Travelling today! Another advance ticket question

[RailwayDan]

Hi everyone,

Just had a look at NRE and have seen the disruption between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke on Trent because of an overhead line failure at Cheadle Hulme.

I hold the following tickets - Anytime Return from Stalybridge to Stoke-On-Trent and an Advance purchase ticket from Stoke-on-Trent on the 17.54 LM service to London Euston.

I plan to make the following journey, 16.46 Stalybridge to Manchester Piccadilly, arr. 17.05 (TPE). 17.15 Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke on Trent (VT) arr 17.49, and then the 17.54 LM to Euston.

I have deliberately left enough time to cover myself under the minimum connection rule.

My question is, if disruption continues and VT services are being diverted via Crewe and then on to Stoke, can I speak to the guard on the Pendo and ask him if I can continue on the VT service all the way to Euston? As the 17.54 LM service is the last direct train of the day, and should the VT be diverted I will miss this.

Thanks in advance! Dan

 

[sonic2009]

although 1754 is the last direct LM of the day, there is a 1854 change at Northampton Service with LM, you can certainly have a polite word with the guard, but you always have the 1854 to fall back on.

 

[MikeWh]

Better answer above

 

[RailwayDan]

Thanks sonic, hopefully won't come to that as it will be a long journey as it is!

 

[animationmilo]

Looks like the 17:54 Stoke on Trent to Euston is cancelled.

 

[bb21]

Looks like the 17:54 Stoke on Trent to Euston is cancelled.

Shown as cancelled due to a train fault.

 

[sonic2009]

That means then will be conveyed on 1854, unless LM have made alternative.arrangements

 

[bb21]

That means then will be conveyed on 1854, unless LM have made alternative.arrangements

Sure enough.

Not sure how long Desiros need to be prepped before turning round, but what I assume is the down working for the 1854 departure (1833 from Crewe), the 1738 arrival at Crewe is currently expected in at 1811.

The 1854 that the OP might need looks like to be delayed as well. This puts him more than 60 minutes late so I would hope that something has been worked out between Virgin and LM.

 

[sonic2009]

The Desiro arrived at 1815 into Crewe and has a 1833 journey back out to Northampton, we will wait for find out how to OP got back to London

 

[RailwayDan]

The Desiro arrived at 1815 into Crewe and has a 1833 journey back out to Northampton, we will wait for find out how to OP got back to London

Well...!

Journey began fine, spoke to the guard at Manchester Piccadilly about my options and he said new ticket would need to be purchased (which I had expected) so alighted at Stoke to find the 1754 cancelled due to a train fault.

So, queued up at the booking office and was told the next one was 1854 with the change at Northampton (which again, I had expected) so went to get some dinner outside the station.

Came back to the station, and the train had jumped from expected at 19.00 to 19.14 with no explanation, and the set eventually turned up at 19.19. Continued to lose minutes as the journey went on and was started to wonder whether it would actually get to Northampton in time to reach the 21.05 connection to Euston.

Guard came on the PA and set that they would hold the connecting service for 5 minutes only (he kept repeating this), so naturally the whole train was queueing at the door as it rolled in at 21.10, but fortunately (as far as I know) everyone made the connection.

Minor delays occurred in the Watford Junction due to being stuck behind a freight train (according to the guard) or emergency engineering works (according to NRE) and eventually arrived at Euston at about 22.40, about 2 hours late.

Then had to get another tube/train to get to Maze Hill, but that's a different story.

Arrived home at 23.45 and probably won't be travelling LM again, but for £5.30 for the Stoke to Euston leg, it hardly seems worth claiming it back on Delay Repay. Options? Might just cut my losses and travel Virgin from now on

 

[bb21]

Arrived home at 23.45 and probably won't be travelling LM again, but for £5.30 for the Stoke to Euston leg, it hardly seems worth claiming it back on Delay Repay. Options? Might just cut my losses and travel Virgin from now on

Claim it online. My most recent one took a week so they are pretty efficient at the moment.

Delay to the 1854 says train fault. Apparently it left Crewe only 5 down but was 20 down by the time it got to Crewe Junction, 2 minutes down the line, and 25 down at Alsager.

You arrived over an hour late so you will be entitled to a full refund of the £5.30

 

[island]

You arrived over an hour late so you will be entitled to a full refund of the £5.30

Well, a RTV for £5.30 technically.

 

[Flamingo]

Well, a RTV for £5.30 technically.

They may round it up to £6.