Manchester to London this weekend- trains???

squashy

Ok I am really fed up. I have been planning a trip to London for ages for an event which is happening this Sunday. I have priced up a timetabled route and was waiting until I could afford to book online. However I go to check on it and the journey is not there- the only option it gives me is to travel via sheffield which takes twice as long and gets me there too late. I have checked Virgin, Trainline, National Rail etc and there are no trains running on that line at all, but strangely there are no aanouncements about service disruptions either.

I have paid for a travellodge room which is non refundable and I am going to be letting my daughter down who is looking forward to going, if I have to cancel the trip.

I have emailed the route operator, Virgin, who have just frustrated me even more by replying with things like "please tell us which class you would like to travel and we will try and assist you" followed a couple of hours later with a similar question asking me to confirm which stations I will be travelling from and to, information I have already told them.

I have heard that there are strikes on for the maintenance workers and I am sure this must be something to do with it. But I just want a straight answer about these trains so I know where I stand. Does anyone know anything?

I'm so upset about this.

BillTrac

squashy,

perhaps it isn't practical, but what about a coach?.

Bill

mancmum

yes, I'm really cheesed off as well. I've been watching the mobitix site but have now bought the Sheffield option down and although I don't like it am flying back from London. My trip's in a few weeks. Have you checked out flights?

Megabus are also a possibility.

dzug1

squashy wrote: »

Ok I am really fed up. I have been planning a trip to London for ages for an event which is happening this Sunday. I have priced up a timetabled route and was waiting until I could afford to book online. However I go to check on it and the journey is not there- the only option it gives me is to travel via sheffield which takes twice as long and gets me there too late. I have checked Virgin, Trainline, National Rail etc and there are no trains running on that line at all, but strangely there are no aanouncements about service disruptions either.

I have paid for a travellodge room which is non refundable and I am going to be letting my daughter down who is looking forward to going, if I have to cancel the trip.

I have emailed the route operator, Virgin, who have just frustrated me even more by replying with things like "please tell us which class you would like to travel and we will try and assist you" followed a couple of hours later with a similar question asking me to confirm which stations I will be travelling from and to, information I have already told them.

I have heard that there are strikes on for the maintenance workers and I am sure this must be something to do with it. But I just want a straight answer about these trains so I know where I stand. Does anyone know anything?

I'm so upset about this.

There are no direct trains between London and Manchester at weekends until further notice. However it's not true to say there are no announcements - they are prominent on the Virgin site and there if you search for them on the National Rail site.

There are no 'strikes' - the disruption is to allow the maintenance workers access to the lines.

Coach or flying are your best options - you don't have to use the same transport both ways.

squashy

Engineering work between Lancaster and Carlisle Saturday 26 July to Sunday 27 July 2008

Start date
26/07/2008

End date
27/07/2008


Route affected
London Euston,Watford Junction, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street, Stafford, Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly, Preston, Carlisle, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh.


Description
Coaches replace trains between Preston and Carlilse.

This is the only announcement I can find, which just says they are laying on coaches to cover the short part of the route that is affected by the maintenance, which is further North so not part of the line I am travelling on?

I have had the most ridiculous responses from Virgin ie "The 0844 service is not available because of some reasons.":mad:

This journey has been available to book up until I had money in my account to do so yesterday! I'm so annoyed. Currently weighing up National Express et al but it means a loooong time to keep a nine month old and an 8 year old sitting still and occupied. Flying is too expensive, will be around £120 one way for the three of us, compared to £53 return by train. Which reminds me, the fare is more expensive to go via Virgin's suggested route (which includes me and the children sleeping in a train station somewhere along the way in order to get into London for midday). Give me strength!

dzug1

It took me 10 seconds to find this on the Virgin site:

Rugby station is closed.


Date
Saturday, 26 Jul until Sunday, 27 Jul

What's happening
The number of lines at Rugby is being doubled to allow more trains.
All services will start / terminate at Birmingham International or Coventry.

Services affected

• London-Birmingham-Wolverhampton
• London-Manchester
• London-Crewe-Liverpool
• North Wales-London and The West Midlands
• London-The North West-Glasgow

Alternative route
An hourly West Coast Replacement Shuttle service will run between London Euston, Coventry and Birmingham International from around 0900 until early evening.

Connections will be available to and from the North at Birmingham International.
Two services an hour will run between London Euston, Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central and Northampton. A rail replacement coach service will link these trains between Northampton and Birmingham International.

Advice Allow an extra 2 hours on average for you journey.

pompeyrich

Where did you find that Dzug1? All I can see is this
Engineering work at Rugby Station Saturday 26 July 2008


Start date
26/07/2008

End date
26/07/2008


It carries on with the rest of the info you provide but agree with squashy, not at all clear.

OK found the bit you show now but if you click on the quick link it says saturday only on the more detailed bit shows sunday too. I would have thought they should have made it a lot clearer on their home page.

alanrowell

deleted....

squashy

Not clear at all is it! I am so annoyed at the really awful customer service too, not giving me a straight answer about the cancelled service and then fobbing me off.
:
alanrowell, what did you delete? I am a big girl, I can take it

Oh and for those that are interested, I managed to grab a National Express "funfare" which is costing me £26 although it takes 5 hours at least it gets me there in the morning (but got to be on it for 0645!!). I'll get the train back as originally planned.

dzug1

Glad you found something even if not ideal.

I suspect your e-mail replies from Virgin are computer generated. (They are with some other rail companies). The computer 'reads' your letter, guesses what you are asking and replies 'appropriately'. After several exchanges you may get through to a human - who probably won't understand your question either if it's in the least bit complicated. He's probably relying on the computer for his answers...

What's happening is that there is a planned timetable, set many months ahead. However there is also massive engineering work going on, the final details of which are often not known until a week or so beforehand. So Virgin will only take full fare bookings (which are flexible and can be switched between trains) until the last minute, when they know what trains they will actually be allowed to run. They may (or may not) make cheap fares available on these trains.

Doesn't really help you as a passenger though - as you've found out. At least you didn't book in advance, at full fare, and find your plans disrupted.