Purchased ticket on the Trainline.

Flabbergasted_in_Poole

Got a return ticket from Portsmouth to Gatwick for a holiday,  got to airport OK but the return  on November 5th was impacted by the aborted train strike in November 2022, so had to make other arrangements from Gatwick to Portsmouth.
Can I pursue a compensation claim for excess expenses incurred?

macman

If the service you booked did not operate, you can claim a refund for the return leg from the TOC.
PS: in future, book through any of the TOC's direct (they all sell every UK route), and you won't have to pay their booking fee.

yorkie2

macman said:

If the service you booked did not operate, you can claim a refund for the return leg from the TOC.

Not quite; a refund request goes to the retailer; you're probably thinking of delay compensation, which is different.

macman said:

PS: in future, book through any of the TOC's direct (they all sell every UK route), and you won't have to pay their booking fee.

While it is true that using TOC websites will avoid booking fees, it is important to note that TOCs do not offer split tickets, so actually a split ticket provider is best, if you want to ensure you are not being overcharged by TOCs who price longer distance journeys at a premium.

macman said:

(they all sell every UK route)

There are some journeys for which TOCs will not sell tickets (or will not sell tickets by the fastest route); only split ticket providers will.