Train Left Early So Missed it

gbu_2

My son bought a ticket from Kings Cross to Leeds, he was going straight from work tonight so time was a bit tight however he got there 5 minutes before the train was due to leave but as he approached it the doors closed and the train left.

The guard(employee) who was on the platform said nothing he can do and you should of got here earlier.

As i said he was there 5 minutes before train was due to leave so can he get a refund on the ticket as he's now had to get a coach as the next train is not for 6 hours?

Green_hopeful

It might help that you can get actual times of trains online. I had to do it recently to prove the train we would have got had been delayed for hours. Not sure it works for departures though. 

Voyager2002

It would be very unusual for a train to leave as much as five minutes early. Is it possible that his watch was wrong?

gbu_2

Voyager2002 said:

It would be very unusual for a train to leave as much as five minutes early. Is it possible that his watch was wrong?

Train was due to leave at 23:24 he said the board said 23:19 when he got to the door and was 23:21 when he spoke to the platform guard.

Unfortunately he was to upset and angry at the time to take a photo of the time board and departure though.

Emmia

On some routes, doors are closed and locked, and boarding is no longer permitted a few minutes prior to departure - this is regularly announced on the platform, in the station etc.

This frequently affects longer distance routes and London to Leeds might be one of them.

The LNER page states that doors are closed one minute prior to departure, but without a photo of the time and the train you're going to find it tough to prove it left five minutes before it should have.

https://www.lner.co.uk/support/stations-and-travel-faq/stations/what-time-can-i-start-boarding-a-train/

I doubt you'll get a refund in the ticket, your son shouldn't have cut it so fine timewise.

spenderdave

There is no 23:24 to Leeds but there is a 23:15 which last night left from platform 3 fifteen seconds early. If he had turned up at 23:19 it would have already left.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C46741/2024-07-24/detailed
As others have said, he should not have left it so tight for a late night long distance train especially as it is the last train of the day.

You will notice that train is shown as VAR which means a change from the regular timetable. Not sure if that refers to the departure time or something else but it has left at 2315 all this week. So it may have changed from when he booked his journey, which of  course the train companies can do with reasonable notice (normally  one day).

Unused tickets may be refunded with a small fee - if he used the ticket to go through the barrier though that may not be an option and if it is an advanced ticket (only usable on that train) those are not refundable at all.

Tell him to check his facts first. If he has a booking reference showing a 23:24 departure time he may have a case, otherwise they will just say he arrived too late for the train.

discat11

5 minutes is unheard of IME (15 years on intercity in the 90's) and from a major station. Because it would involve the driver, dispatcher (platform), the train manager/guard and the area signaller all allowing this to happen. e.g. unless the trains path ahead was particularly quiet then normally the signal would prevent any train moving until perhaps 60-90 seconds before schedule, no matter what the TM and despatcher signalled to the driver.

Up to perhaps 1 minute at a small unstaffed station en route somewhere is possible and does happen, but the area signalling centre would know to within 20-30 seconds where a specific train was/is and I think serious repercussions would follow if the TM did this.

spenderdave

The OP hasn't been back after I posted yesterday morning. His times simply don't add up, at 23:19 there would have been no sign of that train anywhere as it had left bang on time at 23:15.

gbu_2

Thanks for all these replies, he's still away at the moment will be back tomorrow so ill clarify the details from him then, chances are he was giving me estimated times and just one of those things where it will teach him to get there earlier rather then just 'on time'.

HillStreetBlues

https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/travelling-later/timetables/

Monday 22 to Friday 26 July

​​​​Engineering work will take place late on Monday to Thursday evenings between London King's Cross and Stevenage. 

• The 23.00 from London King's Cross to York and the 23.33 from London King's Cross to Leeds will depart London approximately 20 minutes earlier than usual.

gbu_2

HillStreetBlues said:

https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/travelling-later/timetables/

Monday 22 to Friday 26 July

​​​​Engineering work will take place late on Monday to Thursday evenings between London King's Cross and Stevenage. 

• The 23.00 from London King's Cross to York and the 23.33 from London King's Cross to Leeds will depart London approximately 20 minutes earlier than usual.

Thanks for this!

Just an update, he missed the return trip back too!!

However this was because of the strikes so he had to rebook a ticket for the following day.

Further Update

He requested a refund and has now been successful and got a full refund for both trips.

Thank you all for you advice and observations!