First class ticket but no first class carriages

Techno

Travelled from Watford Junction to Oswestry on Monday and purchased an advance first class ticket. The first hour to Birmingham was with Virgin so first class available but the next 2 legs were with London Midland then Arriva and no First class carriages on these trains. Bit peeved but not sure who to complain to as this was 3 different operators. If you buy a first class ticket should that facility be available for the entire journey and hence am I entitled to a partial refund?
Many thanks

System

I assume that you mean Gobowen as Oswestry railway station closed in 1966.

Can't answer your question but as far as I am aware the the Arriva train through Gobowen never has had First Class carriages, it's more of a rural commuter train.

dzug1

The ticket was priced (or should have been) for the lack of first class accommodation on some legs.


There won't be a refund unless first class was scheduled but what turned up didn't have it

Techno

!!!!!! I did mean Gobowen. dzug1 - should it not specify that the first class was only for one of the 3 legs. I have previously bought first class from london to north wales and had first class all the way for less money than I paid for this ticket. It seems to be 'not as described' otherwise

dzug1

It does - depending on what you mean by 'it'


I'm looking at the information box for such a ticket. It only shows the Virgin Trains sector as having first class accommodation - not the ATW leg


And even if I don't go to that depth, hovering over the times says first class accommodation is not available for all legs of this journey

Jennifer_Jane

If I book from my little local market town to, say, Twickenham in London, it's only the main journey which is first class - not from my town to Stoke, or from Euston on various tube and overland trains to Twickenham. And that's what I've paid for. You won't have paid for something that doesn't exist.

yorkie2

Techno wrote: »

Travelled from Watford Junction to Oswestry on Monday and purchased an advance first class ticket. The first hour to Birmingham was with Virgin so first class available but the next 2 legs were with London Midland then Arriva and no First class carriages on these trains. Bit peeved but not sure who to complain to as this was 3 different operators. If you buy a first class ticket should that facility be available for the entire journey and hence am I entitled to a partial refund?
Many thanks

it's not easy to answer this without knowing the fare you paid and the trains you took.

However, I know that ATW do not have any first class except for two trains between Cardiff & Holyhead.

London Midland offer First Class on their main routes, but not all.

So it sounds like the trains you were due to take were not booked to have 1st class. The fare you paid almost certainly took this into account.

However, if you believe you paid too much, next time look at the cost of separate tickets; one for the Virgin Trains leg in 1st class, and another for the remainder. That might be cheaper - but it probably wont be!

First Class fares exist for journeys where only part of the journey is possible in First Class. If this were not the case, it would cause people to have to "split" (ie, buy a combination of tickets). This might be cheaper - but it might not!

Techno

I booked the ticket at the train station not online so couldn't do any 'hovering'. Should it not specify somewhere that firs class only available on first leg?

wealdroam

Techno wrote: »

I booked the ticket at the train station not online so couldn't do any 'hovering'. Should it not specify somewhere that firs class only available on first leg?

If you had asked at the train station I am sure they would've told you.

LimeLight

I travelled first class last week, and it was cheaper with the standard class connection than buying 2 tickets.

lulu_92

Techno wrote: »

Travelled from Watford Junction to Oswestry on Monday and purchased an advance first class ticket. The first hour to Birmingham was with Virgin so first class available but the next 2 legs were with London Midland then Arriva and no First class carriages on these trains. Bit peeved but not sure who to complain to as this was 3 different operators. If you buy a first class ticket should that facility be available for the entire journey and hence am I entitled to a partial refund?
Many thanks

I would get London Midland trains to work and there was a first class carriage 99% of the time. It's not normally an isolated carriage, more of a section on a standard class train. Had you been told there's no first class at all?