Why can't I reserve a seat Derby to Newport over Christmas?

[mp01]

Title says it all really, but I've tried through three separate booking engines (ATW, GWR and Cross Country) to reserve seats on various services (23 Dec 1037 and 1137 Derby to Newport, and 27 Dec 1200 and 1301 Newport to Derby) but in each case it's saying reservations are not available. In each case the ticket is an off-peak return with senior railcard. Could anyone explain this to me please, and ideally help me sort out how to get reservations? They're for an increasingly elderly parent who would be uncomfortable with the thought of travelling without a reservation.

Thanks very much in anticipation.

 

[Deafdoggie]

If this is a XC service, then it is due to the 'strike' timetable not being confirmed, so seat reservations are not released, as they can't confirm the train is running at this stage

 

[mp01]

Yes, that would explain it. I thought those dates were clear, but I see now upon checking the RMT website that each of those days has been added as a strike day.

 

[IanXC]

XC seem to be working to the policy that there will be no seat reservations on days affected by industrial action.

 

[Starmill]

Newport isn't being served on XC strike days at all so the inability to get a seat reservation is the least of their worries!

There will be some XC services running on those days but to generate an itinerary avoiding them:

1024 Derby to Crewe 1201 (East Midlands Trains)
1308 Crewe to Newport S Wales 1521 (Arriva Trains Wales) Reservations available

or

1121 Derby to London St Pancras 1308 (East Midlands Trains) Reservations available
London Underground from St Pancras to Paddington
1445 London Paddington to Newport S Wales 1624 (Great Western Railway) Reservations available

 

[IanXC]

Newport isn't being served on XC strike days at all so the inability to get a seat reservation is the least of their worries!

Good point - my mental journey planner had taken me via Bristol Parkway!

 

[robbeech]

Newport isn't being served on XC strike days at all so the inability to get a seat reservation is the least of their worries!

There will be some XC services running on those days but to generate an itinerary avoiding them:

1024 Derby to Crewe 1201 (East Midlands Trains)
1308 Crewe to Newport S Wales 1521 (Arriva Trains Wales) Reservations available

or

1121 Derby to London St Pancras 1308 (East Midlands Trains) Reservations available
London Underground from St Pancras to Paddington
1445 London Paddington to Newport S Wales 1624 (Great Western Railway) Reservations available

It’s worth pointing out perhaps that this wouldn’t be doable on a normal Derby to Newport ticket. The via Crewe would be about £20 more and the Via London considerably more. Either would however be a better guarantee of service should cost not be the priority

 

[Starmill]

They may indeed not be normal permitted routes, but it is very likely that East Midlands Trains, Arriva Trains Wales and Great Western Railway will be accepting tickets on the day, so I would expect no additional charge. Of course that would need to be checked closer to the time.

 

[robbeech]

They may indeed not be normal permitted routes, but it is very likely that East Midlands Trains, Arriva Trains Wales and Great Western Railway will be accepting tickets on the day, so I would expect no additional charge. Of course that would need to be checked closer to the time.

Valid point for the via Crewe, but via London?

Completely OT but what happens with the share of revenue in a situation where acceptance is in place but on a usually non permitted route?

 

[mp01]

Thanks for all the input. The actual journey will start at Chesterfield (reservations were fine on the Chesterfield to Derby leg because they're East Midlands) so in the event that the strike continues, plan B will be via a change at Stockport.