Author Topic: Trains from London - any general tips, please?  (Read 58453 times)

Offline Dan The Man 28373

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #320 on: August 8, 2022, 01:41:30 pm »

Hi mate, I'm in Windsor and usually drive up for the games. Normally go all home games but didn't get anything in the ballot for league games 1st half of the season, will be going all cups and CL though so DM me if you want a lift for those

Cheers mate unfortunately have fallen down the ladder on CL & domestic cup games, so unlikely to get many tickets unless they go to all s/t holders. But will bear you in mind if my situation changes.

Offline MKB

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #321 on: August 8, 2022, 02:30:41 pm »
https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2022/08/08/avanti-west-coasts-schedules-to-return-to-sparse-pandemic-levels/

Not even currently accepting any reservations until after Sep 12.  I don't think there's any doubt that management at Avanti need to be kicked into touch.  They've so ruined staff relations, they can't even run anything near their previous reduced timetable.

Online Craig S

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #322 on: August 8, 2022, 02:40:49 pm »
We considered the 17:30 but (a) at 13:30, there was no guarantee Avanti wouldn't subsequently cancel that, and (b) we wouldn't be back at Rebellion until nearly 22:00, so the evening headliners would be missed.  Very painful decision to leave early.  I'm a stickler for not going till the final whistle normally.

Sadly, our bar-coded 15:30 train tickets got scanned on the 14:30 train, so they know we took the 14:30.  Although that ran late and got us in to Blackpool 45 minutes later than it should have, it was before the original arrival time, so we can't claim Delay Repay.   Going to see whether I can make a claim under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for a full refund and day's expenses since we essentially had a wasted trip, and Avanti were negligent in not determining and announcing, before we left Blackpool on Saturday morning, that they didn't have crew to run trains later that day.  (The crew going down already knew lots of trains back were going to be cancelled, which did at least alert us to check regularly.)

I've just got over a grand out of Lufthansa via MCOL, so that experience will come in useful.  Will be doing a Letter Before Action this week once I've researched if I have a legal case.

The upside was that the 14:30 got us back in time to see full sets on Saturday night from Grade 2, Cockney Rejects and Gary Numan who were all ace, and four other less well-known bands.

Really surprised you got clipped/scanned, unless it was at a barrier. Most of their staff don't seem bothered anymore to do it.

Offline MKB

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #323 on: August 8, 2022, 02:44:20 pm »
Really surprised you got clipped/scanned, unless it was at a barrier. Most of their staff don't seem bothered anymore to do it.

Both at barrier and on train.

Offline Rhi

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #324 on: August 8, 2022, 03:09:23 pm »
Just want to once again express my complete contempt for the fucking shambles that are Avanti West Coast. The service they provide is not fit for purpose. They are a joke and I truly believe it'll end up being some sort of scandal that they were awarded the contract because I refused to believe that an organisation who fail at every fucking turn were able to legitimately win a contract.
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Offline MKB

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #325 on: August 8, 2022, 03:26:15 pm »
If you want to see what you're dealing with, this is what Phil Whittingham, Avanti's Managing Director, thought was appropriate to issue to Avanti staff today, which is a deliberate attempt to inflame rather than heal staff relations.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/avanti-west-coast-cancellations.233844/page-36#post-5790737

Given he's probably acting under orders from DaFT, now that the railway franchises are on management contracts, presumably this is driven from de Pfeffel down.

Offline bradders1011

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #326 on: August 8, 2022, 04:28:26 pm »
If you want to see what you're dealing with, this is what Phil Whittingham, Avanti's Managing Director, thought was appropriate to issue to Avanti staff today, which is a deliberate attempt to inflame rather than heal staff relations.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/avanti-west-coast-cancellations.233844/page-36#post-5790737

Given he's probably acting under orders from DaFT, now that the railway franchises are on management contracts, presumably this is driven from de Pfeffel down.

What does it say? Can't see without an account.
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Offline MKB

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #327 on: August 8, 2022, 04:59:27 pm »
Sorry, didn't realise that.  It's a couple of screen grabs someone posted:

Offline Levitz

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #328 on: August 8, 2022, 06:10:42 pm »
Sorry, didn't realise that.  It's a couple of screen grabs someone posted:

Crazy how they are publicly trying to claim that individuals working to rule or working to contract is 'unofficial strike action' rather than just working to your actual contract rather than doing them a favour. Not working voluntary overtime is now considered to be striking, wild.
« Last Edit: August 9, 2022, 11:02:42 am by Levitz »
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Offline Rhi

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #329 on: August 8, 2022, 07:36:28 pm »
They're the fucking worst. Awful, awful company.
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Offline RainbowFlick

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #330 on: August 8, 2022, 07:59:07 pm »
choosing not to work overtime is not "unofficial" strike action, avanti. what a shambles of a company.
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Offline MKB

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #331 on: August 11, 2022, 06:35:51 pm »
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/best-ways-travel-and-anfield-season

I had to laugh at this line:

"Use public transport for quick and convenient travel to Anfield this season"

I don't think the Club can be familiar with Avanti.

Offline Levitz

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #332 on: September 6, 2022, 12:50:17 pm »
Apparently tix for this weekend were released 20 mins ago, but I can't see advance tickets on most of the trains. Complete joke
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Offline MKB

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #333 on: September 7, 2022, 12:37:34 am »
Avanti gave out vouchers for 25%, 50% or 100% off Advance fares in Standard and First-Class (but not Standard Premium), probably tens of thousands of them, as service recovery over the past couple of years.  They have now made it pretty much impossible to use them.

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #335 on: September 7, 2022, 05:15:56 pm »
Avanti West Coast: Government considers withdrawing rail operator's contract

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62824277.amp

Offline MKB

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #336 on: September 30, 2022, 01:18:39 pm »
Fuming with Avanti yesterday.  Coming down for the afternoon from the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool just for the game, no sooner had the match started than Avanti announced that the next THREE trains back to Preston after the game were all cancelled, and this on their already reduced timetable that was supposed to deal with staff shortages.  Decided to cut our losses and leave in order to get the last train running.

A letter-before-action citing The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (Travel Amendments) which requires Avanti to operate its travel services with "reasonable care and skill" has elicited a very decent compensatory offer of refunds for all match-day costs plus four first-class return trips anywhere on the Avanti network that has Advance tickets available.  Still would rather have seen the second half though.

Offline Levitz

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #337 on: October 5, 2022, 05:14:50 pm »
they just released tix for 16 October (City)
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Offline Schmarn

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #338 on: October 5, 2022, 05:16:08 pm »
they just released tix for 16 October (City)

Horrendous timetable though. Trains in both directions are 4+ hours and are going to be rammed. Any cancellation and we're screwed so may have no option but to drive.

Offline Levitz

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #339 on: October 5, 2022, 05:16:40 pm »
Horrendous timetable though. Trains in both directions are 4+ hours and are going to be rammed. Any cancellation and we're screwed so may have no option but to drive.

Tell me about it...
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Offline MKB

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #340 on: October 26, 2022, 02:50:17 pm »
Heads up for anyone else affected...

Just 13 days ago on 13 October, Avanti released their revised Sat 29 October schedule which had Euston-to-Liverpool services taking an hour more than usual and being routed via the West Midlands because of the engineering blockade between Rugby and Stafford.

Today, with three days notice, Avanti have cancelled all but three of their direct trains from Euston: those departing Euston at 06:03, 18:21 and 19:11 are still running.  For the return, their only direct trains are now at 05:46, 06:39 and 19:48.

At any other times, you will now need to change en route.  Instead of the journey time being an hour longer than normal, it will instead be another half an hour to an hour on top of that.

To cap it all, Avanti's email is still blaming the Rugby-Stafford engineering, even though that was supposed to be factored in when the schedule was released on 13 October.

Online ScubaSteve

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #341 on: October 27, 2022, 06:29:27 pm »
There is a train strike announced on the same day as the league cup game against derby for anyone who doesn’t know

Offline Schmarn

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #342 on: November 4, 2022, 02:21:41 pm »

Avanti tickets for Nov 12 are available for purchase. Still shows as not available in the schedule but is there if you go to the booking page.

Offline RainbowFlick

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #343 on: November 4, 2022, 02:51:09 pm »
Avanti tickets for Nov 12 are available for purchase. Still shows as not available in the schedule but is there if you go to the booking page.

thanks, already pricey, eek.

really need 31st tickets to pop up (and cheap) otherwise i'm walking back after Leicester
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Offline NeoAdjuvant

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #344 on: November 4, 2022, 03:52:12 pm »
There is a train strike announced on the same day as the league cup game against derby for anyone who doesn’t know

Train strike has been suspended apparently.
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Offline Levitz

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #345 on: November 4, 2022, 04:49:42 pm »
There is a train strike announced on the same day as the league cup game against derby for anyone who doesn’t know

Argh, should have checked on here, got the alert 2 hours later and unsurprisingly all gone....
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Offline RainbowFlick

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #346 on: December 27, 2022, 10:22:36 pm »
How far in advanced do Avanti inform passengers if a train is going to be cancelled?

Just realised my train for the 30th arrives at 7pm (kickoff is 8pm). I'm assuming they can cancel at the literal last second if they need to?

Not a strike day but I know there's staff shortages due to them expecting overtime etc. Advanced ticket so probably can't get on an earlier train without reason?
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Offline Schmarn

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #347 on: January 16, 2023, 04:00:44 pm »

5 days till the Chelsea game and Avanti still haven't released tickets.

Contempt, customers.

Offline liverbirdie99

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #348 on: January 18, 2023, 12:49:53 pm »
I rang them yesterday and they said it might even be Thursday or Friday before tickets are released :butt

Offline Schmarn

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #349 on: January 18, 2023, 05:03:18 pm »
They've just gone on sale for Saturday

Offline Belmont butty

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #350 on: January 20, 2023, 12:49:19 pm »
Heads up for those having to use the trains to Euston run by the Tory twats Avanti. They've cancelled the quarter to four Saturday afternoon.

Offline Schmarn

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #351 on: January 20, 2023, 01:32:19 pm »

It says sold out, not cancelled on the site. That would be why you can’t book it.

Offline Belmont butty

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #352 on: January 20, 2023, 01:33:55 pm »
Nah, me mate got an email saying it was cancelled.

Offline Schmarn

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #353 on: January 20, 2023, 01:48:21 pm »

Strange, I haven’t. It would be typical of them to cancel the one train that will be busy.

Offline MKB

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #354 on: January 21, 2023, 11:21:30 am »
Was anyone here on the 11:04 arrival from Euston that got in 20 minutes late? (Don't forget your Delay Repay.)  I see the clowns at Avanti scheduled a 9-car rather than an 11-car train.  I expect it was rammed with both sets of fans.  I know seat reservations sold out very quickly on Wednesday.

We took a chance on the next train, which is a very lightly loaded 11-car.  It will be tight making kick-off, but at least we're not standing. (Got lucky.  Just mafe it.)
« Last Edit: January 21, 2023, 01:34:01 pm by MKB »

Offline Schmarn

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #355 on: January 21, 2023, 03:40:51 pm »
Nah, me mate got an email saying it was cancelled.

Currently sat on the 15:43. Your mate was given duff info

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #356 on: February 17, 2023, 08:33:47 am »
Train strike called for 18th March - Same day as Fulham (H) - If they aren't in the FA Cup.

Offline Cabbie

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #357 on: March 9, 2023, 05:02:05 pm »
Next game Arsenal looks like Easter 🐣 closures.

Offline Schmarn

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #358 on: March 16, 2023, 11:43:13 am »

Avanti train tickets on sale for April 22 (Forest) for those waiting to buy.

Offline lfc79

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Re: Trains from London - any general tips, please?
« Reply #359 on: March 17, 2023, 11:00:15 pm »
I see Avanti have a new stupid idea, some cheap tickets  where they only tell you want time your tracking on a day, 24hrs before you travel rather than just having reasonably price tickets or even day returns.