National Rail Olympics rail ticket address change problems

GeneerWolf

I'm reaching the point where I'm at my wits end and was wondering if anyone can advise.
Back in March I bought a number of train tickets for travel to the Olympics.
In May, I moved house unexpectedly, and tried to get the delivery address for the tickets changed...and that's when the fun started.
First of all I followed the link on the website, which let me change the address and sent an email confirmation. All seemed well, however several weeks later I logged in to the National Rail Games Travel website to check something and discovered the tickets still had the same address listed.
Confused by this I contacted the National Rail Ticket Enquiries helpline, only to be told that since it's my account they can't tell me what address the tickets will be sent to, or change it if it's wrong. They told me to email them directly to get it sorted out. The person dealing with it didn't seem to have a clue and couldn't get me off the phone fast enough.
Of course when I emailed I got no reply.
Annoyed by this and unable to see who else I could contact, I decided to fill in the online complaint form and ask how I was supposed to sort this out, and why it was so difficult to do something so simple.
They replied and told me to go to the Train Operating Company, because they handle the tickets. I was even told that the National Rail website just took me to the TOC's website when ordering the tickets anyway, which is incorrect. Funnily enough when I tried the TOC website (First Great Western) they had no record of any order because it wasn't done through them.
In frustration I tried emailing Atos, whose email address is on the National Rail Games site, who told me to phone them instead.
I phoned them, told them the problem, and was put on hold several times, then told they would ring me back.
As you can guess...they didn't ring back.
Yesterday I tried them again, and was told to use a link they would email me, and then log in again to check the address is changed. They emailed me the link, which just took me to the same form again. Went through all that again, logged in again...no change.
Phoned to ask for a line manager as instructed. Line manager not available. Please email us instead and we'll sort it out...
Emailed, and no response.
I've just tried First Great Western, and they "helpfully" gave me the phone number for Olympics ticket office.
After all the runaround I am amazed that these people can't do something as simple as check an address. I seem to have dealt with about four different companies, all of whom haven't had a clue how to fix this. I'm preparing to set up mail redirection in an attempt to intercept the tickets, but am less than impressed at having to pay for this just because these clowns can't change the address.
I'm wondering if I can charge them for this unnecessary mail redirection, plus I'm wondering if I can take them to court for the cost of the tickets and the cost of the Olympics events missed if the tickets don't arrive.
Does anyone have any experience with taking National Rail to court?

silverchoice

Have you managed to get your tickets ? If so, how ?

I've a similar problem. Moved house in December and forgot to change address for rail tickets. By the time I realised I phoned them and said it was too late for them to change the address. I have contacted the people at my old house but they haven't received anything.

What should I do now ?

silverchoice

I rang on Tuesday to say I hadn't received my tickets and they said they would resend them. It seemed a bit easy, like they were fobbing me off. I asked if they could send to my new address but they said it was too late. The people at my old address have received nothing.
I'm not confident I will receive them.
Hw do they get away with sych poor service.

brirl_2

My problem with them is not a new address (I did remember to change it when I moved and the new one appears when I log in) but the simple fact that the tickets, which were bought last year, have not arrived yet. The 2nd of July (last Monday) was the "deadline" and I've been calling them every working day since and each time I hear something different. Basically they haven't got a clue and I still don't know whether the tickets were dispatched or not. Last week I was told this was the question to be sorted (and they had no idea how long it would take to find out whether the tickets were sent or not) but today I was told the tickets would be "re-issued" 5 to 10 working days after I first complained. That would mean waiting until Tuesday next week. Like silverchoice, I think they're just fobbing people off. What could we do? The "Games Travel Website" seems to be run not by an operator but by Atos - who actually oversees these people? Any ideas/suggestions?

silverchoice

Just received this email yesterday:

Hello Olympic ticket holder,

Please be aware we have acknowledged that your tickets have not yet been dispatched. We have been made aware of this and your tickets will be sent via first class post in the next 5 working days.

If you require any more information about your tickets please ring our Olympic call centre on 0844 693 2898.

Kind regards

The Olympic team

brirl_2

Hi Silverchoice,
I hope we will all indeed receive our tickets. Not holding my breath though. The email you received is a good sign but the contact phone is the same from the National Rail Games Travel - the same useless lot we've been facing! Fingers crossed though.

silverchoice

I've given up and bought some more tickets direct from Grand Central for another £64 !!

brirl_2

I called them again yesterday and was told my tickets were going to be posted today. I'll only believe it when I see the tickets. I made new travel arrangements two weeks ago (as soon as I had the impression they were completely clueless) so I won't miss my Olympic event but this entire process has been nothing less than infuriating. And I'm still not sure who is supposed to regulate these people. National Rail itself? Locog?