Milton Keynes to Stafford (1719 direct train cancelled)

[JBuchananGB]

In the real world. Today a passenger presented themself at Milton Keynes Central to travel to Stafford. Intended to catch the 17.19 LNR service to Crewe, due Stafford 18.37 Holding an Off-Peak Single MKC to Stafford. 17.19 cancelled. Next direct service 18.19 already announced to terminate at Rugby. Likewise 19.19 announced as cancelled. They have just arrived in Stafford. How did they do it?

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Arrived a little early at Milton Keynes Central, saw the 17:19 was cancelled and gained permission to use 9S93 1640 London Euston to Edinburgh which left at 17:12

 

[JBuchananGB]

Sadly the 9S93 does not call at Milton Keynes Central, just hurtled through on the Down Fast

 

[Merseysider]

At a guess… Avanti up to Stoke then XC down to Stafford.

 

[yorkie]

In the real world. Today a passenger presented themself at Milton Keynes Central to travel to Stafford. Intended to catch the 17.19 LNR service to Crewe, due Stafford 18.37 Holding an Off-Peak Single MKC to Stafford. 17.19 cancelled. Next direct service 18.19 already announced to terminate at Rugby. Likewise 19.19 announced as cancelled. They have just arrived in Stafford. How did they do it?

Assuming the ticket wasn't restricted to West Midlands Trains (and, if it was, assuming acceptance wasn't in place) they could have got to Stafford for 1859:

1724 MKC to SOT
1844 SOT to STA

Planner - Results - FastJP

fastjp.com

17:24
|
18:59
Milton Keynes Central
to
Stafford
1 change - Stoke on Trent
1hrs 35mins

• • 17:24
    
    Milton Keynes Central
    to
    Stoke on Trent
    Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Stoke on Trent (18:26)
    Avanti West Coast
  • 18:44
    
    Stoke on Trent
    to
    Stafford
    Stoke on Trent, Stafford (18:59)
    CrossCountry

Or by changing at Birmingham.

 

[JBuchananGB]

Congratulations. It was to Stoke and back. But the 1724 was late into Stoke not arriving until 18.51, so the reverse leg back to Stafford was actually on the 1903 CrossCountry service arriving in Stafford 19.20. Part 2 of the quiz. What additional tickets should the passenger have bought for this detour? What if any claim for delay repay should they make, and to which TOC should they submit it?

 

[Merseysider]

A west midlands day ranger would do the trick; no need for the train to call when one ticket is zonal or a season. But I personally wouldn’t be paying for any additional tickets if my intended train(s) are cancelled

 

[JBuchananGB]

Hard to buy a west midlands day ranger having boarded the Avanti service to Manchester holding only a West Midlands Trains Off-peak Single from MKC to Stafford. This passenger did purchase an additional ticket, but their tickets weren't checked during the journey. So a supplementary question to the one about Delay Repay. Having bought an additional ticket in an attempt to validate the detour, what process, if any, should they follow to recoup the cost of the additional ticket?

I am informed that LNR had agreed with Avanti to accept LNR Only tickets, but I'm not sure what a CrossCountry ticket inspector would have said about an LNR Only ticket from MKC to Stafford, during the detour leg from Stoke to Stafford.

The passenger tells me that they claimed from LNR for a 60-120 minutes delay and have been awarded the full price of the Off-Peak Day single. But they haven't made any claim for the additional ticket to cover the detour via Stoke. Their attitude was "once I knew the 1719 was cancelled, I mentally resigned myself to catching the 1819. I reached Stafford before I would have done if the 1819 had been running, because I would have waited for it. So I got home earlier than I expected, along with a 100% DR. Not too bad." Perhaps in the future for a MKC to Stafford trip they might even plan to use the detour via Stoke!