Virgintrains.co.uk website (in the post - InterCity West Coast franchise era)

[Mathew S]

British Rail introduced Advance tickets in the early 90s.

I didn't know that, thanks. I do think that it was the introduction of online booking that really made Advances work well though.

 

[Journeyman]

I didn't know that, thanks. I do think that it was the introduction of online booking that really made Advances work well though.

That's true. They were initially only available in very limited numbers without the quotas of different price points. From 1994 to 1996 I was a booking clerk at a small station without a reservations computer, and if someone wanted an advance ticket, I had to phone a nearby travel centre to arrange it, and it was a lot of hassle. Online sales made them a much more attractive product.

 

[The Prisoner]

Advance tickets were called Apex and Super Apex back in the mid 90s when I used to work at Preston Telephone Enquiry Bureau (TEB). Used to be able to check the number of seats on the Computer Reservation System (CRS) but you had to physically visit a station or call the telesales team (who customers complained never answered!) to buy one. Left the year Virgin took over - think they sorted it.

 

[All Line Rover]

Well it bodes well for the new "amazing" / "awesome" / "revolutionary" Virgin Trains ticketing website - which is currently nothing more than a link to Assertis' Train Genius website - that Virgin couldn't be arsed to maintain the back-end to its existing ticketing system, such that all booking confirmation emails sent prior to 8 December are not formatted correctly and, in many cases, unreadable. About what I'd expect from Virgin.

It is also "interesting" that all information on Delay Repay and complaints relating to Virgin Trains journeys has been removed from Virgin Trains' website. A hidden page on the Virgin Trains website to submit Delay Repay requests and complaints is only accessible via the Avanti website. (All links on the main Virgin Trains website for "Delay Repay" link to the National Rail Enquiries website, which - as expected - no longer mentions Virgin Trains.) Why should a person who made a journey with Virgin Trains earlier this month be expected to know that they need to visit the website avantiwestcoast.co.uk (which is referenced nowhere on the Virgin Trains website) in order to complain about their Virgin Trains journey?

 

[Aictos]

British Rail introduced Advance tickets in the early 90s.

Indeed they did because I remember my parents going to the travel centre and booking specific trains for our frequent travels between Anglia and the North West via Yorkshire.

 

[trebor79]

Yes. Trainline (formerly Virgin Trainline) was the first ticket booking website.

Was it? There was another website operating at the same time (I think it got taken over by Trainline) that I can't remember the name of now.
I seem to recall that was the first one and Trainline was the incomer. I preferred the original and was disappointed when it was taken over.
This would have have been in the period 1998-2000ish.

 

[centraltrains]

On a half related note, London Midland's website has been redirecting to London Northwestern for ages (and I keep accidentally typing it in), but has suddenly now changed to go-ahead's website.

 

[causton]

On a half related note, London Midland's website has been redirecting to London Northwestern for ages (and I keep accidentally typing it in), but has suddenly now changed to go-ahead's website.

I believe it was leased for two years to allow IT systems such as email addresses to change over.

 

[WatcherZero]

Was it? There was another website operating at the same time (I think it got taken over by Trainline) that I can't remember the name of now.
I seem to recall that was the first one and Trainline was the incomer. I preferred the original and was disappointed when it was taken over.
This would have have been in the period 1998-2000ish.

Trainline began sales in 1999, their rival Qjump launched in 2001 and they merged in 2004.

 

[Helvellyn]

Given Virgin Trains stated they were going to make an Open Access application for Euston - Liverpool, why not keep the website going? They obviously hope to revive the brand this way. I believe Virgin Trains remains 49% owned by Stagecoach as well.

 

[DMU180]

Well it bodes well for the new "amazing" / "awesome" / "revolutionary" Virgin Trains ticketing website - which is currently nothing more than a link to Assertis' Train Genius website - that Virgin couldn't be arsed to maintain the back-end to its existing ticketing system, such that all booking confirmation emails sent prior to 8 December are not formatted correctly and, in many cases, unreadable. About what I'd expect from Virgin.

It is also "interesting" that all information on Delay Repay and complaints relating to Virgin Trains journeys has been removed from Virgin Trains' website. A hidden page on the Virgin Trains website to submit Delay Repay requests and complaints is only accessible via the Avanti website. (All links on the main Virgin Trains website for "Delay Repay" link to the National Rail Enquiries website, which - as expected - no longer mentions Virgin Trains.) Why should a person who made a journey with Virgin Trains earlier this month be expected to know that they need to visit the website avantiwestcoast.co.uk (which is referenced nowhere on the Virgin Trains website) in order to complain about their Virgin Trains journey?

To give Virgin Trains some let up, the booking confirmation emails are actually sent by Trainline on behalf of Virgin Trains.

 

[randyrippley]

Yes. Trainline (formerly Virgin Trainline) was the first ticket booking website.

Not so sure about that..............I've a memory of buying tickets online for UK travel during from DeutcheBahn's website prior to the WCML privatisation. At the time DB sold tickets for virtually any railway in Europe, including BR.
I've a feeling that Pickfords travel agents were dabbling in online sales as well

 

[C J Snarzell]

I may be going slightly off topic here but I bank with the Yorkshire and Virgin have taken over the Clydesdale banking group recently.

Therefore the Yorkshire Bank name will be slowly phased out throughout 2020. The branch in York is already known as Virgin Money and the Yorkshire on-line banking site has been changed in recent weeks with the Virgin name and logo. It seems ironic Virgin is returning to the High Street just as they have vacated the railways.

CJ

 

[Steddenm]

Virgin never left the high street. They have had Virgin Money outlets around for a whole after taking over some of the old Northern Rock branches

 

[PG]

Might not be that long before they are back as a rail operator either, all be it an open access one rather than a franchised operator.

 

[Class195]

Might not be that long before they are back as a rail operator either, all be it an open access one rather than a franchised operator.

Is there a demand for Euston to Lime street?

 

[PG]

Is there a demand for Euston to Lime street?

I've no idea but Virgin obviously believe so otherwise they wouldn't be wanting to run it!

 

[swt_passenger]

Is there a demand for Euston to Lime street?

2 tph has been a fairly constant demand in these forums for years. Whether that’s from a vocal minority who just want what Manchester has, or represents a real pent up demand, is the 64,000 dollar question...