LNWR Stranded me in London. What should I have done?

[7ransport]

On Thursday (15th Dec) I did a day trip from Hastings to Birmingham.

On my way back to Hastings, I arrived at New Street station at 18:30 to be absolutely certain I’ll make the last train home from London. The only train running to London not cancelled was the 19:36 stopper to Euston.

As we get to Rugby, we get held up for over 30 minutes to get the ‘all clear’ to continue to Northampton due to signal failures. As we get to Northampton, we get put on the later 21:55 to London Euston, arriving at 23:35.

The last train to Hastings was the 23:45 from Charing X, which meant I had effectively missed the last train to Hastings. To save money, I used split ticketing and bought a Ore - London Z1-6 Travelcard (via Haywards Heath) and a LNWR Only return from London - Birmingham.

Therefore, because my ticket was via haywards heath, I headed straight to Victoria, where I was told to go back to Euston because they are the ones who delayed me. As I arrive at Euston, there are no rail staff in sight.

Therefore, I knew I was stranded and rode night buses all night until the next morning where I had to go by bus to Hastings because of the rail strike. I didn’t get home until 3pm.

What do you reckon is the most London Northwestern Railway can do about my situation?

 

[800001]

On Thursday (15th Dec) I did a day trip from Hastings to Birmingham. On my way back to Hastings, I arrived at New Street station at 6:30 to be absolutely certain I’ll make the last train home from London. The only train running to London not cancelled was the 19:36 stopper to Euston. As we get to Rugby, we get held up for over 30 minutes to get the ‘all clear’ to continue to Northampton due to signal failures. As we get to Northampton, we get put on the later 21:55 to London Euston, arriving at 23:35. The last train to Hastings was the 23:45 from Charing X. To save money, I used split ticketing and bought a Ore - London Z1-6 Travelcard (via Haywards Heath) and a LNWR Only return from London - Birmingham. Therefore, because my ticket was via haywards heath, I headed straight to Victoria, where I was told to go back to Euston because they are the ones who delayed me. As I arrive at Euston, there are no rail staff in sight. Therefore, I knew I was stranded and rode night buses all night until the next morning where I had to go by bus to Hastings because of the rail strike. I didn’t get home until 3pm.

What do you reckon is the most London Northwestern Railway can do about my situation?

Staff at Victoria should have contacted LNWR for authorisation for a taxi for you back to your starting station. Split tickets are treat as one journey as long as you allow the minimum connection times at stations.

I would certainly write a complaint LNWR stating what you write above.

 

[jimjim]

I can only see the 2054 from Victoria as the last service on Thursday to Ore via Haywards Heath?

If that is the case departing New St at 1830 wouldn't have given you enough time?

 

[JonathanH]

Would not the correct course of action to be to take the 0002 from Victoria to Brighton and then for Southern staff at Brighton to deal with onward travel?

Also, sorting out the issue at Northampton when there was a gap in the journey might have meant that something could be agreed from Brighton.

2345 from Charing Cross looks as if it would always have been unlikely. 2354 at London Bridge would also have been very tight.

I can only see the 2054 from Victoria as the last service on Thursday to Ore via Haywards Heath?

The OP only wanted to get to Hastings, in which case the last train from Victoria is 2246.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What time would the last direct (or indirect) train from London Victoria to Hastings (via Haywards Heath) have departed at? 2246?

 

[busestrains]

Would not the correct course of action to be to take the 0002 from Victoria to Brighton and then for Southern staff at Brighton to deal with onward travel?

Also, sorting out the issue at Northampton when there was a gap in the journey might have meant that something could be agreed from Brighton.

2345 from Charing Cross looks as if it would always have been unlikely. 2354 at London Bridge would also have been very tight.


The OP only wanted to get to Hastings, in which case the last train from Victoria is 2246.

The 00:02 from London Victoria also goes to Eastbourne which is very close to Hastings so i think taking that train to Eastbourne and then speaking with staff there for a taxi would have been the best option.

 

[7ransport]

I can only see the 2054 from Victoria as the last service on Thursday to Ore via Haywards Heath?

If that is the case departing New St at 1830 wouldn't have given you enough time?

Ore and Hastings are less than a mile apart, so I would’ve walked from Hastings

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The 00:02 from London Victoria also goes to Eastbourne which is very close to Hastings so i think taking that train to Eastbourne and then speaking with staff there for a taxi would have been the best option.

Not a bad shout although wouldn't have gotten to Eastbourne until c. 0200. It's twenty or so miles onward from Eastbourne to Hastings, but probably a better option than riding the buses around London at daft o'clock on Friday morning.

Surprised the staff at Victoria didn't suggest travelling to Eastbourne. They don't seem to have gone out of their way to assist an about to be stranded passenger. Assume that the OP was actually at Victoria by midnight.

 

[island]

Surprised the staff at Victoria didn't suggest travelling to Eastbourne. They don't seem to have gone out of their way to assist an about to be stranded passenger. Assume that the OP was actually at Victoria by midnight.

It does not sound like the OP consulted staff at Victoria, or anywhere else.

 

[JonathanH]

Assume that the OP was actually at Victoria by midnight.

The OP appears to have chanced an unlikely connection at Charing Cross instead of going direct to Victoria, so might well have not got to Victoria for 0002.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

It does not sound like the OP consulted staff at Victoria, or anywhere else.

The OP appears to have chanced an unlikely connection at Charing Cross instead of going direct to Victoria, so might well have not got to Victoria for 0002.

The original post suggests otherwise...

Therefore, because my ticket was via haywards heath, I headed straight to Victoria, where I was told to go back to Euston because they are the ones who delayed me.

 

[JonathanH]

The original post suggests otherwise...

Oh right. Yes, a 2335 arrival at Euston suggests that 0002 to Eastbourne was well within reach. Obviously it was a cold night but that would have been travelling as far as possible on the railway. First bus from Eastbourne to Hastings at 0730.

 

[185]

To save money, I used split ticketing and bought a Ore - London Z1-6 Travelcard (via Haywards Heath) and a LNWR Only return from London - Birmingham. Therefore, because my ticket was via haywards heath, I headed straight to Victoria, where I was told to go back to Euston because they are the ones who delayed me.

Assuming it was a bona fide connection, regardless of company, the staff at Victoria (from Network Rail, First SWR, Govia Southern?) should have contacted their control, and they should have contacted LNWR control (ie the delayers) to arrange road transport.

- Unless there are even more newly invented magic 2022 rules (P-coding, cancel 10pm night before, not running last train is okay-silliness) the basic obligation once the passenger has travelled as far as is possible, train company staff or operational staff managing that station should handle the stranded passenger and arrange forward travel via their control and the delayers control.

 

[JonathanH]

the basic obligation once the passenger has travelled as far as is possible, train company staff or operational staff managing that station should handle the stranded passenger and arrange forward travel.

Travelling as far as possible is clearly Eastbourne or Brighton, not Euston or Victoria though, albeit that 27 minutes between Euston and Victoria (2335 to 0002) isn't a recognised connection.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Assuming it was a bona fide connection, regardless of company, the staff at Victoria (from Network Rail, First SWR, Govia Southern?) should have contacted their control, and they should have contacted LNWR control (ie the delayers) to arrange road transport.

Probably very little time to do that with the 0002 service about to depart from Victoria.

Anyhoo, what can the OP now reasonably claim from LNWR?

 

[plugwash]

The 00:02 from London Victoria also goes to Eastbourne which is very close to Hastings so i think taking that train to Eastbourne and then speaking with staff there for a taxi would have been the best option.

Is Eastbourne staffed at that time of night?

 

[busestrains]

Is Eastbourne staffed at that time of night?

Yes it is fully staffed from first train to last train so there will always be staff there even at that time when the last train of the day arrives.

 

[danielcanning]

Not a bad shout although wouldn't have gotten to Eastbourne until c. 0200. It's twenty or so miles onward from Eastbourne to Hastings, but probably a better option than riding the buses around London at daft o'clock on Friday morning.

Surprised the staff at Victoria didn't suggest travelling to Eastbourne. They don't seem to have gone out of their way to assist an about to be stranded passenger. Assume that the OP was actually at Victoria by midnight.

And if there was no staff there at Eastbourne to arrange a taxi? I would personally prefer to be stuck in London overnight where there are night buses and places open 24 hours, than Eastbourne where there would be absolutely nowhere to keep warm...

 

[jimjim]

Ore and Hastings are less than a mile apart, so I would’ve walked from Hastings

Ah fair enough.

I would claim the delay repay from LNWR and then put a separate complaint into whoever the staff member was at Victoria as they should have resolved the issue there.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

And if there was no staff there at Eastbourne to arrange a taxi? I would personally prefer to be stuck in London overnight where there are night buses and places open 24 hours, than Eastbourne where there would be absolutely nowhere to keep warm...

Eastbourne is staffed until the last train. The other option would have been to get the taxi yourself from Eastbourne and claim off LNWR.

 

[JonathanH]

Or just walk. Eastbourne to Hastings is only 16 miles on foot.

 

[busestrains]

And if there was no staff there at Eastbourne to arrange a taxi? I would personally prefer to be stuck in London overnight where there are night buses and places open 24 hours, than Eastbourne where there would be absolutely nowhere to keep warm...

There will always be staff at Eastbourne to arrange a taxi as it is fully staffed from first train to last train so there definitely should have been someone there.

In fact i would say Eastbourne is better than Brighton as at Brighton there never seems to be anyone around other then agency staff in the evenings and nights. So getting staff to book a taxi at Brighton is impossible. Where at Eastbourne (and Haywards Heath and Lewes too) they are staffed with proper GTR employed staff from first train to last train who have the ability to book a taxi.

I have had taxis booked by staff at Eastbourne and Haywards Heath and Lewes on multiple occasions late at night when trains have been cancelled and they always seem to do it without any issue if you explain what has happened.

Or just walk. Eastbourne to Hastings is only 16 miles on foot.

That is certainly an option. It takes about four hours to walk from Eastbourne to Hastings if you are a fast walker. In the cold weather you will get warm very quickly from walking. Hopefully the staff at Eastbourne would book a taxi (they normally have no issue doing this) but if not then walking is certainly a better option than sitting around in the cold.

 

[185]

On Thursday 15th (non-strike day), the passenger's booked train after their 1830 arrival at BHM would have been -

1Y64 (Cancelled)
the 1836 stopper off Birmingham, with an arrival time into London of 2050.

Their expected time of 2050 vs their actual arrival 2334 - a 2hr 44min delay.

 

[miklcct]

Although it's LNR who delayed you, I'd say that it's the station staff at Victoria who failed to have reasonable care and dumped you in London with nowhere to go, where you should have been instructed to travel to Eastbourne, which was the closest point to your destination you could reach by train on that night and let the staff at Eastbourne to deal with you there.

You should claim Delay Repay from LNR, and you should write a strongly-worded complaint to Network Rail about the maltreatment at Victoria.

 

[3rd rail land]

On Thursday 15th (non-strike day), the passenger's booked train after their 1830 arrival at BHM would have been -

1Y64 (Cancelled)
the 1836 stopper off Birmingham, with an arrival time into London of 2050.

Their expected time of 2050 vs their actual arrival 2334 - a 2hr 44min delay.

So at the very minimum the OP is entitled to delay repay but in this situation I personally wouldn't leave it at that. I would be putting in a complaint about the staff member who gave the instruction to back to Euston. Whist I believe LNWR are responsible for putting the OP up in a hotel or providing a taxi to Hastings as they caused the delay GTR effectively saying 'nothing to do with me guv' is clearly not the correct course of action, especially at such a late hour. In addition I would be writing to LNWR customer services explaining the situation as laid out in the OP and hoping to for a goodwill payment for the distress/inconvenience caused.

Personally I would have tried to speak to LNWR staff at Euston when it became clear that that it was no longer possible to make the last Hastings service of the day. After all LNWR are required to take action to avoid a passenger becoming stranded whilst GTR are not as they did not cause the delay. As for spending the night riding buses I don't blame the OP as hotels in London are expensive and LNWR wouldn't have been required to refund this.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is it written that action must be taken to avoid stranding? I didn't think it was; in my experience it is always a reactionary "get as far as you can first".

 

[Falcon1200]

Or just walk. Eastbourne to Hastings is only 16 miles on foot.

At night, in sub-zero temperatures, and assuming the OP was capable of such a walk in the first place - Not a serious suggestion, surely?

 

[Bletchleyite]

At night, in sub-zero temperatures, and assuming the OP was capable of such a walk in the first place - Not a serious suggestion, surely?

I would do it over be stranded or fork out for a hotel or taxi I may not get back. But whether that is possible obviously varies by individual.

The problem in this case is that late night staff are rarely ones in a position to do anything much, and the quality of e.g. gateline staff on Southern is very poor and long has been.

 

[WizCastro197]

Or just walk. Eastbourne to Hastings is only 16 miles on foot.

It is a 5 hour walk...? I wouldn't mind doing it in the day, as it is slightly warmer but at night and especially after travelling all the way from Birmingham, it doesn't seem very realistic, but as @Bletchleyite says, it depends on the person.

 

[hkstudent]

In addition, claim the additional bus tickets to LNWR that you have paid due to the stranded. They should have managed to transport you to final destination

Meanwhile, for compalints about staff, send to both LNWR and the TOC of Victoria which is Southern I suspect for your case.