London to Manchester 06/11

[Par]

Apologies if this is the wrong forum (mods please move as necessary)

Need to make a journey at short notice tomorrow.

Booking sites show the last direct Euston - Piccadilly at 15.01

I know that the Off-Peak return is valid via Reading. This allows journey possibilities leaving Paddington at 18.43 or 19.43.

I note however that RTT and Liverail both have a 18.55 and 19.41 Euston - Piccadilly listed as VSTP. My presumption is that these are last minute timetable additions following the suspension of the industrial action to get stock in place in an attempt to run as robust a service as possible on Monday?

Given the conflicting information, how confident can I be that these two trains will actually run in passenger service? I don’t want to eschew the Paddington departure options, only to find they don’t actually run.

l‘m not on Twitter, so not sure I can get a quick answer from Avanti.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mangyiscute]

got a reply on twitter - they say 15:01:


Also, I'd take the 19:30 rather than the 19:43 if you choose that option as fast trains leaving Paddington on Sundays can be quite unreliable so I wouldn't trust an 8 min delay onto the last train of the day to Manchester

 

[Par]

got a reply on twitter - they say 15:01:
View attachment 123175

Also, I'd take the 19:30 rather than the 19:43 if you choose that option as fast trains leaving Paddington on Sundays can be quite unreliable so I wouldn't trust an 8 min delay onto the last train of the day to Manchester

Thanks

 

[Watershed]

I wouldn't rely on the VSTP trains running. You will have no recourse if you are stranded as a result (unless you bought your ticket before the strike timetable was in place).

 

[Par]

I wouldn't rely on the VSTP trains running. You will have no recourse if you are stranded as a result (unless you bought your ticket before the strike timetable was in place).

Noted, however these trains are now showing on the National Rail Enquiries planner (they didn’t last night), so I’m more confused than ever.
A bit disingenuous in my opinion to add services to the planner at this late stage if they are not going to run?

 

[Class800]

Via Reading does take about 4 hours be aware, but seems the best way to go.

 

[mangyiscute]

Via Reading does take about 4 hours be aware, but seems the best way to go.

Although those two trains that may or may not exist go via Birmingham with a lot of pathing allowance, so they take almost 4 hours anyway

 

[Watershed]

Noted, however these trains are now showing on the National Rail Enquiries planner (they didn’t last night), so I’m more confused than ever.
A bit disingenuous in my opinion to add services to the planner at this late stage if they are not going to run?

If they're still showing in NRE at 22:00 tonight then I'd say they're safe to rely on. But I wouldn't otherwise do so.