compensation into my bank account
That's disgraceful and you should appeal. At an absolute minimum, you're owed the full price of your tickets and the bus fares you paid for.Well, after almost 5 months, I got paid £27.15 worth of compensation into my bank account
