No direct trains London St P to Leicester this Saturday 13 April

[suzanneparis]

Can anyone please offer me some help.

I bought an ordinary super saver return from Leicester to London.

I was intending to travel back from London to Leicester on Saturday 13th. But I see they are doing work on the track and so there are no direct trains to Leicester.

I can't quite understand the arrangements which involve some replacement busses but don't seem to explicitly mention Leicester.

Can anyone plesae help me find a journey at about 2pm on Saturday and explain the details of where I get on busses and what times everything is.

Also, would I be allowed to travel by a different route? In particular would I be allowed to use my ticket to go from Euston to Nuneaton to Leicester. OR even Euston to Birmingham to LEicester?

Many thanks for any help. Sorry to sound in a bit of a panic. But I am.

 

[yorkie]

Can anyone please offer me some help.

I bought an ordinary super saver return from Leicester to London.

Out of interest, where/when did you buy this ticket?

I was intending to travel back from London to Leicester on Saturday 13th. But I see they are doing work on the track and so there are no direct trains to Leicester.

I can't quite understand the arrangements which involve some replacement busses but don't seem to explicitly mention Leicester.

https://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.u...-taking-place-this-April/#Saturday-13th-April

If you are travelling Northbound

Trains from London St Pancras International will terminate at Bedford.

An express rail replacement coach will run between Bedford and Corby, where you can then connect with trains to Kettering, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield.

Trains to Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield call at Leicester.

Can anyone plesae help me find a journey at about 2pm on Saturday and explain the details of where I get on busses and what times everything is.

The EMT website gives details of the replacement buses.

Bedford: coaches will depart from the front of the station

Also, would I be allowed to travel by a different route? In particular would I be allowed to use my ticket to go from Euston to Nuneaton to Leicester. OR even Euston to Birmingham to LEicester?

Many thanks for any help. Sorry to sound in a bit of a panic. But I am.

You can change at Nuneaton, but not the others.

Here are journeys via either Nuneaton or Corby around 1400: http://www.fastjp.com/#journeys?ori...:&odate=20190413&otime=1330&maxres=22&maxch=4

 

[suzanneparis]

Thanks for your kind help. Bought the ticket online yesterday evening and collected from the ticket machines at leicester station this morning. At the time of buying I was intending to return on Friday but my plans have changed so I am returning to leicester on Saturday lunchtime.

I would prefer to do the journey using trains rather than rail replacement bus.

I was considering this on Saturday, 13:46 from Euston to Nuneaton to Leicester.

Will I be ok with my super saver leicester to london ticket on those trains??

It's this
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/servi...ndResponseId=4&isOutboundJourneySelected=true

Do I need to check with the gate staff at Euston and with the guard before i board the train??

Many thanks

 

[CyrusWuff]

The short version is that trains are running as far as Corby, with buses between Corby and Bedford for onward travel into London. As it's planned Engineering Work, ticket acceptance is unlikely to be in place, alas.

Here's a sample journey:

St Pancras   dep   14:00   Train (EMT)
Bedford      arr   14:35
             dep   14:50   Coach
Corby        arr   15:47
             dep   15:55   Train (EMT)
Leicester    arr   16:36

If you'd prefer a direct journey, National Express still have availability. Here's a sample:

Victoria Coach Station                   dep   14:30
   Service runs non-stop to
Leicester (St. Margaret's Bus Station)   arr   17:05

 

[suzanneparis]

I am travelling FROM London TO Leicester not the other way around.

So, are you CyrusWuff saying that I cannot use my ticket for the trains Euston to Nuneaton to Leicester?

Thanks

 

[CyrusWuff]

I am travelling FROM London TO Leicester not the other way around.

My apologies. I misread the original post. I'll correct it shortly.

So, are you CyrusWuff saying that I cannot use my ticket for the trains Euston to Nuneaton to Leicester?

London - Leicester does appear to be valid via Nuneaton according to journey planners, though I'm not entirely sure why given it's not the shortest route (nor within 3 miles thereof), not a direct train, not a mapped route in the Routeing Guide and I can't find a relevant easement.

 

[suzanneparis]

Thanks again. But now I am confused. Am I allowed to travel on the 13:46 from Euston to Nuneaton to Leicester with my ticket?

 

[Bletchleyite]

London - Leicester does appear to be valid via Nuneaton according to journey planners, though I'm not entirely sure why given it's not the shortest route (nor within 3 miles thereof), not a direct train, not a mapped route in the Routeing Guide and I can't find a relevant easement.

I think there used to be LM+XC fares which would require validity that way, but these no longer seem to exist, but the Any Permitted fares seem to be valid that way as well.

There probably is some form of easement. I recall that there was at one point an issue with the LM+XC fares not being sellable because it wasn't a Permitted Route - this was probably changed to fix that.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thanks again. But now I am confused. Am I allowed to travel on the 13:46 from Euston to Nuneaton to Leicester with my ticket?

It would certainly appear so.

Might be worth getting a screengrab of a booking site showing the fare that way. VT's planner does.

 

[suzanneparis]

Thanks Bletchleyite. Should I check with the gate staff and train guard?

Also, will there be any West Midlands trains staff at Euston? I only recall seeing Virgin train staff there. But I rarely use Euston so my memory is not good on the matter.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thanks Bletchleyite. Should I check with the gate staff and train guard?

I wouldn't bother if your ticket opens the gates, assuming the train goes from a gated platform. RTT shows Saturday's 1346 as going from Platform 7 which is not gated. I suspect staff won't know about such "odd" validity. LNR very rarely do manual checks, and the guard probably won't bother either.

Also, will there be any West Midlands trains staff at Euston? I only recall seeing Virgin train staff there. But I rarely use Euston so my memory is not good on the matter.

There's usually a help desk thing on the concourse. If it isn't there, they operate a small booking office at the bottom of the ramp to 8-11. But I'd just print evidence of a journey planner offering the fare that way, take it with you and just board.

 

[yorkie]

As I said, it's valid via Nuneaton.

If you wish to bring evidence with you, take a printout of your intended itinerary from National Rail Enquiries.

If you would like me to explain exactly why it is valid that way, and why it should be (and was historically) valid that way, I will do so if you like. I'm not sure if you are just asking for some advice on your journey or want to receive a full and complete technical analysis?

The train may depart from a platform with automatic ticket gates, in which case the ticket should work the gates. If it doesn't, staff should allow you through, but of course it's Euston, and the staff there are inconsistent, so they may not do.

 

[30907]

Thanks Bletchleyite. Should I check with the gate staff and train guard?

Also, will there be any West Midlands trains staff at Euston? I only recall seeing Virgin train staff there. But I rarely use Euston so my memory is not good on the matter.

National Rail Enquiries will give me the Super Offpeak fare via Nuneaton. Your ticket is therefore valid and there is no need to query it at the gateline.
However, you can always take a printout or screenshot confirming this (showing both directions so the right fare shows up!), especially as reportedly barrier staff at Euston are sometimes misinformed.

Sorry, yorkie was quicker.

 

[suzanneparis]

Sorry I didn't mean to appear rude. I'm just worried and a bit upset about it. I'm old and frightened of doing something wrong and perhaps being prosecuted.

I don't have access to a printer in London and am not sure what you mean by a printout of your intended itinerary from NRE.

I have taken a screen grab of this




and this



Which I can show on my mobile phone. Is that what you meant?? But I dont see how they prove anything. Because they simply show Euston to Leicester. Not the fact that it is INSTEAD of St P to Leicester. Also both screen grabs are for single fares. I am using the return part of my L to LSP super saver return.

Many thanks again and sorry to be such a worrier.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The train may depart from a platform with automatic ticket gates, in which case the ticket should work the gates. If it doesn't, staff should allow you through, but of course it's Euston, and the staff there are inconsistent, so they may not do.

VTWC staff (who are the issue at Euston) do not under any circumstances do barrier checks for LNR/WMT - even if a LNR/WMT starts boarding at an adjacent platform to a VTWC service they just let you walk past. I don't find the same sort of issues with the LNR staff there. However it seems likely the train will go from platform 7, which unless a revenue sting is in progress (this is a once-a-year type of thing at Euston) will not have any kind of barrier check. You will also not need to pass any kind of barrier at Nuneaton.

 

[Mag_seven]

Its a pity EMT could not commandeer some of their HSTs and run a Euston- Nuneaton - Leicester service during this block.

 

[suzanneparis]

VTWC staff (who are the issue at Euston) do not under any circumstances do barrier checks for LNR/WMT - even if a LNR/WMT starts boarding at an adjacent platform to a VTWC service they just let you walk past. I don't find the same sort of issues with the LNR staff there. However it seems likely the train will go from platform 7, which unless a revenue sting is in progress (this is a once-a-year type of thing at Euston) will not have any kind of barrier check. You will also not need to pass any kind of barrier at Nuneaton.

Thanks . But I am sorry that doesn't reassure me. I would rathe my ticket was checked and I was told it was valid.

 

[yorkie]

Thanks . But I am sorry that doesn't reassure me. I would rathe my ticket was checked and I was told it was valid.

It is valid.

Which website did you purchase the ticket from?

If you won't accept the evidence displayed on NRE, you could get a refund of the original ticket (the retailer may waive the £10 admin fee, if you explain your situation) and obtain an itinerary via Nuneaton, on trains departing at the times of your choice, which is clear contractual evidence of entitlement to make the journey on that ticket.

 

[suzanneparis]

Thanks Yorkie. Purchased from EMT website.

I do believe you and intend to use the return portion of my ticket on the 13:46 on Saturday.

Do you think I should try and ask the train guard before departure? Which end of train are they likely to be. At the front or back?

 

[suzanneparis]

 

[yorkie]

Thanks Yorkie. Purchased from EMT website.

Try asking them if they will refund the ticket and waive the £10 fee, given the circumstances.

If they say no, it's fine to rely on the evidence available on the NRE website.

If they say yes, re-purchase the ticket with the itinerary you wish.

Do you think I should try and ask the train guard before departure?

I refer you to this:

I wouldn't bother if your ticket opens the gates, assuming the train goes from a gated platform. RTT shows Saturday's 1346 as going from Platform 7 which is not gated. I suspect staff won't know about such "odd" validity. LNR very rarely do manual checks, and the guard probably won't bother either.

There's usually a help desk thing on the concourse. If it isn't there, they operate a small booking office at the bottom of the ramp to 8-11. But I'd just print evidence of a journey planner offering the fare that way, take it with you and just board.

 

[30907]

View attachment 61364

Just what the doctor ordered! Clearly shows your ticket valid by either route.

 

[suzanneparis]

Thanks everyone. Sorry to have been so worried.

 

[suzanneparis]

IF.... I can get to a railway station with a ticket office then could I get a seat reservation for that train from Euston to Nuneaton to Leicester despite already having bought my tickets? I am in Brentford and my nearest station is Kew Bridge which doesn't have an office. Maybe there is a ticket office in one of the other nearby stations anyone know?

Many thanks again everyone for all of your kind help.

 

[matt]

No as LondonNorthWestern do not have reserved seats.

 

[route101]

Think the same is happening on the 11th of May too , was hoping for MML trip

 

[suzanneparis]

"It's up to you"

My partner just went into a mainline station on my behalf to ask about this.

Was told it's not valid and that NRE is wrong.

Followed up by telling him it's up to you.

What to do?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

"It's up to you"

My partner just went into a mainline station on my behalf to ask about this.

Was told it's not valid and that NRE is wrong.

Followed up by telling him it's up to you.

What to do?

NRE is wrong?

If NRE shows it as valid, I think that is more than sufficient evidence that it is valid. It is, after all, the resource one is suggested to check if one is unsure of a route, as per the National Rail Conditions of Travel.

 

[suzanneparis]

Apparently they said the other rail companies had not agreed to allow it.

My plan is to get to Euston early and ask the guard

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Apparently they said the other rail companies had not agreed to allow it.

My plan is to get to Euston early and ask the guard

Whether or not the other rail companies agree to it would only ever be relevant if it wasn't a permitted route, and you can't get an itinerary on a journey planner or on NRE.

Feel free to ask the guard, but if it were me I would not bother. It is valid, you have proof it is valid, it isn't as if it is unreasonable given the circumstances, and asking the guard may mean you are waiting to speak to him/her until shortly before departure (as they often only arrive a few minutes beforehand), meaning you might potentially get no, or only a very poor, seat!