Penyffordd to Wrexham 22/08

[1874]

Hi, any advice appreciated please. I looked on real-time trains and timetable at penyffordd station. We’re off to Shrewsbury tomorrow, would like to get 12.09 train from penyffordd to Wrexham. Going on tfw website to book tickets and the train doesn’t show, it’s only running at odd hours, 13.09 and 15.09, there is no sign of 12.09 or 14.09, is this a mistake or are the trains not running. Are tfw neglecting the passengers. Thanks.

 

[sdrennan]

Looking on journey check it seems to be cancelled due to resource availability

 

[1874]

Are train operators allowed to cancel like this, it’s not a last minute cancellation but it’s still advertised on timetable. The toc can’t say it’s last minute if cancelling 18 hours before train departs. Will have to get a taxi now to Wrexham, got to get 12.38 to Shrewsbury.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Where a TOC knows in advance that they won't be able to run a given service, it's perfectly legitimate for them to record it as cancelled ahead of time, as it's the timetable that is in industry systems at 10pm the day before that counts for performance figures.

Whether it's morally right that they should be able to do so is a different matter entirely.

 

[1874]

Thanks cyruswuff for reply. Understand what your saying but this is costing us more money now. How many people check times night before on a 1 hour clock face schedule. If we’ve just turned up we’d have missed our appointment in Shrewsbury. Costing me money with no chance of getting it back, I’m all over tfw in the morning on social media.

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

Thanks cyruswuff for reply. Understand what your saying but this is costing us more money now. How many people check times night before on a 1 hour clock face schedule. If we’ve just turned up we’d have missed our appointment in Shrewsbury. Costing me money with no chance of getting it back, I’m all over tfw in the morning on social media.

Personally I think you need to step back and reassess your priorities. OK, it's not ideal that you'll have a 1 hour delay, but you are free to travel earlier or later at no additional cost. If you travel later, with a 1 hour delay, you'll be entitled to decent delay repay compensation? If you don't travel, you'll get a full refund.

TFW have clearly publicised this problem in advance, well enough that you've been able to identify a problem before heading to the station.

I'm not sure why you think going on the offensive via social media to rant is a reasonable or proportional response in this situation. What do you expect them to do? They've not cost you anything, because you can still travel OR get a full refund.

 

[mikeg]

Why not travel an hour earlier?

Believe your tickets won't be advances... I fail to see how this is costing you more money?

 

[some bloke]

There's a service 21 minutes earlier: nationalrail.co.uk shows a link from the cancelled service, to "Alternative trains". One is an 11.48 departure which gets in at the original arrival time.

 

[mikeg]

Thanks... In that case I fail to see what the OP's problem is...

Edit: no fares are shown next to it, are you sure that's a permitted route?

 

[some bloke]

It shows me £16.50 and links to TfW for purchase (showing departure a minute earlier).

 

[mikeg]

Ah yes, valid on a pennyffordd to Shrewsbury ticket, just not a pennyffordd to Wrexham ticket

 

[Envoy]

You will save money by buying Anytime Day Returns (SDRs) with a the split being at Hope (even though you stay on the same trains).

Penyffordd to Hope SDR @ £1.40
Hope to Shrewsbury SDR @ £11.20

That's a saving of £4.30 on the £16.90 through ticket price without a Railcard.

 

[some bloke]

This service doesn't call at Hope, but maybe there's another worthwhile split. It might have to take into account that this is the long way round - splitting the normal route might not be valid here.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There's a service 21 minutes earlier: nationalrail.co.uk shows a link from the cancelled service, to "Alternative trains". One is an 11.48 departure which gets in at the original arrival time.

The TfW journey planner is clever enough to send you north from Penyffordd at 1148 via Shotton to pick up the same Holyhead-Cardiff train that leaves Wrexham at 1234.
So you go on 3 sides of a square via Shotton and Chester (9 minute connection at Shotton from High Level to Low Level).
No Route is specified for the through fare, so presumably the longer route is valid (£16.50 day single, £16.90 day return).

Admittedly, this tactic is not one I would have thought of.
In the "normal" (pre-Covid) timetable, the Shotton connection doesn't work as the Holyhead-Cardiff/Birmingham service doesn't stop there (it's normally the Manchester trains that do).

Looks like the original train (1209 Penyffordd-Wrexham) is substituted by a bus (Pats coaches), but punctuality won't be guaranteed.

 

[yorkie]

This service doesn't call at Hope, but maybe there's another worthwhile split. It might have to take into account that this is the long way round - splitting the normal route might not be valid here.

I've not checked this, but if there is a cheaper combination, Trainsplit will generally find it.

Alternatively, if a combination of tickets is required for the journey, Trainsplit will offer a combination, as will National Rail Enquiries (but NRE's suggestion may be less likely to be the cheapest combination)

Thanks cyruswuff for reply. Understand what your saying but this is costing us more money now....

This is an example of where it can be better to buy in advance: the itinerary offered is evidence of a contract.

If the train you wish to take is cancelled, you may take an alternative train; if you take a later train you are entitled to delay compensation.

An Advance fare would be valid on an earlier train, or a later train, whichever you prefer. An alternative route should be allowed at no extra cost, where applicable/appropriate.

And of course if no alternative itinerary is suitable, then you can obtain a refund.