Virgin Trains' shambolic reservation policy

[bramling]

So this is still happening then!

By this I mean not using the simple expedient of telling the Guard/Train Manager that the working they are on/taking on has been REFORMED from an earlier delayed service, along with an instruction to turn the reservation system off and announce at each stop, that seat reservations are not in place and for pax to take any available seat in the class they are ticketed for.

I haven't travelled regularly on WCML for over 10 years, but had the exact same problem as Yorkie a decade or more ago when very bad weather had delayed the train i was on from Glasgow to the extent it was reformed twice en route, after the second time and being ostensibly spot on time for the 2nd later service there were near riots at Wigan when boarding pax found "their" seats occupied by already weary travellers, the TM who took the train on at Preston being totally unaware of its history to that point, until I told him.

Much is being said about operational reasons etc. and very little thought being given to the effects on travelling pax, who if you are a member of staff, are ultimately the reason why you're employed in whatever role you undertake...

The best way for a railway to run is as per the timetable. During disruption that's already messed up, so the priority will always - rightly - be trying to get things back as close as can be achieved. Unfortunately reality is that communications lines tend to be stressed, and things will be missed. Missing some of the niceties is the lesser of two evils, certainly from a passenger point of view I'd far rather have a train, even if the seat reservations are messed up.

In fact personally I'd just ditch seat reservations altogether since they seem to cause so much trouble!

 

[yorkie]

The best way for a railway to run is as per the timetable. During disruption that's already messed up, so the priority will always - rightly - be trying to get things back as close as can be achieved. Unfortunately reality is that communications lines tend to be stressed, and things will be missed. Missing some of the niceties is the lesser of two evils, certainly from a passenger point of view I'd far rather have a train, even if the seat reservations are messed up.

Impossible to run "as per the timetable" on this occasion due to multiple disruptions.

In fact personally I'd just ditch seat reservations altogether since they seem to cause so much trouble!

When there is significant disruption and trains get re-formed then absolutely they should be ditched, but this should also be communicated to passengers.

 

[Bletchleyite]

When there is significant disruption and trains get re-formed then absolutely they should be ditched, but this should also be communicated to passengers.

During disruption staff are busy with other stuff ("aviate, navigate, communicate") - hence my view that it should be on a sticker in each coach clearly stating (and apologising) that if undisplayed reservations do not apply.

 

[bramling]

When there is significant disruption and trains get re-formed then absolutely they should be ditched, but this should also be communicated to passengers.

I agree it should have happened, just that I don't think it's the end of the world that it was overlooked. No doubt there would have been a lot going on.

I think this was a mess-up rather than any deliberate policy.

 

[Mugby]

Apologies, this is rather late, I only just remembered this thread which relates to what happened on Saturday, 12/10.

Last Saturday morning, it was impossible for VTWC to run as per timetable due to a person being hit by a train (not sure of the exact location)

I was at Crewe waiting for the 1209 to Glasgow, it was shown on the screens as being expected at 1249 and it duly arrived at that time.
I was surprised when it appeared as a double Voyager with the rear set quite lightly loaded. I travelled to Glasgow where it arrived 55mins late.
The real 1209 from Crewe started from Euston on time (almost) but was 123mins late at Milton Keynes and reached Crewe at 1413, It was terminated at Preston.
According to RTT, the train which I got was timed to start at Rugby (where it wouldn't normally call) at 1109 but actually left there 35 mins late.

My question is: How would Virgin happen to have a spare double Voyager and crew which they could position and start at Rugby?
I'm fairly sure the 0943 from Euston, 1209 at Crewe is usually a Pendolino. When the double Voyager left Crewe there were several people wandering through the train with their luggage trying to find non existent reservations.

No criticism here, I thought VTWC did the best they could on a very difficult morning.

 

[Tomnick]

Apologies, this is rather late, I only just remembered this thread which relates to what happened on Saturday, 12/10.

Last Saturday morning, it was impossible for VTWC to run as per timetable due to a person being hit by a train (not sure of the exact location)

I was at Crewe waiting for the 1209 to Glasgow, it was shown on the screens as being expected at 1249 and it duly arrived at that time.
I was surprised when it appeared as a double Voyager with the rear set quite lightly loaded. I travelled to Glasgow where it arrived 55mins late.
The real 1209 from Crewe started from Euston on time (almost) but was 123mins late at Milton Keynes and reached Crewe at 1413, It was terminated at Preston.
According to RTT, the train which I got was timed to start at Rugby (where it wouldn't normally call) at 1109 but actually left there 35 mins late.

My question is: How would Virgin happen to have a spare double Voyager and crew which they could position and start at Rugby?
I'm fairly sure the 0943 from Euston, 1209 at Crewe is usually a Pendolino. When the double Voyager left Crewe there were several people wandering through the train with their luggage trying to find non existent reservations.

No criticism here, I thought VTWC did the best they could on a very difficult morning.

1B11 from Shrewsbury was cancelled at Rugby, arriving there around 10.00 - a probable contender for starting your Glasgow train from there?

 

[voyagerdude220]

I gather that the incident last Saturday is thought to have occurred during the early hours of Saturday morning near Milton Keynes, but the person's body was only discovered after daylight.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Seen a lot to do with crew here, I think the main thing with crew is to try and get them back to their base as soon as they can. For example, when the body was found at Milton Keynes, the 12:30 to Glasgow carried a ton of excess crew.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Seen a lot to do with crew here, I think the main thing with crew is to try and get them back to their base as soon as they can. For example, when the body was found at Milton Keynes, the 12:30 to Glasgow carried a ton of excess crew.

Probably because of their booked services being cancelled I guess.

I know someone who was supposed to be working the 10:30 ended up being passenger on the 12:30, possibly the same happened to people who should have worked the also cancelled 11:30.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Probably because of their booked services being cancelled I guess.

I know someone who was supposed to be working the 10:30 ended up being passenger on the 12:30, possibly the same happened to people who should have worked the also cancelled 11:30.

Said 12:30 was also extremely busy, assuming all reservations were removed.