Terrible train journey

quattro_27

I hope this is in the right place.

I bought two tickets for my kids to travel around 200 miles at the cost of £80.00 each!

The first train was 22 minutes late, and the computer info screens were not working, so they missed the connecting train. I could have driven them to the next station for the connecting train if only I knew.

The next train in which they managed to find a cubby hole in the luggage compartment to sit in, (an hour later) ran out of diesel and they had to change again. They then travelled from Derby to Bristol without a seat, either standing or sitting on the floor.

They arrived home over an hour late and feeling tired and irritated - shame really because they were supposed to be going to a party with the other side of the family - all in all , a day ruined by a trai ncompany.

The train company has offered my £80.00 in rail vouchers but as I will NEVER use a train again after this appalling service they are of no use to me.

I intend just issuing a county court claim, but is there any other way of getting my money back?

This is NOT the first time that trains have been like this, late, badly maintained and with no seats - surely they know how many tickets have been sold!

catflea

Which train company did you buy the tickets through? Most of them operate "delay repay", typically if your journey is delayed by 30mins or more you get half the ticket value back if its an hour or more its the whole value

quattro_27

Hi Catflea

They have offered 50% refund but only in vouchers which are no good to me at all

Q

dzug1

quattro_27 wrote: »

The train company has offered my £80.00 in rail vouchers but as I will NEVER use a train again after this appalling service they are of no use to me.

I intend just issuing a county court claim, but is there any other way of getting my money back?

This is NOT the first time that trains have been like this, late, badly maintained and with no seats - surely they know how many tickets have been sold!

The County Court claim will get you nowhere - forget it. Don't waste the court fee. They will point towards the government imposed T&C which guarantee nothing in terms of seating or timing.

You may be able to talk them into giving you cash rather than vouchers but it's unlikely

And no they don't know how many tickets have been sold - advance ones yes, but that's only a fraction of the seats available. Walk on ones no. Even if they did it doesn't help them as they are not sold for a specific train. People can just turn up and travel.

Mountain_Goat_2

Have you tried asking the train company for a cash refund instead? Some of them will do cash refunds, but only if you ask specifically - they always try to fob you off with vouchers at first (I had the same issue with First Great Western).

aqueoushumour01

failing getting your money back maybe you could sell the vouchers on ebay

quattro_27

Just an update on this.

Northern Rail declined to give me any cash back, just insisted I used the vouchers.

I issued a county court summons against them.

They failed to answer it.

I got judgement.

I have a letter from them stating that they will send me a cheque for the £160.00 plus the £25.00 court fee within 28 days.

:cool:

Now I have to have another fight with Scottish Widows :mad: this time for £2525.65 plus ten years interest

KeithP

Thanks for the feedback.
Always good to hear about a successful outcome.