Train chaos

Wife travelling tonight and having an exemplary journey so far. If train falls over completely, anyone have any experience of what the train company will do? Hotel or onward travel and if so, how?

Hope its not this line.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24505856.fire-causing-major-disruptions-train-services-norwich/

No, WCML. So far actual train cancelled, now sat waiting for train crew on an alternative service ?‍

The one small ray of sunshine is that it’s going to be free…

Just look at their website for delay compensation information

You’ll get the ticket cost back if the service is cancelled but they won’t be paying for onward travel or putting you up in a hotel

Sadly Delay Repay is all too familiar.

I think there’s something in the T&Cs about ‘stranding’ which means if there’s no alternative service they’re obliged to either arrange onward travel or find accommodation, not sure what that looks like in the real world if anyone knows.

Certainly last time I was in London, the ECML was off and they were routing people via Manchester and Newcastle, then telling people ‘onward travel’ would be arranged… Good news is that she seems to be moving.

Last time it happened to me they just put a fleet of coaches to take people to a range of places. Luckily for me it was only Edinburgh to Arbroath, but some were going to Inverness. Also got a full refund.

Trains are so unreliable… I’m so glad I don’t have to commute on them any more..

In my experience they might put a bus on, or enlist a local taxi firm, YMMV

You’ll just have to see what happens and speak to the conductors /station staff.

I doubt you’d get put up in a hotel unless all other options are exhausted.

In my experience… If you need to get somewhere urgently it’s better to forfeit the free transport, cut your losses and arrange your own transport rather than waiting around for hours, but it depends how urgent your journey is to you as to what choice you make.

I was on a train on the WCML on Monday that missed a connection from Edinburgh to Aberdeen. Those going to Aberdeen were put in taxis by Avanti.

The one time we were stranded (last train, hopelessly overcrowded as the previous train had been cancelled and there were hundreds of people coming back from a gig at First Direct Arena in Leeds), they put taxis on for everyone.

You’ll get the ticket cost back if the service is cancelled but they won’t be paying for onward travel or putting you up in a hotel

Actually, they do have a duty to do that. If there are no Staff available, or they are inundated with requests, you can ‘go it alone’, and keep the receipts, and they will pay them.

Am sat at Potters bar train station, on the LNER from King’s Cross to Leeds, and have been for the last hour as there’s an unknown fault with the overhead lines. Never before have I been so pleased to have got a cheap upgrade to 1st class, what with all that free beer, wine and spirit that isn’t going to drink itself…

Train manager has said the first train in the queue is going to go through the affected area, with all the loose electricity, slowly to check that it’s safe to proceed.

I thank the passengers of that train for their sacrifice.

You’ll get the ticket cost back if the service is cancelled but they won’t be paying for onward travel or putting you up in a hotel

My son and his girlfriend got held up on a train into London a few weeks back, stuck just outside Surbiton for over an hour. They’d saved their pennies to go after the end of the school exams/assessments and had paid best part of £100 each for tickets to a show in London, that by the time they got moving again meant they didn’t get to see it.

Train tickets refunded, theatre tickets – **** off. And no-one takes travel insurance for something like that.

The companies do have a duty of care to get you to your final destination. It might be coaches are put on, or taxis. Hopefully sounds like it won’t come to that. But if doing long distance and needed, quote the National Rail Conditions of Travel, Condition 28.2

28.2 Where disruption prevents you from completing the journey for which your Ticket is valid and is being used, any Train Company will, where it reasonably can, provide you with alternative means of travel to your destination, or if necessary, provide overnight accommodation for you.

Canary train has made it through! The engineers managed to switch off the electric so the passengers weren’t killed to death.

what it does mean is that he few trains in front of ours that are electric only are going nowhere.

Update. My train is going pull alongside stranded leccy trains to pick up those stuck on them. Reckon about 600 folk. Gonna get cosy…

Once coming back from the North with a bike on the last train of the day, they cancelled it at Birmingham. They got me a taxi for the last 60 miles with my bike. The other passengers got a bus which couldn’t take a bike.

I doubt you’d get put up in a hotel unless all other options are exhausted.

Also I doubt very much eg. Preston has enough hotel rooms for a trainload of passengers?

Ouch. At least they are getting people where they want to be.

It is indicative of just how run down the railway is. Not sure the Government can really afford to buy it out, but equally not sure it can afford not to. I too get delay repay all the time ( long distance trains ) and it’s a mix of infrastructure, companies without staff / drivers, and then trespassers, fires, suicides / attempts. There aren’t easy solutions.

enjoy the camaraderie, tomhoward. lol.

Carpathia train is go!

Not sure the Government can really afford to buy it out.

It’s not really privatised though. TOCs hold a franchise, where the DfT specifies everything from services to staff pay.

Seems rescue duty is no longer required, not sure what happened to the others. Not going to ask. Hope they made it.

@tomhoward I was on King’s Cross to Darlington yesterday. This is the problem isn’t it, 9 times out of 10 it runs brilliantly and is a genuinely not unpleasant experience. But. That 1 time out of 10, that you’re experiencing now, it’s properly rubbish.

Apparently we/the powers that be are now having meetings/drawing lots to see who is gonna rescue the stranded train. Was due to arrive in Leeds an hour ago. Still in Stevenage…

Still in Stevenage, no progress. Train manager has  just said to people there’s some left over sandwiches from first class they are giving away. The resulting scenes were like an aid drop in a Warzone. Almost as many casualties.

Bon chance. May the odds be in your favour. Hope you make it home soon

In a fit of efficiency, the two trains (us and another) waiting with baited breath as to who was to be the saviour have now been told the other passengers have now been rescued and put on coaches, destination unknown. We still haven’t left Stevenage, t’other train left 10 mins ago.

Time for some rum.

Aaand we’re off!

Oh for **** sake. Apparently the coaches missed 80 folk. So back on rescue duty.

I expect my VC will be imminent.

Wish I had the thunderbirds theme as my ringtone…

Is this an argument for nationalised railways?

However, Germany has a national trail service and it’s also ****.

At least yours is cheap…

Almost 1/2 way though getting the stragglers aboard now…

better late than never? Now underway again, stopping at hitchin to kick out the survivors, before starting again…

Now some halfwit has pulled the emergency door release at Hitchin. Not one of the people due to get off here. Literally couldn’t make this up.

Not sure the Government can really afford to buy it out.

It’s not really privatised though. TOCs hold a franchise, where the DfT specifies everything from services to staff pay.

If the problem was the overhead line, that’s Network Rail’s stuff, not the train operators. NR are essentially nationalised (and have been for about 20 years (ever since Railtrack collapsed after their negligence in managing  infrastructure and the broken rail causing  the fatal derailment at Hatfield).

Can’t help but feel 21:07 might be a bit ambitious

Theres no date beside that time 🙂

Luckily we’ve clawed some time back

And we’ve made it to Leeds, 6 and a half hours after we should have. Thanks for playing.